Corporate Credit Fundamentals Are Deteriorating: HSBC

The credit risk profile of the U.S. corporate sector is well past its 2012 peak and is slowly but steadily deteriorating as the current business cycle enters its later stages, believe analysts at HSBC. Edward B. Marrinan and Jacob Kim said in their April 7 flash note titled “US Credit Strategy- Powerful rally overlooks market vulnerabilities” that they maintain their overweight in investment-grade but trim high-yield to underweight.

U.S. nonfinancial corporate credit rating on downtrend

Highlighting the deterioration in corporate credit fundamentals, the HSBC analysts point out that S&P recently noted that corporate credit ratings are being lowered at a pace not witnessed since the 2008-09 credit crisis. Marrinan and Kim add that U.S. nonfinancial corporate borrowers’ rating distribution and average credit rating have reached...