Conning Viewpoint: Esoteric ABS Momentum Should Continue in 2025

March 11, 2025


Demand High as Tighter Spread Environment and Strong Demand Supportive for Issuers

 

HARTFORD, CT – March 11, 2025 – Leading global investment management firm Conning expects that the high demand seen for esoteric ABS in 2024 will remain and that a favorable environment for issuance should lead to another strong year for the asset class in the year ahead. 

In the new Viewpoint “Esoteric ABS: Riding the Growth Wave Into 2025,” Michael Nowakowski, Head of Structured Products for Conning, examines the dynamics within the asset class. Esoteric ABS securities backed by less traditional collateral such as music royalties, timeshare loans, and leases for aircraft and data center space. They are popular among insurers as they create opportunities to enhance portfolio yield, achieve effective asset-liability matching, and diversify risk. 

“Esoteric ABS also offers greater relative value and diversification versus investment-grade corporate bonds,” Nowakowski added, “as well as investor structural protections in economic downturns.” 

Investor interest in the asset class far outweighed available supply in 2024, Nowakowski said, but “supply conditions in the year ahead appear promising: the tighter spread environment and the continued high demand for esoteric ABS are favorable for both programmatic and first-time issuers.” 

To view the Viewpoint, click here.

 

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ABOUT CONNING

Conning is a leading investment management firm and with affiliates has nearly $170 billion in global assets under management as of December 31, 2024.* With a long history of serving insurance companies and other institutional investors, Conning supports clients with investment solutions, risk modeling software, and industry research. Founded in 1912, Conning has investment centers in Asia, Europe and North America. Conning is part of the Generali Investments platform, which has approximately $740 billion in assets under management.**


* As of December 31, 2024, includes Conning, Inc., Conning Asset Management Limited, Conning Asia Pacific Limited, Conning Investment Products, Inc., Goodwin Capital Advisers, Inc. (collectively, “Conning”), and Conning subsidiaries Global Evolution Asset Management A/S, Octagon Credit Investors, LLC, and Pearlmark Real Estate, LLC and its subsidiaries (collectively “Affiliates” and together with Conning, “Conning & Affiliates”).

** Generali Investments Holding S.p.A., data as at end of Q2 2024 gross of double counting. Generali Investments is part of the Generali Group, which was established in 1831 in Trieste as Assicurazioni Austro-Italiche. Generali Asset Management S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Generali Real Estate S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Infranity SAS, Sosteneo S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Sycomore Asset Management, Aperture Investors LLC (including Aperture Investors UK Ltd), Lumyna Investments Limited, Plenisfer Investments S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Conning, Inc., Conning Asset Management Limited, Conning Asia Pacific Limited, Conning Investment Products, Inc., Goodwin Capital Advisers, Inc. (collectively, “Conning”) and its subsidiaries (Global Evolution Asset Management A/S - including Global Evolution USA, LLC and Global Evolution Fund Management Singapore Pte. Ltd- Octagon Credit Investors, LLC, Pearlmark Real Estate, LLC and PREP Investment Advisers LLC) are part of Generali Investments, as well as Generali Investments CEE. Please note that the countries refers to the countries where the different funds of the asset management companies that are part of Generali Investments are registered for distribution. Please note that not all funds are registered in all the countries and not all the asset management companies are licensed to operate in such countries. Generali Investments Holding S.p.A. is the holding company holding, directly or indirectly, a majority of the shares in the asset management companies listed above.


 

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Media Contacts

Marty McDonugh
Conning
+1 860-299-2391
marty.mcdonough@Conning.com


 
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