OREANDA-NEWS. Fitch Ratings assigns the following ratings to CIFC Funding 2015-III, Ltd./LLC:

-- $325,000,000 class A notes 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable.

Fitch does not rate the class B, C, D, E, F or subordinated notes.

TRANSACTION SUMMARY

CIFC Funding 2015-III, Ltd. (the issuer) and CIFC Funding 2015-III, LLC (the co-issuer) comprise an arbitrage cash flow collateralized loan obligation (CLO) that will be managed by CIFC Asset Management LLC (CIFC). Net proceeds from the issuance of the secured and subordinated notes will be used to purchase a portfolio of approximately $500 million of primarily senior secured leveraged loans. The CLO will have an approximately four-year reinvestment period and a two-year non-call period.

KEY RATING DRIVERS
Sufficient Credit Enhancement: Credit enhancement (CE) of 35.0% for class A notes, in addition to excess spread, is sufficient to protect against portfolio default and recovery rate projections in a 'AAAsf' stress scenario. The degree of CE available to class A notes is lower than the average CE of recent CLO issuances; however, cash flow modeling indicates performance in line with other 'AAAsf' CLO notes.

'B' Asset Quality: The average credit quality of the indicative portfolio is 'B', which is comparable to recent CLOs. Issuers rated in the 'B' rating category denote a highly speculative credit quality; however, in Fitch's opinion, class A notes are unlikely to be affected by the foreseeable level of defaults. Class A notes are projected to be able to withstand default rates of up to 59.9%.

Strong Recovery Expectations: The indicative portfolio consists of 99.0% first-lien senior secured loans. Approximately 95.6% of the indicative portfolio has either strong recovery prospects or a Fitch-assigned Recovery Rating of 'RR2' or higher, resulting in a base case recovery assumption of 78.8%. In determining the class A note rating, Fitch stressed the indicative portfolio by assuming a higher portfolio concentration of assets with lower recovery prospects and further reduced recovery assumptions for higher rating stress assumptions. The analysis of class A notes assumed a 38.1% recovery rate in Fitch's 'AAAsf' scenario.

RATING SENSITIVITIES
Fitch evaluated the structure's sensitivity to the potential variability of key model assumptions, including decreases in recovery rates and increases in default rates or correlation. Fitch expects the class A notes to remain investment grade even under the most extreme sensitivity scenarios. Results under these sensitivity scenarios ranged between 'A-sf' and 'AAAsf' for the class A notes.

Key Rating Drivers and Rating Sensitivities are further described in the forthcoming new issue report, which will be available to investors on Fitch's website at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

DUE DILIGENCE USAGE
No third party due diligence was provided or reviewed in relation to this rating action.

The publication of a Representations, Warranties and Enforcement Mechanisms appendix is not required for this transaction.