Livermore Investments (LIV: LN) hasn't been a core holding for a long time now — I kept a rump position as a substitute (CLO
residual equity tranche) investment in light of my continued under - weight of Tetragon Financial Group (TFG: NA).
The liability side is tranched, so you have
an equity tranche, BBB, A, AA, and a junior AAA layers, then say two more AAA layers and the infamous super senior tranche (there could be more tranches than this, but you get the general idea).
In addition, Tetragon usually acquires a majority stakes in
its equity tranche investments, which will enhance their rights & negotiating power if things start turning sour.
Their liabilities are tranched (ranging from AAA down to BBB notes, a mezzanine tranche, and finally a residual
equity tranche), with a waterfall structure for principal & interest payments.
-- The inverse is also true — that is, all loan default losses are first absorbed by the residual
equity tranche, then the mezzanine, the BBB notes, and ultimately by the AAA notes (ideally in v rare circumstances).
In many securitizations, that
equity tranche is small, because the underlying assets are high quality.
The smaller
the equity tranche, the greater percentage reward for success, and the greater possibility of a total wipeout if things go wrong.
This will bolster our liquidity and finance
the equity tranche of our new purchases.
For CLOs, that 5 % stake is typically much larger than
an equity tranche which usually amounts to less than 10 % of the notional value.