
The Pioneer Cat Bond Fund is a type of investment that allows you to diversify your portfolio with a unique asset class.
Investing in the Pioneer Cat Bond Fund provides access to a diversified portfolio of catastrophe bonds, which offer a new way to manage risk.
The fund is designed to provide a steady stream of income through regular interest payments, making it an attractive option for income-seeking investors.
By investing in the Pioneer Cat Bond Fund, you can potentially reduce your overall portfolio risk and increase your returns over the long term.
US Performance
The Pioneer CAT Bond Fund has seen significant growth, surpassing $500 million in assets under management. This is a testament to its strong demand and investor confidence.
The fund has been attracting capital at a rapid pace, with its size more than doubling in 2024. In fact, it has roughly tripled in size over the course of 2024 so far, reaching $426 million in assets.
Amundi US has been able to expand its ILS fund strategy, with the Pioneer CAT Bond Fund being one of its most successful offerings. This growth is a result of the fund's ability to deliver double-digit returns in the current catastrophe bond market environment.
US Surpasses $500m, ILS AUM $1.2bn+

The US Amundi US cat bond fund has seen significant growth, surpassing $500 million in assets under management. This is a testament to the strong demand for its dedicated ILS fund strategy.
The Pioneer CAT Bond Fund has been a key driver of this growth, with its assets under management now exceeding $500 million. This is a notable milestone for the fund, which has been attracting capital from investors.
Amundi US has been able to expand its ILS fund strategy, with the Pioneer CAT Bond Fund now contributing to a total of $1.2 billion in assets under management. This is a significant increase from previous levels.
The cat bond market has been a popular choice for investors, with Amundi US' Pioneer CAT Bond Fund being one of the most successful strategies in this space.
Cbyyx Performance
Pioneer CAT Bond Y has a high expense ratio of 1.51%, which is 15% higher than its category average.

High expense ratios can significantly reduce your rate of return, making it challenging to overcome excessive fees.
The fund's portfolio turnover rate is 25%, indicating that it holds its assets for around 0.0 years, which can lead to higher expenses and lower after-tax returns.
For comparison, the average portfolio turnover in the Nontraditional Bond category is 341%.
In January 2025, Pioneer CAT Bond Y returned 0.5%, earning it a grade of F, as the Nontraditional Bond category had an average return of 1.0%.
A grade of F indicates that the return is in the lowest 20% for that time period compared to all funds in that category.
Investment Details
The Pioneer CAT Bond Fund is an actively managed fund that invests at least 80% of its net assets in catastrophe bonds.
The fund seeks total return, and its investment strategy is focused on transferring specific risks associated with severe events to capital market investors.
The fund is non-diversified, meaning it may invest in a smaller number of securities, and it may use derivatives such as currency forward contracts and bond and interest rate futures.
Here are the key facts about the fund's portfolio:
- The fund has 177 securities in its portfolio.
- The top 10 holdings constitute 20.5% of the fund’s assets.
- 67.1% of the fund's portfolio is invested in foreign issues.
- The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 94.6%.
- 5.4% of the portfolio is in cash.
The fund is managed by a team of experienced professionals, with an average tenure of 2.16 years, and is part of the Fixed Income global asset class and the Taxable Bond fund group.
Investment Analysis
The Pioneer Cat Bond Fund invests in cat bonds, which are bonds that transfer natural catastrophe risk from insurers to investors.
Cat bonds typically have lower credit risk compared to traditional bonds, as they are backed by the potential losses from natural disasters.
Pioneer Cat Bond Fund's investment strategy focuses on high-yielding cat bonds with strong credit profiles.
Investors in the fund can expect to earn returns in the form of interest payments and potential capital gains from the sale of cat bonds.
The fund's portfolio is diversified across multiple cat bonds, which helps to reduce risk and increase potential returns.
Pioneer's research team thoroughly evaluates each cat bond investment to ensure it meets the fund's strict credit and liquidity standards.
By investing in cat bonds, the fund aims to provide investors with a unique source of income and diversification benefits in their portfolios.
Performance Overview
The Pioneer CAT Bond Y fund has had a mixed performance over the past year, with a return of 14.2% (grade of A) but underperforming the category by 8.0% over the same period.
The fund's one-year return is significantly higher than its year-to-date return, which is 0.5%. This suggests that the fund has had a strong recovery in the past year.
Here's a breakdown of the fund's performance over the past few years:
The fund's performance has been volatile, with a return of 15.7% in 2024 but a return of only 0.5% in 2025. The fund's grade has also fluctuated, with an A grade in 2024 but an F grade in 2025.
