Upon Admission to AIM, Nightcap will acquire The London Cocktail Club Limited (the "London Cocktail Club"), which is an award winning independent operator of ten individually themed cocktail bars in nine London locations and one location in Bristol. Offer TBC Due mid Jan. HSS Hire Group, HSS.L transfer from Main to Aim. Mkt Cap c. £70m. Recently raised £52.6m. Leading supplier of tool and equipment for hire in the United Kingdom and Ireland and has provided equipment hire services in the United Kingdom for more than 60 years, primarily focusing on the B2B market. Due 14 Jan. VH Global Sustainable Energy Opportunities plc, a closed-ended investment Company focused on making sustainable energy infrastructure investments, today announces intends to launch an initial public offering of shares on the Official List (Premium) of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. Due by Early Feb.
Companies: MATD WTE RMS DATA RENX IPX SOLI GTC DEST
AUM growth in 2020 has been far above expectations. In the FY to end-Sep it was up 34% from £15.1bn to £20.2bn. And this wasn’t just because of buoyant stock markets. Average quarterly inflows jumped 149% from 0.35bn to 0.87bn. Post FY-end, Oct and Nov saw another 9.4% added to AUM leaving it at £23.4bn on 30 Nov. Equally impressive financial results for FY20 have now been delivered, with revenue and adjusted operating profits slightly ahead of our previous forecasts. We increase our fundamental per share valuation to 640p.
Companies: Impax Asset Management Group plc
A step-change in client inflows is what Impax’s FY20 should be remembered for. The global structural shift towards sustainable investing continued at pace - most notably through the Feb-Mar 2020 market crash - and Impax once again proved to be a leader in this space. It ended FY20 (30 Sep) with £20.2bn AUM, 34% up year-on-year (end-FY19 £15.1bn) and 11% up in Q4 alone (£18.1bn on 30 Jun). We increase our per share valuation from 370p to 495p, mostly on higher AUM inflow expectations. While volatile markets resulted in top-line AUM swings during the year, client inflows have not only remained robust, but surged.
By 31 August 2020, 11 months into the financial year, assets under management had grown to £19.3bn, substantially above our previous year-end forecast of £17.2bn, and 28% up on the FY19 year-end level of £15.1bn. Impax’s strong and continued progress since the March 2020 market lows sees it set to exceed our year-end forecasts for revenue (£77.9m), adjusted operating profit (£20.9m), and net cash position (£32.1m) by some margin. The AUM performance is indicative of both being in an asset management sweet-spot and being a winner within it. Impax has obviously benefited from positive market moves, but also continues to see substantial client inflows, which we believe will continue.
Client inflows remained strong during the Q1 market rout, when many funds around the world saw some of the largest outflows in decades1 . That has contributed to achieving year-on-year revenue growth of 22% (£41.2m in H1- 20, up from £33.8m in H1-19), adjusted operating profit growth of 36% (£10.5m vs £7.7m), and probably most importantly in such uncertain times, a further strengthening of Impax’s net cash position, up 112% from £9.7m to £20.6m. The interim dividend has been increased by 20% to 1.8p (2019: 1.5p). In the post-results period, AUM has recovered rapidly, jumping from £14.4bn on 31 March 2020 to £17.3bn on 31 May 2020. That is a 27% annual increase measured from 31 May 2019 to 31 May 2020. The V-shaped share-price recovery from the March crash looks justified, and the current price of 381p is only slightly higher than our discounted cash flow valuation of 360-370p.
Clients of Impax continued to show their confidence in the face of a collapse in equity markets, with £1.1bn of net inflows during the recent quarter and, impressively, £6m during March. This bodes well strategically.
Companies: HAYD BOOM IGP FO IPX GBP CRCL BIDS SCHO GAMA
In October 2019, Impax reported impressive AUM growth, closing FY19 on £15.1bn, up 21% on FY18 (AUM continued to rise post year-end, to £15.7bn on 30 November 2019). Now, with the release of its annual results, we see how that growth has underpinned a rock-solid financial performance. Our fair valuation of 350p/share comfortably supports the price despite recent gains.
Research Tree provides access to ongoing research coverage, media content and regulatory news on Impax Asset Management Group plc. We currently have 39 research reports from 4 professional analysts.
What’s new: Ahead of the publication of the Group’s interims results for the six months to 31 December 2020, CLIG has released a detailed trading update which reveals: Group consolidated FuM of US$11.0 billion (£8.0 billion), which is twice the FuM of US$5.5 billion (£4.4 billion) at the Group’s year end on 30 June 2020; The merger with Karpus Management Inc ("KMI") added c US$3.6 billion from 1 October 2020; Investment performance across CLIG’s investment strategies was “strong”, following “significant discount narrowing” and “good NAV performance”; Rebalancing of client portfolios resulted in US$ 290 million of net outflows.
