NAV and Investment Update

By

Regulatory News | 14 Mar, 2019

Updated : 07:04

RNS Number : 7905S
Sequoia Economic Infra Inc Fd Ld
14 March 2019
 

14 March 2019

Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund Limited

("SEQI" or the "Company")

Net Asset Value as at 28 February 2019 and Investment Update

The NAV for SEQI, the specialist investor in economic infrastructure debt, increased to 102.77p from the prior month's NAV of 101.38p per share. The changes in NAV arose primarily through:

·      Interest income net of expenses of 0.71p;

·      An increase of 0.67p in asset valuations; and

·      An increase of 0.10p from FX movements.

During the month, the Company made two additional drawings on its Revolving Credit Facility of $50.0m and £20.0m respectively, resulting in total outstanding debt of £112.8m. After deducting cash, the Company had net leverage of £62.8m as at 28 February. The Company also had undrawn commitments, and one additional investment in settlement, collectively valued at £88.4m.

The Company's invested portfolio comprised of 48 private debt investments and 20 infrastructure bonds across 8 sectors and 26 sub-sectors and had an annualised yield-to-maturity (or yield-to-worst in the case of callable bonds) of 8.5% and a weighted average life of approximately 5.4 years. Private debt investments represented 86% of the total portfolio and 70% of the portfolio comprised floating rate assets. The weighted average purchase price of the Company's investments was 94% of par. Investments which are pre-operational represented 18.8% of total assets.

The Company's invested portfolio remains geographically diverse with 47% located across North America, 19% in the UK, 26% in Europe, and 9% in Australia/New Zealand. Currently the Company is not investing in Portugal or Italy but has invested in selective opportunities in Spain. The Company's pipeline of future economic infrastructure debt investments remains strong and is diversified by sector, sub-sector, and jurisdiction.

As at 28 February 2019, approximately 99% of the Company's NAV consisted of either Sterling assets or was hedged into Sterling. The Company has adequate resources to cover the cash costs associated with its hedging activities.

The Company's settled investment activities during February include:

·      A $50.0m primary loan to Kaveh Ventures for the construction of a 96MW data centre in Ashburn, Virginia;

·      A final £25.0m disbursement to Bulb Energy, an electricity supplier in the UK;

·      An initial £7.2m primary loan to Forsa Energy, a company with a portfolio of gas-fired flexible generation assets in the UK;

·      An additional PLN 2.3m disbursement to Project Warsaw's VAT facility;

·      An additional $6.7m disbursement to Whittle Schools in the US; and

·      An additional €0.5m disbursement to Hatch student housing in Cork, Ireland.

The following investment was prepaid during February, and was in-line with expectations:

·      The $34.7m primary loan to Abteen Ventures.

 

Ordinary Portfolio Summary (15 largest settled investments)

Investment name

Currency

Type

Ranking

Value £m(1)

Sector

Sub-sector

Yield to maturity / worst (%)









Hawaiki Mezzanine Loan

USD

Private

Mezz

53.6

TMT

Undersea cable

10.8

Salt Creek Midstream

USD

Private

Senior

52.0

Utility

Midstream

8.5

Tracy Hills TL 2025

USD

Private

Senior

45.2

Other

Residential infra

10.5

Scandlines Mezzanine 2032

EUR

Private

HoldCo

44.1

Transport

Ferries

6.1

Bannister Senior Secured

GBP

Private

Senior

42.0

Accomm.

Health care

8.0

Adani Abbot HoldCo 2021

AUD

Private

HoldCo

40.1

Transport

Port

9.3

Kaveh Senior Secured TL 2021

USD

Private

Senior

37.7

TMT

Data centers

8.2

Bizkaia TL 2021

EUR

Private

HoldCo

35.3

Power

Electricity gen.

7.7

Bulb Senior TL 2021

GBP

Private

Senior

35.0

Utility

Electricity supply

7.2

Aquaventure

USD

Private

Senior

33.9

Utility

Water

8.3

Project Warsaw

EUR

Private

Senior

30.8

Renewables

Solar & wind

5.9

Seaport TL B

USD

Private

Senior

30.0

Transport

Port

8.2

Sunrun Hera 2017-B

USD

Private

Mezz

29.8

Renewables

Solar & wind

8.2

Epic Midstream

USD

Private

Senior

28.7

Utility

Midstream

8.0

Sacramento Data Centre

USD

Private

Senior

27.8

TMT

Data centers

10.0

Note (1) - excluding accrued interest

Market Summary

A total of 28 project finance transactions closed in February throughout the Company's eligible jurisdictions, worth $6.3bn in aggregate. Notable transactions during the month include:

·      A €260m financing of the construction of the 240 MW Yerevan power plant in Armenia;

·      A $742m financing of the 485MW Hannibal Port Power Plant in the United States;

·      A $435m refinancing of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogeneration plant in New York City; and

·      A CAD $412m PPP financing of the Tlicho All Season road in the Northwest Territories, Canada.

US GDP growth was confirmed to slow to an annualized rate of 2.6% in Q4 2018, a slowdown, but not as much as some investors had feared. This finalized growth for the year at 2.9%.  US GDP is estimated to grow 0.5% in Q1 2019, a decrease from Q1 2018. China's economy continues to slow, with negative implications for US GDP growth.

Eurozone growth is estimated for 0.2% in Q1 2019, the same as Q4 2018. US tariffs and concerns about Brexit continue to undermine economic confidence, with the export-driven German economy particularly concerned. After ending its financial stimulus program, the ECB has decided to once again re-instate financial stimulus and has pushed back the earliest date at which it would increase interest rates.

Sterling has remained volatile throughout the month, weighed down by fears of a no-deal Brexit. UK economic growth remains slow, with a forecast of 1.4% GDP growth for 2019, although unemployment remains at 4.0%, its lowest rate since the 1970's. There remains considerable uncertainty driven by the lack of a clear plan for how the UK will manage its 29 March deadline for leaving the EU.

The Company's monthly investor report and additional portfolio disclosure will be made available at http://www.seqifund.com/.

LEI: 2138006OW12FQHJ6PX91

For further information please contact:

Sequoia Investment Management Company                              +44 (0)20 7079 0480

Steve Cook

Dolf Kohnhorst

Randall Sandstrom

Greg Taylor

 

Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited                                                        +44 (0)20 7710 7600

Neil Winward

Mark Bloomfield

Gaudi Le Roux

 

Tulchan Communications (Financial PR)                                     +44 (0)20 7353 4200

James Macey White

Martin Pengelley

Elizabeth Snow   

 

Praxis Fund Services Limited (Company Secretary)                +44 (0) 1481 755530

Matt Falla                                                                                              

About Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund Limited

The Company seeks to provide investors with regular, sustained, long-term distributions and capital appreciation from a diversified portfolio of senior and subordinated economic infrastructure debt investments. The Company is advised by Sequoia Investment Management Company Limited.


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