NAV and Investment Update

Sequoia Economic Infra Inc Fd Ld
17 May 2023
 

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES

17th May 2023

Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund Limited

("SEQI" or the "Company")

 

NAV update

The NAV per share for SEQI, the specialist investor in economic infrastructure debt, increased by 1.52 pence per share from the prior month's adjusted NAV per share of 91.54 pence, (being the 31 March 2023 cum-income NAV of 93.26 less the dividend of 1.71875 pence per share declared in respect of the quarter ended 31 March 2023 and paid in May 2023). A full attribution of the changes in the NAV per share is as follows:

                                               

 

pence per share

March NAV

93.26

Interest income, net of expenses

         0.61

Asset valuations, net of FX movements

0.85

Subscriptions

 0.06

Dividends

        -1.72

April NAV

93.06

 

 

 

As the Company is approximately 100% currency hedged, it does not expect to realise any material FX gains or losses over the life of its investments. However, the Company's NAV may include unrealised short-term FX gains or losses, driven by differences in the valuation methodologies of its FX hedges and the underlying investments - such movements will typically reverse over time.

 

Capital Markets Day - 10 May 2023

 

The Investment Adviser held a Capital Markets Day for institutional investors and analysts on Wednesday 10th May 2023 at the London Stock Exchange. The aim of the event was to provide investors with an insight to international infrastructure and credit investment themes and an update on the positioning of SEQI against the current market backdrop.

Those interested in watching the SEQI's Capital Markets Day can view a recording on the SEQI website (https://www.seqi.fund/media). The SEQI website has been updated recently and contains extra background information on the Fund and its loans that investors may find of interest.  

Dividends and share buyback

The Directors of the Company have declared that an interim dividend of 1.71875p per share will be payable to holders of Ordinary Shares as follows in respect of the three-month period ended 31 March 2023. The payment date for the dividend will be 26 May 2023.

During April 2023 the Company purchased 9,549,646 of its ordinary shares in the market at an average purchase price of 82.53 pence per share. Following this, the Company holds 42,969,091 ordinary shares in Treasury following the commencement of a share buyback programme in July 2022. The Board and the Investment Adviser remain confident in the Company's NAV, including uplifts over time expected from the pull-to-par effect (see below).

Portfolio update

As at 28 April 2023, the Company had cash of £100.9m and had drawn £179.9m on its £325.0m revolving credit facility with the remaining balance available to support the Company's working capital and liquidity requirements. The Company also had undrawn commitments on existing investments collectively valued at £86.5m.

 

The Company's invested portfolio consisted of 62 private debt investments and 7 infrastructure bonds across 8 sectors and 26 sub-sectors. It had an annualised yield-to-maturity (or yield-to-worst in the case of callable bonds) of 11.75% and a cash yield of 7.40%. The yield-to-maturity has been rising, which is mainly attributable to the higher interest rate environment and the Company's exposure to floating rate investments, which comprise 56.91% of the portfolio as of April 2023. The weighted average portfolio life is approximately 3.4 years. Private debt investments represented 97.7% of the total portfolio. The Company's invested portfolio remains geographically diverse with 48.1% located across the US, 25.6% in the UK, 26.2% in Europe, and 0.1% in Australia/New Zealand.

 

 

As at April 2023, the pull-to-par is estimated to be worth approximately 6.3p/share over the course of the life of the Company's investments. Investors are reminded that declines in unrealised mark-to-market adjustments should reverse over time as the investments approach their repayment date (the "pull-to-par" effect).

 

The Company's pipeline of economic infrastructure debt investments remains strong and is diversified by sector, sub-sector, and jurisdiction, with yields ranging from 9% -11%. At month end, approximately 100% of the Company's NAV consisted of either Sterling assets or was hedged into Sterling. The Company has adequate liquidity to cover margin calls on its hedging book.

 

The following investments settled in April 2023 (excluding small loan drawings of less than £0.5m):

 

• An additional purchase of Samhällsbyggnadsbolaget (SBB) 2027 senior corporate bonds for €5.0m. SBB is a social infrastructure property company listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm (Large Cap) and the yield-to-maturity is approximately 10.8%;

• An additional loan for PLN 10.5m (equivalent to £2.0m) to Green Genius to finance the construction of solar PV projects in Poland; and

• An additional senior loan for £1.0m to Clyde Street, a hotel construction project in Scotland.

 

No investments sold or prepaid in April 2023

 

Non-performing loans  

There has been ongoing progress over the past month in relation to the Company's two non-performing loans, the marks on which are approximately unchanged this month.

Further updates will be provided to shareholders in the future when developments occur.

 

Ordinary Portfolio Summary (15 largest settled investments)

Investment name

Currency

Type

Ranking

  Value £m(1)

Sector

Sub-sector

Cash-on-cash yield (%)

Yield to maturity / worst (%)

AP Wireless Junior

EUR

Private

Mezz

58.9

TMT

Telecom towers

4.61

8.03

Bannister Senior Secured 2025

GBP

Private

Senior

58.9

Accommodation

Health care

10.70

12.83

AP Wireless US Holdco

USD

Private

HoldCo

57.7

TMT

Telecom towers

6.20

9.47

Infinis Energy

GBP

Private

Senior

55.6

Renewables

Landfill gas

5.85

7.27

Lightspeed Fibre Group Ltd

GBP

Private

Senior

55.5

TMT

Broadband

6.74

14.90

Project Tyre

USD

Private

Senior

55.0

Transport assets

Specialist shipping

10.43

10.43

Montreux HoldCo Facility

GBP

Private

HoldCo

53.4

Accommodation

Health care

14.20

14.04

Hawkeye Solar HoldCo 2030

USD

Private

HoldCo

52.4

Renewables

Solar & wind

8.90

9.71

Expedient Data Centers Senior

USD

Private

Senior

50.6

TMT

Data centers

10.54

11.01

Workdry

GBP

Private

Senior

50.0

Utility

Utility Services

7.72

7.71

Tracy Hills TL 2025

USD

Private

Senior

49.5

Other

Residential infra

11.48

11.47

Project Spinnaker

GBP

Private

Senior

49.3

TMT

Broadband

9.68

10.01

EIF Van Hook TL B 2024

USD

Private

Senior

47.5

Utility

Midstream

10.20

10.57

Madrid Metro

EUR

Private

HoldCo

46.8

Transport assets

Rolling stock

1.39

7.15

Sacramento Data Centre Senior

USD

Private

Senior

45.6

TMT

Data centers

7.90

8.77

 

Note (1) - excluding accrued interest

Disclaimer: the dividend increase is a target and not a profit forecast

 

The Company's monthly investor report and additional portfolio disclosure will be made available at https://www.seqi.fund/.

LEI: 2138006OW12FQHJ6PX91

This announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States.  The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from registration.  No public offering of securities is being made in the United States.

For further information please contact:

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

Steve Cook

Dolf Kohnhorst

Randall Sandstrom

Greg Taylor

Anurag Gupta

 

Jefferies International Limited                                                       +44 (0)20 7029 8000

Gaudi Le Roux

Stuart Klein

 

Teneo (Financial PR)                                                                       +44 (0)20 7353 4200

Martin Pengelley

Elizabeth Snow

 

Sanne Fund Services (Guernsey) Limited                                    +44 (0) 20 3530 3107

(Company Secretary)                                                                       

Matt Falla                                                                                             

Lisa Garnham                                                                                     

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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