12 November 2024
Results for the six months to 30
September 2024
The portfolio continues to generate
attractive value growth, ahead of 3i Infrastructure's target return
of 8-10% per annum. We are on track to deliver the FY25 dividend
target of 12.65 pence per share, which is 6.3% higher than the
previous year and expected to be fully covered by net
income.
Performance highlights
£169m
Total return for the
period
(30 September 2023: £191m)
|
5.1%
Total return on opening
net asset value ('NAV')
(30 September 2023: 6.3%)
|
Continued growth in NAV ahead of target
|
£3,456m
NAV (31 March 2024:
£3,342m)
|
374.7p
NAV per share
(31 March 2024: 362.3p)
|
£103m
Total income and
non-income cash
(30 September 2023:
£104m)
|
6.325p
Interim dividend per
share
(FY24 interim dividend:
5.95p per share)
|
On
track to deliver the FY25 dividend target, 6.3%
higher
than FY24
|
€309m
Valorem expected sale proceeds to be
used to reduce drawn balance on revolving credit facility
('RCF')
|
+15%
Increase based on expected EUR
realisation proceeds versus March 2024 valuation
|
+31% expected uplift over September 2023 valuation, before the
Valorem sale process was initiated
|
+15%
Future Biogas partial syndication
implied premium to the March 2024 valuation
|
|
Premium to 31 March 2024 valuation implied by recent
syndication of Future Biogas
|
Richard Laing, Chair of 3i Infrastructure plc
('3i Infrastructure', '3iN' or the
'Company')
"The portfolio continues to perform
well, with our largest assets in particular seeing strong earnings
momentum. We are pleased with the outcome of the realisation
process for Valorem, with expected proceeds achieving a significant
uplift in value and a money multiple of 3.5x cost over the life of
this investment. We are on track to deliver our FY25 dividend
target, which is a 6.3% increase on last year's
dividend."
Performance
The Company generated a total return
of 5.1% on opening NAV for the first half of the year, ahead of our
target return of 8% to 10% per annum. The NAV per share increased
to 374.7 pence. The portfolio overall is performing ahead of
expectations. The realisation of Valorem at a 31% uplift to our
September 2023 valuation and syndication of a stake in Future
Biogas at a 15% uplift to our March 2024 valuation demonstrates the
resilient demand from private market investors for our high-quality
infrastructure investments.
Interim dividend
The Board is announcing an interim
dividend of 6.325 pence per share, scheduled to be paid on 13
January 2025 to holders of ordinary shares on the register on 22
November 2024. The ex-dividend date will be 21 November
2024.
As an investment trust, the Company
is permitted to designate dividends wholly or partly as interest
distributions for UK tax purposes. The Board is designating the
full 6.325 pence interim dividend as an interest
distribution.
Corporate governance
The Company's Annual General Meeting
('AGM') was held on 4 July 2024. All resolutions were approved by
shareholders.
Wendy Dorman and Samantha
Hoe-Richardson did not seek re-election as Directors at the AGM
and, accordingly, they ceased to be Directors of the Company at the
conclusion of the AGM.
Martin Magee, non-executive Director
of the Company, succeeded Wendy Dorman as Chair of the Audit and
Risk Committee with effect from the conclusion of the AGM. On 15
July 2024, Milton Fernandes was appointed as a non-executive
Director of the Company. Milton has over 20 years' experience in
infrastructure investment including previous roles as CFO and
Managing Director of Infracapital and CFO of Innisfree
Limited.
Richard Laing
Chair
For
further information, please contact:
Thomas Fodor, investor
enquiries
|
Tel: 020 7975 3469
|
Kathryn van der Kroft, press
enquiries
|
Tel: 020 7975 3021
|
Notes
This report contains Alternative
Performance Measures ('APMs'), which are financial measures not
defined in International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS').
These include Total return on opening NAV, NAV per share, Total
income and non-income cash, Investment value including commitments,
Total portfolio return percentage and Total liquidity. More
information relating to APMs, including why we use them and the
relevant definitions, can be found in the Financial review section
and the Company's Annual report and accounts 2024. The Total return
for the period is the total comprehensive income for the period
under IFRS.
