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Downing launches new actively managed liquid alternatives fund aiming to deliver 7% to 10%+ per annum and positive returns in most markets. The new MGTS Downing Active Defined Return Assets Fund (‘Active Defined Returns’, the ‘Fund’), is the first fund from its new Liquid Alternatives team.
The Fund is aimed at institutional investors, Discretionary Fund Managers, IFAs and advised sophisticated individual investors, and will primarily consist of UK Government bonds and large-cap equity index options, which provide significant scalability and strong liquidity. It aims to deliver 7% to 10%+ per annum and positive returns in all markets except for a sustained equity market fall (generally more than 35%), over a period of at least six years.
The Fund is the first to be launched by the new Liquid Alternatives Team established by Downing. Collectively, the team has over 125 years of experience and sector knowledge, and includes Tony Stenning, who held senior roles at BlackRock and most recently was CEO of Atlantic House Group; Russell Catley, founder and also a former CEO of Atlantic House Group; Huw Price, a former Executive Director at Santander Asset Management, and Paul Adams, former Head of Cash Equities and Derivatives Sales, Royal Bank of Canada.
The Fund offers investors a compelling building block for multi-asset portfolios, aiming to add consistent and predictable returns, typically secured with a portfolio of UK Government bonds. The unique proposition includes a hybrid approach of using systematic derivative strategies and active management, combining liquid investments with predictable returns, and an equity like risk profile.
Investment strategy: Maximising the probability of delivering predictable defined returns across the economic cycle.
Systematic Liquid Derivatives: Systematic, derivative strategies optimise the equity risk-return profile. The Fund uses rules-based derivative strategies linked to the most liquid, large-cap global equity indices (i.e. FTSE100, S&P500) with the aim of harvesting well-proven consistent returns across a wide corridor of market conditions.
Strong security: The Fund will hold a high-quality portfolio of assets as secure collateral – typically UK Government bonds.
Active benefits: At times, rules-based, passive derivative strategies can underperform when markets move strongly – this is when specialist active management can add incremental gains by monitoring and monetising positions and applying active risk management.
Key benefits
Increased consistency and predictability of returns: Positive returns in all markets except for a sustained equity market fall of more than 35% over at least six years.
Diversification of risk: The Fund’s risk components are diversified across large, liquid equity indices, observation levels and counterparties. Secured with high-quality assets – typically UK Government bonds.
Active management: Our experienced team will actively manage the Fund and its investments to optimise risk and reward for investors.
Russell Catley, Head of Retail, Liquid Alternatives at Downing, said: “Put simply, we focus your investment risk on the probability of receiving the returns you need, not those you don’t. We target the highest probability of delivering 7% to 10%+ per annum with active management adding material incremental gains. We believe that we are building the next evolution of the proven success of Defined Returns funds
The Downing team isseeing strong demand from clients looking for alternatives to large-cap equity funds which are becoming concentrated in technology stocks, or alternatives to UK equity income funds and illiquid alternatives.”
Tony Stenning, Head of Liquid Alternatives at Downing, said: “The launch of our Active Defined Return Assets Fund is a significant milestone in the ambitious build-out of our new Liquid Alternatives strategies. It is a solution-focused fund that should deliver stable high single or low double-digit returns across a wide spectrum of equity market conditions, except for a persistent multi-year bear market. The Fund is designed to enhance balanced portfolios by providing consistent, predictable returns and is suitable for accumulation or drawdown.
“We aim to deliver a unique combination of proven systematic derivative strategies and specialist active management, and we are doing so at a very compelling fee level, below our closest competitors and in line with active ETFs.”
How the Fund is expected to perform in different markets
In bullish markets: UK Government bonds secure the capital, and the equity index options deliver a predictable 7-10%+ return per annum – giving up some less likely upside.
In neutral markets and normal market corrections: UK Government bonds secure the capital, and the index options deliver a predictable 7-10%+ return per annum.
In a sustained sell-off: if markets fall more than the cover to capital loss and do not recover for six years. Then capital is eroded 1:1 in line with the worst performing index.
The average Cover to Capital Loss is targeted at 35%: the average cover to capital loss represents the average level the Global indices within the Fund could fall before capital is at risk.
