Author: cvernon

A Primer on Alternative Credit

Alternative credit, also referred to as private credit or private debt, has emerged as an area of significant interest for investors in recent time, offering attractive returns and distinct advantages compared to liquid credit markets across an array of strategy offerings. Over the last decade, alternative credit managers have stepped in to play a critical role within lending markets as traditional lenders (i.e., banks) have retreated in the face of liquidity constraints, more stringent regulatory requirements, and higher borrowing costs. As bank retrenchment has intensified, non-traditional credit providers have gained further prominence by offering stable, efficient, and long-term sources of funding for borrowers while also generating attractive returns for investors. Indeed, the leveraged credit market has grown rapidly since the Global Financial Crisis, evolving into a return-enhancing asset class with diversification benefits relative to public fixed income. Given current trends related to supply and demand for capital, as well as the efficiency with which providers can supply favorable loans within corporate capital structures, we expect alternative credit strategies will continue to offer attractive opportunities for investors going forward. However, while the broad opportunity set is particularly attractive, it is important to note that there are many types of strategies that fall into the alternative credit category, and each of these strategies offers varied risk, return, and liquidity characteristics. As it relates to risk broadly, investors should understand how the economic cycle, illiquidity risks, default rates, and increasing competition for deal flow can impact the asset class.

While Marquette has been an active participant in alternative credit markets for many years, the proliferation of the asset class and the expansion of offerings available to investors of different profiles serve as an impetus to examine the space in further detail. The aim of this whitepaper is to provide a background on the alternative credit space, highlight some of the key drivers of return and risk across various alternative credit strategies, and outline the prospects of the asset class going forward.

Another (Down) Round

Venture-backed companies tend to be nascent and typically deploy investment capital in an effort to drive revenue expansion, often to a point at which they are losing money. Given this profile, these businesses must raise new capital every few years to fund future growth. In normal circumstances, each capital raise is conducted at a higher valuation, assuming the company remains financially viable. That said, there are occasionally instances in which the market’s perception of valuation has materially changed or the company is not achieving specific growth targets. Cases like these, which are referred to as down rounds, result in companies being forced to raise capital at lower valuations than the ones exhibited during the most recent fundraising period.

Many venture-backed companies raised capital in 2020 and 2021 at relatively high valuations. Since that time, a significant portion of those companies have seen cash levels depleted and are now returning to the market in order to fund operations for the next few years. However, today’s market environment looks quite different from those of 2020 and 2021, which means these companies are being confronted with much lower valuations as they attempt to raise capital. As displayed in this week’s chart, these dynamics have led to a steady increase in the number of down rounds over the last several quarters. To that point, down rounds (as a percentage of all fundraising rounds) hit a new high of nearly 27% in the third quarter, which is more than double the long-term average.

The trends depicted in the chart above are likely to lead to some disappointing returns for venture capital funds with vintages from 2018 through 2021, as these funds deployed significant amounts of capital during those years and now face a more challenged valuation landscape. On the bright side, these dynamics may present an opportunity for funds with more recent vintages and fresh capital to invest at more attractive valuation levels. Marquette will continue to monitor developments within the venture capital space and provide recommendations to clients related to existing exposures and future commitments.

A Tale of Two Emerging Markets

While Chinese equities have largely languished in recent time amid robust performance of Indian stocks, it is important to note that these dynamics were quite different just a few years ago. To that point, the MSCI China Index outperformed its Indian counterpart by roughly 45% on a cumulative total return basis between 2016 and 2020. During that period, global investors were optimistic about the growth prospects of many Chinese companies and benefitted from an expanded opportunity set given the addition of local market shares to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Chinese stocks grew to comprise nearly 40% of the benchmark at the end of 2020 as a result of these developments, which caused many market participants to wonder if China should still be considered an emerging country.

As most readers are likely aware, these trends have shifted dramatically in the last few years. Since the start of 2021, the MSCI China Index is down roughly 50%, as the country has presented investors with myriad headwinds including changes to the regulatory environment, increased government debt, a challenged property sector, heightened geopolitical tensions, and a weaker-than-expected post-pandemic economic recovery. In contrast, the MSCI India Index has returned more than 60% on a cumulative basis over the last four years. Market participants have been drawn to India due to its strong structural growth story which centers on favorable demographics, government reforms, and robust economic expansion. As a result of increased investor attention and equity market appreciation, the weight of Indian equities within the EM benchmark has roughly doubled since 2016. Going forward, continued growth may push Indian equities higher, though many investment managers are now becoming wary of current valuations. Many Chinese stocks, on the other hand, are trading at historically low multiples and facing extreme levels of negative sentiment. These dynamics could lead to a reversal of the trends outlined above in the near term.

