Portfolio Update - December 2021

RNS Number : 5493Y

NB Global Monthly Income Fund Ltd

17 January 2022

 

NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, TO U.S. PERSONS OR INTO OR IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN.

17^th January 2022

NB Global Monthly Income Fund*

Monthly Commentary & Portfolio Update

31^st December 2021:

Key statistics

NAV (GBP)	GBP 0.9492
Current Portfolio Yield**	6.27%
Number of Investments	291
Number of Issuers	209

Asset allocation:

	Global High Yield:		28.12%
	Global Floating Rate Loans:		35.44%
Total Traditional Credit:			63.56%
	Private Debt:		22.47%
	CLO Mezzanine Debt:		10.97%
	Special Situations:		3.00%
Total Alternative Credit:			36.44%

Credit rating breakdown: as at 31 December (excluding cash), the portfolio was invested primarily in B (46.30%) and BBB/BB (14.05%) rated investments ¹

Market Update

Non-investment grade credit finished the month of December and the fourth quarter with solid returns despite the rising number of Omicron COVID cases globally. While the year-end rally was driven by favourable fundamentals and strong demand for higher yielding, lower duration fixed income, there were a couple of brief, sharp shifts in risk sentiment in November due to the uncertainty of the new COVID variant's potential impact on economic activity as well as the Fed's accelerated taper and rate hike timelines due to persistent inflation. Furthermore, the Bank of England surprised with a 15 basis point rate hike in December despite concerns over COVID which signals they are worried about inflation being more firmly entrenched.  As it turns out, Omicron - while a serious health issue - has less severe symptoms and investors seem to hold the view that it is unlikely to derail the economic recovery. Despite the brief bouts of volatility earlier in the final quarter of 2021, the quarter ended in positive territory for U.S. high yield and loans with global high yield a bit softer, despite the broad-based year-end rally. That said, fundamentals across non-investment grade credit markets remain solid with default rates below or near all-time lows with technicals in a very favourable supply/demand balance with record CLO production, strong demand from investors and the increasing volume of "rising stars" likely to reduce the available supply in global high yield.

In the month of December, U.S. senior floating rate loans - measured by the S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan Index (the "S&P LLI") - returned 0.64% with lowest rated loans outperforming as the BB, B and CCC rated segments of the index returned 0.58%, 0.63% and 1.08%, respectively. The LL100, a measure of the largest, most liquid issuers, was up 0.83%, outperforming the total S&P LLI. The S&P LLI was up 0.75% in the fourth quarter with the strongest returns coming from single B's which were up 0.85%, compared to BB's up 0.68% and CCC & below, up 0.12%. Year to date, the S&P LLI provided a return of 5.20% with lower credit rating tiers outperforming the higher rated as CCC, B and BB returned 12.45%, 5.22% and 3.12%, respectively. The European Leveraged Loan Index returned 0.39% in December, 0.74% for the fourth quarter and 4.81% year to date, excluding currency effects. Second lien loans saw healthy returns and were up 0.76% in December, 1.87% in the fourth quarter and 13.53% over the full year.

The global high yield bond market finished the month of December with solid returns which was in contrast to the first two months of the quarter (and the 4th quarter) which saw negative returns with the shift in risk sentiment earlier in the quarter. The ICE BofA Global High Yield Constrained Index finished the month, quarter and year-to-date periods with returns of 1.45%, -0.33% and 3.04% respectively. Returns across rating tiers in the quarter saw lower quality underperforming the index and higher quality. In the quarter, the BB, B, CCC & lower rated categories of the ICE BofA Global High Yield Index returned +0.06%, -1.00%, and -1.20%, respectively. For the full year, CCC & below outperformed with returns of 8.75%, compared to 1.22% for single B and 2.97% for BB rated issuers.

CLO debt had stable, overall positive performance in December and the fourth quarter, as the asset class continued to adequately absorb record new issuance and reset volumes. Consistent with recent quarters, investor demand remained strong in the fourth quarter benefitting from higher near-term rates and strong underlying fundamental performance as well as continued attractive relative value vs. other fixed income assets. Secondary market volumes declined quarter-over-quarter, with fewer trading days due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays in the U.S. and investors more focused on the record primary market activity. The CLO BB index gained 0.55% in December, 1.47% over the quarter and 11.20% for the full year 2021.

Default rates in December reached all-time lows in high yield and are just above all-time lows in loans, which is consistent with improving balance sheets and strong earnings growth. Non-investment grade credit, especially given its lower duration profile and attractive yields, will likely continue to see favourable investor demand as rising interest rates weigh on longer duration, lower yielding fixed income.

