Next up in our series of notes from the Alpha Hedge West Conference is the panel on structured credit featuring Richard d'Albert (Seer Capital, Christopher Hentemann (400 Capital), Amin Majidi (Premium Point Investments), and Rajesh Agarwal (Napier Park Global Capital).
Structured Credit Panel: Alpha Hedge West Conference
RD> Structured Credit now a sector in its own right for fixed income. Usually accessed through private equity or co-mingled.
CH> Multi Sector structured finance. RMBS, CMBS, CLOs, CDOs both US and Non-US. Hedge fund and PE Style. Looks for optionality and asymmetric risk. More top down thematic.
AM> Residential only. Over $2B in AUM. Hedge and PE Style. Fundamental analysis. Credit risk and prepayment. Mix of distress and new issue. Beneficiaries of deleveraging on legacy side. Before they had tactical investors looking for beaten stocks, now it is more strategic long term institutional investors.
RA> $6B in AUM. Look at mortgage, Auto and credit card loan level data. Have had a good run in mortgage. Crash lead to short opportunity. '09 and '10 long opportunity, '10, '11, and '12 refi opportunity. IO's interest only mortgages. Thinks IOs hedged for duration can be double digit.
DS> Impact of rise in rates?
AM> June was kick off of rate rise. Rising rates has created opportunity in credit bonds. Rising rates good for credit bonds at top of structure. Must do homework.
CH> Markets are cyclical. Going from low rates to high rates. Rates will rise. Will create volatility. Need volatility sensitive structure. Want Vega. Be short duration. Here you don't have to just shorten duration, can actually go short duration. Overall tone is positive. GDP is up. Housing up. Credit spreads likely to contract. Assets that benefit from steeper yield curve.
RD> Banks no longer buyers in space. Less liquidity, but more opportunity.
AM> New environment very good for improving credit quality in underwriting. Only like hedge investors can buy. Rating agencies also very conservative now. Regulation hurting bank balance sheets. Opportunity to buy mortgages is sustained.
RA> Not enough capital available for subordinated structure. Newly issued debt easier to understand.
What keeps you up at night?
AM> Home prices. Buy protection with out of the money puts.
RA> Affordability stands around 150. Number was 200. Further backup in rates will hurt prices. Lots of cash buyers have been in, giving run up in home prices. They may not be around going forward.
DS> Private Label MBS
CH> Loans more than $417K for Fannie and Freddie. Market mostly has been closed. Over 90% of loans are Fannie and Freddie. Low home prices have also reduced need for jumbos.
AM> Freddie now releasing loan level data on loan performance. Great for doing analysis.
Be sure to check out the rest of our summary of the Alpha Hedge West Conference.
