Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Please give me your evaluation of Oaktree Capital. Thank you for many years of reliable advice.

Article Excerpt

Oaktree Capital Group LLC, $52.03, symbol OAK on New York (Shares outstanding: 43.8 million; Market cap: $8.1 billion; www.oaktreecapital.com), is an investment management firm that focuses on alternative markets, including the debt of distressed companies and high-yield debt, as well as convertible securities, real estate and stocks. The Los Angeles-based firm was founded in 1995. Its chairman and co-founder is prominent investor and billionaire Howard Marks. As of December 31, 2014, Oaktree had $90.9 billion of assets under management. It’s now looking at aggressively investing in depressed energy assets. Oaktree put $400 million into these assets in the fourth quarter of 2014 and still has roughly $10.3 billion of capital waiting to be invested. The company will focus on high-yielding bonds (in many cases junk bonds) issued by energy companies. However, a sustained slump in oil prices could trigger a significant increase in defaults on those bonds. Oaktree’s 4.3% yield reflects the high risk of its distressed and high-yield investments. We don’t…