For further information regarding the
announcement of the results for 3i Infrastructure plc, please visit
www.3i-infrastructure.com. The analyst presentation will be made
available on this website.
Notes to editors
3i
Infrastructure plc is a Jersey-incorporated, closed-ended
investment company, an approved UK Investment Trust, listed on the
London Stock Exchange and regulated by the Jersey Financial
Services Commission. The Company's purpose is to invest responsibly
in infrastructure, delivering long-term sustainable returns to
shareholders and having a positive influence on our portfolio
companies and their stakeholders.
3i
Investments plc (the 'Investment Manager'), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of 3i Group plc, is authorised and regulated in the UK
by the Financial Conduct Authority and is the investment manager to
3i Infrastructure plc.
This statement has been prepared solely to provide information
to shareholders. It should not be relied on by any other party or
for any other purpose. It and the Company's Half-yearly report may
contain statements about the future, including certain statements
about the future outlook for 3i Infrastructure plc. These are not
guarantees of future performance and will not be updated. Although
we believe our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions,
any statements about the future outlook may be influenced by
factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be
materially different.
This press release is not for distribution (directly or
indirectly) in or to the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan
and is not an offer of securities for sale in or into the United
States, Canada, Australia or Japan. Securities may not be offered
or sold in the United States absent registration under the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 'Securities Act'), or an
exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Any public
offering to be made in the United States will be made by means of a
prospectus that may be obtained from the issuer or selling security
holder and will contain detailed information about 3i Group plc, 3i
Infrastructure plc, and management, as applicable, as well as
financial statements. No public offering in the United States is
currently contemplated.
3i
Infrastructure plc Half-yearly report 2024
Review from the Managing
Partners
3i Infrastructure's portfolio
continues to demonstrate value growth driven by fundamental
earnings growth. Our companies have been carefully selected because
they operate in markets displaying long-term growth mega-trends,
whilst also typically demonstrating low cyclicality of earnings,
positive value correlation to inflation and defensive return
characteristics. As a result, 3i Infrastructure's portfolio
provides a differentiated proposition to shareholders;
diversification from fixed income products alongside well-proven
capital growth potential.
We work closely with our portfolio
company management teams to maximise value creation throughout our
ownership. Our active management is centered around three key
pillars; demonstrating high quality of earnings, investing in
return-accretive growth capex and defining white space growth
potential in preparation for our eventual exit.
The agreement to sell Valorem and
partial syndication of Future Biogas that we announced during the
period are good illustrations of the success of our model and are
discussed in further detail below.
Valorem
On 7 October 2024, we announced that
we had received a binding offer for our 33% stake in Valorem from
AIP Management P/S and certain other co-investors. Subject to
acceptance of the binding offer and the receipt of regulatory
clearance, we expect the transaction to complete in Q1 2025. At the
point of exit, we expect our investment in Valorem to have
generated a 21% gross annual IRR and 3.5x gross multiple of
invested capital. The expected net proceeds of €309 million are 15%
above our March 2024 carrying value and 31% above our September
2023 carrying value (which was before the sales process began).
Once received, the proceeds will be applied to reduce 3i
Infrastructure's outstanding RCF balance.
We initially invested in Valorem in
2016. During our ownership period we guided the company's
successful transformation from an asset developer in France to a
leading renewable power producer in Europe. Initially focused on
onshore wind generation, Valorem grew its portfolio to include
solar, hydro generation and wind projects across France, Finland,
Greece and Poland. During the period of our involvement, Valorem's
assets in operation grew to over 850MW, a more than five-fold
increase, and its development pipeline reached 6.6GW. Valorem's
EBITDA has also more than quadrupled.
Following the completion of Valorem,
3iN will have delivered a realised track record since inception of
23% IRR, and realised proceeds of £4.1 billion against an
investment cost of £1.5 billion.