As it relates to investing in emerging countries, it is important to highlight the need for patience and diversification given the variability of returns associated with the asset class when compared to most developed markets. Investors should also consider the use of actively managed strategies within the space due to return dispersion and the demonstrated ability of most managers to beat the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over long periods of time. Marquette will continue to source best-in-class managers within the asset class, monitor performance trends, and provide recommendations to clients accordingly.

2024 Market Preview Video

This video is a recording of a live webinar held January 25 by Marquette’s research team analyzing 2023 across the economy and various asset classes as well as what trends and themes we’ll be monitoring in the year ahead.

Our quarterly Market Insights series examines the primary asset classes we cover for clients including the U.S. economy, fixed income, U.S. and non-U.S. equities, hedge funds, real assets, and private markets, with commentary by our research analysts and directors.

Sign up for research alerts to be invited to future webinars and notified when we publish new videos. If you have any questions, please send us an email.

2024 Market Preview: A 40 Degree Day

A former colleague once described his brother-in-law to me as a “40 degree day.” The puzzled look on my face revealed my unfamiliarity with the term, so he went on to ask me: “When does anyone get upset about a 40 degree day?” I laughed and shook my head — it was genius, the perfect way to describe something more forgettable than memorable…not especially good or bad, just average.

Given what markets have been through over the last four years — COVID, outsized returns both good and bad, record inflation, sky-rocketing interest rates, geopolitical conflict, and elevated volatility — I know I’m not alone in hoping that 2024 market returns will resemble a 40 degree day. Indeed, an “average” year of returns across markets will equate to positive portfolio performance for most asset allocations and allow investors to satisfy their risk and return goals.

Of course, there are potential stumbling blocks to a “normal” year. In particular, we will closely watch the Fed pivot and the disparity between expected and actual rate cuts, geopolitical conflicts, and the U.S. presidential election.

With that as background, we offer our annual outlook across asset classes, highlighting trends and themes for the year ahead. Happy reading and here’s to a year of normalcy!

Lost in Transaction

The 10-year Treasury yield notably displayed significant movements throughout 2023. Specifically, it was largely range-bound over the summer (between 3.5%–3.8%), then shot up to around 5.0% in October before falling back down to under 4.0% before year-end. It currently hovers slightly above 4.1%. Thanks in large part to these movements in yields, the real estate market seized up and very few transactions occurred in the fourth quarter of last year. As a result, the full calendar year of 2023 exhibited the lowest transaction volume in the last five years. Limited transactions in the market provide a hurdle for real estate managers and third-party appraisers to accurately determine asset values. As such, the pace of contraction for the private real estate index NCREIF-ODCE has been choppy, with the latest quarter responsible for nearly one-third of the benchmark’s gross return correction of -16.4% since late 2022.

Quarterly returns for the underlying index managers have been volatile in recent time as well. Based on a sample of 18 of the 25 ODCE index funds, the average spread of gross returns over the last five quarters has been nearly 6 percentage points. For context, the longer-term spread is closer to 4 percentage points. Additionally, each fund in that sample has underperformed the ODCE benchmark in at least one of the last six quarters. These figures underscore the notion that recent marks have displayed an elevated degree of dispersion and noise.

Even with the considerable drop in valuations, real estate fundamentals remain relatively healthy outside of the office space. Most do not believe assets are broken, and rent growth still exists within the multifamily, industrial, and self-storage sectors (albeit at lower levels than in prior years). As it relates to the road ahead, real estate investors should remain patient as market dynamics play out. To that point, it may take several quarters for buyers to come off the sidelines, after which more transactions can occur and ultimately be reflected in valuations. Marquette will continue to monitor the real estate landscape while emphasizing the importance of prudence and a long-term perspective.

