Report
Mark Thomas ...
  • Martin Hall

The Hardman & Co Monthly: March 2024

Feature article: Streamed content takes over…after the Great Correction of 2022

Streaming is a disruptive, content-led, subscription-based technology. Challenging all video distribution business models, it opens up global opportunities for a growing variety of content, including gaming and sport.

The Great Correction of 2022 saw the share prices of streamers plunge after market leader Netflix reported slowing subscriber growth. The slowdown in growth of subscribers led investors to refocus on the fundamentals – revenue, margins, profits and cashflow – while the streamers responded by revising and broadening the business model.

Growth in streaming subscribers in the US and the UK is now a fraction of what it was, reflecting pressure on consumer incomes and intensified competition in content. Yet streamers have continued to take a steadily greater share of viewing while linear TV continues to decline.

Streaming is now a global business. Netflix identifies 700m connected TVs worldwide and compares this with its subscriber numbers of 260m. Even in the domestic US market, streaming accounts for only 10% of TV time, so plenty of growth to go for.
Underlyings
Advanced Oncotherapy

Advanced Oncotherapy is focused on providing radiotherapy systems for cancer treatment through the use of a proton therapy technology. Co. operates in two business segments: proton therapy and healthcare related properties. The healthcare related property U.K. segment relates to Co.'s property in Folkestone, which is being marketed for sale.

Apax Global Alpha

Apax Global Alpha is a closed-ended investment company that invests in a diversified portfolio of private equity funds and derived investments in debt and equities. As of Dec 21 2017, Co. targeted an annualized Total Net Asset Value Return across economic cycles of 12-15%, net of fees and expenses. Co.'s investment activities are managed by Apax Guernsey Managers Limited (the Investment Manager) under a discretionary investment management agreement. The Investment Manager obtains investment advice from Apax Partners LLP (Apax Partners). Apax Partners advises on investments globally in companies across four sectors: Tech & Telco, Services, Healthcare and Consumer.

Arbuthnot Banking Group

Arbuthnot Banking Group is primarily involved in banking and financial services. Co. is organized into three main operating segments: Retail banking (associate), which incorporates household cash management, personal lending and banking and insurance services; U.K. Private banking, which incorporates private banking, commercial banking and wealth management; and Group Centre, which is comprised in Co.'s Group Centre management. As of Dec 31 2016, Co.'s total assets were £1.27 billion.

H&T Group

H&T Group is a holding company. Through its subsidiary, Harvey & Thompson Limited, Co. is engaged in pawnbroking, gold purchasing, retail of jewellery, cheque cashing, unsecured lending and other related services.

ICG Enterprise Trust

ICG Enterprise Trust is an investment trust. Co. is a private equity investment company focused on buyouts in developed markets. Co. invests in private equity funds and also directly in private companies. As of Jan 31 2017, Co.'s total investment portfolio amounted to £594.3 million.

NB Private Equity Partners

Real Estate Credit Investments

Volta Finance (GBP)

Volta Finance is a closed-ended investment company with the objective of investing, among other asset types, in the following main asset classes: Collateralized Loan Obligation, Synthetic Corporate Credit, Cash Corporate Credit and ABS. Co. has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris S.A., as its Alternative Investment Fund Manager to manage the investments of Co.

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Analysts
Mark Thomas

Martin Hall

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