Polen Capital Closes First CLO at $407.15 Million

New CLO Deal Marks Key Milestone for Polen’s Expanding Credit Platform

Polen Capital Management (“Polen”), a global investment management firm specializing in growth equity and credit, today announced the close of its debut collateralized loan obligation (“CLO”). Polen Capital CLO 2025-1, Ltd., a $407.15 million CLO that is secured primarily by a pool of broadly syndicated first-lien loans, represents an important step in Polen’s strategy to expand its credit and structured finance offerings to serve a wider range of investors.

Polen, which has decades of credit expertise, specializes in the leveraged credit markets, including high yield bonds, syndicated bank loans, private credit, and other special situations. The CLO team is co-led by Jim Stehli, lead for capital markets and structured credit; Rick Richert, co-Portfolio Manager; and Roman Rjanikov, co-Portfolio Manager. Consistent with Polen’s overarching investment philosophy, Polen's CLO strategy emphasizes mitigating risk, actively building par, and minimizing volatility to deliver value for investors.

“We are thrilled to announce the close of our debut CLO, Polen Capital CLO 2025-1, through which we aim to construct a liquid, diversified portfolio that seeks to protect our investors throughout the capital structure from debt to equity,” said Jim Stehli. “This closing marks a significant moment in the growth and expansion of our credit business as we continue to deliver solutions that address our clients’ investment needs. We appreciate the chance to partner with investors as we establish our new CLO strategy, particularly at a time of enormous opportunity in the space.”

“Polen’s CLO business represents a natural extension of our nearly 30-year history in credit investing,” said David Breazzano, Head of Credit at Polen. “Polen is committed to delivering innovative investment strategies that are backed by experienced and seasoned talent, which we see in the exceptional CLO team that we have on board. We look forward to growing relationships with new and existing investors who are looking to manage volatility in this period of tight spreads and economic uncertainty.”

“I’m pleased to be part of a strong team focused on creating a first-class CLO franchise,” said Rick Richert. “We have constructed a portfolio that we believe will be among the most resilient in the market, and we intend to run this platform with the primary goal of delivering a very tight variance to our expected returns. We look forward to driving value through this platform as we continue to expand Polen’s structured financing capabilities.”

Polen Capital CLO 2025-1, Ltd. is managed by Polen Capital CLO Management, LLC, a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of Polen.

BofA Securities, Inc. served as the placement agent and structuring agent.

About Polen Capital

Offering equity and credit investment solutions, Polen Capital is a global investment firm managing approximately $60 billion in assets (as of December 31, 2024) for institutions, financial advisors, and individuals seeking high-quality, active, concentrated strategies built for the long term. Polen has four autonomous investment teams, Large Company Growth, Small Company Growth, Emerging Markets Growth, and Credit, with offices in Boca Raton, Fla., Boston, London, Hong Kong, and Abu Dhabi. Since 1989, Polen has built a distinctive culture and is committed to being a firm of opportunity, attracting and developing exceptional professionals aligned with its mission of preserving and growing clients’ assets to protect their present and enable their future. The firm has been recognized by Pensions & Investments as one of the industry’s “Best Places to Work” for each of the past nine consecutive years. For more information, visit www.polencapital.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

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