1 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to the Credit Edge, a weekly markets podcast. 2 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: My name is James Crombie. I'm a senior editor at Bloomberg. 3 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: This week, we're very pleased to welcome Vishy Turripeteur, chief 4 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: fixed income strategist at Morgan Sanley. How are you, Vichy? 5 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 2: Hi, James, thanks for having me. 6 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for joining us today. We're excited 7 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: to dig into your market views and the outlook. Also 8 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: delighted to welcome back Spencer Cutter with Bloomberg Intelligence. Great 9 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: to see you again, Spencer. So just to set the 10 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: scene a little here, credit markets are coming under pressure 11 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: as government yields keep going up, but barnes spreads are 12 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: still very tight. You're not getting very much compensation for 13 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:54,279 Speaker 1: the risk of default or downgrade. Data on the US 14 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: economy is coming in hot, pushing treasury yields higher, making 15 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: corporate barnes look more attractive than they have for years. 16 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: So demand is high. There are some signs of froth 17 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: in the marketplace, which I expect we'll be talking about 18 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: a bit later. At the same time, we're seeing record 19 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 1: levels of bond and loan issuance. US companies have a 20 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: lot of refinancing to do, and they're taking advantage of 21 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: a window to raise debt. There's also a boom in 22 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: private markets, asset based finance and structured debt. Treasurers and 23 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: CFOs have a lot of options open to them. The 24 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: consensus on credit for this year remains pretty bullish, founded 25 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: on a belief that the US economy will avoid recession. 26 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: Most companies can afford to pay the higher current borrowing 27 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: costs as earnings remain strong. Fundamentally, companies appear to be 28 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 1: in a good place. On the other hand, though, there 29 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: is also a lot to worry about, from commercial real 30 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: estate to war, geopolitics and elections. Plus inflation definitely hasn't 31 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: gone away. That may mean no rate cuts at all 32 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: this year, and total returns, at least on the barn 33 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: side have turned negative. So Bishi, let's start with you. 34 00:01:58,400 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: What do you make of all this? Is it really 35 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: the year of the bond or the golden age of credit? 36 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: As a lot of people on this show keep telling us, 37 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: what's your view? 38 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 2: I think we are very constructive on credit. I think 39 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: it's a very challenging environment for sure, As you described, 40 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 2: there are lots of uncertainties about you know, when do 41 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 2: the rate cut survive, how many date cuts we would get, 42 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: and how long the policy is in continue, and how 43 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 2: does the economy and inflation growth, et cetera pan out. 44 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,519 Speaker 2: I think why credit stands out in a very positive 45 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 2: manner here. I think first first and foremost is that 46 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 2: if we're thinking about an economy that is ruling that's 47 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 2: stronger than what we anticipated, that is good for company earnings, 48 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:47,239 Speaker 2: and in turn, it's good for the fundamentals of credit markets. 49 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: Number two, companies have over the last twenty one we 50 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 2: should a lot of debt, particularly fixedates. We should a 51 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: lot of debt both in investment mad and in high 52 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 2: yel so the mere term refinancing needs are fairly limited. 53 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 2: And the in the last year or so, there's been 54 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 2: considerable work done in the markets to chop down the 55 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 2: so called maturity walks. So maturity challenges today in the 56 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 2: credit markets, in the in the corporate credit markets don't 57 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: appear that uh demanding at this point. Very important is 58 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 2: that the credit curve is not inverted. You know, if 59 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: you look at the treasury curve, the inversion in the 60 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 2: treasury curve makes it a negative carry track. Even if 61 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 2: you have the expectation that the longer term yields or 62 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 2: or not insane? Can you expect longer term meals to 63 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 2: go down? There is you're taking a risk of a 64 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 2: negative carry as big as long as the front end 65 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 2: is meaningfully higher than the longer end. In credit, on 66 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 2: the other hand, is a positive carry trick meaning credit 67 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: curve is positively slowed. Scary and rule that works very 68 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 2: much for credit doesn't quite work for the treasury market 69 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 2: at this point. So that puts credit overall in a 70 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 2: pretty good place. Can you add on top of this 71 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 2: the conditions for you know, the capital markets are wide open, 72 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 2: the financial conditions are there with the if there are 73 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 2: as you said earlier, there are if a company wants 74 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: to borrow, there are multiple avenues for companies to borrow. 75 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 2: All of this boats really well for credit investors at 76 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 2: this point. 77 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: So to talk about rates, So what's your current view? 78 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: We have everything from you know, three cuts this year 79 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: to actually an increase at some point and not not 80 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: not to distant future. What's your what's your view rates? 