Join Glenn Schorr as he sits down with Lauren Basmadjian, Partner and Global Head of Liquid Credit at Carlyle, for a deep dive into the world of CLOs (Collateralized Loan Obligations).
This episode of Evercore’s Flow of Funds podcast demystifies the CLO market, covering how CLOs are structured, the mechanics of cash flow, the array of risk/return opportunities, and the evolving investor landscape.Lauren Basmadjian draws on her 25 years in the industry to explain how CLOs act as “mini banks,” why the market is so resilient, and which types of investors are drawn to each tranche.Whether you’re new to structured credit or a market veteran, this episode delivers insights into one of today’s most dynamic asset classes.
**Episode Timestamped Overview:**
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:16 Lauren Basmadjian Background & Carlyle's Liquid Credit Platform
03:01 CLO Structure Explained
05:18 CLO Tranches: Risk, Return, and Investor Profiles07:50 CLOs vs. Other Securitized Products
09:27 CLO Fees, Resets, and Manager Upside12:13 Scalability and Managing Large CLO Platforms
14:12 Banks’ Role & Loan Sourcing
15:34 Who Buys CLO Tranches?
18:22 Risk Retention & Equity Tranche Limiting Factors
20:35 Managing CLO Credit Risk & Recovering from Defaults
22:59 Performance, Active Management, and Avoiding Defaults
25:06 Structural Protections: OC Test
26:12 What Defines "Good" CLO Performance?
27:30 Biggest Risks for CLO Investors
28:26 Default & Recovery Rates in CLOs
29:15 Liability Management Exercises (LMEs) Explained
30:43 Risks to Managers—Fees and OC Breaches
32:24 Reinvestment Risk & Market Conditions
34:03 Major Manager Mistakes and Importance of Position Sizing
34:52 Pricing, Returns, and Volatility's Silver Lining
37:29 Measuring CLO Manager Performance
38:26 Market Growth, Resets, and Industry Dynamics
40:01 Direct Lending, Tailwinds, and Supply/Demand Trends
42:16 Credit Cycles and Current Portfolio Data
44:18 Default Rates: Now and Ahead
45:51 Where the Losses Typically Land in CLOs
47:32 What Differentiates Top CLO Managers
49:13 Carlyle’s Loan Sourcing & Bank Relationships
51:23 Marketing Performance and Opportunities for Growth52:33 Looking Forward: Trends and Fee-Paying Opportunities53:55 Speed Bumps & The State of the Software Sector
57:40 AI at Carlyle: Real World Applications
59:21 What Could Really Change the CLO Market
60:35 European Capital Rules & Insurance Investors
60:45 One Big Misunderstanding: CDOs vs. CLOs
61:02 Wrap Up and Closing Remarks
Applicable current disclosures regarding the companies discussed in this video are available at the offices of Evercore ISI: 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055, and at the following site: [evercoreisi.mediasterling.com/disclosure](http://evercoreisi.mediasterling.com/disclosure%E2%81%A0)