In our view, yields on non-investment grade credit are more than compensating investors for the increasingly benign default outlook, will continue to provide durable income and are especially attractive compared to other fixed income alternatives. While the persistence of inflation has been acknowledged by central banks, above-trend real GDP growth and better pricing power should remain supportive of issuer fundamentals. Strong consumer balance sheets, growing nominal wages, businesses working to rebuild inventories and rehire plus more clarity on central bank tapering and rate hike timelines should continue to be supportive of economic activity and financial conditions. Our global research team continues to monitor the investment thesis for each issuer in the fund given the uncertainty around supply chain disruptions, labour supply constraints and Omicron's potential impact on demand in certain consumer-facing sectors such as travel, lodging, leisure and entertainment. Even with the uncertainty of the pandemic, higher inflation and potential political risk which could result in pockets of short-term volatility, we believe our bottom-up, fundamental credit research process focused on security selection while seeking to avoid credit deterioration and putting only our "best ideas" into portfolios, position us well to take advantage of any volatility.

Portfolio Positioning

The overall Fund exposure to floating rate assets is at 70%, with an average duration of 1.24 years. Floating Rate Loans remained the largest asset class in the portfolio at 35.4%, their weight increasing month on month as we reduced exposure to Special Situations and CLO Debt Tranches. Exposure to Global High Yield and Private Debt also increased. In terms of ratings breakdown, our exposure to lower rated tranches rose during the month, particularly in the single B space, whilst our holdings in BB rated credit fell to 14%. Primary market activity eased off as we approached the holiday season, although we still participated in several new issues including one from special educational services provider FullBloom. In secondary notable trades included the sale of the Merlin Entertainment Term Loan above 97, initially purchased below 92 in March 2020.

Recent Investments

We added exposure in primary to a new 2nd lien loan from Diversitech, a provider of aftermarket parts to a diverse range of end markets. Our positive credit view is based on 85% of revenue coming from repair & replacement, their leading market position in HVAC aftermarket parts/supply with a 9% market share (3x that of their largest competitor), low capex needs and the significant equity check from sponsor Partners Group.

We also added a position in the 6.125% '28 secured bond from Modulaire, a provider of modular space units, which are structures designed to create single or multi-story whole-building solutions for temporary or permanent application. We view the name as a secular growth opportunity, through modular adoption displacing temporary accommodation thanks to their greater flexibility and cost efficiency. This growth should be reinforced by their strong market position and good customer diversification, being the market leader at 4x the size of their nearest competitor with the top 20 customers contributing just 28% of sales.

To access the December 2021 Factsheet, please click here.  http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/5493Y_1-2022-1-14.pdf

The Fund's website can be found at the following address: www.nbgmif.com

1.  Source: Standard & Poor's

* Effective 9 September 2020, the fund has changed its investment policy and name to NB Global Monthly Income Fund Limited.  For more information, please refer to here.

** The Fund's Current Portfolio Yield is a market-value weighted average of the current yields of the holdings in the portfolio, calculated as the coupon (base rate plus spread) divided by current price. The calculation does not take into account any fees, fund expenses or sales charges paid, which would reduce the results. The Current Yield for the Fund will fluctuate from month to month. The Current Yield should be regarded as an estimate of the Fund's rate of investment income, and it may not equal the realized distribution rate for each share class. You should consult the Fund's prospectus for additional information about the Fund's dividends and distributions policy. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.  

-ENDS-

For further information, please contact:

Neuberger Berman Europe Limited (Manager) Elizabeth Papadopoulos	[phone]
Numis Securities Limited (Broker) Hugh Jonathan Matt Goss	[phone]
Praxis Fund Services Limited (Company Secretary) Matt Falla Gemma Woods	[phone]
KL Communications (PR) Charles Gorman Will Sanderson	[phone]

Background Information

The Company is a registered closed-ended investment company incorporated in Guernsey. It is managed by Neuberger Berman Europe Limited, which has delegated certain of its responsibilities and functions to the AIFM, Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers LLC, both of which are indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of Neuberger Berman Group LLC.

Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages a range of strategies-including equity, fixed income, quantitative and multi-asset class, private equity, real estate and hedge funds-on behalf of institutions, advisors and individual investors globally. With offices in 25 countries, Neuberger Berman's diverse team has over 2,300 professionals.

For seven consecutive years, the company has been named first or second in Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management survey (among those with 1,000 employees or more). In 2020, the PRI named Neuberger Berman a Leader, a designation awarded to fewer than 1% of investment firms for excellence in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. The PRI also awarded Neuberger Berman an A+ in every eligible category for our approach to ESG integration across asset classes. The firm manages $437 billion in client assets as of September 30, 2021. For more information, please visit our website at www.nb.com .

RISK CONSIDERATIONS

Market Risk : The risk of a change in the value of a position as a result of underlying market factors, including among other things, the overall performance of companies and the market perception of the global economy.

