Centrus raises €35m of privately placed debt for The Henderson European Focus Trust

Centrus is pleased to announce that The Henderson European Focus Trust (“HEFT”), the UK-listed investment trust managed by Janus Henderson Investors, has successfully raised long-term debt of €35 million.

The financing is divided into the following tranches:

• €25m 1.53% Notes due 2047
• €10m 1.66% Notes due 2052

Centrus supported HEFT in the preparation and marketing of the financing including liaising with a number of investors and other stakeholders, monitoring market conditions, advising the board on the structure of the debt as well as negotiating the terms and conditions of the private placement.

We are delighted to add HEFT to the wide range of investment trusts that Centrus has supported. These include:

The Mercantile Investment Trust – £150m Private Placemen

September 2021

Managed by JP Morgan, The Mercantile Investment Trust is a large-scale, UK-focused trust with gross assets as at end 2021 of approximately £2.8bn.

With support from Centrus, the trust raised £150m of long-term debt, separated into three trances:

• £55m 1.98% Notes due 2041
• £50m 2.05% Notes due 2051
• £45m 1.77% Notes due 2061

Mercantile is one of the very few investment trusts with an explicit credit rating – AA from S&P.

The Edinburgh Investment Trust – £120m Private Placement

September 2021

Managed by Majedie Asset Management, The Edinburgh Investment Trust’s (“EIT”) gross assets, as at end 2021, totalled approximately £1.3 billion.

EIT raised £120 million on an unsecured basis, and split into four tranches:

• £35m 2.26% Notes due 2037
• £35m 2.49% Notes due 2047
• £20m 2.53% Notes due 2051
• £30m 2.53% Notes due 2057

An unusual feature of this private placement was that settlement of £100m of the proceeds was deferred until Sept 2022 to coincide with the maturity of a £100m listed bond issue.

Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies Trust – £30m Private Placement

March 2021

Managed by First Sentier Investors, The Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies Trust invests in smaller listed companies across Asia, with net assets as at end 2021 of approximately £337 million.

Centrus advised the trust on a £30m debt private placement, priced with a fixed coupon of 2.75% for a term of 20 years.

Aberdeen Diversified Income and Growth Trust – Bond Liability Management

October 2020

Aberdeen Diversified Income and Growth Trust’s (“AIDG”) gross assets amounted to approximately £381 million, as at end 2021.

Centrus advised AIDG on a public bond tender to repurchase up to £45m of its outstanding £60m 6.25% bonds due 2031. A total of £43.9m of bonds were tendered and repurchased by ADIG, leaving approximately £16m of bonds outstanding.

The AIDG board announced that the bond buy back had a number of benefits including reducing leverage, increasing cash flow and increased capital management flexibility.

The Monks Investment Trust – £100m Private Placement

August 2020

Managed by Baillie Gifford, The Monks Investment Trust (“Monks”) had gross assets, as at end 2021, of approximately £3.4bn.

Exceeding Monks’ original fundraising intentions, Centrus raised a total of £100m for the trust, divided into two tranches:

• £60m 1.86% Notes due 2054
• £40m 1.77% Notes due 2045

The Scottish American Investment Company – £80m Private Placement

April 2019

Managed by Baille Gifford since 2004, The Scottish American Investment Company (“SAINTS”) had gross assets, as at end of 2021, of approximately £1bn.

The transaction comprised two separate tranches of £40m each with maturities of April 2045 and April 2049 and a fixed coupon of 3.12% payable semi-annually.

An unusual feature of this financing was that settlement was deferred for three years until April 2022 to coincide with the maturity of an £80m listed bond issue.

Alliance Trust – £60m Private Placement

October 2018

Alliance Trust, a FTSE 250 Investment Trust with gross assets, as at end 2021, of approximately £3.7bn, successfully completed a long-term financing in the private placement market.

Centrus arranged a £60m financing divided into three tranches::

• £20m 2.66% Notes due 2033
• £20m 2.94% Notes due 2043
• £20m 2.90% Notes due 2053

For more information, please contact robert.stjohn@centrusadvisors.com

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