Justin is the Portfolio Manager of the Pender Alternative Absolute Return Fund. He joined Pender in August 2021.
Justin most recently worked as a Senior Portfolio Manager at one of Canada’s largest pension fund managers. During his four-year tenure, he was responsible for managing a high-yield focused credit strategy, generating returns for the underlying pension funds. Justin has also spent 11 years at a highly regarded Canadian investment firm. He worked in progressive roles as a member of the firm’s fixed income team. His investment research contributed to the Absolute Return and High Yield Bond strategies at the firm.
Justin’s investment approach is centered around his quick response to market dynamics, taking advantage of opportunities and reacting to increased risk. The key is intelligent security selection across capital structures and markets, supported by active investing, as experienced and applied through multiple market cycles. He has demonstrated the patience and discipline to hold a high quality but out-of-favour security, while constantly re-evaluating his investment thesis in response to new information. Justin is focused on uncovering the best risk-adjusted opportunities in every market cycle and dynamically adjusts portfolio positioning for market environments to protect and grow capital. He utilizes strategies such as distressed credit investing, event-driven trading, capital structure arbitrage, and actively works with management teams to help shape positive outcomes for the securities held.
Justin graduated with a BA in Honours History from Western University and an MBA in Finance from Washington State University. He earned his Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2012.
Having lived in Victoria for four years, Justin relocated back to his home city of Vancouver with his wife and two children. He is an outdoor enthusiast, who enjoys skiing and playing golf whenever he can.
Dear Unitholders, The Pender Alternative Absolute Return Fund finished January with a return of -0.1% [1]. Markets rebounded in January following a soft end to 2024. High yield spreads tightened 24bp in January to finish the month at 268bp Govt OAS, after hitting a multi-decade low of 259bp on January 22. The HFRI Credit Index, […]
Highlights The Fund generated a positive December and found opportunities in the new issue markets in both Canada and the US that included Wolf Midstream Canada LP (private) and Diebold Nixdorf Incorporated (NYSE: DBD). Our position in Neiman Marcus Group’s bond was called in late December which generated an IRR of more than 10% since […]
Highlights The riskiest segments of the high yield market performed the best in November, continuing a trend that started in July. We added to our holdings in Wolf Midstream Canada LP (private) in early December. At this time, we prefer the bonds of larger, higher quality issuers like Hilton (NYSE: HLT) with a much larger […]
Highlights Credit markets had their second negative month of 2024 in October as government bond yields reversed all the decline of the summer months. Credit spreads continued to grind tighter, with high yield spreads hitting new post 2007 lows in October. Selling activity included positions in Canadian bank low reset Limited Recourse Capital Notes (“LRCNs”) […]
Highlights With the global rate cut cycle now well underway we have been actively reducing our exposure to broadly syndicated loans. The Fund closed out a small, long position bond issued by a stressed US office REIT. It now has two positions in securities issued by office REITs, both of which are modest short positions. […]
Highlights Market returns were driven by a combination of positive carry, narrowing spreads and lower base government bond yields. Short positions in credit were detractors on the portfolio. Contributors to the Fund included a position in Legends Hospitality 5% 2026 bonds, and from several new issues in Canadian and US high-yield markets at particularly attractive […]
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