Ares Management Announces First Quarter 2025 U.S. Direct Lending Origination Activity

Rhea-AI Summary

Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) reported strong direct lending activity in Q1 2025, closing $11.5 billion in U.S. direct lending commitments across 81 transactions. The company achieved a record-breaking milestone of $50.4 billion in direct lending commitments across 351 transactions for the 12 months ended March 31, 2025. The press release detailed 13 significant transactions where Ares served as administrative agent, lead arranger, or bookrunner for various senior secured credit facilities. These deals supported major private equity firms including TPG Capital, Permira, Bain Capital, and Carlyle in acquisitions and growth initiatives across diverse sectors such as aviation, healthcare, insurance, and technology.

Positive

• Record-breaking $50.4 billion in direct lending commitments over 12 months
• Strong Q1 2025 performance with $11.5 billion in new commitments
• Diverse portfolio across multiple sectors showing strong market positioning
• Multiple high-profile deals with leading private equity firms

Negative

• None.

Insights

Financial Analyst specializing in Alternative Asset Management

Ares' record $50.4B in lending commitments demonstrates exceptional growth in private credit and strong positioning within the PE ecosystem.

Ares Management's direct lending business has delivered exceptional origination activity, with $11.5 billion in new commitments across 81 transactions in Q1 2025, contributing to a record $50.4 billion over the trailing twelve months. This unprecedented scale underscores Ares' position as a dominant player in the expanding private credit market.

The transaction details reveal Ares' strategic diversification across sectors - from healthcare (BVI Medical, Cambrex) and technology (Anaqua, ID.me) to infrastructure and specialized services. Their involvement in multiple PE-backed acquisitions demonstrates their integral role in the private equity ecosystem, supporting firms like TPG, Nordic Capital, Permira, and Bain Capital.

Particularly noteworthy is Ares' frequent designation as administrative agent and lead arranger across these transactions. These roles typically command premium economics within the lending syndicate and provide greater control over transaction terms. This positioning speaks to Ares' market credibility and relationships with financial sponsors.

The robust pipeline indicates strong origination capabilities and suggests Ares has effectively positioned itself as a preferred financing partner for mid-market transactions. While commitments don't immediately translate to deployed capital, they represent a strong foundation for future assets under management growth.

For context, this deal volume demonstrates how alternative asset managers like Ares have capitalized on the structural shift in corporate lending away from traditional banks. Their ability to raise and deploy capital at this scale reflects investor confidence in private credit as an attractive asset class in the current market environment.

$11.5 Billion in New Commitments Closed in the First Quarter, Reaching a Record of $50.4 Billion Closed in the 12 Months Ended March 31, 2025

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / May 5, 2025 / Ares Management Corporation (NYSE:ARES) announced today that funds managed by its Credit Group (collectively "Ares") closed approximately $11.5 billion in U.S. direct lending commitments across 81 transactions during the first quarter of 2025 and approximately $50.4 billion in direct lending commitments across 351 transactions in the 12 months ended March 31, 2025. The $50.4 billion of commitments over the 12-month period represents a new record for the U.S. Direct Lending business. Below is a description of selected transactions that Ares closed during the first quarter of 2025.

Acron Aviation / TJC

Ares served as an administrative agent and lead arranger for a senior secured credit facility to support TJC's acquisition of Acron Aviation, a carve-out of the Commercial Aviation Solutions Business of L3Harris Technologies. Acron Aviation is a manufacturer of mission critical, IP-driven avionics products and provider of an integrated suite of aircraft training solutions.

Anaqua / Nordic Capital

Ares served as an administrative agent, lead arranger and bookrunner for a senior secured credit facility to support Nordic Capital's acquisition of Anaqua. Anaqua is a provider of intellectual property management software that allows companies to manage their intellectual property ("IP") across the IP lifecycle.

BVI Medical / TPG Growth

Ares served as an administrative agent and joint lead arranger for a senior secured credit facility to support TPG Capital's continued growth plans for BVI Medical. BVI Medical is a leading, global developer, manufacturer, and distributor of a broad range ophthalmic surgical products, including consumables, intraocular lenses, equipment, and surgical fluids, serving customers across the globe.

Cambrex / Permira

Ares served as a joint lead arranger for a senior secured credit facility to support Permira's continued growth plans of Cambrex. Cambrex is a leading western-based pharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization that provides drug substance and analytical services across the entire drug lifecycle.

