1 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to the Credit Edge, a weekly markets podcast. 2 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: My name is James Crumby, I'm Missing It editor at Bloomberg. 3 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 2: And I'm Arnold Kakuta, a senior credit analyst covering US 4 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 2: banks at Bloomberg Intelligence. And this week we're very pleased 5 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: to welcome Ted Goldthorpe. He's the head of BC Partner's Credit. 6 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 2: Welcome Ted, how. 7 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 3: Are you doing? Thank you and thank you for having me. Well, 8 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 3: so a little bit on Ted. 9 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 2: Before launching PC Partner's Credit in twenty seventeen, he was 10 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 2: president at Apollam Investment Corps, and prior to that, he 11 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 2: held senior roles at Goldman Sachs Sachs's Distressed and Special 12 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 2: Situations Group. So seen a lot of things, done, a 13 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 2: lot of things, and without I'll hand it over to 14 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: James to start the grilling full week real. 15 00:00:57,640 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: I just wanted to set the scene a little bit here. 16 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: Global markets on getting whipswored by recession fears and alarming 17 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: developments on the geopolitical front. Investors are spooked by increasingly 18 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: haphazard and nuretic US policy making, particularly on trade. I 19 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: was just looking up how many times the word uncertainty 20 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: appears on the Bloomberg terminal more than six thousand times 21 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: a day now, which is the highest since the depths 22 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: of the COVID pandemic in twenty twenty. We're hearing that 23 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: word in surround sound. But despite that, credit spreads are 24 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: actually quite tight. There's a hope that the longer term 25 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: trajectory of the US economy remains up and that the 26 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: new administration will do its best to defend growth, and 27 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: high yields are still luring buyers on the credit side. Plus, 28 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: there's not enough supply of corporate debt to satisfy all 29 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: the demand corporate debt markets that meanwhile pricing in low 30 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: odds of a US recession, which is being talked about 31 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: a lot more as US consumers weaken and business leaders 32 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: are complaining that they can't take long term decisions in 33 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: this environment. Every dip in recent memory has been swiftly bought, 34 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,639 Speaker 1: and you only have to look at last week's twenty 35 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: six billion dollar bond deal from Mars, which got one 36 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 1: hundred and fifteen billion in orders to see how how 37 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: strong the demand is for this stuff. But ted, what's 38 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: your take as an investor? Is this the time to 39 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: be loading up on credit or are we going to 40 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: see more fundamental damage from what's happening in Washington. 41 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 4: I'm probably in the latter camp, you know, spreads around 42 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 4: their ninety eighth percentile. And the comment you made is 43 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 4: very very spot on, which is what's happening in credit 44 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 4: markets today. There's no supply, so when we have uncertainty, 45 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 4: there's less transaction volume. So coming into this year, m 46 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 4: and A, pipelines, m A backlogs, you know, the mood 47 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,239 Speaker 4: within boardrooms post Trump selection was up for it from 48 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 4: a business perspective, and today, you know, there's just not 49 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 4: a lot of deal activity. So when we see a 50 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,079 Speaker 4: good deal, it's very very competitive, just because there's not 51 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 4: a lot of volume. So I think what you said, 52 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,119 Speaker 4: I actually think you framed today's market perfectly. 53 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: So, but but the yield, right, like, there's yield to 54 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 2: be had. So is it just kind of you know, 55 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 2: given all the uncertainty, you think maybe there's there's kind 56 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 2: of a pause there, this this yield euphoria, everybody kind 57 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 2: of stepping in even though maybe let's say the stock 58 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 2: markets are kind of showing this this this weakness maybe 59 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 2: not so much in the credit So is it kind 60 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: of better to kind of wait it out right now 61 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 2: before we kind of start seeing you know, the flight 62 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 2: to safety aspector. 63 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 4: I mean, the thing that's been really helpful for us is, 64 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 4: you know, private credit is still very interesting because even 65 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 4: those spreads have come down in the last twelve months, 66 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 4: spreads are where they were two or three years ago, 67 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 4: and SOFA has gone from zero to four. So we're 68 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 4: basically getting double the return we got three years ago 69 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 4: to lend the same oftentimes less leverage because obviously people 70 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 4: are solving for a fixed charge coverage ratio. So we're 71 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 4: getting higher absolute returns just because rates are higher. And 72 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 4: if you think about what Trump's doing, a lot of 73 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 4: the policies that the administration's pursuing is higher for longer. 74 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 4: So you know, the curve for SOFA has obviously gone up, 75 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 4: and that's a big, big talent for our business. 76 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: But it's private credit not moving because people aren't marking it. 77 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 4: I mean, we have a very that's I think that's 78 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 4: a very big misconception out there. I mean, you know, 79 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 4: all of our assets, so first of all, we disclose 80 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 4: everything we do. It's all very public, and all of 81 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 4: our assets could mark by third parties, so we less 82 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 4: and less over time, we have control over our own 83 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 4: marketing process, almost all of it. Boards are insisted on 84 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 4: third party marks, and so I don't think that's an 85 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 4: accurate description. I know, we you know, I hear that, 86 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 4: I hear that feedback quite commonly, But I. 87 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: Don't agree with that big month. 88 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 3: I mean, we obviously mark on a quarterly basis, because 89 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 3: you know, if it's in a public vehicle, we report quarterly, right, 90 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 3: But you know, the valuation process is very robust, and 91 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 3: then actually we see that across there's not like a 92 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 3: big it's not like we're seeing abuse in other credit managers. 93 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 3: We feel generally speaking, people are relatively accurately marked, got it? 94 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: And then you know, in terms of the higher for 95 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 2: longer aspect, but what about what about like with the 96 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 2: all the unsernty right now, maybe prospects of a weaker economy, 97 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 2: like doesn't that hurt the underlying portfolio companies? 98 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: Right? 99 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 2: And then in a higher for longer scenario, I meant, 100 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 2: great for you know, the ones collecting the interest, right, 101 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 2: but then for the for the borrows themselves, isn't that 102 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: kind of adding stress? So what does your take on that? 103 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, I would say, I mean listen. I mean, this 104 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 4: recent environment is only six weeks into it, right. If 105 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 4: this persists for a long period of time, it's going 106 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 4: to have impact on the credit worthiness of borders for sure. 107 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 4: But what I would say is the issues that we're 108 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 4: facing companies two or three years ago, a lot of 109 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 4: them have gone away. So labor inflation, labor shortages, supply 110 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,720 Speaker 4: chain issues, a lot of those things have been kind 111 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 4: of like rectified over the last eighteen months. So we 112 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 4: actually really haven't had any real credit surprises in the 113 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 4: last twelve months. Now, again that's on a trailing basis, 114 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 4: and that's on a trailing metric. On a go forward basis, 115 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 4: I mean, it's inevitable that the economy is going to 116 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 4: slow down. 117 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: How does that affect your companies? As Enel says, you know, 118 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: it's putting stress on them, and there's a lot of 119 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: stuff coming down the pipe in terms of policies. We 120 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: can't even see the policies very far, but that's got 121 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: to hurt at some point. And you cover the middle market, right, 122 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: so you must be getting some really interesting signals right 123 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 1: now from that piece of the economy. What are they doing? 