Marathon Structured Finance is a global investment management firm specializing in credit and fixed-income strategies, with a significant emphasis on structured finance investments. They are known for their deep fundamental research and value-oriented approach, seeking opportunities where they believe the market is mispricing risk or overlooking potential returns. Established in 1998, Marathon has built a reputation for navigating complex credit markets and delivering consistent performance across various market cycles.
Their structured finance expertise encompasses a wide range of asset classes, including:
- Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS): Investing in both agency and non-agency RMBS, analyzing the underlying mortgage pools and assessing credit risk. They often focus on areas where they see opportunities arising from regulatory changes or market dislocations.
- Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (CMBS): Evaluating the creditworthiness of commercial properties backing the securities, considering factors such as property type, location, and tenant quality. Marathon looks for opportunities in both new and seasoned CMBS deals.
- Asset-Backed Securities (ABS): Investing in securities backed by various assets, such as auto loans, credit card receivables, student loans, and equipment leases. Their research delves into the performance of the underlying assets and the structure of the securitization.
- Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs): Analyzing the underlying leveraged loan portfolios and the CLO structure to assess credit risk and potential returns. Marathon’s CLO investments are typically focused on the more senior tranches.
Marathon’s investment philosophy is rooted in a rigorous bottom-up approach to credit analysis. Their investment teams conduct in-depth due diligence on each investment opportunity, assessing the underlying collateral, the structure of the securitization, and the macroeconomic environment. They emphasize risk management and seek to protect capital while generating attractive returns. They often take a long-term perspective, patiently waiting for attractive opportunities to emerge.
A key differentiator for Marathon is its significant investment in proprietary research and analytics. They employ a team of experienced analysts who specialize in different sectors of the structured finance market. These analysts develop sophisticated models to evaluate credit risk and identify potential investment opportunities. Marathon also leverages its extensive network of industry contacts to gain insights into market trends and individual transactions.
Marathon Structured Finance aims to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns to its investors through its disciplined investment process, deep credit expertise, and commitment to research. While market conditions can always impact performance, their emphasis on fundamental analysis and value investing helps them navigate the complexities of the structured finance market and identify opportunities that may be overlooked by other investors.