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Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers is an SEC-registered investment adviser firm. The information presented is for educational purposes only and intended for a broad audience. The information does not intend to make an offer or solicitation to sell or purchase any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and are not guaranteed. Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers reasonably believes that this marketing does not include any false or misleading statements or omissions of facts regarding services, investment, or client experience. Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers has a reasonable belief that the content will not cause an untrue or misleading implication regarding the adviser’s services, investments, or client experiences. Please refer to the firm’s ADV Part 2A for material risks disclosures.

Past performance of specific investment advice should not be relied upon without knowledge of certain circumstances of market events, the nature and timing of the investments, and relevant constraints of the investment. Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers has presented information in a fair and balanced manner.

Copyright (c) 2023 Clearnomics, Inc. and Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers, LTD. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not necessarily complete and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of the information and opinions contained herein. The views and the other information provided are subject to change without notice. All reports posted on or via www.clearnomics.com or any affiliated websites, applications, or services are issued without regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any specific recipient and are not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any securities or related financial instruments. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future results. Company fundamentals and earnings may be mentioned occasionally, but should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold the company's stock. Predictions, forecasts, and estimates for any and all markets should not be construed as recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any security--including mutual funds, futures contracts, and exchange traded funds, or any similar instruments. The text, images, and other materials contained or displayed in this report are proprietary to Clearnomics, Inc. and constitute valuable intellectual property. All unauthorized reproduction or other use of material from Clearnomics, Inc. shall be deemed willful infringement(s) of this copyright and other proprietary and intellectual property rights, including but not limited to, rights of privacy. Clearnomics, Inc. expressly reserves all rights in connection with its intellectual property, including without limitation the right to block the transfer of its products and services and/or to track usage thereof, through electronic tracking technology, and all other lawful means, now known or hereafter devised. Clearnomics, Inc. reserves the right, without further notice, to pursue to the fullest extent allowed by the law any and all criminal and civil remedies for the violation of its rights.

Writer's pictureSummit Puri

Alternative Investments – Private Credit

Once again, we delve deeper into the world of alternative investments. So far on our journey, we’ve explored REITs, Structured notes, and private equity in previous articles. If you’d like to read about those products, here are direct links to take you there:

 

 

In this post, we’ll explore another unique product, private credit.

 

The potential is great

I’m keeping this header like last week because private credit has seen a significant upside in this environment. Similar to private equity, private credit investments involve aggregating capital from investors. However, private credit provides a loan instead of acquiring equity from companies for the investment.

 

Like getting a loan from a bank, there are similar stipulations. Imagine yourself being the bank and receiving a percentage of the interest rate as profit based on the loan provided.

 

Unfortunately, all of us can’t be a bank (unless it’s Monopoly!). However, we can still reap some of the benefits when investing in the private credit market. Private credit investments are typically made by large private credit firms, which manage funds from institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, and sometimes retail investors.

 

Let’s take a look at it in more detail

Private credit investments act as the lender. As you can imagine, the clientele that walks into the bank for a loan can include individuals, startups, mid-sized firms, large companies looking to expand, or companies with liquidity/financial distress. The difference here is the borrowers may have already tried to get a loan from a traditional bank with no success. They may not have well-established credit or good investment grade credit and thus are considered too risky for the banks. 

 

This isn’t always the case, but we’ve seen much stricter lending in the banking sector, leaving the door open for this industry. Private credit can step in and underwrite the loan, which would generally include a higher interest rate to compensate for the increased risk. Many of these loans are written with floating interest rates, and in today’s interest rate environment, this has greatly benefited investors in the private credit market.

 

I mentioned this last week, but it must be repeated. This market and alternatives as a whole are very complex. This is why finding a manager or financial advisor who knows how to invest appropriately in alternative investments is essential. Our team at Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers conducts the necessary research and due diligence so you, as the investor, do not need to. Having the proper guardrails and boundaries can be a significant game changer in the private market.