81 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 2: Our view on rates is that in the course of 82 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four, we expect to see three our base cases, 83 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 2: we expect to see three rate cups starting in July 84 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 2: and skipping September and having another twenty five basic point 85 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 2: raid cut in November as well as in this so 86 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 2: three rate cuts this year, three rate cuts in twenty 87 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 2: twenty five. As a as a credit investor, the thing 88 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 2: that matters most is that the next FED policy action 89 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 2: is not a hike, and we don't. We think the 90 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:18,559 Speaker 2: bar for a hike is very high. As long as 91 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 2: the next move is not, I think credit will do 92 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 2: well even if there are the you know, the rate 93 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:31,119 Speaker 2: cuts are fewer and arrive later. Credit will do well 94 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 2: as long as the next move again is not a hike. 95 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: And to get those rate cuts, you expect the economy 96 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: to slow significantly such that the FED fields that it 97 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: needs to ease a little bit. 98 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 2: We expect some slowing. We know. We have revised how 99 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 2: much flowing from our year ahead outlook that we published 100 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 2: in November. In November, we were expecting that the twenty 101 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 2: twenty four see GDP glows in the US. Of the 102 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 2: one point six percent that we have now divides it 103 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 2: up to two point three percent. It is still a 104 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 2: slower growth from the taste of growth in twenty three, 105 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 2: but not as much as much as slower as we 106 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: had thought earlier. So good strong growth is good for credit. 107 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 2: Let's not forget that strong growth is good for credit. 108 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 3: Hey, this Spencer Cutter call from Bloomberg Intelligence. On that note, 109 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 3: quick question for you, I guess what do you think 110 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:28,919 Speaker 3: when it comes to rate cuts from the FED? What 111 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 3: is more important is that inflation or their economic growth? 112 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 3: Because I'm sitting here thinking, you know, roll the calendar 113 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 3: back to December, and everybody expected the FED would have 114 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 3: already cut rates at least once, if not twice, by now. 115 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 3: But here we are and they haven't cut And there's 116 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 3: even some people saying that think the next move now 117 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 3: could be a rate hike, And that's largely because inflation 118 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,280 Speaker 3: data is coming in stronger than people had thought it 119 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 3: might at this point. So I guess, if the economy 120 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 3: is slowing down but inflation is still three four or 121 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 3: five percent, what does the FED do? 122 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 2: Well? The first thing is that we don't expect inflation 123 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 2: to be three four five percent. We expect inflation too, 124 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 2: to come down to two six percent by the end 125 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 2: of the year. And in that world where and we 126 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 2: think predominantly to come down from not only goods related 127 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 2: deflation or this inflation. We expect to see some slowing 128 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 2: of the services led inflation as well. So the path 129 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 2: to that desilvation inflation is going to be bumpy, and 130 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 2: it's been perhaps bumpier than what we had expected it 131 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 2: to be. But the trajectory, as long as the trajectory 132 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 2: of inflation is downward, we expect that the FED will 133 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 2: will be cutting because the issue of how long does 134 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 2: the economy need to continue to be under continued molecule 135 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 2: thing that will be the question that the FED has 136 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 2: to content with. And we would say that, you know, uh, 137 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 2: the economy turns out as we are, as we are 138 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 2: expecting it to, we will see inflation coming down. Where 139 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 2: we would be wrong is that this path changes and 140 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 2: we end up having a reaccelevation of the pace of 141 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 2: inflation and we do get to three five percent as 142 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 2: you as you contended just now, that is definitely a challenge. 143 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 2: I don't expect FED to be cutting under those worlds. 144 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 2: In that world and I would also say that the 145 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 2: bar for the next move to be hyped, in our opinion, 146 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 2: is very high, very high from being achieved. So maybe 147 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 2: the Federal beyond hold for longer is a greater likelihood 148 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 2: than the next move being the hype. 149 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: So what does that there's a credit spread specially, I mean, 150 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: they've been very very tight for the last few months. 151 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:59,079 Speaker 1: They've widened out over the last few days. But if 152 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 1: I look at your bull came in the most recent research, 153 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: that would suggests, you know, the spreads are going to 154 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: go below eighty for ig, which is very very tight 155 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: in history. 156 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 2: It is tight, but it's you know, historically speaking, and 157 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,239 Speaker 2: when we do expect that under if all of these conditions, 158 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 2: the case for our bullcase to pan out as you 159 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 2: as we laid out is not outside the realm of possibilities. 160 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 2: That's quite possible. And while spreads are tight historically speaking, 161 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 2: they are not at the tightest levels. You know, while 162 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 2: you look at the last thirty years of CREATE spread data, 163 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 2: the types for US investment need credit in the mid nineties, 164 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 2: ninety six, ninety seven times by time train fifty eight 165 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 2: basis points. I'm not suggesting that you go to fifty eight, 166 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 2: but I just want to highlight that why credit spreads 167 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 2: are tight relative to the recent history, they are not 168 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 2: at the tightest relative to a longer term history. 