Report
Brian Moretta ...
  • Derek Terrington
  • Jason Streets
  • Mark Thomas
  • Martin Hall
  • Mike Foster
  • Nigel Hawkins

Hardman & Co Monthly: February 2022

Feature article: Streamers vs. broadcasters - Broadcasters fight back

Streaming is the most disruptive force in video media. Globally, streamed video services continue to grow, led by the US majors, apparently at the expense of non-streamed and advertising-dependent broadcasters.

Recent trading announcements by leading streamers and leading UK broadcasters point in two directions: streaming growth in the North American market is slowing, according to figures from Netflix and Disney, while UK public service broadcasters (PSBs) reported a strong advertising recovery in 3Q21. Both trends were influenced by the pandemic, which slowed the production of new content – this is unwinding and points to a healthy 4Q21. Similarly, leading UK PSBs expect a strong 4Q, with advertising at record levels.
Underlyings
Appreciate Group

Park Group is a provider of prepaid gift cards, multi-retailer gift vouchers and digital rewards services to corporate and consumer markets. Co.'s brands include: Love2shop, a multi-retailer gift voucher and prepaid gift card brand; Park Christmas Savings, which helps families prepare and budget for Christmas in a controlled and careful manner; flexecash®, which issues e-money; Love2shop Business Services, which provides solutions from Co.'s own multi-retailer vouchers and prepaid cards to single store vouchers and cards, gift experiences, holidays and travel; and Evolve, which is a digital rewards platform that provides commercial organizations with a means to reward individuals.

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.

BBGI Global Infrastructure

Bilfinger Berger Global Infrastructure SICAV is a closed-ended, diversified investment company. Co.'s primary investment objective is to invest in a diversified portfolio of operational (or near operational) Public Private Partnership / Private Finance Initiative infrastructure assets or similar assets.

City Of London Investment Group

City of London Investment Group is the holding company for a number of subsidiaries. The principal operating subsidiary is City of London Investment Management Company Limited, which acts as an investment manager on 38 accounts with a total of £3.58 billion under management as at June 30 2017. Co. is an asset management group with an institutional client focus specializing in Emerging Market closed-end fund investments. Co.'s range also include Developed, Frontier and Global Tactical Asset Allocation closed-end fund strategies.

Diurnal Group

Diurnal Group is a pharma company developing products for the life-long treatment of chronic endocrine conditions. Co. is focused on addressing clinical and patient needs in hormone replacement, initially by developing and marketing products for the rare orphan diseases congenital adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal insufficiency. Co.'s products include Infacort®, an immediate-release hydrocortisone preparation targeting Adrenal Insufficiency (including Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia) in children under six years of age in Europe and 16 years of age in the U.S.; and Chronocort®, a modified-release hydrocortisone preparation, initially targeting Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia in adult patients.

Fidelity Asian Values PLC

Fidelity Asian Values is an investment company. Co. invests in a diversified portfolio of securities and instruments issued by or related to companies listed on the stock markets in the Asian Region excluding Japan. Co. may invest directly in the shares of companies or indirectly through equity related instruments and in debt instruments. Co. may also invest in quoted securities and in other investment funds. Co. invests across a range of sectors, including consumer discretionary, financials, information technology, consumer staples, industrials, health care, utilities, energy, materials, and telecommunication services. Co.'s investment is managed by FIL Investments International.

Fidelity China Special Situations PLC

Fidelity China Special Situations is an investment trust. Co.'s investment objective is to attain long-term capital growth from a managed portfolio made up primarily of securities issued by companies listed in China or Hong Kong and Chinese companies listed elsewhere. Co. may also invest in listed companies with interests in China and Hong Kong.

Fidelity European Values PLC

Fidelity European Values operates as an investment company with a managed portfolio of investments, consisting primarily of continental European securities. Co.'s Portfolio Manager focuses on attaining a total return on Co.'s total assets over the longer term in excess of the Benchmark Index, the FTSE World Europe (ex UK) Index. Co. may utilize derivative instruments, including index-linked notes, futures, contracts for difference, covered call options, put options and other equity-related derivative instruments as a tool to meet its investment objective.

Fidelity Japan Trust

Fidelity Japan Trust is an investment trust company. Co.'s investment objective is to attain long term capital growth from a managed portfolio of securities primarily of small and medium sized Japanese companies listed or traded on Japanese stockmarkets.

Fidelity Special Values PLC

Fidelity Special Values PLC is a United Kingdom-based investment trust. The investment objective of the Company is to achieve long term capital growth predominantly through investment in the United Kingdom listed companies. The Company is engaged in the investments in larger, medium and smaller-sized companies. Its investments have the characteristics, including limited downside risk and unrecognized potential for positive change. The Company focuses on investing up to 20% of the portfolio in listed companies on overseas exchanges. The Company may invest directly in the shares of companies or indirectly through equity-related instruments (such as derivative contracts, warrants or convertible bonds) and in debt instruments. The Company may also invest in unquoted securities. It invests in sectors, including financial services, media, support services, and software and computer services. FIL Investment Services (UK) Limited is the Company's alternative investment fund manager.

Filta Group Holdings

Filta Group Holdings is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Co. is engaged in the franchising of on-site environmental kitchen solutions to restaurants, catering establishments and institutional kitchens. The services include microfiltration of cooking oil, fryer cleaning, temperature calibration, waste oil disposal and specially designed filters for refrigeration units and coolers. Co. sells franchises and operates in the United Kingdom and the United States. Additionally, Co. operates two direct sale businesses including refrigeration seal replacement and the installation, repair and maintenance of refrigeration and aircon units.

International Biotechnology Trust PLC

International Biotechnology Trust is an independent investment trust company. Co. invests primarily in biotechnology and other life science companies. The portfolio is split between large, mid and small capitalisation companies, primarily quoted on stock exchanges in North America, though investments will also be made in Europe, Asia and Australia. Investments may also be made into unquoted companies and into funds not quoted on a stock exchange, including venture capital funds. Co. has delegated responsibility for day-to-day investment of its assets to the Alternative Investment Fund Manager, SV Health Managers LLP.

Oakley Capital Investments

Palace Capital

Palace Capital is a property investment company that focuses on commercial real estate outside London. Co. invests in refurbishment and capital development programmes within the existing portfolio to unlock capital growth, as well as invests in commercial real estate in the U.K. Co.'s property portfolio includes investment properties located throughout England, predominantly regional investments outside London and comprises a diverse portfolio of commercial buildings.

Pantheon Resources

Pantheon Resources is engaged in the investment in oil and gas exploration and development. Co. operates in the U.K. through its parent undertaking and in the U.S. through subsidiary companies. Co. operates in two reportable segments: USA and Head Office. Non-current assets, income and operating liabilities are attributable to the USA, whilst most of the corporate administration is conducted through Head Office. As of June 30 2017, Co. held 58% working interest in the VOBM#1 & VOBM#2H wells in Polk County. Co. also held 75% working interest in VOBM#4 in Tyler County.

Real Estate Credit Investments

Tissue Regenix Group

Tissue Regenix Group is a medical technology company. Co. is engaged in the development of regenerative products to create replacement native tissue using biological (human and animal) materials. With its platform technology dCELL®, Co. is focusing on the treatment of patients with wound care, orthopaedic and cardiac applications. The dCELL® technology allows Co. to process both human and animal tissues, removing DNA and cellular material but leaving intact an acellular matrix within which the patient's own cells can repopulate and regenerate, creating like for like tissue.

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
Brian Moretta

Derek Terrington

Jason Streets

Mark Thomas

Martin Hall

Mike Foster

Nigel Hawkins

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