The Upgrade: Episode 28: Material Shifts In Key Credit Stats Drove Downgrades To 'B-' And 'CCC'
Release Date: 06/16/2023
Story Behind Cerba-Chrome Holdco SAS
CLOs Uncovered
Hina and Sandeep discuss Cerba with Remi Bringuier, discussing our current expectations for the company's performance and the areas we are closely monitoring. Our aim is to provide market participants with further advanced analytical insight into Corporate Credits, CLOs and Leveraged Finance deals, with S&P Global Ratings regular podcast, based on key features we’re seeing in corporate credits and sectors that CLOs are exposed to.
info_outline
What's New For CLOs?
CLOs Uncovered
After the summer break, Hina and Sandeep are joined by John Finn to discuss our recent Structured Finance conference, new features in CLO documentation, recent CLO performance, and future challenges faced by the market. Our aim is to provide market participants with further advanced analytical insight into Corporate Credits, CLOs and Leveraged Finance deals, with S&P Global Ratings regular podcast, based on key features we’re seeing in corporate credits and sectors that CLOs are exposed to.
info_outline
Story Behind Ardagh Group And Its Debt Restructuring Risk
CLOs Uncovered
Series 6, Episode 5: Before we all break for summer, Hina & Sandeep discuss Ardagh Group with Desiree Menjivar over an in-depth analysis of Ardagh’s recent rating action and insights into the key factors shaping the company's performance, and the areas we are closely monitoring.
info_outline
How Does ASDA, Bellis Finco PLC’s, Rating Stack Up
CLOs Uncovered
Leveraged Finance & CLOs Uncovered Podcast: How ASDA’s Parent, Bellis Finco PLC, compares with other food retailers in a highly competitive UK landscape. Hina & Sandeep have a discussion with Raquel on credit fundamentals of Asda and its recent refinancing and S&P’s expectation for a future trajectory. Our aim is to provide market participants with further advanced analytical insight into Corporate Credits, CLOs and Leveraged Finance deals, with S&P Global Ratings regular podcast, based on key features we’re seeing in corporate credits and sectors that CLOs are exposed...
info_outline
The Credit Fundamentals of Merlin
CLOs Uncovered
In our latest episode, Hina & Sandeep have a discussion with Alphee Roumens on how Merlin continued to access capital markets to finance further growth and focus on its evolution post covid era and the areas we closely monitor.
info_outline
Uncovering Our Insights On Altice France Following It’s Recent Rating Action
CLOs Uncovered
Hina & Sandeep discuss Altice France with Justine Miquee over an in-depth analysis of Altice France's recent rating action and insights into the key factors shaping the company's performance, and the areas we are closely monitoring.
info_outline
How NordAnglia (Bach Finance) Continues To Access Capital Markets
CLOs Uncovered
Series 6, Episode 1: Hina & Sandeep have a discussion with Raquel on credit fundamentals of Nord Anglia and despite raising $600 million term loan add-on, it is able to preserve its ratings, though reducing our recovery estimate for its senior secured debt.
info_outline
The Upgrade: Episode 33: Testing Private Debt's Resilience Through The Credit Estimate Lens
CLOs Uncovered
In Episode 33, Scott Tan, Analytical Manager and Managing Director of U.S. Credit Estimates, along with Denis Rudnev, Director of Leveraged Finance at S&P Global Ratings, delved into critical insights from their discussion on "Testing Private Debt's Resilience Through The Credit Estimate Lens." They analyzed over 2,000 credit estimated (CE) issuers, totaling more than $400 billion in outstanding debt, to evaluate the resilience of middle-market issuers amidst the challenges posed by increasing interest rates and margin erosion. Related Document Link:
info_outline
How Snooze Drag Helps Borrowers Extend Loan Maturities
CLOs Uncovered
Series 5, Episode 5: Hina & Sandeep wrap up the year with Tia Zhang and discuss a workaround seen in loan documentation allowing borrowers to extend maturities more easily.
info_outline
The Upgrade: Episode 32: Creative Structuring Helps Trinseo PLC
CLOs Uncovered
In Episode 32, Steve H Wilkinson, Managing Director of Leveraged Finance at S&P Global Ratings, discusses an interesting case study of Trinseo’s creative debt structuring that helped the firm procure new debt financing to address pending near-term maturities. Related Document Link:
info_outlineIn this discussion, Minesh Patel, the US sector lead of Leveraged Finance at S&P Global Ratings, teams up with the Director of Leveraged Finance, Hanna Zhang, to explore the key insights presented in Hanna's latest commentary, titled "U.S. Leveraged Finance Q1 2023 Update: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes -- Material Shifts In Key Credit Stats Drove Downgrades To 'B-' And 'CCC', And Upgrades To 'B-'."
Key takeaways from the article include:
- Within 12 months leading to a rating action, higher debt service costs and slower profit growth were often the leading factors in downgrades to 'B-' and the 'CCC' category (CCC+/CCC/CCC-).
- Median leverage for companies downgraded to the 'CCC' category rose to 15.5x as EBITDA all but dried up. It was 8x for entities rated 'B-'.
- We estimate that roughly 37% of 'B' rated issuers employ interest rate hedges. Interest rate sensitivity for 'B-' rated companies is much higher, with roughly 19% employing hedges and 90% floating-rate debt exposure.
- Speculative-grade borrowers may be returning to cash preservation, but 2022 was loaded with shareholder rewards and heavy working capital investment for companies rated 'B+' and higher.
- Issues with recovery expectations within the 50%-70% range account for two-thirds of total new issuance in the first quarter of 2023, although average recovery expectations remain near the low end of the post-2017 average.
The commentary to the related article:
The hyperlink to the interactive dashboard.