Volta Finance
Limited (VTA) - March 2017 monthly report
NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR
PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED
STATES
*****
Guernsey, 19 April 2017
AXA IM has published the Volta
Finance Limited (the "Company" or "Volta Finance" or "Volta")
monthly report for March. The full report is attached to this
release and will be available on Volta's website shortly
(www.voltafinance.com).
PERFORMANCE and
PORTFOLIO ACTIVITY
In March, Volta's Estimated NAV*
performance was +0.9%, in line with a positive performance in most
credit and equity markets.
During the month, Volta purchased
three assets (two USD CLO debt positions, one new USD CLO equity
position) and the "CMV" announced in the January monthly report was
partly drawn down for an aggregate equivalent of €13.4m. On
average, and based on standard market assumptions, the purchases
and the CMV drawdown have an average expected yield close to 10.7%.
In March, three USD CLO debt were sold or called for an aggregate
equivalent of €10.8m. On average, and based on standard market
assumptions, the average expected yield of these three assets was
close to 5.5%.
At the end of March 2017, Volta's
Estimated NAV* was €311.1m or €8.51 per share after a dividend of
€15 cents per share was paid. The GAV stood at €357.7m.
In March, mark-to-market
variations** of Volta's asset classes were: +0.7% for Synthetic
Corporate Credit deals; +1.8% for CLO Equity tranches; +1.5% for
CLO Debt tranches, -10.9% for Cash Corporate Credit deals; and
+0.2% for ABS.
Cash corporate credit is a
relatively small component of Volta (2.4% at the end of March) and
the negative performance was due to the final payment of a German
SME CDO (purchased by Volta in 2006) that depended on the
assessment, by two independent experts, of the value of a pool of
defaulted SME loans. By nature, this kind of final cash flow is
always difficult to estimate. In recent years this asset has
produced material cash flows well in excess of expectations but
this last cash flow was below the carrying valuation. The impact
was -0.4% to the monthly performance of Volta.
During March, Volta generated the
equivalent of €0.7m in interest and coupons net of repo costs
(non-euro amounts translated into euro using end-of-month cross
currency rates). This brings the total cash amount generated during
the last six months in terms of interest and coupons to €16.3m.
Cash holdings or cash equivalent
instruments at the end of March totaled €28.6m.
The current level of cash is
higher than usual but reflects our view that credit markets are now
quite fully valued and better opportunities will arise in due
course. Typically we expect to be able to deploy more capital in
CLO Equity tranches and in Bank Balance Sheet transactions. We
expect to utilize CLO warehouse exposure as a way to access CLO
equity positions with better economics.
Volta's currency exposure was
relatively stable during March and the exposure to the US Dollar at
month end was circa 24%.
A modest exposure continues to be
maintained to duration, which was accretive to returns during
March. Volta ended the month with a positive 0.3 years of
duration via the overlay. In addition, a short position via options
was initiated on the S&P500 during March given the growing
uncertainty around the Trump administration. This S&P500
position is being utilized as a proxy credit hedge and represents
2.5% of Volta's NAV. These hedges are aimed at seeking to dampen
downside volatility arising from shorter-term mark to market
developments that may arise. Ultimately, the returns of Volta
continue to be predominantly driven by the performance and the
strong cash flows from the structured finance assets held but we
believe that these hedges will contribute to a better short-term
volatility profile.
* It should be
noted that approximately 10.4% of Volta's GAV comprises investments
in funds for which the relevant NAVs as at the month-end date are
normally available only after Volta's NAV has already been
published. Volta's policy is to publish its own NAV on as timely a
basis as possible in order to provide shareholders with Volta's
appropriately up-to-date NAV information. Consequently, such
investments in funds are valued using the most recently available
NAV for each fund. The most recently available fund NAV was as at:
30 September 2016 for 0.9% of Volta's GAV and as at 28 February
2017 for 9.5% of Volta's GAV.
**
"Mark-to-market variation" is calculated as the Dietz-performance
of the assets in each bucket, taking into account the
Mark-to-Market of the assets at month-end, payments received from
the assets over the period, and ignoring changes in cross currency
rates. Nevertheless, some residual currency effects could impact
the aggregate value of the portfolio when aggregating each
bucket.