The fund's yield is 10.3%, which is significantly higher than the average non-traditional bond fund. This suggests that the fund is taking on more risk in order to generate higher returns.
The fund's portfolio turnover is 25%, which is relatively high compared to other funds. This suggests that the fund is actively trading its holdings in order to generate returns.
Y Grades
The Y Grades of the Pioneer CAT Bond Fund are a key metric to understand its performance.
The fund has received a grade of F for the year to date, 0.6 percentage points worse than the category.
The Y Grades are based on the fund's return compared to the category average.
Here's a breakdown of the Y Grades for the Pioneer CAT Bond Fund:
The Y Grades show that the fund has performed well in the long term, with an A grade for the past year and 14.2% return.
Assets and Management
The Pioneer CAT Bond fund has $630 million in total assets, which is significantly above the $498 million average for the Nontraditional Bond category. This large asset base is a notable aspect of the fund's management.
Having such a large amount of assets can actually be a double-edged sword, as it may make it difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy. This is especially true in certain investment categories, such as small-cap investing, where rapid growth in assets can be a challenge.
The fund's asset size also affects its expense ratio, which is typically higher for funds with lower assets under management.
Operating Fees
Amundi US aims to keep fees low on the Pioneer CAT Bond Fund.
Charging investors lower fees is a key goal for Amundi US.
The fund's target is to deliver double-digit returns, a significant benchmark.
Lower fees can make a big difference in investors' overall returns.
Top 10 Holdings
The company's top holdings are a crucial aspect of its overall financial health.
Mystic Re IV Ltd holds the first spot with a percentage of 2.63%.
Kendall Re Ltd comes in second with 2.32% of the total holdings.
Lightning Re Series 2023-12 takes the third spot with a percentage of 2.16% is not correct, but 12.16% is, however, the highest percentage listed.
2001 Cat RE Ltd holds the fourth spot with 2.15% of the total holdings.
FloodSmart Re Ltd takes the fifth spot with a percentage of 1.86%.
Nakama Re Pte Ltd holds the sixth spot with 1.82% of the total holdings.
Matterhorn Re Ltd comes in seventh with a percentage of 1.71%.
Sutter Re Ltd, Palm RE Ltd, and Acorn Re Ltd take the last three spots with percentages of 1.67%, 1.67%, and 1.48% respectively.
Here are the top 10 holdings in a concise list:
- Mystic Re IV Ltd - 2.63%
- Kendall Re Ltd - 2.32%
- Lightning Re Series 2023-12 - 12.16%
- 2001 Cat RE Ltd - 2.15%
- FloodSmart Re Ltd - 1.86%
- Nakama Re Pte Ltd - 1.82%
- Matterhorn Re Ltd - 1.71%
- Sutter Re Ltd - 1.67%
- Palm RE Ltd - 1.67%
- Acorn Re Ltd - 1.48%
Assets Under Management
Assets Under Management is a crucial factor to consider when evaluating a fund's performance. Having $630 million in total assets, as seen in Pioneer CAT Bond Y, is actually above the $498 million average for the Nontraditional Bond category.
This larger asset base can be beneficial in terms of economies of scale, potentially reducing costs and increasing efficiency. However, it's worth noting that in some investment categories, like small-cap investing, a larger asset base can make it harder for the manager to fully implement their desired strategy.
Pioneer CAT Bond Y's significant assets under management may also impact its expense ratio. Typically, lower assets under management are associated with higher average expense ratios, so it's essential to consider this trade-off when making investment decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the disadvantages of cat bonds?
CAT bonds come with the risk of losing your initial investment if the insurance company can't make payments. They may also fail to provide diversification benefits during economic downturns and natural disasters.
What is the average return on a cat bond?
The average return on a cat bond is around 14.88%, based on 2023 data. This return rate may be a reliable benchmark for diversified cat bond fund strategies.
Can you invest in cat bonds?
Yes, investors can purchase cat bonds, providing a financial cushion for insurance companies in exchange for a higher interest rate. This unique investment opportunity offers a distinct alternative to traditional bonds.
Sources
- https://www.artemis.bm/news/topic/pioneer-cat-bond-fund/
- https://www.dividend.com/funds/cbyyx-pioneer-series-trust-vii-pioneer-cat-bond-fd-usd-cls-y/
- https://www.aaii.com/fund/ticker/CBYYX
- https://www.artemis.bm/news/pioneer-cat-bond-fund-leaps-to-218m-aum-15-9-1-year-return/
- https://capedge.com/fund/S000078993/pioneer-cat-bond-fund
Featured Images: pexels.com