124 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 4: I mean, listen, if you're exposed to government spending the 125 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 4: high end consumer or infrastructure, you're actually doing pretty well. 126 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 4: If you're exposed to the low en consumer or you're 127 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 4: you know, small businesses, you're you're feeling more pressure. So 128 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 4: we actually really don't us as a us BC partners, 129 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 4: but I think it's pretty prevalent across private credit. 130 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 3: We don't have a lot of consumer exposure. 131 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 4: So when you hear consumer weakness, you know a lot 132 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 4: of the businesses are going to be impacted by tariffs, 133 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 4: a lot of them are exposed to consumer as well, 134 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 4: you know, important importing of toys and all that kind 135 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 4: of stuff, Like we really don't have that in our portfolio. 136 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 4: You know, most private credit managers like US are healthcare, software, 137 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 4: financial services, in our case, balance sheet light. So we're 138 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 4: not exposed to banks. We're exposed to you know, wealth management, insurance, brokeerds, 139 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 4: things like that. 140 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 3: So a lot of the sectors that we're exposed. 141 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 4: To aren't that correlated with what's aren't directly impacted by 142 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 4: what's happening. All that being said, they're indirectly impacted, and 143 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 4: there's you know, knock on effects that you know you 144 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 4: may see. 145 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: And for our listeners who don't really know what the 146 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: middle market is, and I I must say, I'm like, 147 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: I'm confused sometimes because we have guests recently who said 148 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: a billion dollar could be a middle market loan? What 149 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: does it mean in terms of size and scope? 150 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, you're so, it's so funny you say that. 151 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 4: So you know, our business used to be called middle 152 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 4: market lending, and then it was called direct lending, and 153 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 4: now it's called private credit. So we've largely replaced the 154 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 4: banks for lending. So like banks, market share in our 155 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 4: world has gone from ninety four percent to four percent. 156 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 4: Now we're getting into the regional banks world subscription lines 157 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 4: Leonard Lennar Finance and again on vir off topics. So 158 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 4: we view the middle market as call it ten to 159 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 4: seventy five million of vibada. But if you ask ten managers, 160 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 4: you'll get a slightly different definition by each manager. So 161 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 4: there's no that it used to be middle market lending 162 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 4: used to be ten to fifty and it's been like 163 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 4: that for a long time. The definition of that is 164 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 4: now changing. I view it as like, you know, once 165 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 4: you move a little bit higher than that, now you're 166 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 4: competing with the banks, So like you're competing with the 167 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 4: JP Morgan or Golden Sachs syndicated loan. And that's where 168 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 4: I feel like you're moving outside of what is what 169 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 4: people refer to as the middle market. 170 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: So the average deal size as well, No, I mean. 171 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 4: Our deal size is typically are are somewhere between one 172 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 4: hundred and three hundred million dollars. Once we get above that, 173 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 4: we feel we don't get covenants, spreads become tighter. We 174 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 4: start having to face off against banks and all the 175 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 4: big alternate asset managers who have you know, really good, 176 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 4: really scale platforms, you know, Blackstone, Apollo, you know managers 177 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 4: like that. 178 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, and then you know, two years ago we had 179 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 2: the regional bank stress and and you know set Will 180 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 2: have talked about kind of being able to step in 181 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 2: and kind of help you know, the balance sheet optimization 182 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 2: there does that you know, is that some space that 183 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:36,719 Speaker 2: you played in and then is that opportunity kind of 184 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 2: still there right now? 185 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, It's funny, like we're really plugged into that space. 186 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 4: So I have in a background in that, so like 187 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 4: we have a we're very very plugged in there, and 188 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 4: we're really not seeing opportunities in the last six months, 189 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 4: so we saw a lot of opportunities post Silicon Valley bank, 190 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 4: so either to buy assets from banks to kind of 191 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 4: prove their to your point, prove their marks. There's a 192 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 4: lot of you know, red cap trades, so you guys 193 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 4: would call them SRTs, and they always they go. They 194 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 4: have a different name every year, but it's the same thing, right, 195 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 4: it's buying a first lost piece on a portfolio. 196 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 3: We're really not seeing a lot of activity in that sector. 197 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 3: In the last six months. 198 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 4: Bank leaning in regional banks was averaging ten percent a 199 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 4: year and it's gone to zero. So that gap has 200 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 4: been made up by US. So we are now replacing 201 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 4: the regional banks because the regional banks are their funding 202 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 4: costs have gone up and a lot of them have 203 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 4: marked market holes due to securities they held, so it's 204 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 4: harder for them to be offensive at a market like this. 205 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 2: And then on the SRTs, I mean, I guess we 206 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 2: had this buzzline game new regulation in the US which 207 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: was going to be very onerous. It seems like it's 208 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 2: on pause. And then you know, maybe that kind of 209 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 2: put a damper on kind of the US usage of SRTs. 210 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 2: But do you think that's going to still be like 211 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 2: a big thing in Europe, maybe less so in the 212 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 2: US or what are your thoughts on that. 213 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 4: I mean, one of the issues we have just generally speaking, 214 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 4: and this goes to James's point right at the start 215 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 4: of the podcast, is there's no velocity of capital. So 216 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 4: there's all this venture that's just trapped in funds. Private 217 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 4: equity average hoole period's gone from three to eight years. 