169 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 1: And they're also very tight on the high yield side. 170 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: I mean that sort of begs the question if you 171 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: look at spreads sort of compensation for on the IG 172 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 1: side downgrade risk and on the high yield side to 173 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: fault risk, are you getting compensated enough? Do you think 174 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: for the for all the risks that we've sort of outlined, 175 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: which is the. 176 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 2: Better compensation in the high healed space is in loans 177 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,719 Speaker 2: as opposed to bonce, So leverage loans versus high ed 178 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 2: bonds is we think is a better place to be. 179 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 2: You know, remember, leverage loans are floating weight instruments, and 180 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 2: because they're floating rate, the effect of the five hundred 181 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 2: and fifty basis points of monetary policy tightening has already 182 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 2: been felt in the in the leveraged loans space, and 183 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 2: there is a clearly what I would call a positive 184 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 2: survivorship bias in leverage loans. In other words, if a 185 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:46,319 Speaker 2: company has endured fie hundred and fifty business points of tightening, 186 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 2: it is quite likely that the company is going to endure, 187 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 2: especially if the next policy move is not that of 188 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 2: a tightening and more that of a easing. Under that world, 189 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 2: we think that the you know, if you put it 190 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 2: in that that in that perspective, the challenges in the 191 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 2: high yelled bond market are greater because high yell bond 192 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 2: markets have not high companies that are dependent on fixed 193 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 2: rate high yell bond financing have not, for the most part, 194 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 2: experienced this effect of higher rates. There they is shued 195 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 2: a lot of debt in twenty twenty, twenty twenty, and 196 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 2: twenty twenty one, and they have not had to issue 197 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 2: much debt or they have not. Their coupons have significantly 198 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 2: below today. So if they were to refinance in twenty 199 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 2: six or twenty seven or twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, 200 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 2: the sticker shock or high healed bonds would be meaningful. 201 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:48,959 Speaker 2: On the other hand, for levels loans the fund the 202 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 2: next move is a cut in you know will and 203 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,439 Speaker 2: expect to see there the pressure on interest coverage that 204 00:11:55,520 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 2: we have seen start to eaither bet and if you've 205 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 2: seen the downraade cycle, the downtlaates cycle peat in the 206 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:07,319 Speaker 2: middle of last year. So we now expect that the 207 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 2: you know we've been seeing for a couple of quarters 208 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 2: where the upgrade downlade ratio has moved in favor of 209 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:17,719 Speaker 2: upgrades and leverage loans. You add to that that the 210 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 2: robust return of the clo market. The structured credit market 211 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 2: is an important buyer base in leveraged loans. A robust 212 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 2: new issue market in the loans is most very positively 213 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 2: for the levis. So within the higher space, we like 214 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 2: leverage loans much more than we. 215 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: Like high box and clearly, as you said, they've outperformed 216 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: bonds over the last certainly year today and in over 217 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: the last year, perhaps because they are floating and rates 218 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,679 Speaker 1: have just kept going up. But at the same time, 219 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:50,559 Speaker 1: you know, if you look at the racing agencies outlooks 220 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: for defaults, the loan default rate expectation is much higher. Also, 221 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 1: the recovery rate is much lower than it has been 222 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,839 Speaker 1: compared to history. Are we not kind of underplaying the 223 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: risks a bit and loans? 224 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 2: Well, I don't think so. I think the recovery dates 225 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 2: will be much lower. In our expectations, recovery rates will 226 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 2: be close to fifty percent compared to the long term 227 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,959 Speaker 2: recovery dates that you've seen of over seventy percent. So 228 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 2: our calculations already incorporate meaningfully lower recovery dates in the 229 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:26,079 Speaker 2: cycle compared to the past cycles. The second we think 230 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 2: that downrates and defaults are on the way down. The 231 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 2: peak in downrates in the loan space, downraates, particularly downrates 232 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 2: into triple fees, we think have peaked about the middle 233 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 2: of last year, and the upgrades downrat ratio has shifted 234 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 2: in favor of upgrades today, and we expect that the 235 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 2: defour rates have also peaked or we are pretty close 236 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 2: to the peak of defaur rates, and over the course 237 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 2: of the rest of the year, we expect default rates 238 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 2: to keep coming down, especially if the growth stands up, 239 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 2: you know, and we continue to see this growth in 240 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 2: economic growth that we are seeing upside surprises to growth 241 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 2: that should translate into stronger company earnings. All of that 242 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 2: put together, we should see better outcomes in terms of 243 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 2: default and taking into account lower account dates, valuation we 244 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 2: think is still attractive and lows. 245 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 3: Hey vitiate Spencer again the question for you, since we're 246 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 3: talking about the syndicated loan market. In in my prior 247 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 3: life before Bloomberg, I spent a lot of time underwriting 248 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 3: and helping to syndicate leveraged loans, and that was long 249 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 3: enough ago that we didn't really have to compete much 250 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 3: with the private credit market. I know that that has 251 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 3: been a growing part of the financial market of the 252 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 3: last several years. I'm curious what impact, if any, you 253 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 3: see that having on the traditional syndicated loan market and 254 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 3: where you see the private credit market going. 