KBRA Assigns Preliminary Ratings to Ares European Direct Lending CLO 1 Sarl

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBRA UK (KBRA) assigns preliminary ratings to four classes of notes issued by Ares European Direct Lending CLO 1 Sarl, a cash flow collateralized loan obligation (CLO) backed by a diversified portfolio of middle market corporate loans. This transaction is the first publicly rated UK middle market CLO and the first European private credit CLO to feature a reinvestment period.

Ares European Direct Lending CLO 1 Sarl is managed by Ares Management Limited (“Ares” or the “collateral manager”) and will have a 4.7-year reinvestment period. The legal final maturity dates of the notes are staggered, with the senior rated notes having earlier stated maturity dates than the more subordinated notes. The ratings reflect initial credit enhancement levels, excess spread, and coverage tests including overcollateralization ratio and interest coverage tests.

The collateral in Ares European Direct Lending CLO 1 Sarl will mainly consist of middle market loans issued by corporate obligors diversified across sectors. The total portfolio par amount is $280 million with exposure to 57 obligors. The obligors in the portfolio have a K-WARF of 3125, which represents a weighted average portfolio credit assessment of approximately B-.

Ares is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ares Management LLC established in 1997. Ares employs the resources of its European Direct Lending credit team, which manages the European Direct Lending credit funds for the Ares Credit Group. The Ares Credit Group is a leading manager of credit strategies across the global credit universe, with approximately $348.8 billion of AUM and approximately 285 funds as of December 2024. Ares offers a range of investment strategies across the liquid and illiquid credit spectrum and is one of the largest self-originating direct lenders to the U.S. and European middle markets.

The preliminary ratings on the Class A, B, C, and D Notes consider the timely payment of interest and the ultimate payment of principal by the applicable legal final maturity date.

To access ratings and relevant documents, click here.

Click here to view the report.

Methodologies

• Structured Credit: Structured Credit Global Rating Methodology
• Structured Finance: Global Structured Finance Counterparty Methodology
• ESG Global Rating Methodology

Disclosures

Further information on key credit considerations, sensitivity analyses that consider what factors can affect these credit ratings and how they could lead to an upgrade or a downgrade, and ESG factors (where they are a key driver behind the change to the credit rating or rating outlook) can be found in the full rating report referenced above.

A description of all substantially material sources that were used to prepare the credit rating and information on the methodology(ies) (inclusive of any material models and sensitivity analyses of the relevant key rating assumptions, as applicable) used in determining the credit rating is available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) located here.

Information on the meaning of each rating category can be located here.

This credit rating is endorsed by Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited for use in the European Union. Information on a credit rating’s endorsement status is available on its rating page at KBRA.com.

Further disclosures relating to this rating action are available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) referenced above. Additional information regarding KBRA policies, methodologies, rating scales and disclosures are available at www.kbra.com.

There are certain issuers, entities or transactions rated by KBRA Europe or KBRA UK that may be or have relationships with Shareholders and/or Shareholder-Related Companies, as that term is defined in KBRA’s Shareholder and Shareholder Related Companies for KBRA Europe and KBRA UK Policy and Procedure. Relevant disclosure information may be found here.

About KBRA UK

Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA), one of the major credit rating agencies (CRA), is a full-service CRA registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered as a CRA with the European Securities and Markets Authority. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK Limited is registered as a CRA with the UK Financial Conduct Authority. In addition, KBRA is designated as a Designated Rating Organization (DRO) by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized as a Qualified Rating Agency by Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission and is recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider (CRP) in the U.S. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK is located at 1 Connaught Place, 2nd Floor London, England.

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