Fund key risks
Performance: Capital is at risk. Investors may not get back the full amount invested.
Liquidity: Access to capital is always subject to liquidity.
Counterparty risk: Other parties could default on the contractual obligations.
Fund Structure
UK regulated OEIC fund structure, fully UCITS compliant
Daily dealing, at published NAV
Minimum investment: £100,000
SRRI: 6 out of 7
Depositary: Bank of New York
Authorised corporate Director (‘ACD’): Margetts Fund Management Ltd.
I share-class: SEDOL: BM8J604 / ISIN: GB00BM8J6044
F share-class: SEDOL: BM8J615 / ISIN: GB00BM8J6150
Risk warning: Opinions expressed represent the views of the fund manager at the time of publication, are subject to change, and should not be interpreted as investment advice. Please refer to the latest full Prospectus and KIID before investing; your attention is drawn to the risk, fees and taxation factors contained therein. Please note that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Capital is at risk. Investments and the income derived from them can fall as well as rise and investors may not get back the full amount invested. Investments in this fund should be held for the long term.
Important notice: This document is intended for professional investors and has been approved as a financial promotion in line with Section 21 of the FSMA by Downing LLP (“Downing”). This document is for information only and does not form part of a direct offer or invitation to purchase, subscribe for or dispose of securities and no reliance should be placed on it. Downing does not offer investment or tax advice or make recommendations regarding investments. Downing is a trading name of Downing LLP. Downing LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference No. 545025). Registered in England and Wales (No. OC341575). Registered Office: 10 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6AF.
Downing Renewables & Infrastructure Trust plc (LSE: DORE) has entered into an agreement to acquire, through Downing Hydro AB ("DHAB"), a 100% interest in a portfolio of operational run-of-river hydropower plants in Sweden (the "Portfolio") for a total consideration of approximately EUR 20 million (c.£17 million), from Batten AB and Daturum AB. The acquisition will initially be funded by drawing down on DORE's £25 million revolving credit facility ("RCF"), meaning the RCF will be 68% drawn.
The Portfolio comprises two hydropower plants located in Sweden's southern SE4 pricing region. The plants were comprehensively renovated between May 2014 and September 2019 and have an aggregate forecast annual production of c.18 GWh p.a.
The newly acquired hydropower plants will be fully integrated into DORE's existing hydropower operational, control and dispatch arrangements. This acquisition will increase the number of DHAB hydropower plants to 19 and the total forecast annual production of the hydropower portfolio to c.174 GWh, a c.60% increase since 31 December 2021.
These are DORE's first assets to be located in the attractive southern SE4 pricing region, which has the highest wholesale power prices in Sweden, benefitting from export cables to continental Europe. The acquisitions in a new price zone will further support DORE's strategy of focusing on diversification by geography, technology, revenue and project stage, designed to increase the stability of revenues and the consistency of income to shareholders.
Intention to raise equity
The Investment Manager continues to see a strong pipeline of investment opportunities. In order to access that pipeline, and to repay drawings under the RCF, the Company is considering the issue of new ordinary shares to fund additional investments, with the wider aims of increasing the Company's diversification, driving efficiencies of scale at the portfolio level, spreading the fixed costs over a wider asset base and increasing liquidity for current and future shareholders.
Any decision on an equity raise is at the absolute discretion of the Directors and will be subject to prevailing market conditions and investor sentiment. Should the Company decide to proceed with an equity raise, a further announcement will be made in due course.
Tom Williams, Partner, Head of Energy and Infrastructure at Downing LLP, commented: "We are delighted to announce another accretive acquisition for DORE in the hydropower sector, the latest in a series of excellent opportunities for expansion of the DHAB platform that the team has worked so hard to establish. Hydropower is one of the most effective sources of renewable energy, producing by far the most energy per unit of capacity of all of our renewable investments. When combined with the storage capacity of the reservoirs in the existing portfolio, we think it is a compelling investment. It will play a key role in furthering the transition to net zero.
"Raising further equity for the Company should allow us to continue to further enhance the portfolio for the benefit of shareholders by deploying into the attractive pipeline that we have available to us."
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