218 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 4: Real estate is just sitting there waiting for there's just 219 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 4: no activity. And the reason for it is, you know, 220 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 4: it's financing costs are high. So my point about banks, 221 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:08,679 Speaker 4: to your point is there's no velocity of their balance sheet, 222 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 4: like it slowed down. So you know they do a 223 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 4: lot of construction lending and cire they get taken out 224 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 4: by the developer and you know there's this and that's 225 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,599 Speaker 4: just not happening, and so the multiplier of money is 226 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 4: just slowed down. And so there's this wall of activity 227 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 4: that has to happen. And again post election, we all 228 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 4: thought that that was this is the year. Like if 229 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 4: you if we sat down two months ago, I would 230 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:29,079 Speaker 4: have told you that we're gonna have a very robust 231 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 4: deal environment. You know, our pipeline is terrible, Like we 232 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 4: have a very very small pipeline right now. And I 233 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 4: think you could hear that, you know, if people are 234 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 4: telling you honestly, Like there's just not a lot of deal. 235 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 3: Flow right now. 236 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: When was it last this bad. 237 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 3: Deal flow wise? 238 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 1: Yeah? 239 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 3: I mean usually when. 240 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 4: The world is bad, we do really well. I hate 241 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 4: to say it, so like when people aren't lending, we lend. 242 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 4: So we were really really busy in twenty one twenty two, 243 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 4: there were great environments for us, So overall activities are 244 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 4: very low, but that was good for us. Today it's 245 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 4: not a robust deal environment for US nor everybody else. 246 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 4: So it's kind of a weird. It's pretty unique six 247 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 4: weeks or four weeks or I don't know how long 248 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 4: it's been going on for it, but it's pretty unique. 249 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 3: Like this is not typical at all. 250 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: For yeah, but you think it might come back. Is 251 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: there some reason to believe that we will get this 252 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: long awaited revival in M and A. 253 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 4: I mean, listen, if uncertainty fades, so even if they 254 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 4: implement tariffs, at least you have certainty. And if you 255 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 4: implement tariffs in certain ways or like you know they're 256 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 4: gonna do targeted tariffs, I'm not going to just do 257 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 4: broad tariffs on total countries. So if they do that, 258 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 4: then you at least have certainty and then you can 259 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 4: make an underwriting decision. 260 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 3: You know. 261 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 4: Today, you know, we have companies that import pieces from 262 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 4: China into Ohio, they assemble them, they send all the 263 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 4: pieces down to Tijuana, Mexico, and then re import them. 264 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 4: So now they're subject to two tariffs. So what do 265 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 4: they do? They Should they ship everything to Tijuana and 266 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 4: just you know, not make stuff in the United States. 267 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 4: Should they find a new supply for China. I mean, 268 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 4: what's going on in boardrooms right now is like war games. 269 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 4: Plan out if this if then you know, if this happens, 270 00:11:58,000 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 4: and do this, if that happens, to do that, and 271 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 4: that is taken up a lot of management bandwidth. 272 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: Right, But is the ultimate hope that the Trump the 273 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: administration sees sense and you know, wants to defend these 274 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: businesses because ultimately the goal is to bring back back 275 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,199 Speaker 1: jobs to the US. Right, So it is a sense 276 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: that you know that sanity might prevail. 277 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 3: Sanity typically preparels. 278 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 4: You know, there's a big movement from you know, again 279 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,319 Speaker 4: like from our perspective, there's gonna be a lot of 280 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 4: movement from public sector to private sector, so they're moving 281 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 4: jobs in the private sector, spendings moving to the private sector. 282 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 4: And so again it's just a macro theme that you 283 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 4: just when you're underwriting credits you have to be aware of, right. 284 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 2: And then you know, I think I when I checked LinkedIn, 285 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 2: I think that that Riddell investment that you guys did, 286 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 2: you know, prominently featured. So I think that's a very 287 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 2: good metaphor for kind of maybe what people are looking 288 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 2: for right now. Something defensive, right, Riddell helmet maker, right 289 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 2: protects football players heads. 290 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,199 Speaker 1: And American football. 291 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 3: Real football. 292 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, so but I think it's it's something you people 293 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 2: are looking for, something defensive perhaps, or you know, something 294 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 2: on the protection area. So is that something that you're 295 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,200 Speaker 2: looking at, maybe like in Europe, right, I guess they're 296 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 2: talking about having to defend themselves, so so you know 297 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 2: the defense industry there, or is that sort of sort 298 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 2: of a theme that you guys are looking at. 299 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 4: Or I mean, listen, I mean a lot of companies 300 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 4: have greatly benefited from stimulus or spent government spending, and 301 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 4: you know, it'll be interesting to see how Europe reacts 302 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 4: to what's happening. So you know, Germany's announced a massive 303 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 4: increase in defense spending and they carved it out of 304 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 4: their budget, so they don't they don't have to do 305 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 4: that sealing issue. And so some governments are spending more 306 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,199 Speaker 4: and our government is attempted to spend less. So I 307 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 4: don't think it's a broad based theme. But I mean, listen, 308 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 4: I mean we all I hate to say that geopolitical 309 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 4: conflict is probably here to stay and therefore it's probably 310 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 4: some tailwinds in the defense space. So you know, we 311 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 4: had a large loan to two defense companies that just 312 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 4: got refinanced last week, so we're pretty big in that 313 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:58,079 Speaker 4: that space. And you know, I mean, unfortunately, there's a 314 00:13:58,120 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 4: lot of tailwinds in that space. 315 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: I just wanted to deep on sports because you did 316 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: identify that as something that you you know, you have 317 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 1: a focus on. Everyone loves sports. They do well in 318 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 1: you know, political good and bad times. So where's the 319 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: opportunity for an investor in sports? And you know, how 320 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 1: are you playing that? 321 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,959 Speaker 4: Yeah, so we've avoided teams and we're much more involved 322 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 4: with like the ecosystem of sports. So you know, Radelle 323 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 4: is a good example of that. You know, we own 324 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 4: one of the largest. We're on the board of one 325 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 4: of the largest sports agencies' a GCS called GS so 326 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 4: you know we're the we're the largest agent and golf 327 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 4: tennis third in the NFL. We have an MBA practice. 328 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 4: We're getting involved with hospitality and everything else. And again 329 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 4: like that market, you know, live events, it's what's happened 330 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 4: in Music's have it everywhere like live events are greatly 331 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 4: benefiting the whole the whole ecosystem. So you don't have 332 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 4: to go buy a soccer team to benefit from the 333 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 4: rise of sports. And so we're playing it in those ways. 334 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 4: The second we're playing it is through media. So we 335 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 4: marry our media assets with our sports assets. So we 336 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 4: have this platform that we're involved with called Dude Perfect, 337 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 4: which you know you have a fifteen year old although 338 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 4: what it is, you know, if you watch Jude Perfect. 339 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 4: We can marry them with our athletes, we can marry 340 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 4: them with bridell, we can marry them with all kinds 341 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 4: of things and create synergies for portfolio companies. 342 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: And you can make money, not just have fun. 343 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 3: And you can make money. It's a good business, you know, 344 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 3: very very good business. 