NEWS

16 Aug 2021 - Electric vehicles are the next revolution in automobiles
Electric vehicles are the next revolution in automobiles Michael Collins, Magellan Asset Management July 2021 For Formula E motorsport, the 2020-21 racing season was transformational. Seven years after electric single-seaters first raced, Formula E gained the elevated 'championship' status enjoyed by Formula 1, World Endurance, World Rally and World Rallycross. Then came the embarrassment, the "absolute catastrophe", at the Valencia E-Prix in April. The Grande Finale turned shambolic when five appearances by the safety car forced an extra lap and the racers lacked the battery charge to compete at speed. Only nine of 24 qualifiers finished legitimately and three of these drivers crawled to the finish. Three other cars spluttered to a halt mid-last lap when they ran out of charge while five others were disqualified for exceeding energy limits to finish. Don't be put off electric cars because an event to showcase the emissions-free driving option highlighted some of the challenges holding back the switch to green cars. In coming decades, electric vehicles are poised to become so reliable they will outsell autos propelled by fossil fuels. The race is on to switch to cars whereby an electric motor, battery and single-gear gearbox replace an internal combustion engine, radiator, fuel tank and multi-geared transmission and clutch because fossil-fuel vehicles account for about 10% of the global greenhouse-gas emissions driving climate change. Governments worldwide are promoting or mandating the switch. Automakers have pledged at least US$300 billion to go electric and compete with Tesla Motors, the leader of companies created to build electric. But there are issues that need solving to hasten the switch to electric. One is that batteries have power, thus distance, limits. But the improvements to batteries are expected to overcome this handicap before too long. Another is that the infrastructure to ensure country-wide charging needs to be built - it will be. Another hurdle to overcome is that while electric vehicles are simpler to make because they have fewer parts, a battery that is the size of the back seat makes the cars more expensive to produce. The 60% higher price tag on average is slowing sales even though electric car owners save money on energy costs (up to 70%) and maintenance (electric cars have only 20 moving parts compared with about 2,000 in fossil-fuel vehicles). Another challenge is that while green cars emit no local pollution their environmental benefits come with caveats. The first is that generating the electricity they need to recharge produces emissions. But the emissions from generating electricity will fall over time as grids become more renewables based. A second qualification is that batteries make electric vehicles more emissions-intensive to manufacture. Part of the explanation for that is that the raw materials needed for battery cells, especially cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements, give off emissions during the smelting needed to extract them from ore. (Another might be that batteries are a challenge to recycle.)
Electric cars right now are more a luxury purchase due to their higher price. But already 30% of global sales of mopeds, scooters and motorcycles are electric because the price differential over petrol equivalents is lower. Car sales will trend the same way if the price gap to fossil power is eliminated as expected this decade as batteries become cheaper and greener grids enshrine the climate benefits of electric. Of the three touted future trends in driving - namely, car sharing that makes ownership redundant, fully autonomous driving, and electric vehicles - a world of green cars is the most believable. To be sure, more advancements in the fuel economy of fossil fuels would sap the case for electric vehicles. A halfway switch to hybrids might slow the switch to fully electric while unexpected leaps in hydrogen power could make electric cars passé. Governments might wind back green subsidies to repair their finances (especially as some will lose revenue from fuel excise). Any delay in battery improvements would slow the switch. Banning conventional cars might misfire if the masses can't afford electric. Sales of electric vehicles could disappoint if people adopt a mentality that green cars will be cheaper and better distance-wise in a few years. While the pace of the switch is debatable, the world of electric cars is coming. Valencia E-Prix debacles aside, the breakthrough into mainstream should prove as seamless as the switch from manual to automatic. Funds operated by this manager: Magellan Global Fund (Hedged), Magellan Global Fund (Open Class Units) ASX:MGOC, Magellan High Conviction Fund, Magellan Infrastructure Fund, Magellan Infrastructure Fund (Unhedged), MFG Core Infrastructure Fund |

13 Aug 2021 - Hedge Clippings | 13 August 2021
|
|||||
If you'd like to receive Hedge Clippings direct to your inbox each Friday
|

