The table presented in this premium article showcases the trends by displaying the average annual prepayment rates for the first, second, and third years for each manager. These rates are calculated from seasoned deals whose reinvestment periods concluded before April 2024.
CLO equity investors generally prefer slower prepayment rates in the early years after the reinvestment period, as this helps sustain favourable leverage within the structure and supports more efficient funding costs. Moreover, it provides equity investors with additional time to assess the optimal call timing, which has proven particularly valuable in today’s robust market environment. For instance, a deal that exited its reinvestment period in 2022 and experienced a very rapid post-reinvestment period annual prepayment rate, leading to significant deleveraging, would have been under greater pressure to be called at a time when market conditions were less favourable than they are today.
Although each CLO deal is unique, examining historical prepayment rates based on the original collateral balance during the post-reinvestment period...
Although every CLO deal is unique, analysing historical prepayment rates during the post-RP period is valuable. It reveals manager tendencies, distinguishing those who consistently deliver lower prepayment rates from those with higher rates.
From the perspective of debt investors, a more rapid prepayment rate is typically preferable following the reinvestment period (RP). A low post-RP prepayment rate would increase the credit exposure of the underlying collateral pool and prolong the duration of the CLO debt tranches. The rate of post-RP paydown is particularly relevant today, given that debt tranches are currently priced at relatively tight levels. The following table presents the average first-year, second-year, and third-year annualized prepayment rates for each manager, based on data from their seasoned deals that have their reinvestment end dates ending before January 2024.
The rate of paydown for CLO-rated debt after the conclusion of the reinvestment period (RP) is influenced by several factors....
