Apr 28, 2023

Is a role in IG Credit at a top LO a good start?

Would an research role in IG at a large AUM top asset manager be good for future options exiting to HY or other IG roles and how is career lens from a long term industry and personal trajectory, alpha opportunity, and comp?

Thanks so much i know this is loaded 

5 Comments
 

IG is credit...but kinda a different game. A lot less business value bottoms up driven than HY. That said, if you're right out of school, its still a good place to learn. My guess would be that the sooner you make the jump the easier it will be - say 1-2 years into the role. Who knows maybe you will enjoy it and will want to progress. However, its a pretty easy story to tell as to why you'd want to switch. 

 

thanks so much for the reply. Do you think theres potential for alpha generation and generally comparable comp to HY as an IG Research Analyst?

 
Most Helpful

I don't enough about IG. Of course, I'm sure there are more active IG managers that strive to beat the index vs more index chasers. As far as work product is concerned, I don't know enough about the IG process, but I'd imagine its less credit intensive (ie less digging into the business, sector, financials, valuations, etc) than HY by virtual of it being so "safe" for lack of better terms. I believe, though not 100% certain, but IG with longer dated maturities and more liquid markets, has a lot more relative valuation analysis - ie trading bonds over yield differences. Anyway, assuming this is your first job or two, you're really just learning anyway so seems like a good place to start. Once you build a foundation of what you like and don't like you can always try to pivot to something else, which is always easier earlier in your career. 

 

Agree with ke18sb. IG is a relative value game and trades for various reasons / drivers which are more industry / macro related v s HY which is more idiosyncratic. IG offers less alpha as it's a more liquid hence "efficient" market (eg in IG there's basically no re-fi risk). 

It's a good stepping stone in the industry absent other alternatives to learn about credit concepts but unless you are at a large AM which operates n both markets, it would not be easy to change firm and product.

 

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