Middle Market CLO Conference Notes 2022

Abstract

The <b>1st Annual Middle Market CLOs and Direct Lending Conference</b> attracted more than 700 registrants and was held on June 15, 2022, at Chelsea Piers in New York. Panelists generally expressed cautiously optimistic views for the sector. Key themes at the conference included uncertainty about inflation, the potential for a recession, the rapid growth in middle market (MM) lending, the increasing size of loans originated through private-credit/direct-lending channels, and the strong performance of MM collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) (and their underlying loans) during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, several sessions discussed new regulatory initiatives and the growing importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in MM CLOs. <b>Sessions Covered</b> Middle Market Finance Primer Co-Hosts’ Welcoming Remarks Middle Market Finance Strategies and Trends The Direct-Lending Landscape: Opportunities and Threats on the Horizon Key Regulatory Developments for CLOs and Private Credit Health Check: Taking the Temperature of the Middle Market Sector Key Considerations for Investing in Middle Market CLOs: Equity and Debt Investor Roundtable Middle Market CLO Manager Roundtable: Poised for Growth Middle Market Private-Credit Investing: Why are LPs Allocating to the Sector? Emerging Middle Market CLO Trends, Strategies, and Structures