iShares AAA CLO Active ETF (CLOA) is an actively managed exchange-traded fund that seeks capital preservation and current income through investments principally in U.S. dollar-denominated, AAA-rated collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). The fund, issued by BlackRock under the iShares brand, primarily holds senior tranches of CLOs backed by diversified portfolios of broadly syndicated loans; key holdings include Benefit Street Partners CLOs, OHA Credit Funding series, BlueMountain CLOs, Sandstone Peak, and Elmwood CLOs, with approximately 300-365 positions and low concentration in top holdings (top 10 typically under 9%). It features a net expense ratio of 0.20%, monthly distributions, and benchmarks against the JP Morgan CLOIE AAA Index.
Launched on January 10, 2023, CLOA is domiciled in the United States and trades on Nasdaq, with assets under management exceeding $1.4 billion as of late 2025. Headquartered in New York through BlackRock, Inc., the fund operates globally but focuses on U.S. and select non-U.S. CLO issuers, targeting institutional and retail investors seeking investment-grade fixed income exposure with yields above traditional bonds and low volatility. Portfolio management is led by BlackRock's Global Fundamental Credit CLO Tranche team, including Saffet Ozbalci (Global Head of Structured Credit), Tyler Debussey, Peter Hirsh, and Nidhi Patel, emphasizing security selection, credit analysis, and risk management.
In recent developments, CLOA has seen portfolio manager updates with Tyler Debussey joining in November 2024; the fund maintained steady growth amid CLO market expansion, with assets rising from inception levels to over $1.4 billion by 2025. No major acquisitions, funding rounds, or strategic alliances specific to CLOA were reported in 2024-2025, though BlackRock announced plans for similar AAA CLO ETFs in Europe targeting USD- and EUR-denominated CLOs, reflecting broader iShares CLO strategy extension. The fund continues active management without significant reorganizations, focusing on AAA tranche diversification in a higher-rate environment.