While the broad global economy has bounced back from the worst of the COVID-19 downturn, some badly hit sectors and industries haven’t regained pre-pandemic levels and continue to trade at discounts, offering investors what we believe is compelling value. With rates hovering near all-time lows and U.S. central bank policy remaining accommodative, investors continue to search for non-traditional sources of yield and income-generating opportunities without taking on excessive risk.
At MacKay Shields, we seek to invest in the less efficient areas of fixed income to generate alpha for our clients. In the current environment, we have five high conviction ideas that we believe offer great value, income and total return opportunities for investors all with less interest rate risk. On average, these five high conviction categories equate to BBB credit quality and intermediate maturity, and, we believe, offer greater income and potential total return advantages than the overall BBB market—and with much less interest rate risk.
We believe, some companies in the hardest-hit industries such as airlines, hotels, retail and leisure will eventually thrive and outperform as the pandemic wanes.
A shortage of homes and enormous demand have turned the residential real estate market upside down.
Robust personal savings and low unemployment have consumers in excellent fiscal shape.
Subordinated instruments offer compelling yield and total return attributes, with lower risk versus similar-yielding securities.
5. Premium Mortgage-backed Securities
We believe premium MBS should perform well, even in a rising interest rate environment, as housing should remain in strong demand for many years
1. COVID recovery sectors: An uneven future for the hardest-hit industries
As the U.S. economy snapped back to life after the worst of the pandemic lockdowns, it was apparent some industries were hit harder than others. Restaurants, airlines, in-person retail and leisure suffered most as society grew more comfortable meeting virtually, shopping online and getting food delivered. While these industries were tagged as “social distance losers,” not all companies in this category are falling in a downward spiral into nonexistence. Some of these companies will rebound and thrive, while others will struggle.
We believe the U.S. airline industry, for example, remains an attractive re-opening investment trade. The airlines have strong support from the U.S. government while also doing whatever it takes to raise liquidity, including issuing debt backed by airline mileage and loyalty programs, routes, slots, and gates. Airline bonds rallied last year, reflecting investor enthusiasm for the coming end to the pandemic and the subsequent expected rise in airline travel. However, the Delta COVID variant resulted in airline traffic stabilizing at 75-80% of 2019 levels. We expect this holding pattern to continue over the near term until travel ramps back up to pre-pandemic levels.
2. Housing market: A seller’s market, but no one’s selling
Demand for residential real estate skyrocketed during the pandemic, although would-be-buyers discovered a market devoid of supply. Low rates, limited supply and high demand have led to all-out bidding wars.
At the root of the overheated housing market is a chronic lack of new home supply, which pre-dates the pandemic. The home building industry never fully recovered from the 2008 crash, causing a massive under-supply of new homes across the country (Figure 1). The U.S is about 4 million homes short of meeting current demand, according to Freddie Mac.
The supply shortage is estimated to last another decade or so. Like most industries, homebuilders are having trouble hiring workers. In the meantime, we believe the favorable supply/ demand imbalance creates opportunities for investors in several asset categories, including credit risk-transfer securities, legacy, non-agency mortgages and mortgage loan originators that issue unsecured credit.
Figure 1: New Housing Starts Never Recovered From the Last Bust | As of May 31, 2021
3. Consumer credit: Healthy personal balance sheets
The first wave of the pandemic – the second quarter of 2020 – will always be remembered for the lockdowns, school closures and the social distancing that changed everyday life for millions of people. Trapped at home with little else to do, Americans stashed more cash into their savings accounts than ever, and the personal savings rate skyrocketed to 33.8% in April 2020, an all-time high (Figure 2). Although it has fallen since last year, the savings rate remains elevated versus the long-term average and the consumer is in better financial shape today than before the pandemic.
In this environment, we favor securitized credit and asset-backed securities, in addition to certain consumeroriented financial companies. With robust savings and a strong employment market, American consumers are in great fiscal shape.
Figure 2: Personal Savings Rate Skyrocketed During the Pandemic | As of June 30, 2021
4. Subordinated financials: Higher yields with favorable risk/reward
We think preferred subordinated securities, such as preferred stock, offer relatively attractive yields in today’s low-rate macro environment. As shown in Figure 3, preferred equity yields are similar to those of high-yield bonds. But not all issuers are created equal. We seek out high-quality preferred issuers to help manage potential risks such as bankruptcy to seek to take advantage of these attractive yields.