Valorem is the seventh consecutive
core-plus realisation from 3i Infrastructure's portfolio achieved
at a premium to last reported NAV, extending our track record of
successful value creation on exits, and demonstrating the continued
appetite for 3i Infrastructure's investments amongst the private
markets infrastructure community. The weighted-average premium to
the previously reported valuation achieved from these realisations
is 37%.
Future Biogas
During the period, Future Biogas
acquired a 51% stake in a portfolio of six gas-to-grid Anaerobic
Digestion ('AD') plants, that it had developed and was operating
under management contract with JLEN Environmental Assets Group
Limited ('JLEN'), for £68 million. Of this amount, £30 million was
funded by a follow-on investment from 3iN into Future Biogas with
the remainder being funded by Future Biogas's committed debt
facilities. This acquisition marks an important milestone in
building Future Biogas into a scalable platform and establishing it
as the leading developer, asset owner and operator of green gas
plants in the UK. The company has a promising pipeline of potential
sites for the construction of new AD plants and is in ongoing
dialogue with a number of high-quality corporate customers to
supply biogas.
In September 2024, 3iN completed the
syndication of 23% of its stake in Future Biogas to RWE Energy
Transition Investments ('RWE') for proceeds of £30 million, at a
valuation representing a 15% premium to the 31 March 2024
valuation.
Portfolio review
In addition to the successful
transactions at Valorem and Future Biogas, we are generally pleased
with performance across the rest of the portfolio. In particular,
we note the following:
TCR outperformed expectations
during the period. Demand for its rental product remains strong,
driven by growth in air traffic and the increasing rate of leasing
adoption within TCR's markets. TCR continues to support the
decarbonisation of its customers' operations by investing in new
electric Ground Support Equipment ('GSE'), now accounting for 38%
of its GSE total motorised fleet. It is also continuing to gain
traction on its GSE pooling solution at major airports
worldwide.
ESVAGT had a strong first half,
driven by increasing vessel day rates and high levels of vessel
utilisation. The company currently operates nine Service Operation
Vessels ('SOV') supporting the offshore wind sector, with a further
four currently under construction, each being built to service
long-term charter agreements. The near-term pipeline for new SOVs
is strong. During the period, ESVAGT closed a further €200 million
committed debt facility at attractive rates, providing additional
capital to support its growth plans. ESVAGT's emergency rescue and
response vessels segment also continued to perform well.
Infinis's landfill gas
generation assets performed ahead of expectations, offsetting lower
margins from its power response assets. The company continues to
make significant progress in developing a high-quality 1.4GW solar
and battery pipeline and has strengthened its development team to
accelerate planning and construction processes. The Ford Oaks Solar
Park (44 MW), a 45-hectare site close to Exeter Airport, and
Oaklands Solar Farm (54 MW) in South Wales both received planning
consent during the period.
Tampnet had a good first half,
exceeding EBITDA targets in both the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
During the period, Tampnet secured its first fibre-backed contract
in the Mexican deepwater and is exploring several new opportunities
outside of the regions it currently serves. The company also
continues to experience growing demand for its private network
solution business and its developing carbon capture and offshore
wind connectivity solutions.
GCX outperformed expectations
due to progress converting its sales pipeline into signed
contracts. Demand for GCX's bandwidth is driven by the increasing
need for capacity on GCX's routes. GCX continues to explore a
number of attractive network investment opportunities along the
Europe-to-India and India-to-Singapore corridors.
Joulz performed in line with
expectations during the period. The sales pipeline is progressing
well. In August 2024, Joulz completed a refinancing of its debt on
favourable terms providing additional capital to fund future growth
projects.
Ionisos performed below
expectations for the first half of the year due to unplanned
stoppages at its E-Beam plants and weakness in those volumes
related to the German construction industry. However, demand for
Ionisos's services in its core medical and pharmaceutical markets
continues to grow. The construction of a new greenfield X-ray
facility in north-east France is progressing as planned.
Oystercatcher's financial
performance was ahead of expectations during the period. Its
Singapore storage facilities continued to operate at full capacity
and achieved favourable contract renewal rates for storage and
ancillary activities, despite the continued backwardation market
dynamics for petroleum products.