Equities: Slow Down to Yield

While robust equity market performance in 2023 was certainly in part spurred by the strength of mega-cap technology stocks, economic data and the movement of interest rates also played a critical role. To that point, a decline in Treasury yields to start last year helped fuel a low-quality rally in equity markets, though yields moderated over the next few months following the regional banking chaos that unfolded in February and March. Dynamics shifted in July, however, when yields began to surge as the U.S. Treasury announced new debt issuance to help fund a growing budget deficit. As the year progressed, the continued strength of the domestic economy, including a robust labor market and a resilient consumer, combined with hawkish Fed rhetoric caused yields to climb even further. The 10-Year Treasury yield notably rose to nearly 5% by mid-October, its highest level in over 15 years. Equity markets largely sold off in tandem with this spike in yields, with the Russell 2000 Index reaching an intra-year low on October 27, 2023. Market dynamics once again shifted in the final weeks of 2023, as cooling inflation data led to a more dovish tone from the Fed and widespread investor anticipation of near-term interest rate cuts. This changing sentiment supported a reversal in the 10-Year Treasury yield in late October. As a result of renewed optimism, equity markets exhibited a sustained rally to close the year, with the S&P 500 Index approaching all-time highs in late December. Small-cap equities, which were shunned by investors for much of 2023 amid an environment of higher rates, climbed nearly 25% from their October lows through year-end. Though this rally saw the reemergence of market breadth, as both cyclicals and growth-oriented equities notched strong returns, actively managed strategies struggled due to the outperformance of lower-quality stocks.

This “Santa Claus rally” that ended last year has ultimately tapered off, with equity markets declining to start 2024 amid slightly higher yields. While this trend could foreshadow further challenges for equities in 2024, it may also be a necessary correction. Specifically, given the sharp rise in stocks to close last year, investors may have priced in an overly optimistic probability of interest rate cuts and are just now beginning to consider the possibility that the Fed will not be as accommodative as expected in 2024. This recent correction may also provide some valuation support in the event of any missteps during this quarter’s earnings season, which is slated to kick off in the coming days. As 2024 progresses, policy decisions by the Federal Reserve and the movements in Treasury yields will likely continue to impact investor sentiment and market performance.

Great Expectations

After ending 2023 with a steep market rally, 2024 began on a more muted note, with Fed-pivot exuberance giving way to the details of execution. Of the many opportunities and risks facing markets this year, one of the most scrutinized will likely be how the Fed’s interest rate cuts compare to market expectations.

This newsletter analyzes current expectations for interest rate movements this year and potential scenarios that could influence the Fed’s policy decisions.

Defined Contribution Plan Legislative Update – 1Q 2024

This legislative update covers proposed regulation by the Department of Labor defining “investment fiduciary,” outlines SECURE Act 2.0’s optional provision regarding student loan repayments, analyzes an increasing trend of private real estate investments within defined contribution plans, summarizes new guidance from CFA Institute defining responsible investment terminology, and reviews 2024 contribution limits from the IRS.

A Case of Bad Breadth

The new year presents an opportunity for a fresh investment outlook. As investors hypothesize about where markets may be headed in 2024, a look back at performance during 2023 may prove beneficial. To that point, one of the major narratives over the last year was the dominance of U.S. equities relative to many other asset classes, as the S&P 500 Index returned approximately 26.3% in 2023. As many readers are no doubt aware, the “Magnificent Seven” companies (Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla), which represent nearly one-third of the index, accounted for roughly two-thirds of the calendar year return for the benchmark. While the S&P 500 Index is often considered a proxy for the overall U.S. stock market, it is worthwhile to investigate the extent to which the 2023 return of the benchmark is indicative of broader strength across the equity spectrum, given the fact that just a handful of companies drove the majority of index performance. One way to do this is to assess the returns of equal weight indices and compare them to those of the more traditional, market capitalization weight benchmarks, since equal weight indices eliminate the outsized influence of mega-cap companies like the Magnificent Seven.

For the full calendar year of 2023, the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index returned approximately 13.9%, significantly underperforming its market capitalization weight peer. The S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index also underperformed its international counterpart, the MSCI EAFE Equal Weight Index (+16.9%), meaning the average developed large-cap international stock outperformed the average domestic large-cap stock last year. This comparison suggests that, due to greater breadth of returns, international equity exposure may serve as an attractive complement to domestic stock exposure at the overall portfolio level, given the performance concentration currently exhibited by the U.S. equity market. It is also important to remember that the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index has outgained the S&P 500 Index in 6 of the last 12 calendar years, as these figures speak to the mean-reverting nature of performance over time. Dynamics related to performance breadth and concentration will be important to watch in the year ahead, especially as investors monitor how companies such as the Magnificent Seven navigate the prevailing environment of higher interest rates and slower global growth. Above all else, both recent and longer-term market trends underscore the importance of portfolio diversification, as investors seek to reap potential future benefits of the mega-cap exposure, while also accounting for the risks of index concentration and the opportunities that exist elsewhere.