Insights

Insights

Practical research on borrowing, refinancing and restructuring for owners and finance leaders: how lenders think, what the terms mean and what to do before you need the money.

Kenward Partners Research

All insights

Debt Advisory

How to Compare Loan Term Sheets: What Matters Beyond the Rate

The interest rate is the first number every lender quotes and the least useful one on its own. This guide covers the terms that decide what a loan really costs and how it will feel to live with.

6 min read
Restructuring

Covenant Breach: What to Do Before You Tell Your Lender

A covenant breach usually shows up in the forecast a quarter or two before the test date. How you use that time shapes what the waiver or amendment ends up costing.

6 min read
Debt Advisory

Asset-Based Lending Explained: How an ABL Revolver Works

A plain guide to ABL revolvers for owners and CFOs: how the borrowing base is set, what lenders check in a field exam, and where the real costs sit.

6 min read
Restructuring

Amend and Extend vs. Refinance: Handling a Maturing Loan

When a loan or credit facility nears maturity, you can ask your lender to amend and extend it or refinance with someone new. This guide covers timing, typical terms and a simple way to compare the two.

6 min read
Debt Advisory

Acquisition Financing for Lower Middle Market Deals

How the debt side of a lower middle market acquisition usually comes together, from the choice between a bank term loan and a unitranche to what lenders need to see and why deals get re-traded late.

6 min read
Debt Advisory

Asset-Based Lending in Canada: What Borrowers Should Expect

Canadian ABL works much like it does in the U.S., with a few local rules that change how much you can borrow. Here is what lenders look at and what to prepare.

5 min read
SME Lending

Invoice Finance in the UK: How Receivables Facilities Work

Invoice finance turns unpaid invoices into working capital. Here is how UK facilities are structured, what they cost and what to check in the contract before you sign.

5 min read
Debt Advisory

Private Credit in Australia: A Guide for Mid-Market Borrowers

Private credit has become a real alternative to the banks for Australian mid-market companies. Here is how it compares, what has changed in 2026 and how to choose a lender that will be there for the life of the loan.

5 min read
Debt Advisory

Private Credit vs. Bank Lending: Which Fits a Lower Middle Market Company?

Banks are usually cheaper. Private credit usually lends more and moves faster. Here is how the two compare on the terms that matter, and how to tell which one your financing needs.

5 min read
Debt Advisory

Refinancing Mid-Market Debt in Europe: Banks, Direct Lenders and Timing

Refinancing a European mid-market facility takes longer than most borrowers expect. Here is how the market looks after the ECB's 2026 rate rise and how to plan a refinancing so the maturity never sets the terms.

5 min read
Debt Advisory

Unitranche Loans Explained: One Facility, One Lender, One Price

A unitranche combines senior and junior debt into a single loan at a single price. Here is how it is built, what it costs and when it is the right structure for an acquisition or refinancing.

5 min read
SME Lending

Unsecured Business Loans UK: How Lenders Assess SMEs

What UK lenders look at when assessing an unsecured business loan, how these loans are usually structured, why applications are declined and how to prepare a cleaner case.

6 min read
News

Lending market news

All news
23 October 2026Europe

European refinancing slows as spreads widen

Carlsquare's review of the third quarter found refinancing volumes in the European leveraged loan market down almost 70 percent on the previous quarter, to 5.5 billion euros, while direct lenders completed an estimated 9.6 billion euros of deals, their busiest quarter since late 2025. For mid-market borrowers, direct lenders are filling the gap, but at an average spread of 526 basis points so far this year. Companies with maturities in 2027 should start preparing now.

Source: Carlsquare, European Debt Markets Q3 2026
16 October 2026United States

U.S. direct lending volume at its lowest since 2023

KBRA DLD reported 38.9 billion dollars of direct lending in the third quarter, the lowest quarterly total since the second quarter of 2023, while spreads on lower middle market buyout loans rose to SOFR plus 528 basis points, a two-year high. Slower deal flow means funds are competing harder for good credits. Borrowers with clean numbers are in a strong position to push on terms beyond the headline margin.

Source: KBRA DLD, October 2026
1 October 2026Australia

Scrutiny of Australian private credit increases

After redemption freezes at several funds and a warning from ASIC in June that fund valuations must be current, accurate and grounded in realistic assumptions, the regulator has signaled enforcement action in the sector. The Reserve Bank's October Financial Stability Review judged that private credit does not pose a system-wide risk at present. For borrowers, the strength and funding of an individual lender now deserve as much attention as its terms.

Source: Clayton Utz, October 2026
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Each piece comes from the questions owners and finance leaders bring to a first call. They are written to be used: what lenders look at, which terms matter and what to do next.

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