13 Aug 2021 - Silk Laser Clinics Case Study: How do Private Equity Managers Make Money?
Silk Laser Clinics Case Study: How do Private Equity Managers Make Money? Chris Faddy, Vantage Asset Management 13 August 2021 We have written previously about the importance of exits (link to previous article) and the important role that Private Equity managers play in generating returns through identifying the optimal path to a company sale. The other critical role that Private Equity managers play in generating return is the provision of capital and management expertise to meaningfully help a company improve its operating performance. The common misconception about Private Equity is that managers simply find companies with good cash flows, apply leverage to the balance sheet, significantly cut costs then pay down debt using those cash flows hence increasing the value of the business. In the mid-market growth/buyout segment that Vantage Asset Management invests in, this misconception could not be further from the truth. For small to mid-market sized private companies, significant value can be created by leveraging the expertise provided by private equity firms. Company efficiencies are improved, growth is accelerated through customer expansion, M&A activity, managing cash, reducing costs, attracting talent and improving IT systems. Often these businesses see private equity as a valuable way of accessing industry experts who can assist with benchmarking, entering new markets and generally providing expertise that is not readily available otherwise. A study conducted by Adams Street Partners of the US buyout market found that the source of value creation from revenue growth through Private Equity manager intervention created 38% of the total return and multiple arbitrage (which is often a by product of revenue growth) created 33% of the return. Leverage ranked a distant third of the return drivers. This highlights the ability of Private Equity managers to bring meaningful value to private investments through the enhancements they make to businesses and ultimately the returns they generate for investors. CASE STUDY: SILK LASER CLINICS SILK was co-founded by its current CEO Martin Perelman in 2009 in Adelaide and had an initial focus on laser hair removal treatments. The Australian non-surgical aesthetics industry is projected to generate revenues of $5.8Bn in CY2021 however it is highly fragmented with five large specialist clinic chains estimated to account for approximately 31% of the total number of clinics (as at 9 September 2020). Advent Partners, one of Australia's leading Private Equity managers with a 35 years track record of investing in mid-market companies, first invested in SILK in January 2018. At the time the business consisted of 12 clinics primarily based in Adelaide whose revenue was mainly derived from hair removal procedures, a treatment which was experiencing margin reduction due to the procedure becoming more accessible to consumers. At the time SILK also offered cosmetic injections, skin treatments and tattoo removal. Subsequent to the acquisition, Advent worked with management to put a number of key initiatives in place to grow SILK including:
These initiatives saw SILK grow from 12 clinics to 56 clinics by December 2020 achieving two year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 79% and 414% to FY2020 in Network Cash Sales and Underlying EBITDA respectively. During December 2020, the Advent Partners 2 Fund completed the successful exit of SILK Laser Clinics Australia via an IPO. SILK Laser Clinics Australia (ASX: SLA) listed on 15 December 2020 at a share price of $3.45, implying an enterprise value of $162 million. Upon listing Advent Partners 2 realised 50% of their original investment holding in SILK, representing 2.0x of the Fund's original investment in SILK, with the Fund retaining 28% of SILK post IPO. Once fully completed the exit will deliver Advent Partners 2 investors, including VPEG3, with top tier performing returns across a 2.9-year investment period. Pleasingly SILK has continued to perform since listing up 40c from its listing price with FY21 prospectus forecasts recently upgraded off the back of continued operating success thanks to the initiatives that Advent Partners have helped put into place. If you would like to share in the growth and ultimate returns derived from similar small to mid-market company investments, Vantage Private Equity Growth Fund 4 ("VPEG4") remains open until 30 September 2021. Funds operated by this manager: |

13 Aug 2021 - Performance Report: DS Capital Growth Fund
Report Date | |
Manager | |
Fund Name | |
Strategy | |
Latest Return Date | |
Latest Return | |
Latest 6 Months | |
Latest 12 Months | |
Latest 24 Months (pa) | |
Annualised Since Inception | |
Inception Date | |
FUM (millions) | |
Fund Overview | The investment team looks for industrial businesses that are simple to understand; they generally avoid large caps, pure mining, biotech and start-ups. They also look for: - Access to management; - Businesses with a competitive edge; - Profitable companies with good margins, organic growth prospects, strong market position and a track record of healthy dividend growth; - Sectors with structural advantage and barriers to entry; - 15% p.a. pre-tax compound return on each holding; and - A history of stable and predictable cash flows that DS Capital can understand and value. |
Manager Comments | The fund's returns over the past 12 months have been achieved with a volatility of 8% vs the index's 10.35%. The annualised volatility of the fund's returns since inception in January 2013 is 11.16% vs the index's 13.6%. Over all other periods, the fund's returns have been consistently less volatile than the index. Since inception in January 2013 in the months where the market was positive, the fund has provided positive returns 91% of the time, contributing to an up-capture ratio for returns since inception of 73.41%. Over all other periods, the fund's up-capture ratio has ranged from a high of 120.88% over the most recent 24 months to a low of 87.35% over the latest 60 months. An up-capture ratio greater than 100% indicates that, on average, the fund has outperformed in the market's positive months. The fund's down-capture ratio for returns since inception is 45%. Over all other periods, the fund's down-capture ratio has ranged from a high of 73.41% over the most recent 36 months to a low of 15.64% over the latest 12 months. A down-capture ratio less than 100% indicates that, on average, the fund has outperformed in the market's negative months. |
More Information |
13 Aug 2021 - Performance Report: Collins St Value Fund
Report Date | |
Manager | |
Fund Name | |
Strategy | |
Latest Return Date | |
Latest Return | |
Latest 6 Months | |
Latest 12 Months | |
Latest 24 Months (pa) | |
Annualised Since Inception | |
Inception Date | |
FUM (millions) | |
Fund Overview | The managers of the fund intend to maintain a concentrated portfolio of investments in ASX listed companies that they have investigated and consider to be undervalued. They will assess the attractiveness of potential investments using a number of common industry based measures, a proprietary in-house model and by speaking with management, industry experts and competitors. Once the managers form a view that an investment offers sufficient upside potential relative to the downside risk, the fund will seek to make an investment. If no appropriate investment can be identified the managers are prepared to hold cash and wait for the right opportunities to present themselves. |
Manager Comments | Since inception in February 2016 in the months where the market was negative, the fund has provided positive returns 65% of the time, contributing to a down-capture ratio for returns since inception of 38.29%. Over all other periods, the fund's down-capture ratio has ranged from a high of 80.04% over the most recent 24 months to a low of -72.58% over the latest 12 months. A down-capture ratio less than 100% indicates that, on average, the fund has outperformed in the market's negative months over the specified period, and negative down-capture ratio indicates that, on average, the fund delivered positive returns in the months the market fell. The fund's up-capture ratio since inception is 86.43%. Over all other periods, the fund's up-capture ratio has ranged from a high of 189.49% over the most recent 24 months to a low of 94.92% over the latest 60 months. An up-capture ratio greater than 100% indicates that, on average, the fund has outperformed in the market's positive months over the specified period. |
More Information |