While preferred debt provides income opportunities, they also feature less sensitivity to interest rate changes. Preferred income may also be tax advantageous as qualified dividends are taxed at a lower rate than ordinary income.1 Preferreds also have characteristics that make them less correlated with other asset classes giving them a place in investors’ portfolios. These securities are generally issued by banks, insurance companies, REITs and other diversified financials as well as utility, energy, pipeline and telecommunications companies.
Figure 3: Preferred Securities Offered Compelling Yield Opportunities | As of September 30, 2021
5. Premium mortgage-backed securities: Not afraid of rising rates
The Fed has set its key policy rate near zero while simultaneously purchasing billions in Treasuries and Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) each month. But today’s central bank worries are much different from prior periods when rising rates were most concerning to investors. The Fed’s biggest worries today are rising inflation and maintaining price stability (Figure 4). Given these headlines, investors are nervously anticipating the potential taper of the Fed’s current bond purchase program, which includes about $120 billion combined in Treasuries and MBS per month.
Regardless of what happens with rates, we think the conditions for high coupon, premium MBS will remain attractive for some time. We believe some borrowers will not refinance. We look for borrowers who previously fit this pattern while also targeting areas of the country with a higher threshold to refinance.
Our theme regarding the housing market also applies here. We see demand for homes remaining solid for years to come, as the supply shortage will persist. Rates should stabilize at an acceptable level for many home buyers and borrowers, offering support to MBS investors.
Figure 4: 10-Year Treasury Yield and Federal Funds Policy Rate | As of September 30, 2021
Conclusion: An uneven recovery suited for active managers
We expect economies and markets to continue recovering for the foreseeable future. While it’s impossible to say when we will put COVID in the rearview mirror, we expect the more challenged industries to bounce back gradually. However, not all will enjoy the same degree of recovery, which is why an active, risk-managed approach is critically important in today’s market. That’s why the MacKay Shields Global Fixed Income team invests in high conviction ideas, which employ a top-down, bottom-up approach. In today’s challenging markets, we focus on strong risk controls and seek diversified sources of return and income potential. Our team has demonstrated how a broad investment approach that considers an expansive multi-asset universe can surface compelling investment opportunities, including in low-yield and volatile times like these.
Footnotes and references
1. Not to be construed as tax advice. Consult your professional tax advisors for specific guidance.
Index Definitions
The ICE BofA US BB High Yield Index, a subset of the ICE BofA US High Yield Master II Index tracking the performance of US dollar denominated below investment grade rated corporate debt publicly issued in the US domestic market. This subset includes all securities with a given investment grade rating BB. The ICE BofA Core Plus Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index tracks the performance of fixed-rate US dollar denominated preferred securities issued in the US domestic market. This index is comprised of 100% retail securities and does not require securities to be investment-grade rated. The Bloomberg US Intermediate Corporate Bond Index measures the investment grade, fixed-rate, taxable corporate bond market whose maturity ranges between 1 to below 10 years. It includes USD denominated securities publicly issued by US and non-US industrial, utility and financial issuers. The Bloomberg US Treasury Intermediate Index measures US dollar-denominated, fixed-rate, nominal debt issued by the US Treasury with maturities of 1 to below 10 years to maturity.
Disclosure
“Bloomberg®”, “Bloomberg Indices®”, Bloomberg Fixed Income Indices, Bloomberg Equity Indices and all other Bloomberg indices referenced herein are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates, including Bloomberg Index Services Limited (“BISL”), the administrator of the indices (collectively, “Bloomberg”) and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by MacKay Shields LLC (“MacKay Shields”). Bloomberg is not affiliated with MacKay Shields, and Bloomberg does not approve, endorse, review, or recommend MacKay Shields or any products, funds or services described herein. Bloomberg does not guarantee the timeliness, accurateness, or completeness of any data or information relating to MacKay Shields or any products, funds or services described herein. The information and opinions contained herein are for general information use only. New York Life Investments does not guarantee their accuracy or completeness, nor does New York Life Investments assume any liability for any loss that may result from the reliance by any person upon any such information or opinions. Such information and opinions are subject to change without notice and are not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security or as personalized investment advice. There can be no guarantee that any projection, forecast, or opinion in these materials will be realized. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principle. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Information included herein should not be considered predicative of future transactions or commitments made by MacKay Shields LLC nor as an indication of current or future profitability. There is no assurance investment objectives will be met. Past performance is not indicative of future results. This material is provided as a resource for information only. Neither New York Life Insurance Company, New York Life Investment Management LLC, their affiliates, nor their representatives provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You are urged to consult your own legal and tax advisors for advice before implementing any plan.
Subscribe to get MacKay Shields insights delivered to your inbox.