Edison Investment Research - Mercia Asset Management (MERC) Mercia Asset Management - A safe haven for investors awaiting the upturn

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Edison Investment Research

Richard Williamson

Mercia Asset Management - A safe haven for investors awaiting the upturn

As a regionally focused specialist asset manager, Mercia does not expect to experience the same highs and lows in valuations seen in more international growth markets. Mercia offers a defensible UK regional proposition, well aligned to the government’s levelling-up and SME agendas, with its venture portfolio supplemented by private equity and debt funds, investing across the digital media, software, life sciences and engineering sectors. With recurring fee income from FUM of £758m at 31 March 2022, Mercia has demonstrated that its model is sustainably profitable net of central costs. This allows management to offer a progressive dividend policy, with an FY22 dividend yield of 2.7%. Management’s strategy is to grow FUM organically, supplemented by M&A, further building recurring fee income. Mercia’s shares trade at a steep discount to NAV and on an FY22 P/E of just 5x.

29/07/2022 1 EN

Underlying

Mercia Asset Management

Mercia Technologies is an investment group focused on the creation/identification, funding and scaling of technology businesses from the U.K. regions. Co. directly invests across four sectors: Software & the Internet, which consists of cyber security, software as a service analytical tool, Adtech and artificial intelligence; Digital & Digital Entertainment, which consists of virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality and serious games; Electronics, Materials & Manufacturing/Engineering, which consists of energy and communications, value electronics, and manufacturing applications; and Life Sciences & Biosciences, which consists of diagnostics, digital health and medical devices.

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GB00BSL71W47 London Stock Exchange United Kingdom

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Edison Investment Research

Edison is an investment research and advisory company, with offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East and AsiaPac. The heart of Edison is our world renowned equity research platform and deep multi-sector expertise. At Edison Investment Research, our research is widely read by international investors, advisors and stakeholders. Edison Advisors leverages our core research platform to provide differentiated services including investor relations and strategic consulting.

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Analysts

Richard Williamson

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Mercia Asset Management - A safe haven for investors awaiting the upturn

A rarity in the sector: Revenue +19%, EBITDA +34%

Positive trading, discount-to-NAV being addressed

A deeply undervalued specialist in private markets

Accsys Technologies - Upgrading guidance for the full year

Topps Tiles - Market outperformance again in FY24

Nabaltec - Resilience and margin expansion

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