Liquidity Risk:   The risk that the Fund may be unable to sell an investment readily at its fair market value. In extreme market conditions this can affect the Fund's ability to meet redemption requests upon demand.

Credit Risk:   The risk that bond issuers may fail to meet their interest repayments, or repay debt, resulting in temporary or permanent losses to the Fund.

Interest Rate Risk:   The risk of interest rate movements affecting the value of fixed-rate bonds.

Counterparty Risk: The risk that a counterparty will not fulfil its payment obligation for a trade, contract or other transaction, on the due date.

Counterparty Risk: The risk that a counterparty will not fulfil its payment obligation for a trade, contract or other transaction, on the due date.

Operational Risk:   The risk of direct or indirect loss resulting from inadequate or failed processes, people and systems including those relating to the safekeeping of assets or from external events.

Derivatives Risk:   The Fund is permitted to use certain types of financial derivative instruments ("FDI") (including certain complex instruments) which can give rise to particular risks, including market risk, liquidity risk and counterparty credit risk. This may increase the Fund's leverage significantly which may cause large variations in the value of your share.

Currency Risk:   Investors who subscribe in a currency other than the base currency of the Fund are exposed to currency risk. Fluctuations in exchange rates may affect the return on investment.

The past performance shown is based on the share class to which this factsheet relates. If the currency of this share class is different from your local currency, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This document has been issued by NB Global Monthly Income Fund Limited (the "Company"), and should not be taken as an offer, invitation or inducement to engage in any investment activity and is solely for the purpose of providing information about the Company.

This document does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, any offer for sale or subscription of, or solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for, any share in the Company or securities in any other entity, in any jurisdiction.

The Company is a closed-ended investment company incorporated and registered in Guernsey and is governed under the provisions of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended), and the Registered Collective Investment Scheme Rules 2008 issued by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission ("GFSC"). It is a non-cellular company limited by shares and has been declared by the GFSC to be a registered closed-ended collective investment scheme. The Company's shares are admitted to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority with a premium listing and are admitted to trading on the Premium Segment of the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities.

Neuberger Berman Europe Limited ("NBEL"), the Company's Manager, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") and is registered in England and Wales, at The Zig Zag Building, 70 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6SQ and is also a Registered Investment Adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in the U.S. and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

This document is addressed to professional clients only.

This document is presented solely for information purposes and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security.

We do not represent that this information, including any third party information, is complete and it should not be relied upon as such. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the Company or NBEL as a whole. All information is current as of the date of this material and is subject to change without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of the Company and NBEL.

An investment in the Company involves risks, with the potential for above average risk, and is only suitable for people who are in a position to take such risks. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment or strategy is suitable for a particular investor. Each recipient of this document should make such investigations as it deems necessary to arrive at an independent evaluation of any investment, and should consult its own legal counsel and financial, actuarial, accounting, regulatory and tax advisers to evaluate any such investment. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. Investment in the Company should not constitute a substantial proportion of an investor's portfolio and may not be appropriate for all investors. Diversification and asset class allocation do not guarantee profit or protect against loss.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. The value of investments may go down as well as up and investors may not get back any of the amount invested. The performance data does not take account of the commissions and costs incurred on the issue and redemption of units.

The value of investments designated in another currency may rise and fall due to exchange rate fluctuations in respect of the relevant currencies. Adverse movements in currency exchange rates can result in a decrease in return and a loss of capital.

Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each investor and may be subject to change, investors are therefore recommended to seek independent tax advice.

This document, and the information contained therein, is not for viewing, release, distribution or publication in or into the United States, Canada, Japan, South Africa or any other jurisdiction where applicable laws prohibit its release, distribution or publication, and will not be made available to any national, resident or citizen of the United States, Canada, Japan or South Africa.

The distribution of this document in other jurisdictions may be restricted by law and persons into whose possession this document comes must inform themselves about, and observe, any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with the restrictions may constitute a violation of the federal securities law of the United States and the laws of other jurisdictions.

The Company's shares have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. The shares may not be offered, sold, resold, pledged, delivered, distributed or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, into or within the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, US persons (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act). No public offering of the shares is being made in the United States.

The Company has not been and will not be registered under the US Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act") and, as such, holders of the shares will not be entitled to the benefits of the Investment Company Act. No offer, sale, resale, pledge, delivery, distribution or transfer of the shares may be made except under circumstances that will not result in the Company being required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. In addition, the shares are subject to restrictions on transferability and resale in certain jurisdictions and may not be transferred or resold except as permitted under applicable securities laws and regulations. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdictions.

The "Neuberger Berman" name and logo are registered service marks of Neuberger Berman Group LLC.

© 2022 Neuberger Berman Group LLC. All rights reserved.

 

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