255 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 2: I think private credit market is here today. There are 256 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 2: a few things I would say. I think the credit 257 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 2: market is both a competitor to the broadly syndicated loan 258 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 2: market as well as complimentary to the broadly syndicated loanmarket. 259 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 2: How is that. I think it is competitive in the 260 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 2: sense that in a periods where execution uncertainty becomes greater 261 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 2: in the broadly syndicated markets. The kind of execution uncertainty 262 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 2: both in terms of, you know, getting deals done and 263 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 2: the timing of deals that we saw in say twenty 264 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three, even investors were faced with, you know, 265 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 2: a very monetary policy, monetary policy that were tightening and 266 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 2: financial conditions that were not that conducive. There was a 267 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 2: fair amount of execution uncertainty private credit markets because there 268 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 2: is no syndication involved, because there are one or two 269 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 2: lenders typically involved in a deal, you had a much 270 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 2: better outcome, so they could get an execution certainty and 271 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 2: that means higher spread for the borrowers and tougher covenants 272 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 2: for the lenders, both of those things in a market 273 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 2: where financial conditions are much easier, which is the case today, 274 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 2: private credit markets, which had gained share relative to the 275 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 2: public broadly syndicated loan market, some of that trail would 276 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 2: be given the gain shared would be given up this year. 277 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 2: But there is another part of the market for companies 278 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 2: that are too small to access the broadly syndicated loan market, 279 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 2: or companies that are way down in the distress market, 280 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 2: so say companies that are in B minus or negative 281 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 2: watch or triple C raated companies looking for definancing. The 282 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 2: broadly syndicated loan market is probably not very open to 283 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 2: those things. Because the biggest buyer of leverage loans, the clos, 284 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 2: have a allocation stuper triple c There is a particular 285 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 2: feature in the clos that dissuade them from buying triple 286 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 2: se loans. As a result of that, the levels the 287 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 2: broadly syndicated leverage loan market doesn't have a great bid 288 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:10,119 Speaker 2: for an exit in the for the triple C rate loans, 289 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,159 Speaker 2: So for those loans, private markets have really stepped in. 290 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 2: So in the sense that private credit pard the advent 291 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 2: of private credit has made the pie bigger. You know, 292 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:25,160 Speaker 2: it's you know, the over pie is bigger. The share 293 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 2: of the private credit versus public credit will ever flow 294 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 2: depending on the market conditions, but the overall amount of 295 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,920 Speaker 2: credit available to leverlish within the leveraged finances space is 296 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 2: actually bigger because of private credit, and I think it 297 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 2: also has the effect of smoothing out default cycles. So 298 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 2: because for you know, absent private credit for deeply distressed names, 299 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 2: there was no other exit. And now because of private credit, 300 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 2: there is a peaceable exit. Even it's an expensive exit, 301 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 2: but it's an exit. So that means that the companies 302 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 2: can title ork and that and prevent default. So put 303 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 2: all these things together, I think credit is here to 304 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 2: stay and place both competitive rule as well as a 305 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 2: complimentary all to the broadly syndicated markets. 306 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 1: So as a quick. 307 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 3: Follow up on that then, so you know, in the past, 308 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 3: when I've seen new products enter the market or new 309 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 3: new markets being open and they grow rapidly, usually there's 310 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 3: a law that's been on that has yet to be uncovered. 311 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 3: And as the market grows and everything's good, nobody knows 312 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 3: quite what that flaw is. I'm curious if there's a 313 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 3: flaw in the private credit market that we don't know 314 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 3: about yet, because everything's been kind of going relatively well 315 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 3: in the market since private credit really kind of came 316 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 3: on the scene, but it's been growing rapidly, and I'm wondering, 317 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 3: you know, what is what is the not maybe not 318 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 3: a fatal flaw, but you know, something that people might 319 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 3: find rears its head that they weren't expecting. I guess 320 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 3: my my initial thought is liquidity. If you do have 321 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 3: a downturn some particularly some of the larger loans, h 322 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 3: is there going to be a market for the lenders 323 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 3: to be able to manage their portfolios or because these 324 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 3: are private are they just kind of stuck with it? 325 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:19,119 Speaker 3: And does that become an issue? 326 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 2: Actually, well, let me let me put it this say, 327 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,479 Speaker 2: I don't think private credit is a panacea that solves 328 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 2: bad businesses. You know, if a company has if there's 329 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,159 Speaker 2: an underlying business model, is a challenge business model, I 330 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 2: don't think private credit will resolve it or solve them. 331 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 2: That's having means the liquidity in related issues. In fact, 332 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 2: their private credit actually completely constructible. Is if a company 333 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 2: isn't it in some form of distressed, you know, because 334 00:19:53,640 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 2: of some external or something external happening that's an ordinous 335 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 2: event that causes some distrust to the particular company. It 336 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 2: is in a broadly syndicated market to resolve that distress 337 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 2: to intervention is much harder a because covenants are broader. 