Global Investment Advisors has closed a $1 billion synthetic collateralized debt obligation, marking the first managed synthetic deal the firm has done. David Ellis, managing director, explained the firm has done managed collateralized bond obligations in the past with cash flow arbitrage structures, but with recent volatility in the markets the firm opted for a synthetic transaction this time around. "With growth of credit default swaps it adds liquidity to markets where often there's very little efficiency on certain names." Ellis noted that the ramp up time is faster on synthetic names as well compared to shopping for particular assets.
The deal, GIA Investment Grade SCDO 2002, contains a portfolio of credit default swaps on a portfolio of investment grade credits, but the deal will be managed like a cash-flow deal rather than static. Bear Stearns structured the transaction with CDC IXIS Capital Markets as co-initial purchaser. The Standard & Poor's-rated AAA notes are priced at LIBOR plus 60 basis points; the AA notes are priced at LIBOR plus 85 basis points; the A notes are priced at LIBOR plus 165 basis points; the BBB notes are priced at LIBOR plus 300 basis points; and the BB notes are priced at LIBOR plus 800 basis points.