HarbourView Closes on $500 Million in Additional Debt Financing from KKR to Expand Entertainment, Media, and Sports Investment Opportunities

Rhea-AI Summary

HarbourView Equity Partners has secured an additional $500 million in debt financing through a private securitization backed by its music portfolio, with participation from KKR-managed insurance vehicles. This follows a similar $500 million financing secured in 2024. HarbourView, managing $2.67B in regulatory assets, has built a diverse portfolio of over 70 music catalogs comprising 35,000+ songs. The firm has expanded into media projects, including financing Hip Hop biopics with Will Smith's Westbrook Studios and investing in Usher's concert film. KKR's Asset-Based Finance strategy, which provided the financing, manages approximately $74 billion in assets globally. Barclays acted as the sole structuring advisor for the transaction, with KKR Capital Markets and Fifth Third Bank serving as placement agents.

Positive

• Secured substantial $500M additional debt financing, doubling the previous year's financing
• Strong portfolio growth with over 70 music catalogs and 35,000+ songs across various genres
• Expansion into new entertainment ventures including film projects with major industry players
• Backing from major financial institution KKR demonstrates confidence in business model
• Assets under management reached $2.67B, showing significant scale

Negative

• Increased debt load could impact future financial flexibility
• Heavy reliance on debt financing for growth strategy
• Potential risk exposure to entertainment industry volatility

Insights

Investment Banking Analyst

KKR expands entertainment IP investments with $500M additional debt financing to HarbourView, strengthening its $74B asset-based finance strategy.

This transaction marks KKR's second major financing arrangement with HarbourView, following a $500 million debt financing in 2024, bringing their total commitment to $1 billion. The deal is strategically significant as it bolsters KKR's Asset-Based Finance (ABF) strategy, which now manages approximately $74 billion in assets globally across High-Grade and Opportunistic ABF strategies.

The investment targets intellectual property in music catalogs - an asset class that historically shows low correlation to broader market volatility. HarbourView's portfolio now encompasses over 70 music catalogs with 35,000+ songs across master recordings and publishing rights, creating a diversified revenue stream. This portfolio composition aligns with KKR's stated focus on privately originated credit investments backed by large, diversified asset pools.

For KKR shareholders, this expanded partnership demonstrates the firm's continued execution of its alternative asset strategy, particularly in the growing entertainment IP space. The transaction leverages KKR's insurance vehicles, showcasing the firm's ability to deploy insurance capital into specialized investment opportunities that can generate stable, long-term returns - a key differentiator for KKR's business model.

The structured finance aspect, with Barclays as the sole structuring advisor and KKR Capital Markets as a placement agent, highlights KKR's vertical integration capabilities in both providing capital and facilitating market transactions. With HarbourView managing $2.67 billion in regulatory assets, this deepened relationship represents meaningful scale in KKR's private credit portfolio segment.

NEWARK, N.J., June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HarbourView Equity Partners (HarbourView), an alternative asset management company focused on investment opportunities in the entertainment, media, and sports space, with approximately *$2.67B in regulatory assets under management, has closed an additional $500 million in debt financing through a new private securitization backed by its diversified, scaled music portfolio. Insurance vehicles managed by KKR, a leading global investment firm, participated in the transaction.

This latest financing expands on the nearly $500 million in debt financing HarbourView secured in 2024 from KKR-managed insurance vehicles and accounts and other investors.

"We are thrilled to have KKR's continued support as we further scale the firm," said HarbourView Founder and CEO Sherrese Clarke. "This additional capital from KKR will help us accelerate our strategy to align with where the media, sports and entertainment markets are headed. We see a tremendous opportunity to continue investing in evergreen intellectual property, which we believe is historically uncorrelated to broader market volatility and forms a powerful diversification tool."

"We are pleased to further support HarbourView and to invest in this well-diversified, scaled and high-quality portfolio through our High-Grade Asset-Based Finance strategy. Music IP is one of many areas of opportunity that we see for this strategy and an example of its breadth," said Avi Korn and Chris Mellia, Global Co-Heads of Asset-Based Finance at KKR.

