Closed-end Fund Times: November 18-24

Signs of optimism in closed-end funds this week as gearing is introduced at JPMorgan Global Emerging Markets Income and increased at Fidelity Asian Values

Jackie Beard, FCSI, 24 November, 2010 | 2:42PM
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Atrium European Real Estate (ATRS) has announced a derivative action being brought against it by Meinl Bank Aktiengesellschaft and B.V. voorheen Firma W. de Liefde in the Royal Court of Jersey. Atrium is a dedicated Central and Eastern European retail property company whose shares currently trade at a discount of nearly 30% to NAV. The details are still emerging but Julius Meinl V himself is under criminal investigation for fraud relating to Meinl European Land. Atrium launched its own claim against Meinl, Meinl Bank and others in August this year.

BlackRock Greater Europe (BRGE) has announced the results of its latest tender offer: only 2.9% of issued ordinary shares were tendered. The fund trades at a very modest discount to its NAV and has done since mid-October.

Brunner (BUT) has declared a half-yearly dividend of 2.5% on its 5% Cumulative Preference Shares to shareholders on the register on December 3, 2010.

Mortgage debt experts Carador Income Fund (CIFU) has raised $10.25 million through its share placing, the shares for which have been admitted to the UK Listing Authority today, November 24. The placing shares represent 7.2% of the enlarged, aggregated USD and EUR share classes.

A loan of $6 million has been drawn down by Fidelity Asian Values (FAS) and the fund’s gross gearing now stands at 7%, from the previous level of 4%.

ING Global Real Estate (IGRE) has increased its quarterly distribution from 0.7875 pence per share to 0.875 pence. Further, it is now targeting a dividend distribution of 3.5 pence per share on an annual basis.

Japan Residential Investment (JRIC) has arranged a voluntary partial pay-down of JPY 3 billion to Orix Corporation and DB Bank. This leaves JPY 7 billion of outstanding debt to Orix and DB Bank, which matures in May 2012.

JPMorgan Global Emerging Markets Income (JEMI) has drawn down a loan facility of $20 million and the fund is now 10% geared. This adds a further distinction between this fund and JPMorgan Emerging Markets where gearing is not in use in the latter.

The board of Lowland Investment Company (LWI), run by Henderson Global Investors, has introduced a performance fee, of 15% outperformance on a total return basis of the FTSE All Share by more than 10% over the average of the last three years. The basic management fee of 0.5% remains in place but this will now be levied on net assets and not gross assets. The fund has tended to have gearing of at least 10% in place since late 2007 so this should help to reduce the basic fee a little.

Maven Income & Growth VCT (MIG1), VCT 2 (MIG2), VCT 3 (MIG3) and VCT 4 (MIG4) have announced a linked offer of new ordinary shares, with the aim of raising up to £6.4 million.

New City High Yield (NCYF) has confirmed that the issue price of its ordinary shares from its placing is 57.7p. 34.8 million shares were admitted to the UK Listing Authority on November 23.

At the EGM on last week, shareholders of NewRiver Retail (NRR) approved the proposed election to HMRC to convert into a UK REIT. They also approved the proposed issue of up to £25 million nominal value of convertible unsecured loan stock. Of this, £15 million nominal value will be placed with a wholly-owned subsidiary of FERI III and up to £10 million will be held for future issue.

Premier Renewable Energy (PRF) has announced a proposed reconstruction with Premier Energy & Water Trust and a voluntary wind-up of the company. Given the imminent repayment of the zero-coupon preference shares on December 31, the board believes shareholders would suffer as a result of the reduced size of the company. Therefore, the proposal to allow a rollover into Premier Energy & Water Trust makes sense, particularly given the similarity of investment approach.

Speymill Deutsche Immobilien (SDIC) has agreed to acquire GOAL service GmbH from Speymill Property UK. This is the final step in the company’s move to internalise its investment management.

The recent EGM for Speymill Macau Property (MCAU) saw both resolutions passed. The first was to amend the investment objective and start an orderly wind-up of the company through the sale of its assets. This is in recognition of the board’s view of the limited opportunity set now available in Macau. The second resolution was an amendment to the directors’ compensation plan, which now comprises two parts. An upfront payment will be made to the directors of $817,770 (0.6% NAV at June 30, 2010) and they will also be entitled to 0.6% of any distributions made by the company from hereon.

Standard Life Equity Income (SLET) has announced a proposed bonus issue of subscription shares, subject to shareholders passing the continuation vote at the AGM scheduled for December 17.

Indian property company Unitech Corporate Parks (UCP) has given more details regarding the potential offer from Unitech, first announced in July 2010. The company has concluded that the initial indicative offer of 31 pence per share in cash undervalues it significantly and thus they are unable to recommend the offer to shareholders.

Director Appointments
Ingenious Live VCT 1 (ILV1) – Tim Clark
Ingenious Live VCT 2 (ILV2) – Stephen Lewis
Marwyn Value Investors (MVI) – Eitan Milgram
NewRiver Retail (NRR) – Allan Lockhart, Mark Davies and Nick Sewell
Troy Income & Growth (TIGT) – David Warnock

Director Resignations/Retirements
Ingenious Live VCT 1 (ILV1) – Andrew Morris
Ingenious Live VCT 2 (ILV2) – Piers Gregson
NewRiver Retail (NRR) – Serena Tremlett and Shelagh Mason

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