SRL performed behind
expectations in the first half of the year due to a challenging
market backdrop. Local Authorities in the UK are budget
constrained, impacting the volume of contracts in the market during
the period. A new CEO joined the company in April 2024. He has
identified several new initiatives to drive growth in response to
the more challenging market backdrop.
DNS:NET is demonstrating early
momentum in rolling out its fibre-to-the-home network in the Berlin
vicinity, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt. During the period, the
number of activated customers increased in line with our revised
business plan. Substantially all of the networks built by
authorities in the neighbouring state of Saxony-Anhalt and leased
to DNS:NET have now been handed over, generating incremental cash
flow. We retain a flat valuation in recognition of the challenges
experienced by the company to date, but we are pleased with the
progress management is making.
The portfolio is analysed
below.
Portfolio - Breakdown by value
at 30 September 2024
|
TCR
|
16%
|
ESVAGT
|
14%
|
Infinis
|
11%
|
Tampnet
|
9%
|
GCX
|
9%
|
Joulz
|
8%
|
Ionisos
|
8%
|
Valorem
|
6%
|
Oystercatcher
|
6%
|
SRL
|
6%
|
DNS:NET
|
4%
|
Future Biogas
|
3%
|
Sustainability
We continue to actively engage with
our portfolio companies on Environmental, Social and Governance
matters, with particular focus on climate change and occupational
health and safety. Following the approval of 3i's science-based
targets by the Science Based Targets initiative ('SBTi'), we are
working closely with our portfolio companies to support their
efforts in developing emission reduction strategies that are
aligned with the ambition of the SBTi. Two of our portfolio
companies have now had their targets verified by the SBTi. We are
supporting more of our companies to progress towards this
goal.
Outlook
The Company is on track to deliver
its target return for this financial year.
We are pleased with the progress
being made across our portfolio. Our portfolio companies are
strategically positioned to benefit from long-term growth drivers,
and private market investors continue to recognise their quality,
as demonstrated by the transactions at Future Biogas and Valorem
during the period; the latest in a long-line of successfully
managed sale processes.
Proceeds from the sale of Valorem
will be used to reduce the outstanding balance on the RCF. We will
continue to support our portfolio companies' growth journeys and
are excited about the potential for further value creation across
the portfolio. We are confident that our approach will deliver
long-term sustainable returns for investors.
Scott Moseley and Bernardo Sottomayor
Managing Partners and Co-Heads of
European Infrastructure
3i Investments plc
11 November 2024
Financial review
The portfolio delivered another
strong performance during the period.
On 7 October 2024, the Company
announced that it had received a binding offer for its 33% stake in
Valorem for expected net proceeds of €309 million, representing an
uplift of €41 million on the value at 31 March 2024. A follow-on
investment of £30 million was made into Future Biogas in August to
support the acquisition of a 51% stake in six AD plants from JLEN.
An equivalent amount was subsequently received by the Company in
September following the syndication of 23% of its stake in Future
Biogas, demonstrating an immediate uplift in value.
We are on track to deliver the
full-year dividend target, which we expect to be fully
covered.
The weighted average discount rate
('WADR') remained unchanged compared to March 2024 at 11.3% (31
March 2024: 11.3%). The change in the valuation methodology for
Valorem from a discounted cash flow basis to a sales basis had only
a marginal impact on the WADR. The agreement to sell Valorem at a
significant premium to NAV and the partial syndication of Future
Biogas, also at a premium to NAV, provide tangible support for our
approach to valuation.
Portfolio and returns
The Company generated a total return
for the six-month period of £169 million, representing a 5.1%
return on opening NAV (September 2023: £191 million, 6.3%), ahead
of the target return of 8% to 10% per annum. The Company's
portfolio was valued at £3,972 million at 30 September 2024 (31
March 2024: £3,842 million) and delivered a total portfolio return
in the period of £212 million, including income and allocated
foreign exchange hedging (September 2023: £233 million).
