Last Updated on April 24, 2022 at 8:15 pm
In Sep 2019, 71 mutual funds across 12 categories were hit by bond rating downgrades. At the same time, 12 mutual funds across 4 categories saw rating upgrades. This is a list of both. A bond rating downgrade implies the repaying ability of the bond issuer has weakened in the estimation of rating agencies.
When a downgrade occurs, the value of the bond in the market falls and hence the NAV of the debt mutual fund will also fall in a proportional manner as per its weight in the portfolio. Rating downgrades are a common event in the bond market and investors should be aware of these and not get scared.
The problem arises when the fund manager refuses to sell the downgraded bond (when it is severe enough) or renews the contract with the bond issuer. Often the fund manager may not be able to sell the bond and its weight in the portfolio keeps increasing.
Thus debt mutual fund investors should be aware of credit rating change and associated changes in portfolio weight. Repeated rating downgrades and defaults have spooked debt mutual fund investors. This is a clear sign of an economic slowdown.
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While a huge vertical drop in the NAV is a huge shock, there is no need to run scared of debt funds. They remain a much better alternative to risky FDs from small finance banks or co-operative banks. Read more: Small Finance Bank Deposits: Are they safe? Can I invest? Plus other FAQ and PMC Bank Fraud: Lessons from Sanjay Gulati’s story
With some knowledge of risks and occasional monitoring, debt mutual funds are excellent choices especially for medium and long term investment. Arbitrage funds also carry significant credit risk and the same precautions should apply to these. Read more Free E-book: A Beginner’s Guide To Investing in Debt Mutual Funds and Understanding Credit Rating Risk in Debt Mutual Funds.
Bond Upgrades in Sep 2019
This is the CRISIL Ratings Scale. Use it to understand rating changes. This is a useful FAQ.
A+ to AA-
Bond issuer: Asirvad Microfinance Pvt Ltd.
Funds holding these bonds
| Axis Credit Risk Fund-Reg | Credit Risk Fund |
| Nippon India Credit Risk Fund | Credit Risk Fund |
| Axis Credit Risk Fund-Reg | Credit Risk Fund |
| Mahindra Credit Risk Yojana-Reg | Credit Risk Fund |
| Axis Strategic Bond Fund | Medium Duration |
| Axis Ultra Short Term Fund-Reg | Ultra Short Term Fund |
| Aditya Birla SL Credit Risk Fund-Reg | Credit Risk Fund |
| Nippon India Credit Risk Fund | Credit Risk Fund |
AA- to AA
Bond Issuer: Manappuram Finance Ltd.
Funds holding these bonds
| ICICI Pru Balanced Advantage Fund | Balanced Advantage |
| ICICI Pru Credit Risk Fund | Credit Risk Fund |
| ICICI Pru Medium Term Bond Fund | Medium Duration |
AA-(SO) to AA
Kogta Financial (India) Ltd. bonds held by Sundaram Short Term Credit Risk Fund. SO here stands for a structured obligation.
Bond downgrades in Sep 2019
Indiabulls housing finance bonds dropped from AAA to AA+. Considering its nature of business and present climate, funds holding these should be monitored closely, especially if the bond weight increases.
As many as 46 funds are affected by this, although marginally.