CONTACTS
For the
Investment Manager
AXA Investment Managers Paris
Serge Demay
Serge.demay@axa-im.com
+33 (0) 1 44 45 84 47
Company Secretary
and Portfolio Administrator
Sanne Group (Guernsey) Limited
voltafinance@sannegroup.com
+44 (0) 1481 739810
Corporate Broker
Cenkos Securities plc
Alan Ray
Oliver Packard
Sapna Shah
+44 (0) 20 7397 1916
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ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED
Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The
Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext
Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed
securities. Volta's home member state for the purposes of the EU
Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is
subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the
regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands.
Volta's investment objectives are
to preserve capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable
stream of income to its shareholders through dividends. Volta seeks
to attain its investment objectives predominantly through
diversified investments in structured finance assets. The assets
that the Company may invest in either directly or indirectly
include, but are not limited to: corporate credits; sovereign and
quasi-sovereign debt; residential mortgage loans; and, automobile
loans. The Company's approach to investment is through vehicles and
arrangements that essentially provide leveraged exposure to
portfolios of such underlying assets. The Company has appointed AXA
Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a
division specialised in structured credit, for the investment
management of all its assets.
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ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS
AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM)
is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a
global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM
is one of the largest European-based asset managers with €679
billion in assets under management as of the end of June 2016.
AXA IM employs approximately 2,399 people around the world.
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This press release is distributed and published by
AXA Investment Managers Paris ("AXA IM"), in its capacity as
alternative investment fund manager (within the meaning of
Directive 2011/61/EU, the "AIFM Directive") of Volta Finance
Limited (the "Volta Finance") whose portfolio is managed by AXA
IM.
This press
release is for information only and does not constitute an
invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its
circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no
recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such
limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale
of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to
persons who are "U.S. persons" for purposes of Regulation S under
the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"),
or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted
by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United
States absent registration or an exemption from registration from
the Securities Act. Volta Finance does not intend to register any
portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to
conduct a public offering of such securities in the United
States.
*****
This communication is only being distributed to
and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United
Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article
19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial
Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth
companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be
communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order
(all such persons together being referred to as "relevant
persons"). The securities referred to herein are only available to,
and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or
otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with,
relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should
not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past
performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future
performance.
*****
This press release contains statements that are,
or may deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These
forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes",
"anticipated", "expects", "intends", "is/are expected", "may",
"will" or "should". They include the statements regarding the level
of the dividend, the current market context and its impact on the
long-term return of Volta Finance's investments. By their nature,
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and
readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are
not guarantees of future performance. Volta Finance's actual
results, portfolio composition and performance may differ
materially from the impression created by the forward-looking
statements. AXA IM does not undertake any obligation to publicly
update or revise forward-looking statements.
Any target
information is based on certain assumptions as to future events
which may not prove to be realised. Due to the uncertainty
surrounding these future events, the targets are not intended to be
and should not be regarded as profits or earnings or any other type
of forecasts. There can be no assurance that any of these targets
will be achieved. In addition, no assurance can be given that the
investment objective will be achieved.
The figures
provided that relate to past months or years and past performance
cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance or construed
as a reliable indicator as to future performance. Throughout this
review, the citation of specific trades or strategies is intended
to illustrate some of the investment methodologies and philosophies
of Volta Finance, as implemented by AXA IM. The historical success
or AXA IM's belief in the future success, of any of these trades or
strategies is not indicative of, and has no bearing on, future
results.
The valuation of
financial assets can vary significantly from the prices that the
AXA IM could obtain if it sought to liquidate the positions on
behalf of the Volta Finance due to market conditions and general
economic environment. Such valuations do not constitute a fairness
or similar opinion and should not be regarded as such.
Editor: AXA
INVESTMENT MANAGERS PARIS, a company incorporated under the laws of
France, having its registered office located at Tour Majunga, 6,
Place de la Pyramide - 92908 Paris La Défense cedex, a company
incorporated under the laws of France, having its register
Management Company, holder of AMF Approval no. GP 92-08, issued on
7 April 1992.
*****
Volta Finance Limited - March 2017
monthly report
This
announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf
of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely
responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the
information contained therein.
Source: Volta Finance Limited via Globenewswire
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