345 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 1: So that's for you. That business is directly lending to 346 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: the companies that do this. 347 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 4: We do a lot of structured lending, which means, you know, 348 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 4: we have some kind of upside, whether that's through a 349 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 4: convertible or warrants or a liquidation preference. And then a 350 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 4: lot of our companies we sit on the boards. So 351 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 4: our strategy is kind of a hybrid between private equity 352 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 4: and credit. So we're not like a pure ulplus five 353 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 4: hundred lender to do a great company. We do a 354 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 4: lot of stuff in between, and that's where we always 355 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 4: find value. So sponsor finance has become very competitive and 356 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 4: quite frankly, relatively commoditized. That kind of stuff is not right, 357 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 4: and the reason for that is just less competitive, harder 358 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 4: to source. The big guys, they can't scale it, so 359 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:59,119 Speaker 4: it's not worth our time. So we've been very successful 360 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 4: with very very high turns partially because we don't compete 361 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 4: with the big guys. You know, their minimum check size 362 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 4: is larger than our largest deal. 363 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: What does very high returns mean? 364 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 3: Mid teens? Okay? In credit? 365 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 4: So that's the thing, Like you go back to this 366 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 4: uncertainty question, like we're lending money today still, Like despite 367 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 4: this collapse and spreads, you know, we're still lending money 368 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 4: at ten to eleven percent. Yeah, so we could get 369 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 4: in a big debate about where equity returns are going 370 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 4: to be, and we're like, we're liquid, equity should trade 371 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 4: or high yeld returns and the reality is boring is beautiful, 372 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 4: Like I'm lending three or four times EBITDA great business 373 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 4: business is worth like fifteen times, so I have a 374 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 4: big margin of safety and I'm getting eleven to twelve percent. 375 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: So you did mention the company that's getting burned on 376 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 1: the Canadian and the Mexican texts at the same time 377 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: that the tariffs, so there must be some risk in 378 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: that portfolio as well. 379 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 4: All right, So yeah, I mean I'm like to say, 380 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 4: we don't have any risk on our portfolio, but you know, 381 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 4: if you're if you're lending to good businesses at low 382 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 4: leverage points. And again, the thing that's interesting that's changed, 383 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 4: which I don't know if your other guests have talked 384 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 4: about this, but companies are taking on less leverage because 385 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 4: it's so expensive. You know, very few companies are generating 386 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 4: unleveraged free casual returns higher than the leverage. So the 387 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 4: leverage really isn't providing them any real accretion. So they 388 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 4: do it because they need the money, or because they 389 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 4: want to make acquisitions, or if they take money from us, 390 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 4: they sell something a year later for two times money. 391 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 4: So they're are being moycs. But generally speaking, like taking 392 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 4: on lots of debts not a creative anymore. And it 393 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,160 Speaker 4: was when rates red zero. So our companies are asking 394 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 4: us for less leverage. So our average leverage point is 395 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 4: probably down one to two turns over the last you know, 396 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 4: eighteen months, and. 397 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:31,639 Speaker 1: You'll secure it and you're getting some kind of upside. 398 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: You say, the means that sort of profit share or 399 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: something like that to benefit. 400 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's product share, warrants, liquidation preference, if you guys 401 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 4: know what that is? 402 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: All the above, and how is it compared to what 403 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: we'd call broadly syndicated loans in terms of you know, 404 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 1: is there is a big spread difference now or is 405 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 1: it getting squeezed via all of the competition. 406 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 4: I mean, you know, all my peers will probably massively 407 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,239 Speaker 4: disagree with me, but liquid credits super hard. You know, 408 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,199 Speaker 4: there's this credit and credit of violence, like you know, 409 00:17:57,200 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 4: people joke about it and you guys write about it. 410 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 3: It's like getting really really bad, like really bad. 411 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,639 Speaker 4: Like it used to be good for us, good for 412 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 4: the company, and there's greatest decrestion of win wins and 413 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 4: now it's a zero sum game and it's fully become 414 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 4: zero sum. So if you're not big and you're not 415 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 4: incredibly sophisticated, you should not buy anything in liquid credit 416 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 4: because you can get run over by the smart, big guys. 417 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 4: And we're we have you know, we're over ten billion dollars. 418 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 4: We're doing really really well, like we're not big enough. 419 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 4: So that's a that's become a really tough place to 420 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:26,360 Speaker 4: to traffic. 421 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 3: And again, no covenants. You know, sponsors. 422 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 4: You know, if you're in a if you're in a 423 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 4: deal with an aggressive sponsor, you know you kind of 424 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 4: expected them to do what they needed to do to 425 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 4: make sure they protected their LPs. Now everyone's doing it. 426 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 4: You know, KKR did this deal called the Envision. You know, 427 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 4: KKR used to treat their lendards very well and they 428 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 4: you know, after that deal, like gloves are off, like 429 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 4: you know, like if they're doing bad things to creditors, 430 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 4: means everybody's going to do bad things to credits. 431 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 1: But what stops it moving down into the middle markets. 432 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:55,879 Speaker 4: Hasn't come yet. I think a couple of things. Number 433 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 4: one is, if you think about large cap sponsors versus 434 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 4: bid cap sponsors, MidCap sports tend to have less companies 435 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 4: in our portfolio, so if something goes bad, it's much 436 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,200 Speaker 4: worse for them. It's like it's harder for them to 437 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 4: raise their next fund. The big guys tend to be 438 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 4: a little bit more economically rational. A lot of times, 439 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 4: the middle market sponsors will do things to help their 440 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,359 Speaker 4: companies because it means it's the difference between them raising 441 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 4: and not raising their next fund. 442 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 3: That's number one. And number two is, like, you know, 443 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 3: our deals have covenants. You know, generally speaking, we hold 444 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 3: it ourself or we're in a deal with like two 445 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 3: guys and we all know each other, and you know, 446 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,639 Speaker 3: my peers are really smart. We all act very similarly, 447 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 3: and so generally speaking, we're relatively aligned and working with 448 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 3: a sponsor to get to the right place. We're not 449 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 3: like suing each other and like like stealing their ip 450 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 3: and like that. Just you can't do that with our documents, 451 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 3: first of all, and second of all, like the middle 452 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 3: market guys don't do that to each other. 453 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:47,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, it just seems that then the Broady isy indicated market, 454 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 1: there is this kind of lack of products that people 455 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:50,919 Speaker 1: are pushing down a bit in terms of you know, 456 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: trying to find opportunities in the you know, smaller deals 457 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: because they can't find product elsewhere. 458 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 3: Well, that's that's happening. 