Companies: City of London Investment Group PLC
Although 2020 will probably go down in history as one of the most challenging years experienced during our lifetime, it will also likely be chronicled as one of the best years for the recognition and appreciation of science. As we entered 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was in its infancy. However, it rapidly evolved through the exponential rise in infections and mortality globally. Much has been achieved during the past 12 months in the fight against COVID-19, but, as we enter 2021, there are considerable concerns about the emergence of a mutant version of the virus and the second wave that we are now facing.
Companies: AVO ARBB ARIX BBGI CLIG DNL FLTA ICGT OCI PCA PIN PHP RECI STX SCE TRX SHED VTA YEW
Secure Trust Bank’s (STB) pre-close update confirms the upbeat trends evident in its Q3 update in November. The strong lending rebound continued into Q4, loan repayment holidays are at low levels, and the balance sheet has remained robust and liquid. STB reiterated that its FY20 PBT would be well ahead of £9.7m (we forecast £13.0m). However, the new COVID-19 restrictions introduced in December 2020 have affected consumer loan demand into 2021, as well as the Motor Finance business. Management expects to be better placed to disclose its outlook for FY21 when STB’s FY20 results are released on 25 March. Our forecasts (FY21 PBT £31.6m, ROE 9.1%) and fair value (1,756p per share) remain unchanged.
Companies: Secure Trust Bank Plc
Finals (9mths to Sep-20) are in line with expectations. Recurring fee income from 3rd party AuM (incl. PRSR) ensured solid profitability. The balance sheet is well resourced with £26m to develop seed assets. With a positive outlook following the launch of the £1bn JV with EQT, we see accelerating returns over the medium term. PRSR is also on track to materially complete the initial 5,200 portfolio this year. Sigma trades below our 200p+/share intrinsic valuation – which attributes no value to AuM growth, which is a strategic priority.
Companies: Sigma Capital Group plc
Allied Minds has announced that Joe Pignato has decided to step down as CEO and from the board with immediate effect. However, he will continue to support the company as CFO for an interim period as the board continues its search for a permanent CFO. As part of a streamlining process, Allied Minds will now become a board-led company with no immediate intention to appoint a new CEO. The chairman and NEDs (experienced VCs and private company investors) will represent Allied Minds on portfolio company boards (including Federated Wireless, BridgeComm and Spin Memory) with an intention to accelerate realisations where possible.
Companies: Allied Minds PLC
Sirius Real Estate has been a stand-out performer within the UK listed commercial real estate sector over the last three years, delivering a total shareholder return of 107%. The shares also offer a valuable portfolio diversifier for investors, with a geographic focus on Germany, and a focus on pro
Companies: Sirius Real Estate Limited
Vietnam Enterprise Investments (VEIL) is the largest and longest-established Vietnamese equities closed-end fund. The last quarter of 2019 and most of 2020 marked a period of portfolio repositioning for the fund. The team sold 14 holdings, and bought two, making the portfolio more focused (28 stocks at end 2020 versus 41 at end Q319) but better balanced by market cap as well as domestic and international business exposure. Over H220 the performance has picked up, with NAV total return of 28% versus 24% for the VN Index, after marginally lagging the benchmark over the past three years. The trust is well positioned for longer-term investors looking for an exposure to the fast-growing Vietnamese economy via a relatively large and liquid listed equities vehicle.
Companies: Vietnam Enterprise Investments
Volta Finance (VTA) posted a 5.7% decrease in NAV in 2020, recovering from the initial 32.4% drop in March. This was mainly supported by CLO equity tranches posting solid monthly returns in November and December 2020 at +11.0% and 9.7%, respectively. Volta had anticipated a downturn for some time and repositioned its portfolio into CLO equity over the last two years. During the early-2020 market turmoil, Volta’s manager focused on securing liquidity by fully deleveraging the portfolio and implementing cost-cutting initiatives. In December, Volta introduced a dividend policy to pay 8% of its NAV (in line with historical yields), which currently implies a prospective 9.2% yield on the share price.
Companies: Volta Finance
Pacific Horizon (PHI) generated a very impressive uplift in its NAV over the course of 2020. This reflects its focus on growth, and technology and biotech stocks in particular. These performed well as we attempted to adjust to life under the pandemic, thereby accelerating a number of structural trends. PHI provided an NAV total return of 86.1%, which eclipsed the return on the MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan of 21.2%, the broader MSCI AC World of 12.7% and the average of its Asia Pacific sector peer group of 25.3%. PHI is the top-performing trust in this sector by a significant margin. Despite this stellar growth, PHI’s manager is not resting on his laurels. Emerging Asia still remains a high-growth and underresearched region, and he continues to focus on those themes he expects to do well over the next five years. For example, EV continues to be a significant theme and the manager has been increasing exposure to the commodities needed to deliver a greener future, but which the world is structurally short of, following long-term underinvestment.
