Compare equities side by side
Stocks breaking to new annual highs
S&P 500 oversold value screener
Relative strength momentum leaders
Upcoming earnings dates & reports
Filter and sort all 500 stocks
Today's biggest gainers and losers
Visual sector performance
Carlyle Credit Income Fund (CCIF) is a closed-end fund managed by The Carlyle Group that invests primarily in senior secured loans, high-yield bonds, and structured credit products across North American and European markets. The fund uses leverage (approximately 20-30% debt-to-assets) to enhance returns on its credit portfolio, generating income through interest payments and capital appreciation. Performance is driven by credit spread movements, default rates, and the fund's ability to source attractive risk-adjusted opportunities in the leveraged loan and high-yield markets.
CCIF generates income by investing in below-investment-grade credit instruments that yield 7-12% annually, using 1.2-1.3x leverage to amplify returns. The fund benefits from Carlyle's origination platform and credit research capabilities to identify mispriced opportunities in middle-market corporate debt. Management fees (typically 1.5-2.0% of assets) are paid to Carlyle, while the fund distributes net investment income to shareholders quarterly. Pricing power is limited as a fund vehicle, but competitive advantage comes from access to proprietary deal flow through Carlyle's private equity relationships and institutional lending platform.
Credit spread movements in high-yield and leveraged loan markets (tightening spreads increase NAV)
Federal Reserve policy shifts affecting base rates and credit availability
Corporate default rates and credit quality deterioration in portfolio holdings
Premium/discount to NAV dynamics (fund currently trades at 0.6x book value, indicating 40% discount)
Distribution coverage and sustainability of quarterly dividend payments
Closed-end fund structure creates persistent discount-to-NAV risk (currently 40% discount), limiting shareholder value realization and creating potential for further discount widening during market stress
Regulatory changes affecting leverage limits for BDCs and CEFs, or changes to tax treatment of pass-through income structures
Secular shift toward passive credit strategies and ETFs reducing demand for actively managed closed-end credit funds
Competition from direct lending platforms, private credit funds, and larger BDCs with lower cost of capital eroding deal flow and pricing discipline
Loss of key portfolio managers or deterioration in Carlyle's credit platform reducing access to proprietary opportunities
Leverage facility covenants requiring asset coverage ratios that could force deleveraging during market stress, crystallizing losses
Liquidity mismatch between illiquid loan holdings and potential need to meet redemptions or margin calls on credit facility
Negative revenue growth (-59.3% YoY) and severely negative margins (-117.3%) indicate portfolio distress or significant unrealized losses requiring immediate attention
Current ratio of 54.31x suggests minimal current liabilities but may reflect accounting treatment rather than true liquidity position
high - Credit funds are highly sensitive to economic cycles as recession risk drives credit spread widening, increases default rates, and reduces portfolio valuations. During downturns, leveraged borrowers face refinancing challenges and covenant breaches. The fund's focus on below-investment-grade credits amplifies exposure to GDP growth, corporate earnings, and business cycle positioning.
Rising base rates have mixed effects: (1) Positive for floating-rate senior loans (estimated 50-60% of portfolio) which reprice higher, increasing interest income; (2) Negative for fixed-rate high-yield bonds which decline in value; (3) Negative for fund's borrowing costs on leverage facility, reducing net interest margin; (4) Higher rates typically widen credit spreads as risk-free alternatives become more attractive, pressuring valuations. Net effect depends on portfolio duration and floating vs fixed-rate mix.
Extreme - Credit conditions are the primary driver of fund performance. Widening credit spreads directly reduce NAV, while tightening spreads boost returns. The fund is exposed to both idiosyncratic credit risk (individual borrower defaults) and systemic credit risk (market-wide spread movements). Leverage amplifies credit losses during stress periods. Access to credit markets affects both portfolio liquidity and the fund's ability to maintain leverage ratios.
income - The fund historically attracted yield-seeking investors looking for high single-digit to low double-digit distribution yields from credit exposure. However, the 53.5% one-year decline and negative margins suggest significant portfolio distress, likely causing income investors to exit. Current investors are likely distressed/special situations investors betting on NAV recovery or potential liquidation value, or contrarian value investors viewing the 40% discount as excessive.
high - Closed-end credit funds exhibit elevated volatility due to leverage amplification, illiquid underlying holdings, and discount-to-NAV fluctuations that can exceed portfolio value changes. The 53.5% one-year decline and 35.4% six-month decline indicate extreme volatility, likely beta >1.5 relative to credit markets. Negative cash flows and margins suggest fundamental deterioration beyond normal market volatility.