13 Aug 2021 - Webinar | Premium China Funds Management
Premium China Funds Management: Chinese Regulators - What's going on?
|

13 Aug 2021 - Fund Review: Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund July 2021
BENNELONG KARDINIA ABSOLUTE RETURN FUND
Attached is our most recently updated Fund Review. You are also able to view the Fund's Profile.
- The Fund is long biased, research driven, active equity long/short strategy investing in listed ASX companies.
- The Fund has significantly outperformed the ASX200 Accumulation Index since its inception in May 2006 and also has significantly lower risk KPIs. The Fund has an annualised return of 8.64% p.a. with a volatility of 7.62%, compared to the ASX200 Accumulation's return of 6.68% p.a. with a volatility of 14.24%.
- The Fund also has a strong focus on capital protection in negative markets. Portfolio Managers Kristiaan Rehder and Stuart Larke have significant market experience, while Bennelong Funds Management provide infrastructure, operational, compliance and distribution capabilities.
For further details on the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.


12 Aug 2021 - Performance Report: Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund
Report Date | |
Manager | |
Fund Name | |
Strategy | |
Latest Return Date | |
Latest Return | |
Latest 6 Months | |
Latest 12 Months | |
Latest 24 Months (pa) | |
Annualised Since Inception | |
Inception Date | |
FUM (millions) | |
Fund Overview | The Fund's discretionary investment strategy commences with a macro view of the economy and direction to establish the portfolio's desired market exposure. Following this detailed sector and company research is gathered from knowledge of the individual stocks in the Fund's universe, with widespread use of broker research. Company visits, presentations and discussions with management at CEO and CFO level are used wherever possible to assess management quality across a range of criteria. Detailed analysis of company valuations using financial statements and forecasts, particularly focusing on free cash flow, is conducted. Technical analysis is used to validate the Manager's fundamental research and valuations and to manage market timing. A significant portion of the Fund's overall performance can be attributed to the attention and importance given to the macro economic outlook and the ability and willingness to adjust the Fund's market risk. |
Manager Comments | The annualised volatility of the fund's returns since inception in May 2006 is 7.62% vs the index's 14.24%. Over all other periods, the fund's returns have been consistently less volatile than the index. The fund's Sortino ratio (which excludes volatility in positive months) has ranged from a high of 1.61 for performance over the most recent 12 months to a low of 0.16 over the latest 36 months, and is 1.23 for performance since inception. By contrast, the ASX 200 Total Return Index's Sortino for performance since May 2006 is 0.32. The fund's down-capture ratio for returns since inception is 48.66%. Over all other periods, the fund's down-capture ratio has ranged from a high of 160.44% over the most recent 12 months to a low of 44.49% over the latest 24 months. A down-capture ratio less than 100% indicates that, on average, the fund has outperformed in the market's negative months. |
More Information |
12 Aug 2021 - Webinar Invitation | AIM
AIM Webinar: Key trends from this earnings season Wednesday, 18 August 2021 at 11:00AM AEST
Funds operated by this manager: |
