Nyheter
US HY credit market remains attractive
ETF Securities Fixed Income Research – US HY credit market remains attractive
US HY credit market (Ex- Energy, Mining and Metals sectors) remains attractive
Summary
- US High Yield Ex-commodities issuers’ fundamentals are less compromised than what the market implies
- In our opinion, HY Ex-commodities offers one of the best risk adjusted yields in the fixed income universe
- US HY Commodity-related sector default rates are expected to continue to rise above to 10% in 2016
Lower profits for US corporates but nothing to worry about yet
The combination of external factors such as weak emerging market (EM) growth, a strong US dollar, the collapse in commodities prices and the slight pick-up in wage inflation has eroded corporates profits in the US (-8% over the fourth quarter of 2015), leading to a rise of risk-aversion in the first quarter of 2016. However, fundamentals are less compromised than what the market has priced in.
(click to enlarge)
Outside of the commodity sector, these factors have had limited impact on US corporate performance. The average free cash flow – representing the cash generated by a company after capital expenditures – for US HY Ex-commodities corporates has been relatively stable during the post crisis period. Over the same period the free cash flow of commodity-related sectors deteriorated sharply with the fall in commodity prices and weaker international demand. More recently the average free cash flow turned less negative likely reflecting the recent stabilisation of the energy prices.
(click to enlarge)
In our opinion, the bulk of risks remain limited to natural resource issuers, there is little evidence of distress spilling over into the broader market. The average leverage ratio – measured by Net Debt to EBITDA – for US HY Ex-commodities declined to 6.5x, while the same ratio for commodity-related US HY issuers spiked to 7.8x.
Defaults and ratings downgrades in Energy, Mining and Metals sectors
The large spreads in US HY credit since mid-2015 suggests that market participants are worried about the deterioration of fundamentals among US HY creditors, as a result of the rise in default rates. The ratings company Fitch forecasts that the overall US HY credit market default rate will reach 6% this year (up from 4.5%). Although, two-thirds of this increase comes from the rise of default rates in Energy and Mining and Metals sectors, which have increased to 10% and 20%, respectively. They now stand at their highest level since 1999. The default rate of HY Ex-Energy and metals and mining issuers, remains near post-crisis lows at 1.5%, which is below Fitch’s non-recessionary average of 2.2%.
(click to enlarge)
No refinancing risk in the near term
The widening of spreads at the beginning of 2016 led to a sharp decline in new issue volumes in the HY primary market. Investors are in turn questioning the ability of US HY issuers to refinance their debts in a tightening environment, in particular for commodity-related sectors. However, refinancing risk should not be a problem in the near term, as relatively little HY debt is maturing in 2016: only 4% Ex-Energy HY debt and 3% of Energy HY debt will mature this year. The bulk of outstanding debt will mature in 2020 for Ex-Energy HY issuers (US$271bn) and in 2022 for Energy HY issuers (US$77bn). In addition, the total amount of debt outstanding for the US HY Energy sector – the most at risk – represents only 15.6% of the overall HY credit market.
(click to enlarge)
Furthermore, any refinancing risk is likely to be mitigated by a gradual rate normalisation from the Fed and higher corporate revenues in the second half of the year. For the past 6 years, the US GDP registered a series of weak first quarter growth for various cyclical or non-recurring reasons (weather, international developments), followed by a rebound in the second quarter, this rebound is likely to benefit high yield.
US HY Ex-Commodity market valuations attractive
Credit valuations continue to look attractive in the current growth environment, in particular for US high yield credit. Since mid-February, US HY bonds are up 7% versus 1% for the S&P 500, suggesting a notable improvement in risk sentiment.
(click to enlarge)
Looking at yield-to-worst – the lowest potential yield that a bond can offer without the issuer defaulting – the Risk/Reward profile for US HY Energy looks the most favourable. However, the volatility of yields in this sector is also the highest. Besides, the uncertainty as to whether the commodity sector has bottomed-out yet adds to the risk in this market. Thus, we prefer US HY Ex-Commodities credit market, which offers the second best risk adjusted yield in the fixed income universe.
(click to enlarge)
Conclusion
US HY Ex-commodities issuers’ fundamentals are less compromised than what the market implies. With default rates at post-crisis lows, we believe the fears over a recession in the US are overdone. In our opinion, this market segment offers one of the best risk adjusted yields in the fixed income universe.
Important Information
General
This communication has been issued and approved for the purpose of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by ETF Securities (UK) Limited (“ETFS UK”) which is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”).