459 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, So it does not just bring the same stuff 460 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: from the other market, and you know, you lose the 461 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 1: covenants because everyone's competing more, and then you get into 462 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: these these violent credits to situations. I mean, does does 463 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: it Does it naturally follow that Broady syndicated practices go 464 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: into the middle markets. 465 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 4: Because remember, like our stuff's ill liquid, So like in 466 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 4: liquid markets, I can buy up. 467 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 3: Some debt and go after you. You can't buy into 468 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 3: our debt. 469 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:23,399 Speaker 4: And if a middle market guy's sold debt A, the 470 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 4: sponsor can block it and be oftentimes yea and B. 471 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 4: If you did that, like you know what sponsor's going 472 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 4: to do business with you if when times get tough, 473 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 4: you sell your debt to some person who comes and 474 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 4: like takes. 475 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 3: Your keys and yeah, you know, threatens you. 476 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 4: I mean, it's just not that's just not we'd be 477 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:40,160 Speaker 4: out of business, like we'd lose our franchise. 478 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, how do you you know, you talked about the 479 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 2: the middle market space really moving from the banks, you know, 480 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 2: to the private credits side. But but that's that's I 481 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 2: guess on the back of all the regulation put in 482 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 2: place right post financial crisis. So do you feel like 483 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 2: that's kind of shifting now that we're in like a 484 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 2: Trump you know, deregulation world, or are certain a sense 485 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 2: kind of some of these regional banks or even I 486 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 2: think JP Morgan right, they're setting a credit funding, a 487 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 2: private credit fund I think is ten to fifty billion 488 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 2: or something like that. 489 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:08,640 Speaker 3: So what are your thoughts on that? 490 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, listen, I mean the again, we don't 491 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 4: compete with JP Morgan, but you know, JP Morgan is 492 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 4: getting you know, I remember the first billion dollar unit 493 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 4: Tronch was done by Blackstone and that was probably like 494 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 4: twelve years ago, and now they're happening every day, and 495 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 4: it was a big deal when it had happened, And 496 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 4: that's like, you know, so that like the blue Owls 497 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 4: of the world and the Blackstones of the world are 498 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 4: taking a lot of market share from the traditional banks. 499 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 3: So those guys, the investment banks have to do something. 500 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 4: And so obviously JP Morgan is very sophisticated with an 501 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 4: amazing franchise. All these banks have great front ends. I mean, 502 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 4: they source lots of deals. So the reason you're seeing 503 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,120 Speaker 4: all these joint ventures, like we've announced three of them, 504 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 4: these joint ventures are basically matching our capital, which has 505 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 4: less constraints on it, with a big sourcing engine, and 506 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 4: so it's a really good These joint ventures are very 507 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 4: good marriage. JP Morgan's doing themselves because JP Morgan again 508 00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 4: has a big, big leverage finance franchise, and they're also, 509 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 4: you know, very sophisticated. 510 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 1: Obviously you said it's kind of a pretty basic business lending, 511 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 1: middle market lending. It's you know, fairly, you know, it 512 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: used to be the most boring part of the bank. 513 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: Now it's the most exciting because everyone loves private credit. 514 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: To what extent is it being swept up in this 515 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: kind of euphoria, you know, all this of tourist money 516 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: coming in, that bad deals getting done again. 517 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 4: Like when I started BDC's, which are business development companies 518 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 4: that effectively make middle market loans, a lot of them 519 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 4: were run by entrepreneurs. Today you think, like, you know, 520 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 4: you roll for it all these years. It's you know 521 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 4: KKR has won, oak Tree has won, Carlisle has won. 522 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 4: I mean those are very sophisticated areas. These are very 523 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 4: very sophisticated institutional managers. So we talked earlier about like 524 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 4: mismarking the book and all that stuff. I mean, KKR 525 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 4: is not going to mismark their book, you know, like 526 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 4: it's a blue chip institution. And so I think the 527 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:45,879 Speaker 4: industry's just matured. 528 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 3: Right. 529 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 4: So people always talk about this bubble in private credit. 530 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,679 Speaker 4: I've heard that for twenty five years, Like there's been 531 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 4: a bubble for twenty five years in a row that 532 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 4: hasn't popped, right, And what people they don't compare apples 533 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 4: to apples, right, So what we talked about earlier, we 534 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,400 Speaker 4: used to do ten to fifty vibit dah, like most 535 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,360 Speaker 4: of these big guys they're average, but it does way 536 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:06,360 Speaker 4: over one hundred million dollars now. So they're doing things 537 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:08,679 Speaker 4: today that they weren't doing ten years ago. So now 538 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 4: we just compete against each other. Now they're competing against 539 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 4: the banks, right, or use another example, like we're all 540 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:17,119 Speaker 4: getting very big and especially finance, you know, lending to 541 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 4: other lenders, lending into people's BDCs. I mean, that's like 542 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 4: a new area that no one was in ten years ago. 543 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,239 Speaker 4: So we see the dollars raised. Those raised dollars are 544 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 4: doing different things and we did ten years ago. So 545 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,119 Speaker 4: it's just not people talk about how crowd it is. 546 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:33,159 Speaker 4: It's like not that crowded. I mean, like private credit 547 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 4: returns are higher than private equity over a one, two 548 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 4: and three year basis, and I'll bet you a lot 549 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:39,640 Speaker 4: of money that will be higher than private equity over 550 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 4: a five year period pretty soon. 551 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 1: But when we talk to your competitors and we you know, 552 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: had this conversation last year with another big firm, you know, 553 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,360 Speaker 1: we were pushing them on the idea that maybe there's 554 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,880 Speaker 1: too much money and not enough deals, and they accepted 555 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: that fat on the on the large of deals in 556 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 1: the US, and that possibly, you know, mistakes get made 557 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,879 Speaker 1: at that point with taking new entrants. And then you know, 558 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: you push them a bit more when they say, well, 559 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:07,359 Speaker 1: we succeed by not doing the bad deals. Then you 560 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,879 Speaker 1: say who's doing the bad deals? And they say the 561 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,239 Speaker 1: terrorists are doing the bad deal. So you know, at 562 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: some point there must be some risk involved in what 563 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: has been a very very fast growing market. 564 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,719 Speaker 4: I think the bigger issue is that our LPs are 565 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 4: getting very focused on is you know, we're sole lead 566 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,440 Speaker 4: and own a lot of our own deals. Those really 567 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,199 Speaker 4: big deals are mostly clubbed up, and so a lot 568 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 4: of people have an allocation to a number of different 569 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,439 Speaker 4: best in class managers, and when there's a default, like 570 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 4: a company called plural Sites, they see a number of 571 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 4: the guys they've allocated to in the same loan. And 572 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 4: so urlps are now saying to us, so, wait a second, 573 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 4: am I Long just one big? Because am I just long? 574 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 4: Like an index fund of direct lending? And now they're 575 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 4: asking for people who fish in a different pond, right, 576 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 4: So like we don't we don't go head to head 577 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,000 Speaker 4: with those guys, like we just if you ask any 578 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:57,959 Speaker 4: of those guys, they would not used as competitor. They 579 00:24:57,960 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 4: wuldn't even know who we are, right, So what that 580 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 4: means is like there's a lot of the reason we're 581 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 4: growing so quickly is we don't compete with those guys. 582 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 4: So we're not seeing bad ones getting done. Like in 583 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:08,439 Speaker 4: my career, I've seen people do a lot of stupid stuff. 