KKR's Asset-Based Finance (ABF) strategy focuses on privately originated and negotiated credit investments that are backed by large and diversified pools of financial and hard assets, offering diversification to traditional corporate credit and attractive risk-adjusted returns. KKR's ABF platform began investing in 2016 and now has approximately $74 billion in ABF assets under management globally across its High-Grade ABF and Opportunistic ABF strategies.

Established in 2021, HarbourView Equity Partners has solidified its position in the industry, building a distinctly diverse portfolio featuring thousands of titles spanning numerous genres, eras, and artists. With data analytics and value creation at its core, the firm seeks to deliver differentiated returns in partnership with the creative ecosystem. The firm has acquired over 70 music catalogs encompassing over 35,000 songs across both master recordings and publishing income streams. The company most recently made a deal to finance a slate of Hip Hop biopics in partnership with Will Smith's Westbrook Studios, Flavor Unit and Jesse Collins Entertainment, starting with a Queen Latifah biopic. This followed an investment in Usher's 2024 concert film "Rendezvous in Paris."

The financing, solely structured by Barclays, further emphasizes HarbourView's commitment to targeting the best execution for its growing LP base and comes on the heels of numerous major deals.

"Barclays is proud to once again support HarbourView. This deal underscores the strong demand from investors for uncorrelated assets and highlights our track record of supporting music and media companies in accessing efficient, scalable capital," said Salina Sabri, Managing Director, Securitized Products Origination at Barclays. "We are grateful to play a small role in HarbourView's continued growth".

Barclays served as sole structuring advisor in this transaction. Barclays and KKR Capital Markets acted as placement agents, and Fifth Third Bank, National Association as passive placement agent.

About HarbourView Equity Partners

HarbourView Equity Partners is an investment firm focused on opportunities to support premium content across the entertainment, sports, and media markets. The firm seeks businesses or assets powered by IP and investment opportunities that aim to build enduring asset value and returns. HarbourView has been extremely active since launching in 2021, amassing roughly $2.67 billion* in regulatory assets under management including over 70+ music catalogs to date and investments in various portfolio companies with management teams in its core industries. The firm's distinctly diverse music portfolio features thousands of titles spanning numerous genres, eras, and artists, amounting to a diversified catalog of ~35,000+ songs across both master recordings and publishing income streams. The company is headquartered in Newark, NJ.

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* Unaudited as of 12/31/2024

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group's website at www.globalatlantic.com. 

About Barclays

Our vision is to be the UK-centred leader in global finance. We are a diversified bank with comprehensive UK consumer, corporate and wealth and private banking franchises, a leading global investment bank and a strong, specialist US consumer bank. Through these five divisions, we are working together for a better financial future for our customers, clients and communities. The Investment Bank helps money managers, financial institutions, governments, supranational organisations and corporate clients manage their funding, investing, financing, and strategic and risk management needs. www.barclays.com/ib.

*Regulatory AUM for private funds are calculated regardless of the nature of the gross assets under management. This includes any uncalled committed capital pursuant to an obligation to make a capital contribution to the fund.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/harbourview-closes-on-500-million-in-additional-debt-financing-from-kkr-to-expand-entertainment-media-and-sports-investment-opportunities-302475712.html

SOURCE HarbourView Equity Partners

FAQ

How much additional debt financing did HarbourView secure from KKR in 2025?

HarbourView secured $500 million in additional debt financing from KKR-managed insurance vehicles through a private securitization backed by its music portfolio.

What is the total size of HarbourView's music catalog portfolio?

HarbourView's portfolio includes over 70 music catalogs encompassing more than 35,000 songs across both master recordings and publishing income streams.

How much does KKR's Asset-Based Finance platform manage in assets?

KKR's Asset-Based Finance platform manages approximately $74 billion in assets globally across its High-Grade ABF and Opportunistic ABF strategies.

What are HarbourView's recent entertainment industry investments?

HarbourView recently invested in a slate of Hip Hop biopics with Will Smith's Westbrook Studios and Usher's 2024 concert film 'Rendezvous in Paris.'

What is HarbourView's total regulatory assets under management?

HarbourView has approximately $2.67 billion in regulatory assets under management as of December 31, 2024.