Table 1 summarises the valuation and
movements in the portfolio, as well as the return for each
investment, for the period.
Table 1: Portfolio summary (30
September 2024, £m)
|
Directors'
|
|
|
|
|
|
Directors'
|
Allocated
|
Underlying
|
Portfolio
|
|
valuation
|
Investment
|
Divestment
|
Accrued
|
|
Foreign
|
valuation
|
foreign
|
portfolio
|
total
|
|
31
March
|
in
the
|
in
the
|
income
|
Value
|
exchange
|
30
September
|
exchange
|
income
in
|
return in
|
Portfolio assets
|
2024
|
period
|
period
|
movement
|
movement
|
translation
|
2024
|
hedging
|
the
period
|
the
period1
|
TCR
|
608
|
52
|
-
|
5
|
20
|
(14)
|
624
|
15
|
11
|
32
|
ESVAGT
|
531
|
252
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
(6)
|
552
|
5
|
26
|
26
|
Infinis
|
421
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
15
|
-
|
445
|
-
|
9
|
24
|
Tampnet
|
343
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
34
|
(12)
|
368
|
10
|
3
|
35
|
GCX
|
345
|
242
|
-
|
(7)
|
10
|
(21)
|
351
|
15
|
16
|
20
|
Joulz
|
306
|
52
|
(2)
|
-
|
15
|
(8)
|
316
|
8
|
4
|
19
|
Ionisos
|
306
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
5
|
(8)
|
308
|
8
|
5
|
10
|
Valorem
|
230
|
12
|
-
|
-
|
26
|
(6)
|
251
|
6
|
2
|
28
|
Oystercatcher
|
248
|
-
|
(5)3
|
-
|
10
|
(3)
|
250
|
3
|
1
|
11
|
SRL
|
240
|
-
|
-
|
11
|
(19)
|
-
|
232
|
-
|
11
|
(8)
|
DNS:NET
|
164
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
(7)
|
(4)
|
160
|
4
|
7
|
-
|
Future Biogas
|
100
|
352,4
|
(30)5
|
(2)
|
12
|
-
|
115
|
-
|
3
|
15
|
Total portfolio reported in the Financial
statements
|
3,842
|
95
|
(37)
|
32
|
122
|
(82)
|
3,972
|
74
|
98
|
212
|
1
|
This comprises the aggregate of
value movement, foreign exchange translation, allocated foreign
exchange hedging and underlying portfolio income in the
period.
|
2
|
Capitalised interest totalling £64
million across the portfolio.
|
3
|
Shareholder loan repayment
(non-income cash).
|
4
|
Follow-on investment in Future
Biogas of £30 million and capitalised interest of £5
million.
|
5
|
Syndication of
investment.
|
Portfolio return by asset
Table 2 below shows the portfolio
return in the period for each asset as a percentage of the
aggregate of the opening value of the asset and investment in the
asset in the period (excluding capitalised interest). Note that
this measure does not time-weight for investments in the
period.
Table 2: Portfolio return by asset (six months to 30 September 2024, not annualised)
Portfolio assets
|
|
TCR
|
5.3%
|
ESVAGT
|
4.9%
|
Infinis
|
5.7%
|
Tampnet
|
10.2%
|
GCX
|
5.8%
|
Joulz
|
6.2%
|
Ionisos
|
3.3%
|
Valorem1
|
12.2%
|
Oystercatcher
|
4.4%
|
SRL
|
(3.3)%
|
DNS:NET
|
-%
|
Future Biogas
|
14.9%
|
Total portfolio return2
|
5.5%
|
1
|
Valorem valuation includes a small
execution risk discount to expected proceeds.
|
2
|
Portfolio returns include FX net of
hedging.
|
Sensitivities
Our approach to valuation is
consistent with previous years. The sensitivity of the portfolio to
key inputs to our valuations is shown in Table 3.
Our inflation assumptions for the
first two years of our projections reflect current and forecast
consensus inflation levels. The longer-term inflation assumptions
beyond two years remain consistent with central bank targets, e.g.
