Electra Private Equity

Introducing Hostmore and Unbound brands

27 September 2021

On 16 September, Electra Private Equity (ELTA) issued a trading update for its largest remaining hospitality brands, Fridays and 63rd+1st, and named the board members for Hostmore, the parent company of those brands. ELTA’s board confirmed its intention to demerge Fridays – the largest of the two operating businesses (74% of ELTA’s NAV) – onto the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (initially announced in May), early in Q421. The board aims to transition the remaining company, Hotter Shoes (10% of ELTA’s NAV), to AIM, renaming it Unbound. ELTA has been following a realisation strategy since October 2016, when it had a market cap of c £1.1bn, and has since returned c £2bn to shareholders. Since our initiation note published in December 2020, ELTA’s NAV has appreciated c 45% from £135m to £197m. The market capitalisation of c £222m and a c £320m management valuation for Hotter and TGI Fridays (excluding cash, see below) implies further upside for ELTA’s share price. MORE »

The realisation strategy – further steps

25 May 2021

On 21 May, Electra Private Equity (ELTA) announced the board’s intention to demerge Fridays – the largest of the two operating businesses (74% of ELTA’s NAV) – onto the FTSE Main Market and, subsequently, to bring Hotter Shoes (10% of NAV) to AIM through reclassification of the Electra entity. This followed the 15 April announcement about the disposal of Sentinel for £22.2m (58.1p per share), £11.3m higher than the asset’s carrying value on the balance sheet at 30 September 2020. ELTA has been following a realisation strategy since October 2016, when it had a market cap of c £1.7bn, and has since returned c £2bn to shareholders. Since our December 2020 initiation note, the shares have appreciated from a 22% discount to NAV to currently trading at a 7% premium. The share price has almost doubled from 275.5p to 550.5p per share. MORE »

The realisation strategy – step by step

16 April 2021

On 15 April, Electra Private Equity (ELTA) announced the disposal of Sentinel – one of the company’s three remaining operating businesses – for £22.2m (58.1p per share), £11.3m higher than the asset’s carrying value on the balance sheet as at 30 September 2021. ELTA has been following a realisation strategy since October 2016, when it had a market cap of c £1.7bn, and has since returned c £2bn to shareholders. Since our 16 December 2020 initiation note, the shares have appreciated from a 22% discount to NAV to currently trading at a 4.1% premium. MORE »

Innovating, restructuring and realising

16 December 2020

Electra Private Equity (ELTA) has been following a realisation strategy since October 2016, when it had a market cap of c £1.7bn, and has since returned £2bn to shareholders. Despite this strong record, the shares currently trade at a 22% discount to NAV. In 2018, the board embarked on a major operational enhancement programme across the remaining three key portfolio assets: TGI Fridays, Hotter and Sentinel, installing new management teams in 2019. ELTA’s team has identified significant earnings potential from operational initiatives, which on applying peer and sector multiples translates into significant valuation upside of up to 175% above the current NAV. ELTA is well placed to realise the remaining assets in 2021 and generate attractive shareholder returns before the company’s subsequent wind up. MORE »