584 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 4: I have seen some new entrants do dumb things. But 585 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,199 Speaker 4: remember these new entrants are tiny, tiny, tiny, Like if 586 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 4: you think about our you know, eighty five percent of them 587 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 4: on our in our space goes to like eight guys, 588 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 4: and so yes, are the tourists doing bad deals? 589 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 3: They are, But I mean this is like a rounding 590 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 3: error in our industry. 591 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,080 Speaker 1: And so any default on those would not riffle across 592 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: and cause a panic and a you know, that's what 593 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: people are worried about. 594 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 4: But yeah, yeah, that's totally misguided. This whole like systemic 595 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 4: risk around product credit. I mean, very smart people are 596 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 4: saying that, Yeah, I really, yeah, am at a loss 597 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 4: to know where they I'd love to hear them explain 598 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 4: to be a boy. 599 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:44,679 Speaker 1: The other thing that the smart people are saying, you know, 600 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 1: in particular Goldman, is that they're only going to be 601 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 1: maybe eight players left once this whole thing shakes out, 602 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 1: and implying that you need to be massive to survive 603 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,439 Speaker 1: in private credit. Do you need to grow, do you 604 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,080 Speaker 1: need to expand you need to acquire, you know, to 605 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:01,679 Speaker 1: to make your platform successful. 606 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 3: Well that's a good question. 607 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 4: So I don't agree with the first premise because remember 608 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,640 Speaker 4: the world is big, right, Like, private credit's only five 609 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:09,680 Speaker 4: percent of global credit, So we have a lot of 610 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,400 Speaker 4: room to grow, right, So I don't agree that that 611 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 4: there's gonna be like five guys left at the end. 612 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 4: I don't think it's gonna be like AI or something else, 613 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 4: because again, there's different parts of the market. There's specialty finance, 614 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 4: like we're in insurance, Like the world is a big 615 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 4: place and there's a lot of different teams you can play. 616 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 4: So I don't agree with the first premise. 617 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 3: And what was the second? Sorry, what was there second? 618 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: For you your firm, do you need to acquire to get 619 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:32,360 Speaker 1: scale to survive in this. 620 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:34,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's that's a good question. 621 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 4: So it's not so much about scale, it's about think 622 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 4: about the worst business to be in from an inflation perspective, us, 623 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 4: you know, pressure on fees, we're pay our employees way 624 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 4: more money, we're giving them remote work, so our productivity. 625 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 4: I mean, we can debate remote work, but there's no 626 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:50,239 Speaker 4: doubt that productivity has gone down. And then like if 627 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 4: you think about under the previous administration, and again you 628 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:54,919 Speaker 4: mentioned DoD Frank and all this stuff, like we're like 629 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,679 Speaker 4: despite what people say, like they call it the shadow 630 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 4: banking system, which is so offensive, Like we're heavily, heavily regulated, 631 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 4: you know, like we've complained, like we have you know, 632 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 4: insurance regulations, we have public we're monitored by the SEC 633 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 4: who's super smart. So the cost to run a business 634 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:10,640 Speaker 4: like ours has gone through the roof, and our fees 635 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 4: are down. So like you know, think about like businesses 636 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 4: you don't want to be in unless you have scale. Right, 637 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,479 Speaker 4: So you've seen a lot of my peers sell themselves 638 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 4: over the last twelve to eighteen months. And these are 639 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 4: really really smart, really best in class managers. Now, first 640 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 4: of all, the purchase prices are massive, so like you know, 641 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 4: eight times ebit does become thirty five times ebitdah. So 642 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 4: you know, these people are obviously not stupid, but scale 643 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 4: is important. So we've done thirty two acquisitions. Most of 644 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 4: our acquisitions have been on the smaller side. But that 645 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 4: being said, you know we can roll them on our platform. 646 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 4: And then now you have like you know, instead of 647 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 4: two audits, you have one audit. You know, you're instead 648 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,399 Speaker 4: of two CFOs, you have one CFO. And that's the 649 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 4: way to combat lower fees and higher costs. 650 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: Are you on the lookout for more? 651 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 4: We are very inquisitive, you know, like we've announced six 652 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:57,439 Speaker 4: or seven public announcements this year around permanent capital. So 653 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 4: you know, we're merging our Canadian permanent capital vehicle into 654 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,679 Speaker 4: the US. We're merging our two BDCs together. Is all 655 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:05,920 Speaker 4: public by way, We're merging our We just announced we 656 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 4: took over an NL vehicle that we're going to. 657 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:12,360 Speaker 3: Use to acquire something very large. So we've been very 658 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 3: very publicly acquiring lots. 659 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: Of things just in the US or overseas as well. 660 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 3: Mostly US. 661 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 4: I will say that that is an interesting theme because 662 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,360 Speaker 4: I know you cover global credit. We can tack back 663 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 4: if you want, but I'm interested in this is probably 664 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 4: the first time in my whole career, like in twenty 665 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:28,640 Speaker 4: five years of doing this, this is probably the first 666 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 4: time we're seeing actually decent relative value. 667 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 3: In Europe versus the US. 668 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 4: So Europe typically is worst companies, worse laws, more pick 669 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 4: you know, good deal like, less deals and more more competitive, 670 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:43,480 Speaker 4: and so the US has always provided a better rout 671 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 4: of value in every environment that's kind of changed. Like 672 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:48,400 Speaker 4: there's some really interesting I'm not saying this because of you, 673 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 4: but there's some interesting opportunities in the UK. You know, 674 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 4: in Europe we're back in a lot of family businesses, 675 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:56,200 Speaker 4: and so like our average fund has had four percent, 676 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 4: our first funds four percent Europe. Now our second funds 677 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 4: twelve recent upon is thirty five percent Europe. Like, that's 678 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 4: the first time that's happened in my own career. So 679 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 4: we are we are seeing every so bearish on Europe. 680 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:09,400 Speaker 4: But that doesn't mean there's not opportunity. 681 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: What kind of businesses are you looking at in the UK? 682 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 4: Mostly family owned businesses, you know, there's not there's not 683 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 4: the same level of access to capital. 684 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: In Europe, but any you like. 685 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 4: I mean, we did a really interesting deal in Denmark. 