UK CPI at 2%. A 1% increase in short-term (two-year) inflation
assumptions is estimated to increase the portfolio value by £53
million and a 1% decrease is estimated to decrease the portfolio
value by £52 million.
The weighted average discount rate is
11.3%. Increasing the discount rate used in the valuation of each
asset by 1% would reduce the value of the portfolio by £329 million
and decreasing the discount rate used by 1% would increase the
value of the portfolio by £372 million.
The portfolio valuations are
partially protected against changes in interest rates as long-term
fixed rate or hedged debt is in place across the majority of our
portfolio. Increasing the cost of borrowing assumption for unhedged
borrowings and any future uncommitted borrowing and the cash
deposit rates used in the valuation of each asset by 1% would
reduce the value of the portfolio by £187 million. A 1% decrease in
the interest rate assumption would increase the value of the
portfolio by £186 million.
These sensitivities are indicative
and are considered in isolation, holding all other assumptions
constant. Timing and quantum of price increases will vary across
the portfolio and the sensitivity may differ from that modelled.
Changing the inflation rate assumption may necessitate
consequential changes to other assumptions used in the valuation of
each asset. Sensitivities to key inputs to our valuations are
described in more detail in Note 3 to the accounts.
Table 3: Portfolio sensitivities
|
|
£m
|
% Impact
|
Discount rate
|
(1)%
|
372
|
9.4%
|
+1%
|
(329)
|
(8.3)%
|
Inflation
(for two years)
|
(1)%
|
(52)
|
(1.3)%
|
+1%
|
53
|
1.3%
|
Interest rate
|
(1)%
|
186
|
5.0%
|
+1%
|
(187)
|
(5.0)%
|
Total return
An analysis of the elements of the
total return for the period is shown in Table 4 below. The Company
generated a total return for the six-month period of £169 million,
representing a 5.1% return on opening NAV (30 September 2023: £191
million, 6.3%), ahead of the target return of 8% to 10% per
annum.
Table 4: Summary total return (six months to 30 September, £m)
|
2024
|
2023
|
Capital return (excluding
exchange)
|
122
|
132
|
Foreign exchange movement in
portfolio
|
(82)
|
(15)
|
Capital return (including exchange)
|
40
|
117
|
Movement in fair value of
derivatives and exchange on EUR borrowings
|
74
|
19
|
Net
capital return
|
114
|
136
|
Total income1
|
98
|
98
|
Costs including (non-portfolio)
exchange movements
|
(43)
|
(43)
|
Total return
|
169
|
191
|
1
|
Includes interest receivable on cash
balances held of less than £1 million (30 September 2023: £1
million).
|
The capital return is the largest
element of the total return. The portfolio generated a value gain
of £122 million in the six-month period to 30 September 2024 (30
September 2023: £132 million), driven principally by outperformance
from a number of portfolio companies, particularly Tampnet, Valorem
and Future Biogas, which was offset by a value reduction for
SRL.
The value increase in Valorem of £26
million reflects the offer received for the investment for a price
considerably above its opening valuation. The valuation includes a
small execution risk discount to the expected final cash proceeds
of €309 million. Tampnet's value gain of £34 million is
predominantly driven by higher forecast revenue per customer due to
increasing demand for bandwidth and strong interest in its private
network solution. The value increase in Future Biogas of £12
million reflects the value accretive nature of the investment in
the six AD plants previously operated by Future Biogas on behalf of
JLEN and is aligned with the pricing of the syndication transaction
with RWE. The SRL valuation has been reduced by £19 million due to
the revision of cashflow forecasts to reflect the current market
downturn in roadworks and more cautious assumptions in the medium
term.
In a volatile period for the currency
markets, the movement in foreign exchange rates generated a loss of
£82 million in the period (30 September 2023: £15 million). This
was offset by a gain on the movement in the value of derivatives
and the exchange gain on Euro drawings of £74 million (30 September
2023: £19 million). The foreign exchange hedging programme supports
our objective to deliver steady NAV growth for shareholders by
reducing our exposure to fluctuations in the foreign exchange
markets.