338 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 2: Syndicated laws are really no maintenance covenants. It's really incorrence 339 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 2: covenants only, so you can't really capture it. And in 340 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 2: the private credit market, because the covenant language is much stronger, 341 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 2: covenants act as a circuit breaker for for that bad 342 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,719 Speaker 2: outcome to come through. And since you are only negotiating 343 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:34,439 Speaker 2: with one or two lenders, the ability of private lenders 344 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 2: to step in to with additional capital, and we've seen 345 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 2: multiple examples from this is there and we as a 346 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 2: result of this, we think it's not I think these 347 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 2: the fact that there are one or two lenders only 348 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:55,679 Speaker 2: makes the resolution of challenges in perrect credit market much easier. 349 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 2: But all that said, done down, we have to be careful. 350 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 2: That mean, look, there is a lot of there's not 351 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,640 Speaker 2: a tremendous amount of transparency in the private credit market 352 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 2: and obviously these are types. So we think it's it 353 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 2: pays to for investors to dig into the details, understand 354 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 2: the credit and try to you know, you know, we've 355 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 2: done some deep dive on private credit recently within the 356 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 2: quality of the credit compares to low single bees tople 357 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 2: ce type of equal in credit in the public markets. 358 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 2: As you know, most private credit are not rated, so 359 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 2: you need to dig into and find the right metrics 360 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,360 Speaker 2: to compare. And also keep in mind that the while 361 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 2: the default experience in the private credit market that we 362 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 2: observed doesn't show that the default experience is meaningfully higher, 363 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 2: it's not that different than the default experience in the 364 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 2: broad lea syndicated market. But that data point really reflects 365 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 2: the last five years. We don't have a much longer 366 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 2: time series our experience of you know, how private credit 367 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:08,399 Speaker 2: has behaved in multiple cycles. So I would say that 368 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 2: there are for all these good reasons for private credit 369 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,639 Speaker 2: to play an important, positive, constructive role. But you have 370 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 2: to be always be aware in terms of the of 371 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 2: the quality of underwriting and taking you know, understanding the 372 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 2: underlying credit in as much detail as possible. 373 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: Is there any danger that visually that it's kind of 374 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 1: distorting the pricing in the public markets in that it's 375 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,880 Speaker 1: taking away supply and if you look at the way 376 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: that you know, we've seen such a such an increase 377 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 1: in demand and relatively you know, thin net supply, which 378 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: may be keeping spreads very tight. And if you take 379 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,880 Speaker 1: the supply into the shadow banks and into private credit, 380 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: does that not make that equation worse and sort of 381 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: distort the whole risk pricing? 382 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 3: Not? 383 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:56,399 Speaker 2: Not exactly in my mind. I think in during the 384 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:58,760 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two twenty three when we saw a big 385 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 2: you know, much more tightness in the in the public markets, 386 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 2: you know, financial condition being tightened, private credit entering uh 387 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 2: entering the fray, we saw significantly higher risks semia in 388 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 2: the in private credit relative to public credit. And today 389 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 2: public credit through broadly syndicated loans in particular, or the 390 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 2: markets are open and competing very strongly with the private 391 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:31,159 Speaker 2: trade market. So I don't think that the the you know, 392 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 2: the the fact of private credit itself creates you know, 393 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 2: additional risks in the system. And I think as as always, 394 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,879 Speaker 2: private credit or public credit is not a panasy up 395 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 2: in a badman's model, so they will be defaulted in 396 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 2: companies if there are bad business business models and encountering 397 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 2: challenging economic circumstances and experience thus far is that that 398 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 2: default experience is not significantly different credit. Again, I would 399 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 2: warrant that that that experience we have is about the 400 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 2: last five years. 401 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: So on on sectors she has. Reading your most recent reports, 402 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: amongst other things, you flag energy is an opportunity and 403 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: that's obviously in the headlines at the moment because of 404 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: geopolitics and oil is going up, and it's possibly an 405 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 1: inflation risk and so on. But you mentioned opportunities in 406 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 1: both equity and credit. I wanted to just focus in 407 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: on the credit opportunities and and and sort of try 408 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:32,639 Speaker 1: and ask you to expand a bit more on on 409 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 1: what the opportunities are and you know, how does how 410 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 1: does a bond investor take advantage of this move? 411 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:42,639 Speaker 2: I think a strong oil oil market certainly boats very 412 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 2: positively for the fundamentals of the of companies, the energy companies, 413 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 2: And we think this boats true for both the oil 414 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:57,680 Speaker 2: predominantly oil driven players as well as for the natural 415 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:01,719 Speaker 2: gas players. We think the natural gas players, where prices 416 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 2: have actually been you know, more on the downward trajectory, 417 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 2: there has been significant belt tightening that actually happened in 418 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,120 Speaker 2: the in the in those E n P type of players. 