Corporate Credit: Turning to Cyclicals

Rotation Turns to Cyclical Sectors

Corporate credit valuations are still attractive in certain segments of the market even after the spread tightening seen in the first half of the year. Liquidity is now abundant, U.S. dollar-funding pressures have abated, and capital markets have willingly received record issuance from the investment grade corporate sector. Increases in global money supply and foreign currency reserves suggest that cyclical sectors may be set to outperform going forward, providing a potential uplift to commodity producers versus defensive sectors.

The focus now is on the economic cycle as basic industries, capital goods, energy, and other cyclical sectors in both developed and emerging markets are still trading at spreads wide to historical levels, particularly in the lower-quality segments of the market. As the global recovery progresses, demand resumes, manufacturing and exports tick higher, and the medical front draws nearer to resolving the COVID-19 pandemic, conditions are in place for a reflationary trade and substantial spread tightening in the more cyclical sectors of the economy.

Uncertainties Remain

While we see further opportunities in these sectors, the strength of a cyclical upturn is highly uncertain at this time. Furthermore, substantially leveraged capital structures offer little in the way of covenant protection, exacerbating potential risks to investors. Because of these significant risks, bottom-up research remains a crucial pillar of our investment process. While our top-down macro research has shed light on those sectors exhibiting the greatest value proposition, we rely on rigorous bottom-up fundamental research to confirm the likelihood of catalysts for closing the valuation gap with a sufficient margin of safety. Additionally, nimble duration management and active corporate credit allocation have likely never been more important in fixed income markets.

DEFINITIONS

High yield bonds are subject to increased risk of default and greater volatility due to the lower credit quality of the issues.

Cyclical goods (“cyclicals”) are products that are tend to be purchased frequently such as groceries and gasoline.

Global Financial Crisis refers to the economic disruption that followed the collapse of prominent investment banks in 2007-8, marked by a general loss of liquidity in the credit markets and declines in stock prices.

The Federal Reserve Board ("Fed") is responsible for the formulation of U.S. policies designed to promote economic growth, full employment, stable prices, and a sustainable pattern of international trade and payments.

Investment-grade (IG) bonds are those rated Aaa, Aa, A and Baa by Moody’s Investors Service and AAA, AA, A and BBB by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, or that have an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization or are determined by the manager to be of equivalent quality.

High yield (HY) bonds, also called junk bonds, are bonds with below investment-grade ratings (BB, B, CCC for example) and are considered low credit quality and have a higher risk of default.

"Fallen angels" refers to corporate bonds whose credit ratings have declined from investment-grade to high-yield.

A credit spread is the difference in yield between two different types of fixed income securities, typically between the yield of bonds in a particular credit sector and that of a 10-year Treasury security. 

A "taper" refers to a gradual reduction in central bank bond-buying activity intended to hold down interest rates and support bond markets in general.

The Shanghai Accord is a reference to an unofficial agreement said to be reached during the G20 summit meeting in 2016 tfor central banks to pursue policies to weaken the U.S. dollar.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please note that an investor cannot invest directly in an index. Unmanaged index returns do not reflect any fees, expenses or sales charges.

Equity securities are subject to price fluctuation and possible loss of principal. Fixed-income securities involve interest rate, credit, inflation and reinvestment risks; and possible loss of principal. As interest rates rise, the value of fixed income securities falls. International investments are subject to special risks including currency fluctuations, social, economic and political uncertainties, which could increase volatility. These risks are magnified in emerging markets. Commodities and currencies contain heightened risk that include market, political, regulatory, and natural conditions and may not be suitable for all investors.

U.S. Treasuries are direct debt obligations issued and backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government. The U.S. government guarantees the principal and interest payments on U.S. Treasuries when the securities are held to maturity. Unlike U.S. Treasuries, debt securities issued by the federal agencies and instrumentalities and related investments may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Even when the U.S. government guarantees principal and interest payments on securities, this guarantee does not apply to losses resulting from declines in the market value of these securities.