Total income was £98 million (30
September 2023: £98 million), comprising portfolio income of £98
million and interest receivable on cash balances of less than £1
million. The income by portfolio company is shown in Table 1 above.
The dividend to shareholders is supported by this income, together
with non-income cash receipts of £5 million during the period (30
September 2023: £6 million). These non-income cash receipts reflect
distributions from underlying portfolio companies, which would
usually be income to the Company, but that are instead distributed
as a repayment of investment for a variety of reasons. While
non-income cash does not form part of the total return shown in
Table 4, it is included when considering dividend coverage. Total
income and non-income cash is shown in Table 5 below.
Table 5: Total income and non-income cash
(six months to 30 September, £m)
|
2024
|
2023
|
Total income
|
98
|
98
|
Non-income cash
|
5
|
6
|
Total
|
103
|
104
|
Costs
Management and performance fees
During the period to 30 September
2024, the Company incurred management fees of £25 million (30
September 2023: £24 million). The year-on-year increase reflects
the higher average value of the portfolio in the period.
The annual performance hurdle of 8%
was not exceeded in the first half of the year, as the total return
for the period was 5.1%, resulting in no performance fee accrual
(30 September 2023: none).
Other operating and finance costs
Operating expenses, comprising
Directors' fees, service provider costs and other professional
fees, totalled
£1 million in the period (30
September 2023: £1 million).
Finance costs of £17 million in the
period (30 September 2023: £16 million) comprised interest,
arrangement and commitment fees for the Company's £900 million
RCF.
Ongoing charges ratio
The ongoing charges ratio measures
annual operating costs, as disclosed in Table 6 below, against the
average NAV over the reporting period.
The Company's ongoing charges ratio
is calculated in accordance with the methodology recommended by the
Association of Investment Companies ('AIC') and was 1.60% for the
period to 30 September 2024 (30 September 2023: 1.61%).
The AIC methodology does not include
performance fees or finance costs. However, the AIC recommends that
the impact of performance fees on the ongoing charges ratio is
noted, where performance fees are payable. The cost items that
contributed to the ongoing charges ratio are shown below. There was
no performance fee accrual in the period to 30 September 2024 (30
September 2023: nil).
Table 6: Ongoing charges (six
months to 30 September, annualised £m)
|
2024
|
2023
|
Investment Manager's fee
|
50.4
|
47.3
|
Auditor's fee
|
0.8
|
0.8
|
Directors' fees and
expenses
|
0.6
|
0.5
|
Other ongoing costs
|
2.6
|
2.3
|
Total ongoing charges
|
54.4
|
50.9
|
Ongoing charges ratio
|
1.60%
|
1.61%
|
Balance sheet
The NAV at 30 September 2024 was
£3,456 million (31 March 2024: £3,342 million). The principal
components of the NAV are the portfolio assets, cash holdings, the
fair value of derivative financial instruments, borrowings and
other net liabilities. A summary balance sheet is shown in Table
7.
Table 7: Summary balance sheet (£m)
|
As at 30 September
2024
|
As at 31
March 2024
|
Portfolio assets
|
3,972
|
3,842
|
Cash balances
|
1
|
5
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
109
|
77
|
Borrowings
|
(595)
|
(510)
|
Other net liabilities
|
(31)
|
(72)
|
NAV
|
3,456
|
3,342
|
Cash is principally held in AAA-rated
money market funds. The Company has a £900 million RCF in order to
maintain a good level of liquidity for further investment while
minimising returns dilution from holding excess cash
balances.
At 30 September 2024, £595 million of the facility was drawn,
leaving £305 million available in the facility. Following the
expected completion of the sale of the investment in Valorem for
expected net proceeds of €309 million (equivalent to £257 million
based on 30 September 2024 exchange rate) in Q1 2025, the proforma
available funds would be £562 million.
Derivative financial instruments
reflect the foreign exchange hedging programme described
previously.
Other net liabilities predominantly
comprise a performance fee accrual of £32 million (31 March 2024:
£74 million), relating to fees earned in prior years. £42 million
of prior year performance fees were paid during the
period.
