Trading Update

Gresham House PLC

26 July 2023

 

26 July 2023

Gresham House plc

("Gresham House", the "Company" or the "Group")

Trading update

Continued progress in H1: AUM +5% to £8.3bn

Gresham House, the specialist alternative asset manager, is pleased to announce a trading update for the six-month period to 30 June 2023[1].

Trading review

Despite the continued challenging economic backdrop, AUM increased by £0.5 billion to £8.3 billion (+5%) in H1, from £7.8 billion (31 December 2022), ahead of the Group's five-year 'GH25' financial and strategic plan. Adjusted operating profit and margin are expected to be in line with the Board's expectations for the six months to 30 June 2023 and the full year to 31 December 2023.

The Group continues to focus on driving long-term and sustainability-focused returns through organic and acquisitive growth.

Funds raised

During the period, there were several successful fundraises:

·      The Sustainable Infrastructure ('BSIF II') strategy secured a total of £80 million in investment from Bedfordshire Pension Fund and Staffordshire Pension Fund in H1 2023. This interim close brings total capital raised for BSIF II and its side-car funds to over £400 million, with a final close expected by the end of Q3 2023.

·      Gresham House Energy Storage Fund plc ('GRID') raised a further £50 million to support its first international acquisition of a 160 MW of solar and collocated four-hour battery energy storage system projects in California.

·      Centrica announced a commitment of £65 million into the new Gresham House Secure Income Renewable Energy & Storage LP ('SIRES').

·      The Baronsmead VCTs announced a successful £50 million fundraise which will be used to target new investment opportunities in the short to medium term and to continue to support the capital requirements of existing portfolio companies.

·      The Public Equity division has also continued to perform well in a challenging environment with positive net inflows in the open-ended funds in the first half of the year.

Recommended Final² Cash Offer for Gresham House

On 17 July 2023, the Boards of Gresham House and Seed Bidco Limited ("Bidco"), a newly incorporated entity formed by funds advised by Searchlight Capital Partners, L.P. and its affiliates for the purposes of making an offer for Gresham House, announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended final² cash offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Gresham House by Bidco. This proposed acquisition (the "Acquisition") is expected to become effective in late 2023 or early 2024. The full announcement can be viewed here.

Tony Dalwood, Chief Executive of Gresham House, said:

"While market conditions in H1 2023 remained challenging, Gresham House delivered continued growth, with further progress in its GH25 strategy and an increase in AUM to £8.3bn."

1. Unaudited

2. The financial terms of the acquisition are final and will not be increased, except that Bidco reserves the right to increase the acquisition price where: (i) there is an announcement of a possible offer or a firm intention to make an offer for Gresham House by any third party; or (ii) the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers otherwise provides its consent.

Ends

For more information contact:

Gresham House plc Tony Dalwood, Chief Executive Kevin Acton, Chief Financial Officer	[phone]
Houston Alexander Clelland Kay Larsen Kelsey Traynor	[e-mail] [phone]
Canaccord Genuity Limited - Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker Bobbie Hilliam Harry Pardoe	[phone]
Jefferies International Limited - Financial Adviser and Joint Broker Paul Nicholls James Umbers	[phone]

About Gresham House

Gresham House is a specialist alternative asset management group, dedicated to sustainable investments across a range of strategies, with expertise across forestry, housing, sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy and battery storage, public and private equity.

Our origins stretch back to 1857, while our focus is on the future and the long term. Quoted on the London Stock Exchange (GHE:LN) we actively manage c.£8.3 billion of assets on behalf of institutions, family offices, charities and endowments, private individuals, and their advisers. We act responsibly within a culture of empowerment that encourages individual flair and entrepreneurial thinking.

As a signatory to the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment, we are committed to operating responsibly and sustainably. We believe taking the long view in delivering sustainable investment solutions will continue to be a growing factor in the strength of our market positioning.

www.greshamhouse.com

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as amended by regulation 11 of the Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/310. With the publication of this announcement, this information is now considered to be in the public domain.

Dealing and Opening Position Disclosure Requirements of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the Offer Period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified.

An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th Business Day following the commencement of the Offer Period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th Business Day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offerors, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the Business Day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3 of the Code.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4 of the Code).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the Offer Period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on [phone] if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

In accordance with the Code, normal United Kingdom market practice and Rule 14e-5(b) of the US Exchange Act, Rothschild & Co, Dean Street Advisers, Evercore, Blackdown Partners, Canaccord and Jefferies and their respective affiliates may continue to act as exempt principal traders in Gresham House securities on AIM. These purchases and activities by exempt principal traders which are required to be made public in the United Kingdom pursuant to the Code will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website at www.londonstockexchange.com. This information will also be publicly disclosed in the United States to the extent that such information is made public in the United Kingdom.

Forward-looking statements

This announcement contains or may contain certain forward-looking statements. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "believe," "anticipate," "could," "may," "would," "should," "intend," "plan," "potential," "predict," "will," "expect," "estimate," "project," "positioned," "strategy," "outlook", "target" and similar expressions. These include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, amongst other things, our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies and the economic and business circumstances occurring from time to time in the countries and markets in which Gresham House plc operates.

All such forward-looking statements involve estimates and assumptions that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual future financial condition, performance and results to differ materially from the plans, goals, expectations and results expressed in the forward-looking statements and other financial and/or statistical data within this communication. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements are uncertainties related to the following: the failure to realise contemplated synergies and other benefits from mergers and acquisitions; the effect of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures on Gresham House plc's operating results and businesses generally; the impact of adverse domestic or international legislation and regulation; changes in domestic or international tax laws and rates; adverse litigation and dispute outcomes and the effect of such outcomes on Gresham House plc's financial condition; changes or differences in domestic or international economic or political conditions; the ability to obtain price increases and the impact of price increases on client affordability thresholds; adverse decisions by domestic or international regulatory bodies; the impact of market size reduction and clients down-trading; translational and transactional foreign exchange rate exposure; the ability to maintain credit ratings; the ability to develop, produce or market new alternative products and to do so profitably; the ability to effectively implement strategic initiatives and actions taken to increase sales growth; the ability to enhance cash generation and pay dividends and changes in the market position, businesses, financial condition, results of operations or prospects of Gresham House plc.

It is believed that the expectations reflected in this announcement are reasonable but they may be affected by a wide range of variables that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. Past performance is no guide to future performance and persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser. The forward-looking statements in this announcement reflect knowledge and information available at the date of preparation of this announcement and Gresham House plc undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

No statement in this communication is intended to be, nor should be construed as, a profit forecast or a profit estimate and no statement in this communication should be interpreted to mean that earnings per share of Gresham House plc for the current or any future financial periods would necessarily match, exceed or be lower than the historical published earnings per share of Gresham House plc.

No Offer or Solicitation

This announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer to sell or an invitation to purchase any securities or the solicitation of an offer to buy, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, pursuant to the Acquisition or otherwise, nor shall there be any purchase, sale, issuance or exchange of securities or such solicitation in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, sale, issuance or exchange would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the laws of such jurisdiction. The Acquisition will be made solely by means of the scheme document or any document by which the Acquisition is made which will contain the full terms and conditions of the Acquisition, including details of how to vote in respect of the Acquisition.

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