419 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 2: So we think that the the stronger oil markets, you know, 420 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 2: is that you know, improves the fundamentals of the of 421 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 2: energy oil players, and that translates into lower you know, 422 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 2: expectations of weakness and of credit and therefore we should 423 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 2: expect to see some some upgrades. All this conditions continued 424 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 2: to statement the system upgrades and energy space, so all 425 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 2: of that really translates into us being constructive for what 426 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 2: it is worth. We are constructive on energy stops with well, 427 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:53,400 Speaker 2: so energy stocks were constructive and by extension, what's good 428 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 2: for stocks is also probably good in this case because 429 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 2: of the discipline that forced after twenty fifteen within in 430 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 2: these conditions and under these conditions or is good for 431 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 2: energy stocks and also tensationto being good for energy bonds. 432 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 2: That's you know, I think, especially energy bonds that are 433 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 2: in the double b cusppy range of investment WAID just 434 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 2: below investment read and we should expect to see some 435 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:28,239 Speaker 2: upgrade potential there as well. 436 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 3: H Spencer Again, so just to want to jump in 437 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:37,119 Speaker 3: to play Devil's avget, I guess since I'm a credit 438 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:42,119 Speaker 3: or energy focused credit analyst, and so I totally agree 439 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 3: that from a fundamental standpoint, the sector seems to be 440 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 3: in perhaps its best shape it's been in in quite 441 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:52,360 Speaker 3: some time, as companies have spent a lot of time 442 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 3: since twenty twenty downturn, in particular fixing their balance sheets 443 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 3: using free cash flow, the paydown debt, equity funded mergers, 444 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 3: et cetera. Where I struggle though, is credit spreads are 445 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 3: already at within the energy space, and whether you want 446 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 3: to look at high yield or investment grade and independent 447 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 3: producers or the energy market overall, we're within, you know, 448 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:19,639 Speaker 3: spitting distance of the lowest credit spreads we've seen in 449 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 3: a decade or more. Most of the companies that have 450 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 3: been focused on paying down debt have kind of reached 451 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 3: the point where they're done with that. For maybe there's 452 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 3: a few bucks left that they're going to pay down, 453 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 3: but vast majority of the free cash flow that's being 454 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,920 Speaker 3: generated today is going out the door to shareholders in 455 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:44,640 Speaker 3: the form of stock buybacks and variable dividends. So I've 456 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 3: been sort of looking at this and saying, I can't 457 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:51,399 Speaker 3: see a particular bare case scenario except for maybe some 458 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 3: of the high old natural gas players where you know, 459 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 3: natural gas prices where they are today, it's just unsustainable 460 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 3: for anybody in the long term. We'll see how long 461 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 3: that plays out the market recovers, But yeah, that I 462 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 3: don't really see what major barecase. But I have a 463 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 3: really hard time rationalizing any upside here because, like I said, 464 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 3: I don't think if if oil prices stay at eighty 465 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 3: bucks or more, everyone's gonna be generating a lot of 466 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 3: free casual Even if you have a spike above one 467 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:22,119 Speaker 3: hundred due to some geopolitical event, it strikes me that 468 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 3: the vast majority of that is going to go out 469 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:27,920 Speaker 3: the door to shareholders and you know, not necessarily benefit creditors. 470 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 2: I don't I don't have a you know, strong pushback 471 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 2: to the setup that you you lay out there. The 472 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 2: only point I would make is that the the you know, 473 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 2: energy borrowers have done, you know I've never had to do, 474 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 2: and they have done a significant amount of balance in 475 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 2: repair in over the course of the last few years. 476 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 2: And as long as credit I mean, as long as 477 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 2: oil types of stay in this range or or go higher, 478 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 2: and certainly stay about eight, I think they're underlying uh, 479 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 2: you know, underlying castles will be pretty robust. And our reason, 480 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 2: our expectation is that we will near term expectations that 481 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 2: we'll see some some more higher oil prices. So as 482 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:15,240 Speaker 2: long as we stay in this world, which we think 483 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 2: there is a very good case to be made that 484 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 2: oil prices will stay in above eighty. Actually we are 485 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 2: our base cases ninety four to the near term. I 486 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 2: don't see a challenge for the for the for the 487 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 2: energy bonds. And you know, our credit spreads tight. Credit 488 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 2: spreads are indeed tight, and they have been tight. And 489 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 2: I would say that the putting in the you know, 490 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 2: if I can go back to a point I was 491 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 2: made making earlier, we'll think that the better opportunity within 492 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 2: the credit space overall leverage finance spaces and in the 493 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 2: loans versus high boss, that's that remains. So that having 494 00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:58,880 Speaker 2: been said, if you're looking for opportunities within the high space, 495 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,800 Speaker 2: in know, if your investment date is limited to how 496 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 2: you bonds, I think Energy still has positive technical, positive technicals, 497 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 2: and positive fundamentals ahead. 