686 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 4: We did another interesting deal in Scandinavia as well, where 687 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 4: just the access to capitals not what companies have here. 688 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 4: The family owned business who want to buye oys brother 689 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 4: the company does online. It's basically an online auto platform. 690 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 4: So when Mercedes and BMW and others get their cars back, 691 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 4: you know, they distribute them to dealers and these guys 692 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 4: are kind of the technology company in the middle of that, 693 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 4: and they get a fixed feedb er car. 694 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 3: So that's just a kandom example. 695 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: Are you finding them cheaper in the US because of 696 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:50,840 Speaker 1: the lack of competition, relativity. 697 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:53,479 Speaker 4: Just less less like less people who do what we do, 698 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 4: which is like fill that gap between bank lending and 699 00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 4: private equity. 700 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,600 Speaker 1: And the scenes were as seeing more payment in kind, amendments, extensions, 701 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: all that stuff, you know, which is pointing to stress 702 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 1: in private credit. Right, do you expect more of that? 703 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: I mean if we get this whole volatility extends. You know, 704 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: people worried about recession now stackflation, you know, a scary 705 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: words being batted around. 706 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean the challenge with our investors is a 707 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 4: lot of folks on pick income. Now, remember not all 708 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 4: pick income is created equal. So like to your point, 709 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:29,480 Speaker 4: if there's a restructuring and you start picking some interests, 710 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:32,240 Speaker 4: the company can kind of get through whatever is impacting 711 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 4: their business. 712 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 3: That's one thing. It's another thing, like. 713 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 4: You know, there's a pretty common feature now in most 714 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 4: private credit and this is brand new by the way, 715 00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 4: in the first two years they have the option to 716 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 4: pick half the spread. So even though the company's doing fine, 717 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 4: that shows up as potentially pick income and that's not bad. 718 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 4: Or when we do nav lending, you know, when we 719 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 4: lend against a private equity fund, there's no cash flow 720 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 4: in that fund, so that shows up as a picklan. 721 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 4: So the problem with our investors is they can't tell 722 00:30:57,600 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 4: when they go through all the LANs, they can't tell 723 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 4: what's what. So just assume pick income bed and not 724 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 4: all pin cup and good is bad. Like it's to 725 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 4: your point. If there's a restructuring, sometimes we you know, 726 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 4: change cash to pick. But I remember we do a 727 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 4: lot of nave lending and it's all that's pick. So 728 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:16,080 Speaker 4: I have to be very transparent and communicate with my investors. 729 00:31:16,120 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 4: But like, what what's like good pick and bad pick? 730 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:20,479 Speaker 4: If that makes sense to you, and our investors are 731 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:22,479 Speaker 4: super smart, Like it's not. What I'm saying is that 732 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 4: the investors just don't have all the like when you 733 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:26,240 Speaker 4: look at our public company, they don't have all the 734 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 4: information on ibit dad and what's going on behind the scenes, 735 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 4: so that like they just have to default to two 736 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 4: things pick bed and subordinated bed. So like, you know, 737 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 4: we're in positions where we have one turn of bank 738 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 4: dead and we're like three times through a second lane. 739 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 4: But because the second lane people viewed as bad, there's 740 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 4: other situations where you know, we're now levered like nine 741 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 4: times in the first lane, and people view that first 742 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 4: lean safe is good. 743 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 3: So like you know, you know what I mean, Like, 744 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 3: so like there's a there's a knee. 745 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 4: Jerk reaction always that pick bad junior bed and generally 746 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 4: speaking it is or more risky, I would say, But again, 747 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 4: like the example, I use a real example, like you 748 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 4: know a lot of a lot of entrepreneurs don't want 749 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 4: to take on debt, so they take on a piece 750 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 4: of preferred or something. Yeah, that's pick and it's like 751 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,440 Speaker 4: two times levered. And you know, from our perspective, very safe, right, 752 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 4: doesn't mean it's like a NPL. 753 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:15,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, sorry, lot. 754 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 2: So how are those trends trending right now? I guess 755 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 2: you know, we when my colleagues covers Prospect Capital and 756 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 2: I guess they got kind of you know a lot 757 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 2: of pick income rising over there. So how how is 758 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 2: the pick trend going on at the BC Partner's credit portfolio? 759 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 2: Good pick and bag pick? 760 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, es, so our you know, generally speaking, we average 761 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 4: about eight percent pick income. There's some of our peers 762 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:39,920 Speaker 4: at our highest thirty five percent, so we if you 763 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 4: if you look at us, we're at the very low end. 764 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 3: Of the range. 765 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:46,600 Speaker 4: So, but that being said, a lot of these pick 766 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 4: features I talked about earlier, they haven't really come into 767 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 4: our market, so it's not again, it's not apples to Apple. 768 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 4: So we look really good on that metric. So there 769 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:56,760 Speaker 4: was a one of your peers put out an article 770 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 4: that listed all the companies and how much pick income 771 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:01,120 Speaker 4: they have, and we look phenomenal on that metric. It's 772 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 4: not fair though, because a lot of the ones who 773 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 4: are higher on the pick scale are doing things like 774 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 4: arr loans and other things that tend to lend themselves 775 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 4: to pick. So it doesn't mean their portfolios on fire. 776 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:12,680 Speaker 4: You know, you have to kind of like dig into 777 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 4: it a little bit more. But anyways, we look really 778 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 4: good in that metric. 779 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 1: The administration this could easily change, but they're signaling pain, 780 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:24,320 Speaker 1: you know, in the economy for potential long term gain. 781 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 1: How does private credit do in that scenario. Let's say 782 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: this this situation goes on for months and the tariff 783 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 1: war escalates and all sorts of the other bad things 784 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: that you know, we fear happen. How does private credit 785 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 1: perform in that environment? 786 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:39,480 Speaker 4: I mean you have to look at like the new 787 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 4: stuff we're doing versus what's in our portfolios. I mean, 788 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 4: we're credit sensitive, so what you just described is probably 789 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 4: I mean inevitably bad for our portfolios. Now again some 790 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 4: people have less consumer exposure and less retail exposure, whatever, 791 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 4: but you know, it's definitely not good for our portfolios. 792 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 4: And you know, generally speaking, our investors are credit sensitive, 793 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:02,240 Speaker 4: not very sensitive. So that being said, you know, again, 794 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 4: if banks begin to pull back on lending, that's typically 795 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 4: very good for us because we get wider spreads, better terms, 796 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:12,719 Speaker 4: and that more than offsets any risk of loss. So, like, 797 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 4: you know, the average loss in our space is about 798 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 4: forty BIPs over time, and so you know, spreads go 799 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:19,640 Speaker 4: back up one hundred and forty basis points. 