Constancy Worldwide is increasing into European enterprise lending as asset managers search to use gaps out there after the monetary disaster and up to date banking turmoil.
Constancy, which oversees greater than $700bn, is launching a fund that can make secured loans to midsized European corporates with annual earnings of round €5mn to €30mn.
The non-public credit score crew will run the Luxembourg-domiciled, closed-end fund with a deal with senior debt. It goals to make its first funding within the coming weeks.
The launch comes simply after BlackRock, the world’s largest asset supervisor with greater than $9tn in belongings, purchased non-public debt enterprise Kreos Capital, which gives loans to start-ups and know-how firms.
The strikes by two of the world’s most distinguished fund teams underscore the shift in the direction of non-public credit score, which has grown right into a $1.4tn sector. US-based asset managers Nuveen and PGIM have additionally made non-public credit score acquisitions prior to now few months.
Banks pulled again from offering sure forms of financing after the monetary disaster in 2008 due to worries about extra dangerous lending and more durable capital necessities.
Financial institution lending has additionally been hit by the collapse of Silicon Valley Financial institution within the US and the takeover of Credit score Suisse by rival UBS in Europe earlier this yr.
“What we’ve seen with Credit score Suisse and SVB is that the banks don’t have it any simpler, it’s tougher, so we see this as a possibility,” mentioned Nick Haaijman, international head of personal asset options at Constancy Worldwide.
“This can be a rising market . . . Buyers recognise it’s an asset class in Europe the place you’ll be able to see a gradual revenue stream.” He added that the brand new fund shall be its first within the European direct lending sector.
Michael Curtis, who will co-manage the fund, mentioned: “Returns are trying extra engaging on this market than they’ve completed prior to now few years. It’s a floating charge asset class, pushed by base charge plus a margin.” The fund will even profit from transaction charges on the underlying offers, he added.
Though the direct lending sector has grown over the previous decade, Curtis mentioned there are “far fewer contributors . . . taking a look at mid-market corporates”.
Constancy mentioned regardless of the rising variety of funds within the direct lending market, there was a niche within the midsized company sector.
Based on information supplier Prequin, about $125.9bn was raised by direct lending funds in 2021, and $75.9bn within the first three quarters of 2022. In Europe, $45bn was raised in 2021 and $25.7bn within the first three quarters of 2022.