498 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 1: So the other big coll that kind of stood out 499 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 1: for me in your recent report that she was you know, 500 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: besides leverage loans, you like triple C rated bonds. That's 501 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: something that a lot of people tend to stay away 502 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: from you know, they like everything else in credit apart 503 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:28,240 Speaker 1: from that because they think that's where the most defaults 504 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: are going to be. Obviously, but given your duvish view 505 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 1: and and you know the way the where the equity 506 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: markets are performing, I mean, it seems to make sense. 507 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,960 Speaker 1: But but do you are you very selective there? And 508 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 1: how do you play triple c's right now? 509 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 2: I think the argument for triple c's is really a 510 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:47,920 Speaker 2: valuation of them. So if you compare where the credit 511 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 2: where credit stacks out across the the across the you know, 512 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:58,720 Speaker 2: credit spectrum, you know the place where the way we 513 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:02,000 Speaker 2: look at it is that where credit spreads in across 514 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 2: various parts of the credit structures in relative to a 515 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 2: long term history, triple c's are about the fifty percentile 516 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 2: of the last twenty year range. And you compare that 517 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 2: to you know, higher bonds for example, are you know, 518 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 2: closer to ten percent of the ten ten percentile of 519 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:26,520 Speaker 2: the last twenty year range investment we had credit maybe 520 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 2: twelve thirteen percent. So by all of those metrics, the 521 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 2: rest of the parts of the market, from IG to 522 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:37,680 Speaker 2: high single age, double b's, triple bs, et cetera, look 523 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 2: at their very tight end evaluation. The one thing that 524 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:45,400 Speaker 2: stands out is really the triple c's triple CS that 525 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 2: you know, over seven hundred basis points stands out in 526 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 2: the middle of that of the twenty year range. So 527 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 2: the argument for triple c's is a valuation argument. And 528 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 2: the next augument is that is the growth in particularly 529 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:03,480 Speaker 2: earnings growth that we're predicting. So we are predicting that 530 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four will see high single digit seventy eight 531 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:10,240 Speaker 2: percent type of earning growth in SMB five hundred a 532 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 2: fifteen to twenty fifteen seventeen percent earnings growth in twenty 533 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 2: twenty five. So against that background of you know, not 534 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 2: not rich, not cheap, in the middle of the range 535 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 2: valuations and with the with the the tail winds of 536 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 2: improving earnings, we think that's that is what makes the 537 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:32,640 Speaker 2: case for triple. 538 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 1: Ceas are there any parts of that market that you 539 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:36,960 Speaker 1: just avoid, you know, sexor wise. 540 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:40,360 Speaker 2: Actually, once you get to triple cs, you need to 541 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 2: do work on a name by name basis, and as 542 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 2: opposed to I would rather not take a sector view 543 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:49,480 Speaker 2: on on triple CS, and it's really a name by 544 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 2: name basis. You have to do the work on triple season. 545 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,920 Speaker 1: Okay, and talking of other areas of risk, I mean 546 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 1: you did some great writing recently on commercial real estate, 547 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: which we'vebviously looked at in great details of subjects of 548 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 1: great interests for readers. What's your takeaway. I mean, obviously 549 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 1: there are problems, you know, the individual level, but is 550 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 1: there a bigger problem there? I mean, if you some 551 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: of our guests have said that hundreds of banks in 552 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 1: the US may fail because of it. Is that is 553 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: that going to bleed through to the rest of the 554 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: credit market. 555 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:23,040 Speaker 2: I think there is no doubt that the regal banking 556 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:26,680 Speaker 2: system has a substantial exposure to commercial real faith. And 557 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 2: I will now and given the regularly environment ahead for 558 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 2: the smaller regional banks, the underlying business model is clearly 559 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 2: under the threat, and that the commercial real estate exposure, 560 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 2: which is disproportionately higher with the smaller banks, makes that 561 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 2: challenge very very difficult to overcome. That having been said, 562 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:53,800 Speaker 2: we think this is the way I would describe caustial 563 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 2: real the state challenge. It is not it does not 564 00:33:57,280 --> 00:33:59,720 Speaker 2: leach to a systemic risk level. You know, in my 565 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 2: mind commercial real estate that is not systemic, but a 566 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 2: persistent risk. So our distinguish it been systemic risk and 567 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:12,400 Speaker 2: persistent risks. So we will. The commercial real estate challenges 568 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:15,359 Speaker 2: are not going to be over tomorrow next year. They 569 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 2: will be there for some time to come. We have 570 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 2: a significant valuation adjustments that need to happen, a secular 571 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 2: change in office as a property that has occurred. You know, 572 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 2: we have to all the eventual evaluations will have to 573 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 2: reflect these significant changes that occurred. That will take time, 574 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:38,440 Speaker 2: so we will. We will keep talking about commercial real 575 00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 2: estate for some time to come. But I think that 576 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:44,600 Speaker 2: it does not raise to the systemic risk issues that 577 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:46,879 Speaker 2: some people are worried about. 