800 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:21,799 Speaker 3: You know, a lot of losses before. That doesn't make 801 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:22,399 Speaker 3: sense for us. 802 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:24,800 Speaker 1: I want to ask you also about the biggest opportunity. 803 00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 1: I always ask this question. You've heard it before. Where 804 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:28,520 Speaker 1: is the best relative value right now? 805 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 4: Oh, generally speaking, I think the best I mean we 806 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:35,040 Speaker 4: what I think the best opportunities right now is a 807 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,480 Speaker 4: couple areas one especialty finance bause. Again, it's such a 808 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:41,400 Speaker 4: big space, and that space was dominated by like ge 809 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:44,319 Speaker 4: capital and you know who obviously you know, is not 810 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,239 Speaker 4: what they used to be, and the regional banks, and 811 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 4: you know, so we're getting like really high returns on 812 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:53,040 Speaker 4: things that are very low risk, like when you lend 813 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:55,480 Speaker 4: to another lender who's then lending, and we're getting ten 814 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 4: to eleven percent the probability of loss. You know, we're 815 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 4: backing platforms that haven't lost money ever, and we're getting 816 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:02,400 Speaker 4: twelve thirteen percent. 817 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:04,080 Speaker 3: It's really interesting. So when you. 818 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 4: Hear the rise of ABF and there's different terms for it, Yeah, 819 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:10,319 Speaker 4: reason that's very topical right now is we're getting really 820 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 4: good returns because post Silicon Valley bank bank's funding costs 821 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 4: have gone up and so therefore and then a lot 822 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 4: of finance companies are a under a lot of stress. 823 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:21,879 Speaker 4: So it's allowed us to kind of step in there 824 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:22,960 Speaker 4: and kind of do what they. 825 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:23,359 Speaker 3: Used to do. 826 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:25,919 Speaker 1: So it's consumer lending, well. 827 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 4: It's lending to people who then lend, so like sometimes 828 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:31,839 Speaker 4: that's commercial so and sometimes it's consumer. But you're kind 829 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 4: of like a couple of steps removed from the end 830 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:35,879 Speaker 4: borrower and that's a lot lower risk. 831 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:37,360 Speaker 3: And we're getting very good. 832 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:40,240 Speaker 1: Returns, which means what mid teens again, yeah, load teens, 833 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:43,320 Speaker 1: and that you think is the best opportunity for this yeah, 834 00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:44,319 Speaker 1: long longer time. 835 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:46,759 Speaker 4: I think that's interesting you know again, like you know, 836 00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:49,319 Speaker 4: one of the big themes for US is and this 837 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:51,320 Speaker 4: is obviously like you guys hear about this a lot 838 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 4: is private equity companies have private equity funds have had 839 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:58,719 Speaker 4: a very hard time monetizing assets. So the average whole 840 00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:01,040 Speaker 4: period's gone from three to eight years. So what's the 841 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:03,640 Speaker 4: solution for that? GP and AVE lending, you know, so 842 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:06,960 Speaker 4: we are helping them create liquidity for their investors without 843 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,439 Speaker 4: necessarily them having to sell assets at what they don't 844 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:11,640 Speaker 4: think is fair market value. Number two is you know 845 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,160 Speaker 4: you mentioned the Ridell deal, right, companies are having a 846 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 4: hard time selling themselves for what they think is fair value. 847 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:19,200 Speaker 4: So we're going in and providing, you know, a debt 848 00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 4: and a piece of preferred they can take a big 849 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:24,560 Speaker 4: dividend out, get money to their investors, but maintain control. 850 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 4: And that theme has been probably fifty percent of our 851 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:31,040 Speaker 4: marquee franchise deals have been that theme. So, you know, 852 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,279 Speaker 4: we'll do we'll do a deal private equyfirm is able 853 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:35,880 Speaker 4: to take out money, they maintain control and hope that 854 00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 4: they can sell it at a higher price later. And 855 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:40,280 Speaker 4: the reason people are so jacked up about this environment 856 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:44,240 Speaker 4: six weeks ago is because spreads have come down, sofas 857 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:46,800 Speaker 4: come down one hundred basis points, like a lot of 858 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:48,799 Speaker 4: these things I talked about earlier. Our challenging companies are 859 00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:51,520 Speaker 4: kind of gone, and so it is the perfect time 860 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:52,960 Speaker 4: for M and A. And you have a wall of 861 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:55,680 Speaker 4: activity that has to happen. And so that's why it's 862 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:57,320 Speaker 4: a little bit of a curve ball we've gotten in 863 00:36:57,360 --> 00:36:58,400 Speaker 4: the last six weeks. 864 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 1: We were recording this in the eye of a big 865 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:04,880 Speaker 1: storm March eleventh. But you sound very calm, You've been 866 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:07,600 Speaker 1: doing this a long time. What gives you conviction that 867 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:10,600 Speaker 1: you know this market is not all about to fall apart, 868 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 1: because a lot of the sort of newcomers, as soon 869 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:14,480 Speaker 1: as they see a bit of voluntils, as soon as 870 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:16,440 Speaker 1: they see a bit of screaded widening, they panic. 871 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:20,319 Speaker 4: What gives you confidence, I would say Number one is, 872 00:37:20,360 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 4: I mean, we backgrade companies. I'm sure every manager tells 873 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:24,360 Speaker 4: you that, but I really feel good about our management teams. 874 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:26,480 Speaker 4: Number two is the US economy still, I mean, this 875 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 4: is the place to be. To your point, like you 876 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:31,200 Speaker 4: want to be in a storm like this, you kind 877 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 4: of want to be in the United States. And then 878 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 4: number three is like rates are high. So again to 879 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 4: my point earlier, our portfolios were thrown off a ton 880 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:41,440 Speaker 4: of cash. So my funds typically return about fifty percent 881 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 4: of my opportunistic funds, but half our return comes from coupon. 882 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 4: Half of it comes from other stuff like fees and 883 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 4: equity and lick prefs and all this stuff. You know, 884 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:53,120 Speaker 4: now like eighty to ninety percent of our returns are 885 00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:55,760 Speaker 4: coming from coupon. So I called the power of the coupon. 886 00:37:55,840 --> 00:37:57,879 Speaker 4: And actually my old boss used to use that term, 887 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:00,399 Speaker 4: so I'm stealing from him. But you know, every day 888 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 4: I wake up, I'm making twelve or two percent, And 889 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:04,759 Speaker 4: whether the market goes up or down or all that 890 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:05,879 Speaker 4: matters to me is to pay me off. 891 00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 1: Great stuff. Ted Goldthorpe, head of Credit at PC Partners, 892 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:10,319 Speaker 1: has been a pleasure having you on the credit edge. 893 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:13,000 Speaker 1: Many thanks, and of course we're very grateful to Arnold 894 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,839 Speaker 1: Kakuda from Bloomberg Intelligence. Thanks for joining us today. Roolds. 895 00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:18,759 Speaker 1: For more credit analysis, read all of Arnold's great work 896 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:21,319 Speaker 1: on the Bloomberg terminal. Bloomberg Intelligence is part of our 897 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:24,440 Speaker 1: research department, with five hundred analyst and strategists working across 898 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:27,520 Speaker 1: all markets. Coverage includes over two thousand equities and credits 899 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:30,040 Speaker 1: and outlooks on more than ninety industries and one hundred 900 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 1: market indices, currencies and commodities. Please do subscribe to The 901 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:36,920 Speaker 1: Credit Edge wherever you get your podcast. We're on Apple, Spotify, 902 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 1: and all other good podcast providers, including the Bloomberg Terminal 903 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:42,960 Speaker 1: at bpod Go. Give us a review, tell your friends, 904 00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:46,279 Speaker 1: or email me directly at Jcromby eight at Bloomberg dot net. 905 00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:49,120 Speaker 1: I'm James Cromby. It's been a pleasure having you join 906 00:38:49,200 --> 00:39:08,919 Speaker 1: us again next week on the Credit Edge.