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Three reasons to allocate to European High Yield

From an evolving market to higher yields with modest default rates, here's why you should consider European High Yield.

Reason #1 The market has evolved and hosts blue chip companies

Since Columbia Threadneedle Investments launched its first high yield bond fund in 1999 the market has transitioned from a marginal asset class of low quality and small issuers to one with depth and breadth that is home to blue-chip companies such as Ford1, Rolls Royce, IAG (British Airways owner) and Telecom Italia2.

Since 1999, the European high yield universe has increased in market value by more than 20 times, with the number of issuers increasing by more than five times. In 2000 the market contained 11 sectors, with telecommunications and media making up 50% of the space. Now it has 18 sectors (the same 18 as the investment grade market) with, incidentally, telecommunications and media now only an 18% weighting3.

This more developed market gives us a greater number of issuers for credit selection opportunities which, alongside issuers offering a wider range of maturities, gives us more scope for curve trades. The more diversified sector composition provides us, as an active asset manager, more freedom to make the most of both tactical and thematic sector tailwinds.

Reason #2 Higher yields with a modest default outlook

At the time of writing4, the European high yield market offers a 6.9% yield to maturity – an attractive total return prospect for a fixed income asset class. In the context of equity returns, the Euro Stoxx 50 has delivered a 3.0% annualised return since 2000 and a 6.8% annualised return since 20105.

Despite the prospect of defaults within the asset class, our high yield desk forecast expects modest default levels – a cumulative rate of 3.9% from October 2023 to October 2025, or 1.9% annualised. This compares with the long-run average European high yield default rate at 2.7% a year6.

Reason #3 History is on your side

Over the long run the euro high yield market has outperformed its European peers (see Figure 1). Since January 2001, the high yield market index return has almost tripled, in absolute terms.

Figure 1: European high yield outperformance
Figure 1 European high yield outperformance

Source: Columbia Threadneedle Investments and BofA indices as at 30 November 2023. The return index starts in January 2001 which is the furthest all back five indices go. 

We believe that for a long-term investor, European high yield offers an attractive return. Figure 2 illustrates every five-year holding period of the market going back to 2000 (all 228 of them). During this time, the market delivered a median five-year cumulative return of 32.7% and a negative return on only nine out of the 228 holding periods.

Figure 2: European high yield five-year returns
Figure 2: European high yield five-year returns

Source: Columbia Threadneedle Investments as at 30 November 2023. Each bar denotes the cumulative return of a five-year holding period. Returns are denominated in EUR

Despite the impressive returns offered to a long-term investor, market returns can still be adversely affected by rising defaults during times of market stress. Being cognisant of this, at Columbia Threadneedle our investment process focusses on the avoidance of permanent capital loss. This is achieved through our focus on risk management and research intensity, which is afforded by our well-resourced analyst team.

In summary, in the long run the European high yield market has outperformed the aforementioned competing asset classes while consistently delivering over a five-year time horizon.

9 January 2024
Jake Lunness
Client Portfolio Analyst, High Yield and Emerging Market Debt
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Three reasons to allocate to European High Yield

1 Ford is a rising star and left the market following an upgrade by S&P to investment grade on 30 November 2023

2 Mention of specific stocks is not a recommendation

3 Columbia Threadneedle Investments analysis, 2023

4 3 January 2024

5 All figures Bloomberg, as at 3 January 2024

6 Figures based on the Deutsche bank five-year average cumulative default rate at 14.4% annualised to 2.7% per annum, as at 8 December 2023

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Important Information

For use by professional clients and/or equivalent investor types in your jurisdiction (not to be used with or passed on to retail clients). For marketing purposes.

 

This document is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered representative of any particular investment. This should not be considered an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments, or to provide investment advice or services. Investing involves risk including the risk of loss of principal. Your capital is at risk. Market risk may affect a single issuer, sector of the economy, industry or the market as a whole. The value of investments is not guaranteed, and therefore an investor may not get back the amount invested. International investing involves certain risks and volatility due to potential political, economic or currency fluctuations and different financial and accounting standards. The securities included herein are for illustrative purposes only, subject to change and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell. Securities discussed may or may not prove profitable. The views expressed are as of the date given, may change as market or other conditions change and may differ from views expressed by other Columbia Threadneedle Investments (Columbia Threadneedle) associates or affiliates. Actual investments or investment decisions made by Columbia Threadneedle and its affiliates, whether for its own account or on behalf of clients, may not necessarily reflect the views expressed. This information is not intended to provide investment advice and does not take into consideration individual investor circumstances. Investment decisions should always be made based on an investor’s specific financial needs, objectives, goals, time horizon and risk tolerance. Asset classes described may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and no forecast should be considered a guarantee either. Information and opinions provided by third parties have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. This document and its contents have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority.

 

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In the UK: Issued by Threadneedle Asset Management Limited, No. 573204 and/or Columbia Threadneedle Management Limited, No. 517895, both registered in England and Wales and authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority.

 

In the EEA: Issued by Threadneedle Management Luxembourg S.A., registered with the Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés (Luxembourg), No. B 110242 and/or Columbia Threadneedle Netherlands B.V., regulated by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), registered No. 08068841.

 

In Switzerland: Issued by Threadneedle Portfolio Services AG, an unregulated Swiss firm or Columbia Threadneedle Management (Swiss) GmbH, acting as representative office of Columbia Threadneedle Management Limited, authorised and regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA).

 

In the Middle East: This document is distributed by Columbia Threadneedle Investments (ME) Limited, which is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). For Distributors: This document is intended to provide distributors with information about Group products and services and is not for further distribution. For Institutional Clients: The information in this document is not intended as financial advice and is only intended for persons with appropriate investment knowledge and who meet the regulatory criteria to be classified as a Professional Client or Market Counterparties and no other Person should act upon it.

 

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