Egan-Jones Finds Steady CLO Credit Metrics as Interest Rates Turn Higher

NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Egan-Jones released its monthly report on the collateralized loan obligation (CLO) market, finding that credit metrics across the deals it rates held steady even as interest rates and high-yield spreads moved higher in September. For investors, the publication sets these steadier portfolio measures against a tighter rate backdrop.

Among Egan-Jones' measures, the weighted average rating score, a gauge of the default risk in a deal's underlying loans where a lower score indicates stronger credit, has improved over the past year. The share of assets rated CCC+ or lower, the weakest tier of loan ratings, has been stable to slightly lower, with a median of 6.1%. As of September 2026, Egan-Jones rated 1,568 CLO deals.

The steadier metrics come as financing conditions shift. The 5-year Treasury yield rose 60 basis points to 5.09%, its highest close of 2026, and on September 16 the Federal Reserve raised rates by 25 basis points, its first increase since 2023. High-yield spreads widened to 312 basis points from their late-August low, while new CLO issuance totaled 91 deals ($38.2 billion), down 12.5% by count from a year earlier.

Higher rates cut both ways for CLOs, according to the analysis: coupons on the underlying loans reset upward, but so do the interest burdens of the borrowers. Egan-Jones points to rising loss severity on distressed exchanges and other selective defaults, and identifies software loans, pressured by concerns over disruption from artificial intelligence, as the weakest sector in CLO portfolios.

Egan-Jones also compares its ratings with those of other agencies across 20 deals, ranking the tranches where views differ most. On that comparison, Egan-Jones currently tends to take a more positive view of CLO credit quality than other credit rating agencies. A full sample rating report on MP CLO VIII, whose largest industry exposure is High Tech Industries at 15.9%, is included.

Taken together, the findings describe a market in which issuance has eased and borrowing costs are rising, while the credit profile of Egan-Jones-rated portfolios remains stable. Watching where pressures such as software exposure and loss severity are building may help investors assess CLO risk as the rate cycle turns.

About Egan-Jones Ratings
Egan-Jones, an NRSRO founded in 1995, offers timely and accurate credit ratings and proxy services.

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SOURCE Egan-Jones Ratings Co.