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Register now for VCT Forum on Wednesday 19 November at 12:30pm -

Event | Live webinar: VCTs – growing importance in taxing times

In our note, What RECI brings to investors, we reviewed the benefits investors in RECI receive, noting i) a near 10% dividend yield, significantly covered by recurring interest income and which has been maintained through multiple macro crises, ii) diversification of investors’ portfolios, with an equity with low correlation to overall markets, iii) an experienced debt manager bringing competitive advantages in deal origination and risk management, iv) a diversified portfolio with proven downside resilience created by Cheyne’s actions, and v) liquid access to an attractive illiquid asset class. RECI is hosting an institutional investor day on 17 Nov., and plans a series of retail investor events.

  • Stable business model: Our August 2019 57-page initiation on RECI detailed the investment-positive, -neutral and risk factors. Very little has changed over the past six years, with the key drivers exactly as they were in that report. In our view, this stability is a further core attraction of the RECI model.
  • September factsheet: RECI had a diversified portfolio of 23 investments (valuation £279.5m). RECI’s available cash was £41.4m and net effective leverage 24.3%. In the month, the repayment of a senior loan realised ca.£59.9m gross proceeds (8.7% IRR). £15.8m was redeployed to the same borrower.
  • Valuation: In the five-year, pre-pandemic era, on average, RECI traded at a premium to NAV. In periods of market uncertainty, it has traded at a discount; currently, it trades at a well-above-average 12.1% discount. RECI is paying an annualised 12p dividend, generating a yield of 9.6%, which we expect to be covered by recurring net interest income.
  • Risks: Any lender is exposed to credit risks. We believe RECI has appropriate policies to reduce the probability of default. Its average LTV is 64.1%, and most loans (inc. all of the top 10) are senior-secured, providing a downside cushion. Some assets are illiquid. In the short term, investor sentiment could be an issue.
  • Investment summary: RECI generates an above-average dividend yield from well-managed credit assets. Directors and management have demonstrated their confidence in its sustainability through share purchases. Market wide, credit risk is currently above average, although rating agencies expect defaults to reduce in 2025, and RECI’s strong liquidity and debt restructuring expertise should allow it time to manage problem accounts. Borrowers have injected further equity into deals. A rolling series of six-monthly buybacks, of up to £10m, has been seen.
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