Report
Brian Moretta ...
  • Jason Streets
  • Mark Thomas
  • Martin Hall
  • Mike Foster
  • Milan Radia

Hardman & Co Monthly: August 2021

Feature article: Good jobs come to those who IPO - The importance of going public

We are entering a new economic era where the whole purpose of capitalism and the raison d’être of business are being debated. A lot of the recent focus has been on ESG and the part companies should play in achieving ESG aims, such as a net-zero-carbon economy. In other words, some “stakeholders” believe businesses should not exist simply to generate profits, but expect them to contribute to broader goals. One social goal that truly has the ability to impact social mobility and gets the attention of governments is the generation of jobs, and especially well-paid jobs.

So, the simple question is this: do companies that go public generate jobs, or is an IPO simply an opportunity for management and existing shareholders to cash in? The question is particularly pertinent for small- and mid-cap companies, often described as the “engine of growth’”. This is a question about which nobody seems to have collected the data, let alone published research, at least in the UK. This paper has been written with the assistance of the Quoted Companies Alliance (QCA), and seeks to address that deficiency.
Underlyings
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.

Arix Bioscience

Arix Bioscience is a healthcare and life science company focused on generating value from the development and commercialization of technologies and discoveries. Co. was formed in response to opportunities in the healthcare and life science sector brought by the growing number of new therapies and technologies, driven by scientific innovation. Such innovation is increasingly led by small businesses, and Co. aims to provide a solution to the volatility of the funding market available to such businesses, as well as providing operational and strategic support.

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.

Cyanconnode Holdings

CyanConnode Holdings is a holding company. Co. designs and develops narrowband Radio Frequency (RF) mesh networks that enable Internet of Things communications. Co. provides customers with networking solutions and applications that help them in service delivery, business and energy. Co.'s optimized solutions provide narrowband RF network technology, delivering exceptional performance and total cost of ownership. These solutions include hardware, software and network management. Co.'s IPv6 solution is a wireless Neighborhood Area Network, an IP-based machine-to-machine platform that uses narrowband radio mesh networks to create deployments for the implementation of third party applications.

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 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.

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.

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

Surface Transforms PLC

Surface Transforms is a developer and manufacturer of carbon ceramic products for the brakes market. Co. is engaged in the design, manufacture and sell carbon fiber components. Co.'s products in the automotive industry are lightweight, durable and refined, providing heat dissipation and material strength. In the aerospace industry, Co.'s products provideweight reduction, improved brake performance and wear life. Co's research activities are concentrated on the ongoing identification of new products and applications for carbon fibre reinforced ceramic friction and non-friction materials.

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

Jason Streets

Mark Thomas

Martin Hall

Mike Foster

Milan Radia

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