Third Point Announces the Acquisition of AS Birch Grove

Business Wire

Firm Significantly Expands Credit Capabilities, Adding Premier CLO Franchise and Other Complementary Strategies

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Third Point LLC (“Third Point”), an alternative investment manager with $12 billion of assets, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AS Birch Grove LP (“Birch Grove”), a diversified alternative credit fund manager. Upon consummation of the transaction, expected in Q1 2025, American Securities will no longer be an owner of Birch Grove, which will become a subsidiary of Third Point.

Third Point, founded in 1995 by CEO Daniel S. Loeb, is an event-driven investor in equities, venture capital, and credit strategies including structured, performing, distressed, and private credit. It holds a substantial portion of its assets in credit securities and introduced dedicated credit fund offerings beginning in 2020. Third Point launched Malibu Life Re, a life-and-annuity insurer based in the Cayman Islands, in 2024, and is expanding into other liability-driven investing businesses. The firm’s acquisition of Birch Grove will supplement Third Point’s credit capabilities to better serve its investors across all asset classes.

Birch Grove, founded in 2013 by CEO and CIO Jonathan Berger and President Andrew Fink, has approximately $8 billion of assets under management in strategies including collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), opportunistic private credit solutions, multi-strategy credit, senior loans, and high-yield bonds. Birch Grove’s CLO investments account for more than $5 billion of its current AUM.

Upon closing of the transaction, expected in Q1 2025, Mr. Berger will maintain his responsibilities at Birch Grove and additionally become Co-Head of Credit at Third Point alongside Third Point Partner Ian Wallace. Mr. Wallace; Shalini Sriram, Head of Structured Credit; Chris Taylor, Head of Private Credit; and Stephen Schatzman, Head of Opportunistic Credit; will continue to lead their strategies. While Birch Grove and Third Point’s existing funds will be run separately, Mr. Berger will work with Mr. Loeb, Mr. Wallace, Ms. Sriram, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Schatzman to develop new products reflecting the firm’s complementary strategies.

Birch Grove has seventeen credit analysts and five credit origination professionals sourcing credit opportunities across North America and Europe. The Birch Grove team, led by Mr. Berger and Mr. Fink, will maintain their roles and responsibilities for managing Birch Grove’s assets.

Daniel S. Loeb said “Birch Grove’s businesses further diversify our credit platform. Their well-established CLO franchise has strong momentum, and their capital solutions business complements our new private credit strategy. As each firms’ investors seek alternative-credit opportunities for their portfolios, I am confident that this combination will offer compelling solutions.”

Jonathan Berger said “We are delighted to become part of the Third Point platform. Third Point’s three-decade track record of successfully investing in credit markets and tenured team of investment professionals will help drive our funds forward.”

Ian Wallace said “We look forward to working with Birch Grove to build on Third Point’s long history of delivering superior returns for our investors. Our growing capabilities will benefit our partners who are looking for increased diversification in their credit portfolios.”

Michael Fisch, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at American Securities, said “We are proud of the opportunistic credit business we founded in 2006 that became AS Birch Grove in 2021, and we wish the platform continued success in this next chapter.”

Jefferies LLC acted as sole financial advisor to Third Point and Willkie Farr & Gallagher provided legal counsel.

Birch Grove’s financial advisor is GreensLedge Capital Markets LLC and Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP provided legal counsel.

American Securities was advised by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

About Third Point:

Third Point LLC is an alternative investment firm managing $12 billion in assets for public institutions, private entities, and qualified individual clients. Chief Executive Officer Daniel S. Loeb founded Third Point in 1995 and oversees its investment activities. Third Point employs an opportunistic approach to invest globally in equity and credit securities. In addition to its flagship hedge fund, Third Point’s platform includes funds dedicated to structured, private, and corporate credit, and venture capital. In 2024, Third Point launched Malibu Life Re, a Cayman Islands-based life and annuity reinsurer.

About Birch Grove:

Based in New York, Birch Grove is an $8 billion diversified alternative credit manager focused on corporate and structured credit opportunities primarily within the United States within both the liquid and private credit markets. The founders of Birch Grove have built and managed similar alternative asset management platforms over the last 25 years.