APL Acp Capital

RNS Number:9934S
ACP Capital Limited
15 March 2007


ACP Capital Limited (AIM: APL)
15 March 2007

Investment Opportunities Update

Further to the announcement of its intended development plans on 6 February
2007, ACP Capital Limited ("ACP Capital" or the "Company") confirms that
discussions are ongoing regarding, amongst others, the following investment
opportunities:

   * It has entered into discussions with Beacon, a leading UK residential
    mortgage lender, regarding a possible investment in the company.
   * It has initiated discussions with Crown Northcorp on a possible
    collaboration in European real estate lending.
   * It has entered into exclusive discussions with a privately owned leasing
    specialist focusing on the French SME sector, with a view to acquiring up to
    49% of the company.
   * It has entered into discussions with Investimenti e Sviluppo s.p.a., a
    listed company on the Italian Stock Exchange, for a possible investment in
    Finleasing Lombarda S.p.A, which was recently subject to a binding
    acquisition contract for 100% of its shares by Investimenti e Sviluppo
    S.p.A.

These transactions form part of ACP Capital's strategy to be a leading
integrated finance provider for the continental European SME market.
As previously announced, it is the Company's intention to raise approximately
#150 million to fund its intended development plans.

Commenting, Derek Vago, Chief Executive Officer of ACP Capital said:
"Our ongoing discussions with our partners on the investment opportunities
reflect what we have told investors during the placing presentations and
confirm the progress made by ACP Capital in its first year and the start
of its second year, particularly now with the intended establishment of
origination platforms to further develop the Company in its four key markets
(UK, Germany, France and Italy).

The interest of these parties to further develop their business and diversify
their loan products, together with ACP Capital, in the continental European
SME market reflects their belief in our abilities and strategy.

Support for our strategy has also been shown by the strong interest from both
new and existing institutional investors in our proposed fundraising which,
we believe, is going well and we look forward to closing it early next week."

Enquiries to:

ACP Capital Limited    +44 (0)20 7082 3917

Collins Stewart Europe Limited (Nominated Advisor to the Company)

Simon Atkinson: +44 (0)20 7523 8350


Notes to Editors:

ACP Capital Limited

ACP Capital is a Jersey-incorporated specialized integrated finance and asset
management company focusing on both the asset-backed and non asset-backed
sectors in the European small and mid-sized enterprise (SME) market. The
company's shares were admitted to trading on AiM in January 2006, raising
approximately #50m before costs, followed by a further #15m share placing in
December 2006. In February 2007, the company announced its intention to pursue a
further capital raise in the region of #150m in 2007 in order to finance its
intended development plans, including the development of additional funding
lines, managed vehicles and strategic platforms (as announced 6 February 2007).

As an integrated finance specialist, ACP Capital offers a combination of equity,
mezzanine and senior debt to companies in niche markets, such as the German
"Mittelstand" (small and middle-sized privately-owned companies), and for asset
backed transactions, for example, in the real estate and infrastructure sectors.
The company intends to put in place levered loan and non-investment grade
funding vehicles in order to complement its current product base with a view to
providing financing solutions across the capital structure.

As an asset manager, ACP Capital manages a series of investment vehicles that
can provide the required funding for its integrated finance capabilities. ACP
Capital intends to launch at least 2 managed vehicles each year in specific
sectors in its target markets. These managed vehicles are intended to take
advantage of the planned flow of asset opportunities from the expansion of the
company's funding capabilities and strategic platforms. ACP Capital intends to
receive management and performance related fees from these vehicles in addition
to any share price increase as a strategic equity investor. To date, ACP Capital
has launched 2 such vehicles, ACP Mezzanine and IFR Capital. As announced on 8
March 2007, ACP Capital has raised a committed leverage facility of #125m with
Deutsche Bank for ACP Senior High Yield, a soon-to-be-launched managed vehicle
focusing on the acquisition of European senior debt assets originated primarily
through ACP Capital's SME-focused integrated finance business, and through the
primary and secondary markets.



Results- FY 2006


For the period 30 August 2005 to 31 December 2006, ACP Capital generated total
income and increase in fair value of investments of #19.0 million and a net
profit of #15.0 million with diluted earnings per ordinary share of 21.5 pence
for the period. ACP Capital paid out a dividend of 3.0 pence per ordinary share,
representing an increase from the target of 2.0 pence per ordinary share stated
in the company's admission document published in December 2005.



Senior Management

Derek Vago, CEO, was previously managing director and co-head of the Asset
Finance Group (AFG) at Nomura International plc where he was responsible for all
balance sheet activities including equity, mezzanine, and senior debt financing
across both asset backed and non asset-backed sectors. Among transactions he led
for AFG were the acquisition of seven Center Parcs European assets and the
acquisition of Earls Court and Olympia. In 3 years Derek built the AFG into a
30-strong team generating upwards of #40m in revenues with a book of
approximately #2 billion. Derek was previously co-head of the European Real
Estate Investment Banking Group of Credit Suisse First Boston in London and has
over 15 years experience in international financial markets and corporate
finance.

Eric Youngblood, CFO, has 18 years experience in Global Structured Finance,
primarily in Securitisation. He was most recently at Nomura International plc
where he was the Head of Asset-Backed Securitisation for AFG. Prior to Nomura,
Eric was Director of Securitisation at CDC IXIS Capital Markets, where he was
responsible for developing the company's international securitisation activities
outside of France. Earlier in his career, Eric was Managing Director, Head of
Structuring at Bear Stearns in both Madrid and London and Head of Asset
Securitisation for Commerzbank in London.


Nikolaj Larsen, Managing Director, Head of Strategic Investments has 6 years
experience in Investment Banking. Prior positions include Head of Core
Underwriting in the AFG team at Nomura International plc where he focused on
asset backed deals such as the Earls Court and Olympia acquisition and non-asset
backed deals such as the acquisition and financing of Nordsee GmbH for the
German food retailer Kamps Food Retail Investment SA ("KFRI").


Non executive directors include Heiner Kamps, founder of Kamps AG and a leading
retail operator in Germany, and Francois Georges, former CEO of Pierres &
Vacances. Mr. Kamps and Mr. Georges provide direct access to opportunities
arising in Germany and France. Alan Braxton, a further non executive director is
currently managing director of Presidio Partners, a leading international
private placement advisor.


Jeff Bennett, CIO, ACP Mezzanine Limited has over 18 years of non-investment
grade financing experience, most recently at Morgan Stanley where he was a
Managing Director in the Leveraged Finance Group. During his time at Morgan
Stanley, Jeff structured some of the largest European financings including: the
Euro10bn financing package for Ineos Group Holdings' acquisition of Innovene, the
#1.4bn financing to support the public to private leveraged buyout of Debenhams,
and a Euro30bn senior bank facility for France Telecom.






                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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