Clario / Astorg & Nordic Capital

Ares served as a joint lead arranger for a senior secured credit facility to support Astorg and Nordic Capital's continued growth plans for Clario. Clario is a leading provider of endpoint data solutions to the clinical trials industry, generating high-quality clinical evidence for their pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device partners, offering comprehensive evidence generation solutions that combine eCOA, cardiac solutions, medical imaging, precision motion, and respiratory endpoints.

Encore Fire Protection / Permira

Ares served as an administrative agent and joint lead arranger for a senior secured credit facility to support Permira's acquisition of Encore Fire Protection. Encore Fire Protection is a leading provider of fire & life safety solutions including maintenance, inspection, repair, replacements and installation for alarm systems, sprinklers, and suppression equipment.

Foundation Risk Partners / Partners Group

Ares served as an administrative agent, sole lead arranger, and sole bookrunner for a senior secured credit facility to support Partner Group's continued growth plans for Foundation Risk Partners. Foundation Risk Partners is a leading national insurance broker, providing diversified insurance products and solutions to its customers through partnering with growth-oriented agencies.

Frontline Road Safety Holdings / Bain Capital

Ares served as a lead arranger and bookrunner for a senior secured credit facility to support Bain Capital's acquisition of Frontline Road Safety Holdings. Frontline Road Safety Holdings is a leading national provider of pavement marking services to roadways and airports across the U.S.

Ground Penetrating Radar Services ("GPRS") / Roark Capital

Ares served as an administrative agent, joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner for a senior secured credit facility to support Roark Capital's acquisition of Ground Penetrating Radar Services. GPRS is a leading national provider of private locating services with a complementary suite of service offerings such as video pipe inspection, leak detection, and laser scanning services.

ID.me

Ares served as administrative agent and sole lender for a senior secured credit facility to support ID.me's continued growth plans. ID.me is a leading provider of digital identity verification for federal and state agencies, as well as enterprises, with a network of 139+ million verified members.

SageSure

Ares served as an administrative agent for a senior secured credit facility to support SageSure's acquisition of GeoVera. SageSure is one of the largest managing general underwriters focused on catastrophe-exposed property markets in the US.

Vantive Health / Carlyle

Ares served as an administrative agent, joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner for a senior secured credit facility to support Carlyle's acquisition of Baxter International's Kidney Care segment, Vantive. Vantive is a global leader in kidney and acute care, manufacturing at-home and in-clinic dialysis products for patients. The Company has a 70-year legacy as a pioneer in kidney disease and vital organ therapies.

Vitu / Accel-KKR

Ares served as an administrative agent, joint lead arranger, and joint bookrunner for a senior secured credit facility to support Vitu, a portfolio company of Accel-KKR, in its acquisition of the Dealertrack registration and titling business from Cox Automotive. Vitu offers a comprehensive technology platform that automates vehicle registration and other traditionally manual processes for automotive state agencies and car dealerships.

About Ares Management Corporation

Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) is a leading global alternative investment manager offering clients complementary primary and secondary investment solutions across the credit, real estate, private equity and infrastructure asset classes. We seek to provide flexible capital to support businesses and create value for our stakeholders and within our communities. By collaborating across our investment groups, we aim to generate consistent and attractive investment returns throughout market cycles. As of March 31, 2025, Ares Management Corporation's global platform had approximately $546 billion of assets under management, with operations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.aresmgmt.com.

Investor Relations:
irares@aresmgmt.com

Media:
media@aresmgmt.com

SOURCE: Ares Management Corporation

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

FAQ

How much did Ares Management (ARES) lend in Q1 2025?

Ares Management closed approximately $11.5 billion in U.S. direct lending commitments across 81 transactions during Q1 2025.

What is the total value of ARES lending commitments for the 12 months ending March 2025?

Ares Management reached a record $50.4 billion in direct lending commitments across 351 transactions for the 12 months ended March 31, 2025.

Which major private equity firms did Ares Management work with in Q1 2025?

Ares worked with several major private equity firms including TPG Capital, Permira, Bain Capital, Carlyle, Nordic Capital, and Roark Capital.

What types of transactions did ARES complete in Q1 2025?

Ares primarily served as administrative agent, lead arranger, and bookrunner for various senior secured credit facilities supporting acquisitions and growth initiatives across sectors including aviation, healthcare, insurance, and technology.