EU CLOs: Diversification Benefits
Is it possible to achieve low overlap among three deals from the same EU CLO manager? In the EU CLO market, 18 managers offer an average pairwise overlap of less than 50% across their optimal three deals.
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Is it possible to achieve low overlap among three deals from the same EU CLO manager? In the EU CLO market, 18 managers offer an average pairwise overlap of less than 50% across their optimal three deals.
AAA/AA investors are always thinking about systemic risks, and one way to reduce this risk is to minimise overlap exposure within their portfolios. The beauty of this model is that users can choose from a pool of CLO deals managed by managers they favour and optimise the portfolio for the lowest possible overlap risk based on the target number of positions they are looking to hold. Please find the download link below for the overlap optimisation model, which allows users to select from a pool of US BSL CLO deals to be added to an existing portfolio, with the model identifying the optimal outcome from an overlap perspective.
Please find the download link below for the overlap optimisation model, which allows users to select from a pool of EU CLO deals to be added to an existing portfolio, with the model identifying the optimal outcome from an overlap perspective.
Please find below the download link for the interactive CLO manager collateral AUM ranking tables.
A sample of 542 EU CLO deals is used in this study. Called deals and static deals are excluded from the sample.
This file tracks Net Interest Margin (collateral gross coupon minus weighted average CLO tranche coupon) trends across 131 US BSL CLO managers, with monthly data dating back to March 2013. Select up to ten managers from the dropdown menus to compare manager-level margin trends relative to peers and the market average over time.
This file tracks reported WAS trends across 129 US BSL CLO managers, with monthly data going back to April 2013. Select up to ten managers from the dropdown menus, and the chart will instantly compare their spreads against each other and against the market average.
A sample of 414 deals from the 1Q 2020–2Q 2025 vintages is used, excluding static deals and those with a collateral factor below 0.80. Each deal’s underlying collateral weighted average spread (WAS) is adjusted for its weighted average price (WAP) as of 1 May 2026. The adjusted WAS also takes par losses into account.
The term WAS, or Weighted Average Spread, refers to a key metric used to assess the risk associated with the underlying collateral of a CLO. In general, a higher WAS may indicate a riskier collateral pool, as some CLO managers may seek higher-yielding but potentially riskier investments in order to achieve arbitrage. What is important is to adjust the collateral WAS for loan prices as well as par losses. The adjusted WAS is a very useful metric for senior CLO tranche investors when pricing senior tranches. For example, all else being equal, AAA investors would typically demand a higher spread if the underlying collateral WAS is higher after adjusting for portfolio prices and par losses. AAA investors tend to be less concerned about idiosyncratic risks and more focused on systemic risks. A materially wider collateral WAS may therefore imply a higher probability of credit losses. A sample of 334 deals from the 2024 vintage is used, excluding static deals and those with a collateral factor below 0.75. Each deal’s underlying collateral weighted average spread (WAS) is adjusted to reflect its weighted average price (WAP) as of 10 April 2026. The adjusted WAS also incorporates par losses.
US CLOs: AAA Reset Pricing and the Outlook for Spreads
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The table below presents the IRRs by vintage for fully liquidated US CLO deals from the 2012 to 2023 vintages, based on a sample of 958 deals.
Below are tables presenting the MVOC (AAA-B) and EQ NAV of EU CLO deals by vintage, based on asset prices as of 2 March 2026.
A sample of 133 deals from the 2024 and 1Q 2025 vintages is used. Each deal’s underlying collateral weighted average spread (WAS) is adjusted for its weighted average price (WAP) as of 2 March 2026. The adjusted WAS also takes par losses into account.
A sample of 106 deals from the 2021 and 1Q 2022 vintages is used. Each deal’s underlying collateral weighted average spread (WAS) is adjusted for its weighted average price (WAP) as of 2 March 2026. The adjusted WAS also takes par losses into account.
