Hg announces investment in MeinAuto.de

RNS Number : 2815B

HgCapital Trust PLC

09 January 2018

 

HgCapital Trust plc

9 January 2018

Hg, the Manager of HgCapital Trust plc (the "Company"), has announced today an investment in MeinAuto.de ('MeinAuto'), a leading B2C online platform for new car purchases based in Germany. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

HgCapital Trust plc will invest approximately £6.7 million in MeinAuto, with other institutional clients of Hg investing alongside the Company through the Hg 8 Fund.

The Company, whose shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange, gives private and institutional investors the opportunity to participate in all Hg's investments.

Based on the pro-forma 30 November 2017 NAV, the Company's liquid resources available for future deployment, including all announced transactions, are estimated to be £185 million (28% of the pro-forma 30 November 2017 NAV of £674 million). In addition, the Company has access to an £80 million standby facility, which is currently undrawn. The transaction will reduce the Company's outstanding commitments to invest in Hg deals over the next four to five years to approximately £444 million.

Hg announces investment in MeinAuto.de

9 January 2018: Hg has announced today an investment in MeinAuto.de ('MeinAuto'), a leading B2C online platform for new car purchases based in Germany. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

MeinAuto was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Cologne with over 70 employees. The Company is one of Germany's leading online platforms for new car sales with over 16 million visitors per year and more than 9,000 dealers connected.

The investment is the first step in an initiative by Hg to develop a new integrated and technology enabled service provider in the automotive distribution & financing space. This initiative is the result of considerable sector work undertaken by Hg in recent years in the automotive services and software spaces, including prior investments in Zenith (vehicle leasing services), Epyx (an electronic network serving vehicle fleet operators and repair shops), Eucon (a platform for automotive parts pricing data) and Parts Alliance (a buying group and distribution network for after-market car parts).  

Justin von Simson, Managing Partner and Head of the Munich Office at Hg, said: "We are delighted to partner with the management team of MeinAuto who have worked tirelessly over the last ten years to make the platform a true champion in the online automotive distribution space. As the online channel is gaining more and more importance for car distribution, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for the business and together with the management team look forward to taking the platform to the next level of its evolution."

Florian Wolff, Director at Hg, commented: "The automotive distribution sector is experiencing a fundamental change. We believe this creates a strong opportunity for MeinAuto given its clear and differentiated value proposition which has allowed the business to build a strong position in the sector. Hg firmly believes in the potential of MeinAuto to leverage its value proposition to further develop and grow the platform in the future. The investment is a perfect example for our approach in partnering with strong entrepreneurs and backing them to scale high-quality technology businesses."

Alexander Bugge, Founder and Co-CEO at MeinAuto said: "In Hg we have found the right partner to take our company forward to its next level of development. Hg has deep sector knowledge and an excellent track record of building strong sustainable platforms."

Thomas Eichenberg, Co-CEO at MeinAuto added: "We are confident that, together with Hg, we will be able to provide even better experience to our customers and further expand our offering."

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For further details:

Hg

Laura Dixon

[phone]

Maitland

Vikki Kosmalska

[phone]

About HgCapital Trust plc

HgCapital Trust plc is an investment trust whose shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: HGT.L). The Company is a client of Hg, giving investors exposure to a portfolio of high-growth private companies, through a liquid vehicle. New investments and existing portfolio companies are managed by Hg, an experienced and well-resourced private equity firm with a long-term track record of delivering superior risk-adjusted returns for its investors. For further details, please see www.hgcapitaltrust.com.

Neither the contents of HgCapital Trust's, Hg's, or MeinAuto's websites nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the websites (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.

 

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