| Baroda Treasury Adv Fund(G) | Low Duration |
| Edelweiss Corporate Bond Fund-Reg(G) | Corporate Bond |
| Invesco India Ultra Short Term Fund(G) | Ultra Short Term Fund |
| BNP Paribas Corp Bond Fund(G) | Corporate Bond |
| L&T Credit Risk Fund(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| Indiabulls Short Term Fund(G) | Short Duration |
| Nippon India Credit Risk Fund(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| HDFC Floating Rate Debt Fund(G) | Floating Rate |
| Nippon India Strategic Debt Fund(G) | Medium Duration |
| Nippon India Short Term Fund(G) | Short Duration |
| Nippon India Credit Risk Fund(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| Nippon India Credit Risk Fund(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| Nippon India Strategic Debt Fund(G) | Medium Duration |
| Aditya Birla SL Regular Savings Fund(G) | Conservative Hybrid Fund |
| Principal Short Term Debt Fund(G) | Short Duration |
| Aditya Birla SL Short Term Opp Fund(G) | Short Duration |
| Nippon India Strategic Debt Fund(G) | Medium Duration |
| Nippon India Credit Risk Fund(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| UTI Regular Savings Fund-Reg(G) | Conservative Hybrid Fund |
| Nippon India Strategic Debt Fund(G) | Medium Duration |
| Aditya Birla SL Medium Term Plan(G) | Medium Duration |
| Aditya Birla SL Equity Hybrid ’95 Fund(G) | Aggressive Hybrid Fund |
| IDFC Hybrid Equity Fund-Reg(G) | Aggressive Hybrid Fund |
| HDFC Credit Risk Debt Fund-(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| Canara Rob Savings Fund-Reg(G) | Low Duration |
| Mirae Asset Savings Fund-Reg Savings Plan(G) | Low Duration |
| Axis Credit Risk Fund-Reg(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| Aditya Birla SL Dynamic Bond Fund-Reg(G) | Dynamic Bond |
| Nippon India Hybrid Bond Fund(G) | Conservative Hybrid Fund |
| Axis Strategic Bond Fund(G) | Medium Duration |
| Aditya Birla SL Equity Hybrid ’95 Fund(G) | Aggressive Hybrid Fund |
| HDFC Corp Bond Fund(G) | Corporate Bond |
| SBI Equity Hybrid Fund-Reg(D) | Aggressive Hybrid Fund |
| L&T Equity Savings Fund-Reg(G) | Equity Savings |
| Nippon India Floating Rate Fund(G) | Floating Rate |
| HDFC Credit Risk Debt Fund-(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| Aditya Birla SL Low Duration Fund(G) | Low Duration |
| HDFC Corp Bond Fund(G) | Corporate Bond |
| Baroda Credit Risk Fund-A(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| Nippon India Floating Rate Fund(G) | Floating Rate |
| HDFC Corp Bond Fund(G) | Corporate Bond |
| Aditya Birla SL Equity Hybrid ’95 Fund(G) | Aggressive Hybrid Fund |
| UTI ULIP(G) | Dynamic Asset Allocation |
| UTI Regular Savings Fund-Reg(G) | Conservative Hybrid Fund |
| UTI Hybrid Equity Fund-Reg(G) | Aggressive Hybrid Fund |
| Nippon India Prime Debt Fund(G) | Corporate Bond |
Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd. bonds dropped from BBB to C and D (default) in one case.
BBB to C: Funds affected
| Franklin India ST Income Plan(G) | Short Duration |
| L&T Credit Risk Fund(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| L&T Low Duration Fund-Reg(G) | Low Duration |
| L&T Credit Risk Fund(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| Franklin India Corp Debt Fund-A(G) | Corporate Bond |
BBB to D fund affected L&T Credit Risk Fund(G) but the fund has managed to reduce exposure from almost 2% in Aug 2019 to 0.6% in Sep 2019.
Reliance Home Finance Ltd. C to D
These are the fund affected but have 1% or less exposure.
| Nippon India Strategic Debt Fund(G) | Medium Duration |
| Nippon India Credit Risk Fund(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| SBI Credit Risk Fund-Reg(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| SBI Debt Hybrid Fund-Reg(G) | Conservative Hybrid Fund |
| SBI Debt Hybrid Fund-Reg(G) | Conservative Hybrid Fund |
| Nippon India Strategic Debt Fund(G) | Medium Duration |
| SBI Credit Risk Fund-Reg(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| SBI Equity Hybrid Fund-Reg(D) | Aggressive Hybrid Fund |
| Nippon India Equity Hybrid Fund(G) | Aggressive Hybrid Fund |
| Nippon India Hybrid Bond Fund(G) | Conservative Hybrid Fund |
| Nippon India Equity Savings Fund(G) | Equity Savings |
Morgan Credits Pvt Ltd. A- to BBB- Would recommend investors exit from Nippon India Ultra Short Duration Fund since it has a high exposure – within brackets.
| Nippon India Ultra Short Duration Fund (5.9%) | Ultra Short Term Fund |
| Nippon India Equity Hybrid Fund(3.4%) | Aggressive Hybrid Fund |
| Nippon India Equity Savings Fund(1.5%) | Equity Savings |
| Nippon India Credit Risk Fund(0.5%) | Credit Risk Fund |
Yes Capital (India) Pvt Ltd. AA to A
| Franklin India Low Duration Fund(MD) | Low Duration |
| Franklin India Ultra Short Bond Fund-Super Inst(G) | Ultra Short Term Fund |
Zee Learn Ltd. AA+(SO) to AA
| UTI Credit Risk Fund-Reg(G) | Credit Risk Fund |
| UTI Medium Term Fund-Reg(G) | Medium Duration |
So far, the increase in exposure accompanying the bond downgrades has only been marginal. However, investors in these funds should keep an eye for news about these bonds and the weight in the portfolio.
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