HgCapital: Strong Trading In Portfolio

29th July 2024 | Hg Capital Trust PLC (FTSE 250)

HgT provides investors with a listed vehicle to invest in unquoted businesses managed by Hg, Europe’s largest investor in software & services companies.

The objective of HgT is to provide shareholders with consistent long‑term returns in excess of the FTSE All‑Share Index by investing predominantly in unquoted businesses where value can be created through strategic and operational change.

Highlights for H1 2024 include:

  • Estimated Net Asset Value (‘NAV’) per share of 524.0 pence (unaudited)
  • Estimated NAV return per share, on a total return basis, of 5.6%*
  • Total share price return of 12.7%1
  • Discount narrowed from 13% to 7%
  • LTM revenue and EBITDA growth of 20% and 25% for the top 20 companies (78% of the portfolio)
  • Investments of £310 million and realisations of £347 million
  • Available liquid resources of £550 million (including a £375 million undrawn credit facility as at 30 June 2024)
  • Outstanding commitments to Hg funds of £847 million

*Total return assumes that all historical dividends have been re-invested.

NAV growth

HgT’s unaudited estimated net assets of £2.4 billion as at 30 June 2024, represent an estimated NAV per share of 524.0 pence, based on portfolio company valuations at 30 June and reviewed by the HgT Audit, Valuation and Risk Committee. This growth was driven predominantly by strong trading performance in the underlying portfolio.

Investment activity

  • New and follow-on investments made during the first half of 2024 totalled £310 million, including Visma, IRIS, GGW, CUBE, CINC and Induver.
  • Post-period investment of £108 million from new investments in Focus Group and AuditBoard which were signed but had not completed as at 30 June 2024.

Realisation activity

  • Proceeds from exits and refinancings during the period of £347 million. This includes proceeds from Visma, IRIS and GGW which had been signed during 2023 and closed during the first half of 2024, and the full realisation of Argus which was signed and closed during the period.
  • Estimated proceeds of £71 million to be received from the post-period realisations of F24, TeamSystem and team.blue
  • Full and partial realisations signed in 2024 were at an average uplift of 13% to their carrying value.

Pro-forma balance sheet

Allowing for all transactions announced as at the date of this trading update:

  • Pro-forma available liquid resources of £508 million (including a £375 million credit facility of which £67 million has been drawn post 30 June 2024)
  • Pro-forma outstanding commitments to Hg funds of £725 million

News in full

Request 1/1 with HG Management