Dogecoin’s performance and staying power across multiple market cycles suggest it is not “just another one of those memecoins”.
Over the past decade, DOGE has outperformed even Bitcoin, delivering over 133,000% in returns, nearly 1,000x BTC’s gains in the same period. Despite deep drawdowns during bear markets, Dogecoin has shown remarkable structural resilience.
Following each major rally, it has consistently formed higher lows, a pattern of long-term appreciation and compounding strength.
Historically, Dogecoin has closely mirrored Bitcoin’s movements, often peaking a few weeks after. While 2024 saw Bitcoin dominate headlines following landmark ETF approvals, DOGE still followed its trajectory, though it has yet to stage its typical delayed breakout.
As macro uncertainty continues to fade and momentum returns to the market, retail participation is likely to accelerate, setting up conditions in which Dogecoin has historically thrived.
At the same time, regulatory clarity around Dogecoin has improved. The SEC recently confirmed that most memecoins are not considered securities, comparing them to collectibles. Additionally, they clarified that proof-of-work rewards, like those earned from mining DOGE, also fall outside that scope. These developments further legitimize Dogecoin’s role in the ecosystem, potentially setting the stage for its next paw up, especially as it now holds a firm base around $0.17, nearly 3x its pre-rally level before reaching a new all-time high in the last cycle.
In addition to its long-term performance, Dogecoin stands out as an asset that behaves asymmetrically, offering investors a rare source of uncorrelated returns across both traditional and crypto portfolios. With an average correlation of just 15% to major assets, DOGE’s price action remains largely detached from broader macroeconomic trends, reinforcing its value as a true diversification tool.
Dogecoin demonstrates significant independence within the crypto market, with its correlation to Bitcoin at only 31% and to Ethereum at 37%. This divergence stems from unique capital flow dynamics, where higher-beta assets like DOGE tend to rally after blue-chip crypto assets reach major milestones.
While Bitcoin slowly evolves into a digital store of value and Ethereum powers decentralized infrastructure, Dogecoin remains largely a cultural asset, thriving on narrative momentum and crowd psychology, offering explosive upside when risk appetite surges.
For investors seeking an upside without mirroring the behavior of core holdings, Dogecoin offers a compelling case. Its ability to decouple from market trends while tapping into more speculative surges makes it a powerful, though unconventional, addition to a portfolio with wildcard potential.
Research Newsletter
Each week the 21Shares Research team will publish our data-driven insights into the crypto asset world through this newsletter. Please direct any comments, questions, and words of feedback to research@21shares.com
Disclaimer
The information provided does not constitute a prospectus or other offering material and does not contain or constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction. Some of the information published herein may contain forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and that actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. The information contained herein may not be considered as economic, legal, tax or other advice and users are cautioned to base investment decisions or other decisions solely on the content hereof.
Börshandlade produkter som ger exponering mot Sui
The Dogecoin case study: How to value memecoins
MWOA ETF köper aktier i industriföretag
XENIX ETF AWARDS Nordics 2025, Stockholm
JLOD ETF investerar i lokala obligationer från emerging markets
Bitcoin var den bäst presterande tillgången men…
Sju börshandlade fonder som investerar i försvarssektorn
Världens första europeiska försvars-ETF från ett europeiskt ETF-företag lanseras på Xetra och Euronext Paris
21Shares bildar exklusivt partnerskap med House of Doge för att lansera Dogecoin ETP i Europa
HANetfs Tom Bailey om framtiden för europeiska försvarsfonder
-
Nyheter1 dag sedanBitcoin var den bäst presterande tillgången men…
-
Nyheter4 veckor sedanSju börshandlade fonder som investerar i försvarssektorn
-
Nyheter4 veckor sedanVärldens första europeiska försvars-ETF från ett europeiskt ETF-företag lanseras på Xetra och Euronext Paris
-
Nyheter4 veckor sedan21Shares bildar exklusivt partnerskap med House of Doge för att lansera Dogecoin ETP i Europa
-
Nyheter3 veckor sedanHANetfs Tom Bailey om framtiden för europeiska försvarsfonder
-
Nyheter1 vecka sedanFastställd utdelning i MONTDIV april 2025
-
Nyheter4 veckor sedanInvestera i Polen med börshandlade fonder
-
Nyheter3 veckor sedanFranklin Templeton lanserar två nya kärn-UCITS-ETFer för europeiska investerare
