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Blue Owl CEO Calls Halting Redemption Headlines A 'Mischaracterization'
Benzinga· 2026-02-19 19:07
Core Viewpoint - Blue Owl Capital is experiencing significant stock weakness, with shares down 10% following a call where the CEO discussed changes in redemption methods and the cancellation of a planned merger [1][12]. Group 1: Redemption Changes - The company is changing its redemption method, opting to accelerate redemptions instead of resuming the previous five percent tendering of shares [1]. - Investors will receive 30% of their capital at book value within the next 45 days, which is six times the previously anticipated five percent [2]. - The CEO expressed confidence that investors will remain satisfied if the company continues to manage their capital effectively [3]. Group 2: Merger Cancellation - Blue Owl announced the cancellation of the merger between its two private credit funds, which was initially intended to combine the smaller OBDC II with the larger OBDC [4][5]. - The decision to terminate the merger was based on market reactions and the conclusion that it no longer made sense, despite the potential benefits of scale [6]. Group 3: Asset Sales - The firm announced the sale of a portfolio of OBDC II assets at book value, totaling $600 million, which represents approximately 35% of the fund's total assets [7]. - In total, $1.4 billion of assets are being sold, including $400 million from OBDC, due to significant demand from institutional investors [8]. Group 4: Portfolio Performance - The firm's portfolio has a strong focus on software, which has performed well, with borrowers in the software portfolio seeing revenue growth of 10% and EVIDAC growth of 16% in the fourth quarter [9][10]. - The company plans to take a discriminating approach towards new software loan purchases, maintaining that software is a significant sector but a relatively small percentage of the overall fund [11].