Private Credit Has a Weak Underwriting Discipline Problem

Loose underwriting standards are increasingly troubling for private credit market participants, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. “This concern has been growing for a period of time,” David Havens, BI’s senior analyst for private credit, tells Bloomberg News’ James Crombie in this special episode of the Credit Edge podcast. Weak underwriting discipline was flagged by private debt market participants in a recent global BI survey, rising in prominence compared with a poll conducted in September. In addition, direct lenders face lingering pressure from retail redemptions at business development companies. “Headlines are still going to be negative, focused on that very small portion of the market — it’s becoming slightly infectious and weighing on the wealth side of the business,” says Paul Gulberg, a senior analyst who covers global banks and asset managers. The trio also discuss the drivers of private credit growth, loan valuations, the liquidity premium and fund fees.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.