What differentiates a credit HF?

Hi all, Just a bit confused by the terminology here. What exactly separates a credit HF from a typical opportunistic/HY fund at an asset manager? Or from a typical distressed investment vehicle? 

For example, how is the mandate of something like a SS/distressed fund housed within a large alternative AM like Bain cap/SVP/etc. differ from (at least what I understand to be) credit HFs like Cerberus/centerbridge/etc.

Feels like im misunderstanding fundamental here.

 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, a credit Hedge Fund (HF) differs from a typical opportunistic or High Yield (HY) fund in several ways.

Firstly, credit HFs are likely to be more concentrated with higher conviction in positions and operate at a faster pace. This could lead to higher responsibility and potentially more interesting work, especially given the focus on secondary markets rather than new issues.

Secondly, the distressed space, which is a focus for many credit HFs, offers more possibilities because each situation is unique. This can provide a more differentiated skill set than peers in other types of funds.

Lastly, there's an element of job security in credit HFs. While equity HFs can have really high upper limits in terms of compensation, the expected value/average is probably slightly lower than Fixed Income (FI) because underperformance in equity can be damaging, whereas credit is seen as more secure.

In terms of the difference between a credit HF and a distressed fund within a large alternative Asset Manager (AM) like Bain Capital or SVP, it could be down to the specific strategies and mandates of the individual funds. However, without more specific information, it's difficult to provide a detailed comparison.

Sources: Ask a credit H/F analyst anything, just trying to help, Liquid credit at MF thoughts, Credit - Pod Shop/MM vs. Distressed/Special Sits HF, Credit HF --> L/S equity??

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Dolores dignissimos consequatur repudiandae et error rerum. Iusto quis sed aut aut veniam est.

Necessitatibus doloribus perspiciatis deleniti. Est praesentium sapiente nam. Ipsam enim aut ut mollitia veniam omnis.

Amet vel molestiae est praesentium aliquid beatae. Autem odit neque ipsum autem.

Labore deserunt animi ullam sapiente sint. Commodi in quia minima sint ratione. Quam modi error in. Officiis et minima non qui rerum enim. Tenetur in enim ea non. Ut aut sint beatae non soluta sint praesentium eos.

Career Advancement Opportunities

May 2024 Hedge Fund

  • Point72 98.9%
  • D.E. Shaw 97.9%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.8%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.8%
  • AQR Capital Management 94.7%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

May 2024 Hedge Fund

  • Magnetar Capital 98.9%
  • D.E. Shaw 97.8%
  • Blackstone Group 96.8%
  • Two Sigma Investments 95.7%
  • Citadel Investment Group 94.6%

Professional Growth Opportunities

May 2024 Hedge Fund

  • AQR Capital Management 99.0%
  • Point72 97.9%
  • D.E. Shaw 96.9%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.8%
  • Citadel Investment Group 94.8%

Total Avg Compensation

May 2024 Hedge Fund

  • Portfolio Manager (9) $1,648
  • Vice President (23) $474
  • Director/MD (12) $423
  • NA (6) $322
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (24) $287
  • Manager (4) $282
  • Engineer/Quant (71) $274
  • 2nd Year Associate (30) $251
  • 1st Year Associate (73) $190
  • Analysts (225) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (23) $131
  • Junior Trader (5) $102
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (251) $85
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
numi's picture
numi
98.8
10
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”