578 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:49,600 Speaker 1: Is there anything out there that worries you mean, we're 579 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 1: a credit show, so we worry about everything. I'm sure 580 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:54,440 Speaker 1: Spencer is just sitting there worried about other stuff. But 581 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:57,600 Speaker 1: what really concerns you visually about the outlook for credit 582 00:34:57,640 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 1: this year? 583 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 2: I think the key that worries me is if the 584 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:05,640 Speaker 2: next policy move is not a cut, But if the 585 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:08,960 Speaker 2: next policy move is a hike, a pause, or a cut, 586 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 2: I am less worried about a hike. I am most 587 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:13,240 Speaker 2: certainly worried about. 588 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:17,760 Speaker 1: So the base case is just to lean into the risk. Basically, 589 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:20,280 Speaker 1: leverage loans and triple cs. Is that is that the takeaway? 590 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,720 Speaker 2: I mean, leverage known triples are some of the spots, 591 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:27,239 Speaker 2: but overall, I think the one takeaway from this discussion, 592 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:30,640 Speaker 2: if you would, if you remember, would be that credit, 593 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:34,840 Speaker 2: broadly speaking, is a positive carry asset and that stands 594 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:38,719 Speaker 2: in tart contrast to other assets within fixed income, in 595 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:44,920 Speaker 2: particular the rate market. So the positive carry boats particularly 596 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:49,080 Speaker 2: well for credit. And you, you know, you add all 597 00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:52,400 Speaker 2: the other factors, both technical and fundamentals that I've described, 598 00:35:52,719 --> 00:35:56,440 Speaker 2: and that that makes the augument robust. But the positive 599 00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 2: carry is something that's the key driver here. 600 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:01,120 Speaker 1: Are there any sign of frust in your mind? 601 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:05,239 Speaker 2: I think when you're discussing faut, I think you need 602 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:12,759 Speaker 2: to keep in mind that credit investing requires an understanding 603 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:16,280 Speaker 2: of credit and the fundamentals of credit. So this market 604 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 2: in the last ten years has been predominantly a macro 605 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 2: driven market. I think we have now transitioned into what 606 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:28,240 Speaker 2: is really a credit pickers market. The two credit market 607 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 2: fundamentals are really valuable today as opposed to a beta 608 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 2: from the larger what the FED does, what the ECB did, 609 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:40,280 Speaker 2: or what the Q program or all of those factors 610 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:45,400 Speaker 2: are far less relevant going forward, and two credit picking 611 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:49,840 Speaker 2: becomes the most important aspect, and two credit pickers or 612 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:52,400 Speaker 2: two credit pickers, this is an idea market. 613 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:56,200 Speaker 1: When I talked to Byside, is you know big portfolio 614 00:36:56,280 --> 00:36:58,600 Speaker 1: managers about spreads being so tight. I mean they say 615 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:00,560 Speaker 1: it doesn't really matter, and then in a person a 616 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:03,399 Speaker 1: bit and they say, well, it doesn't matter until it does, 617 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:05,719 Speaker 1: by which they mean it doesn't matter until there's a 618 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:09,839 Speaker 1: big vole event. There are many things out there, you know, geopolitics, 619 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:11,480 Speaker 1: there are some big elections coming up. There are many 620 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: things out there that could cause of volatility, you know, 621 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:19,800 Speaker 1: ripping event that the effects credit? How do you position 622 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: for that? How do you hedge against that? How do 623 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 1: you how do you view that as a risk. 624 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:26,120 Speaker 2: The way I look at it is, you know, exorginant shocks, 625 00:37:26,160 --> 00:37:29,840 Speaker 2: whether geopolitical or elsewhere you know or other sources of 626 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 2: exoging shocks would affect all risk markets, and credit markets 627 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 2: are by no means an exception to this. We think 628 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:40,160 Speaker 2: that for all the reasons we've discussed, fundamental and technical 629 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 2: credit markets are better able to withstand some of those 630 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:48,920 Speaker 2: exorginant shocks, not all of them. Some of those exhaust shocks, 631 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:53,760 Speaker 2: credit markets can stand better, and they're not entirely dependent 632 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:57,719 Speaker 2: on great cups. They are. They are dependent on the 633 00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 2: next move not being a hike, but the timing and 634 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:04,640 Speaker 2: the magnitude of matters less for credit than for other 635 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 2: macro markets. So in that sense, credit markets vulnerability to 636 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 2: exhort in the shocks is absolutely there and the right 637 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:16,560 Speaker 2: opportunities to hedge. There are several instruments available to hedge, 638 00:38:16,719 --> 00:38:23,120 Speaker 2: and I think careful risk management is absolutely the the 639 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 2: you know, absolutely critical, has never been more critical than 640 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 2: it is today, even all the various potions that could happen. 641 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:32,600 Speaker 2: But when we are taking a bigger picture of view 642 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:39,120 Speaker 2: fixed income in general, credit in particular, it seems like 643 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:40,400 Speaker 2: a pretty attractive pace to be here. 644 00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:44,239 Speaker 1: Great stuff the sh Tirpreteur Chief Fixed Income Stretchest that 645 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:45,960 Speaker 1: Morgan Sandy has been a pleasure having you on the 646 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:46,440 Speaker 1: Credit Edge. 647 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:48,879 Speaker 2: Many thanks thanks for having me. Look forward to doing 648 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:49,279 Speaker 2: this again. 649 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 1: And Spencer Cussid with Bloomberg Intelligence, thank you very much 650 00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:53,160 Speaker 1: for being back on the show. 651 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 2: Thank you. 652 00:38:54,239 --> 00:38:56,240 Speaker 3: James Harpley do it check. 653 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:59,280 Speaker 1: Out all of Spencer's excellent analysis on the Bloomberg terminal, 654 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:02,319 Speaker 1: and please do subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We're 655 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:05,920 Speaker 1: on Apple, Spotify, and all other good podcast providers, including 656 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:08,520 Speaker 1: the Bloomberg Terminal. Give us a review, tell your friends, 657 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:12,080 Speaker 1: or email me directly at jcrombieight at bloomberg dot net. 658 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:15,080 Speaker 1: I'm James Crombie. It's been a pleasure having you join 659 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 1: us again. Next week on the Credit Edge,