Companies: Pacific Horizon Investment Trust
Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust’s (MNP’s) manager Zehrid Osmani reports that his ongoing focus on long-term structural, sustainable business models was beneficial for the fund’s performance during the coronavirus-led market sell-off in Q120, with portfolio companies undertaking measures to protect their brand equity. He is encouraged by a general increase in investor awareness of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, an area of research that Martin Currie has focused on for several years, as he believes that ESG improvements can lead to higher total returns for shareholders. MNP’s performance has improved since the appointment of Osmani in October 2018, and its NAV is now ahead of its benchmark over the last one, three, five and 10 years.
Companies: Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust
AVI Global Trust (AGT) offers a genuinely different investment approach to those of competing trusts in the AIC’s global sector. It also has a good track record of beating its performance benchmark, the MSCI All Countries World ex the United States Index, with dividends reinvested and translated back into pounds. Some well-timed trades and a willingness to look through the current COVID-19 disruption affecting some businesses have helped drive strong performance from AGT over the past few months. The trust’s shares are on an attractive discount, 10.3% at close of business on 22 January 2021, and it is itself invested in a portfolio of high-quality family holding companies, closed-end funds and cash/asset-rich Japanese securities, which collectively trade at a weighted average discount of 30.1% (as at 18 January 2021) to the value of their underlying assets. The manager sees numerous catalysts to unlock value from AGT’s portfolio over 2021.
Companies: Avi Global Trust
Redde Northgate has come through the COVID crisis in very good shape so far. We expect minimal impact on the former Northgate business from “lockdown 2.0”, a strong recovery in profits and a re-rating as normality returns and Redde reverts to mean. We could see further useful earnings upside from acquisitions such as Nationwide and revenue synergies not yet included. The Group is transforming itself into a mobility business which is higher returning, more diversified and has sustainable compounding growth prospects.
Companies: Redde Northgate PLC
Further media reports that Dr Martens, the British Boot brand is planning an IPO on the LSE. It is currently owned by PE group, Permira who is expected to sell down its stake at the IPO. March 2020 YE the group had revenues of £672m and EBITDA of £184m. Deal size TBC. Upon Admission to AIM, Nightcap will acquire The London Cocktail Club Limited (the "London Cocktail Club"), which is an award winning independent operator of ten individually themed cocktail bars in nine London locations and one location in Bristol. Offer TBC Due mid Jan. HSS Hire Group, HSS.L transfer from Main to Aim. Mkt Cap c. £70m. Recently raised £52.6m. Leading supplier of tool and equipment for hire in the United Kingdom and Ireland and has provided equipment hire services in the United Kingdom for more than 60 years, primarily focusing on the B2B market. Due 14 Jan. VH Global Sustainable Energy Opportunities plc, a closed-ended investment Company focused on making sustainable energy infrastructure investments, today announces intends to launch an initial public offering of shares on the Official List (Premium) of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. Due by Early Feb.
Companies: IUG CBP KAT APP RST DIS NICL BOKU CNIC HE1
Pacific Horizon (PHI) generated a very impressive uplift in its NAV over the course of 2020. This reflects its focus on growth, and technology and biotechnology stocks in particular. These performed well as we attempted to adjust to life under the pandemic, thereby accelerating a number of structural trends. PHI provided an NAV total return of 86.1%, which eclipsed the return on the MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan index of 21.2%, the broader MSCI AC World of 12.7% and the average of its Asia Pacific sector peer group (see page 23) of 25.3%. PHI is the topperforming trust in this sector by a significant margin. Despite this stellar growth, PHI’s manager is not resting on his laurels. Emerging Asia still remains a high-growth and underresearched region, and he continues to focus on those themes he expects to do well over the next five years. For example, companies exposed to the growth in electric vehicles (EV) continue to be a significant theme. The manager has been increasing exposure to the commodities needed to deliver a greener future, but which the world is structurally short of, following long-term underinvestment.
Acorn Income Fund was launched in February 1999, and has a split capital structure with both Ordinary shares which receive a high level of income, during last year dividends of 23p were paid representing an increase of 10.6% on 2019 and offer a flat yield of 7.3%. It also has Zero Dividend Preference shares (ZDPs) which mature next February and offer a GRY of 5.9%. To mirror the two classes in the capital structure, the portfolio also has two distinct pools of assets; with 70%-80% being invested in UK Small Companies being managed by Unicorn Asset Management and the balance of 20%-30% invested in an income portfolio, predominately Corporate Bonds which is managed by Premier Miton Investors. This two pronged approach has enabled the trust to generate a strong total return for Ordinary shareholders of 213% over the past decade with annualised total return of 12.1%. The recent strong annualised dividend growth of 10.8% over the past five years and the current discount of 14.9% on the Ordinary shares offers an attractive entry point.
Companies: Acorn Income Fund