 

Pros of Private Credit Investments

Potential predictable returns

  • Loan interest payments function similarly to fixed income payments in your portfolio, with predictable monthly/quarterly payments.

Diversification benefits

  • Since these assets are poorly correlated to the public markets, they can provide an opportunity to increase diversification and exposure to alternative alpha (yes, we’ll explore this in a post coming soon). To understand correlation better, here is an article to help - Correlation of Assets in Your Portfolio (whitakerwealth.com)

Senior secured loans

  • One of the most significant risks is default risk. If the loan defaults, the creditor has a senior secured loan that gives them the first payout upon liquidation.

 Sub-diversification into sectors/categories

  • Diversifying by adding alternatives to your portfolio has its benefits. Private credit firms also diversify their risk by investing in multiple sectors and companies.


Cons to Private Credit Investments

Default risk

  • As mentioned above, this inherent risk is mitigated (primarily) by the underwriting process and loan terms.

High minimum requirements

  • Including net worth, investment capital, and income.

Illiquidity or semi-liquidity

  • Some funds may have redemption limitations and have minimum investment time horizons. Some may apply a ‘haircut’ on the investment if taken out before (usually around 2%).

Fees

  • Including some frontend, backend, and management fees.

Transparency

  • This is becoming less of a concern as most information is available on the investment company’s website and their fact sheets.

Complexity

  • Investing in private credit isn’t as easy as the public market and certainly has a learning and investing curve.

 

How do I know if Private Credit investments are for me?

The best answer here is to discuss it with your financial advisor. Our team at Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers is always ready to field your questions and guide you with the heart of a teacher.  

 

Private credit investments have gained popularity in today’s interest-rate environment and will likely be around for quite some time. This alternative investment functions as a bank providing loans to companies seeking capital. This investment class, as a whole, can be a great addition to your portfolio diversification strategy.  While they offer the potential for high returns, they come with significant risks and require a long-term commitment. As mentioned earlier, there certainly is an opportunity with private credit or any alternative asset investing, but discuss it with your advisor to see if it is a good fit for you.

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Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers is an SEC-registered investment adviser firm. The information presented is for educational purposes only and intended for a broad audience. The information does not intend to make an offer or solicitation to sell or purchase any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and are not guaranteed. Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers reasonably believes that this marketing does not include any false or misleading statements or omissions of facts regarding services, investment, or client experience. Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers has a reasonable belief that the content will not cause an untrue or misleading implication regarding the adviser’s services, investments, or client experiences. Please refer to the firm’s ADV Part 2A for material risks disclosures.

Past performance of specific investment advice should not be relied upon without knowledge of certain circumstances of market events, the nature and timing of the investments, and relevant constraints of the investment. Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers has presented information in a fair and balanced manner.

Copyright (c) 2023 Clearnomics, Inc. and Whitaker-Myers Wealth Managers, LTD. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not necessarily complete and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of the information and opinions contained herein. The views and the other information provided are subject to change without notice. All reports posted on or via www.clearnomics.com or any affiliated websites, applications, or services are issued without regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation, or particular needs of any specific recipient and are not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any securities or related financial instruments. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future results. Company fundamentals and earnings may be mentioned occasionally, but should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold the company's stock. Predictions, forecasts, and estimates for any and all markets should not be construed as recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any security--including mutual funds, futures contracts, and exchange traded funds, or any similar instruments. The text, images, and other materials contained or displayed in this report are proprietary to Clearnomics, Inc. and constitute valuable intellectual property. All unauthorized reproduction or other use of material from Clearnomics, Inc. shall be deemed willful infringement(s) of this copyright and other proprietary and intellectual property rights, including but not limited to, rights of privacy. Clearnomics, Inc. expressly reserves all rights in connection with its intellectual property, including without limitation the right to block the transfer of its products and services and/or to track usage thereof, through electronic tracking technology, and all other lawful means, now known or hereafter devised. Clearnomics, Inc. reserves the right, without further notice, to pursue to the fullest extent allowed by the law any and all criminal and civil remedies for the violation of its rights.

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