The National - News

INVESTCORP GAINS FROM RETURNS AND FEE RISE

▶ Asset manager’s board proposes a full-year dividend of $0.24 per share

- SARMAD KHAN

Investcorp, an alternativ­e investment manager that counts Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company as its biggest shareholde­r, reported a 4 per cent year-on-year rise in its fullyear 2018 profit. The earnings were boosted by realisatio­n of investment­s in the United States and Europe, and a rise in fee income from assets under management.

Aggregate net income for the 12-month period ending June 30, climbed to $125 million (Dh459,1m), with fully diluted earnings per share also rising 4 per cent to $1.30, the company said in a statement yesterday. Net income for the second half of financial year 2018 came in at $70m, slightly lower than $72m reported for the same period a year earlier, it said.

Investcorp’s board proposed a full-year dividend of $0.24 per ordinary share, the company headquarte­red in Bahrain said.

As the company maintains the growth momentum, it continues to report “strong performanc­e” across a range of our key indicators, said Mohammed Alardhi, Investcorp executive chairman.

“Our robust balance sheet, experience and expertise will enable us to take advantage of interestin­g investment opportunit­ies globally and allow us to continue the growth trajectory that we have set.”

The company’s assets under management increased 6 per cent to $22.6 billion during the period. Since its inception in 1982, Investcorp has made over 170 corporate investment­s in the US, Europe and the broader Middle East and North Africa region, including Turkey.

The company has invested across a range of sectors including more than 450 commercial and residentia­l real estate investment­s in the US, with transactio­n values exceeding $55bn.

Mubadala, a strategic investment arm of Abu Dhabi, owns a 20 per cent stake in Investcorp.

The company is now exploring investment opportunit­ies in China, India and Saudi Arabia as it expects assets under management to reach $50bn within the next five to seven years, its co-chief executive, Rishi Kapoor said, according to Reuters.

Investcorp’s Credit Management business, during the last financial year, helped push a 27 per cent rise in recurring income derived from AUM to $173m. Asset based income also grew by 30 per cent to $133m, primarily driven by successful corporate investment realisatio­ns.

Investment activity during the financial year 2018 climbed 36 per cent to $2.8bn, while total placement and fundraisin­g activities rose by 77 per cent $7.3bn as distributi­ons to clients more than doubled to $7bn.

This year “has presented a number of geopolitic­al and economic challenges, particular­ly in the Gulf region, yet fundraisin­g activity remains high”, Mr Alardhi said.

“There is an impressive pace of capital being deployed, and we have significan­tly expanded our global investor base.”

The company raised $580m from investors during the fullyear with $789m returned in distributi­ons.

Its corporate investment­s business remained solid with three new deals totalling $406m, two follow on funding deals. Another $75m was invested through and alongside Investcorp’s Technology Funds III and IV and a further $48m invested in two special opportunit­ies, it said.

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