Hybrid bonds issuances at a record high YTD

Companies are selling hybrid bonds at a record pace this year, with Bloomberg data showing that firms have sold USD 65 bn worth of the debt instrument YTD, continuing on from a wave of issuances that followed a move from Moody’s to raise the equity credit in hybrid bonds back in 2024.

Why hybrid bonds, and why now? Hybrid bonds allow issuers to strengthen their balance sheet given that their debt-equity mix doesn’t only add leverage like traditional bonds. For buyers, the subordinated debt comes with a higher coupon in comparison to senior notes. Right now, that additional cost is near record lows, with spreads reaching an all-time low of 58 bps in March.

There’s also “massive demand” for the instrument from investors willing to take on extra risk, analysts said. Orders in Europe are currently surpassing issuance sizes by 4.5x.

Europe is the primary issuance hub for the moment, with the likes of Carlsberg issuing hybrid notes to shore up its balance sheet after an acquisition play. The Gulf is also starting to warm up to the concept, with Abu Dhabi developer Aldar Properties raising not one, but two hybrid issuances this year.

A wider debt rush is happening over in Asia, as well, with hopes of an end to the war also triggering record lows in credit spreads and leading issuers to race to secure cheap financing, Bloomberg reported elsewhere. Westpac Banking issued a USD 4 bn offering, while HSBC is also preparing a USD-denominated issuance.

Credit spreads tightened by 13 bps in 1Q in Asia, outperforming global averages of 5 bps, Bloomberg data showed. The findings indicate a vote of confidence in the fundamentals of the energy import-reliant region, amid reports of a possible ceasefire.

The outlook: For hybrid notes, the more selective, the better, one analyst says, pointing to issuances with shorter waiting periods before the first call. For now, the flurry of activity in Europe is particularly precarious, given its exposure to energy distribution linked to the war.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian markets were mostly in the red this morning as escalations between the US and Iran raised concerns over the fate of ongoing negotiations and the current ceasefire. South Korea’s Kospi and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell more than 1%, while Japan’s Nikkei was 0.8% lower. Over on Wall Street, futures are also slipping after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq retreated from recent all-time highs yesterday.

The values in the table above are listed according to the market position as of 3:30pm IST / 2pm GST.