NAV
per share
The total NAV per share at 30
September 2024 was 374.7 pence (31 March 2024: 362.3 pence). This
will reduce to 368.4 pence (31 March 2024: 356.4 pence) after the
payment of the interim dividend of 6.325 pence (31 March 2024:
final dividend of 5.95 pence).
Dividend
The Board has announced an interim
dividend for the period of 6.325 pence per share or £58 million in
aggregate
(30 September 2023: 5.95 pence; £55
million). This is half of the Company's target full-year dividend
for FY25 of 12.65 pence per share. The Board is designating the
full 6.325 pence interim dividend payable as an interest
distribution.
Alternative Performance Measures ('APMs')
We assess our performance using a
variety of measures that are not specifically defined under IFRS
and are therefore termed APMs. The APMs that we use may not be
directly comparable with those used by other companies. These APMs
provide additional information on how the Company has performed
over the period and are all financial measures of historical
performance. The table below defines our APMs and should be read in
conjunction with the Annual report and accounts 2024. The APMs are
consistent with those disclosed in prior periods.
APM
|
Purpose
|
Calculation
|
Reconciliation to IFRS
|
Total return on opening NAV
|
A measure of the overall financial
performance of the Company.
|
It is calculated as the total return
of £169 million, as shown in the Statement of comprehensive income,
as a percentage of the opening NAV of £3,342 million net of the
final dividend for the previous year of £55 million.
|
The calculation uses IFRS
measures.
|
NAV
per share
|
A measure of the NAV per share in
the Company.
|
It is calculated as the NAV of
£3,456 million divided by the total number of shares in issue at
the balance sheet date of 922.4 million.
|
The calculation uses IFRS measures
and is set out in Note 6 to the accounts.
|
Total income and non-income cash
|
A measure of the income and other
cash receipts by the Company which support the payment of expenses
and dividends.
|
It is calculated as the total income
from the underlying portfolio and other assets plus non-income
cash,
being the repayment of shareholder loans or share premium
repayments
not resulting from the disposal of an underlying portfolio asset.
This is shown in Table 5.
|
Total income uses the IFRS measures;
Investment income and Interest receivable.
The non-income cash, being the
proceeds from partial realisations of investments, is shown in the
Cash flow statement. The realisation proceeds which result from a
partial sale of an underlying portfolio asset are not included
within non-income cash.
|
Investment value including commitments
|
A measure of the size of the
investment portfolio including the value of further contracted
future investments committed by the Company.
|
It is calculated as the portfolio
asset value plus the amount of the contracted commitment. At 30
September 2024, the Company had no investment
commitments.
|
The portfolio asset value is the
'Investments at fair value through profit or loss' reported under
IFRS. At 30 September 2024, the Company had no investment
commitments.
|
Total portfolio return percentage
|
A measure of the financial
performance of the portfolio.
|
It is calculated as the total
portfolio return in the period of £212 million, as shown in Table
1, as a percentage of the sum of the opening value of the portfolio
and investments in, and syndication of, assets during the period
(excluding capitalised interest) of £3,842 million.
|
The calculation uses capital return
(including exchange), movement in fair value of derivatives,
underlying portfolio income, opening portfolio value and investment
in the period. The reconciliation of all these items to IFRS is
shown in Table 1, including in the footnotes.
|
Total liquidity
|
A measure of the Company's ability
to make further investments and meet its short-term
obligations.
|
It is calculated as the cash balance
of £1 million plus the undrawn balance available under the
Company's revolving credit facility of £305 million.
|
The calculation uses the cash
balance, which is an IFRS measure, and undrawn balances available
under the Company's revolving credit facility as described in Note
4 to the accounts.
|
Risk Review
Review of principal risks and uncertainties
The Company's approach to risk
governance, the risk review process and risk appetite is set out in
the Risk report in the Annual report and accounts 2024, which can
be found on our website www.3i-infrastructure.com.
The principal risks to the
achievement of the Company's objectives are unchanged from those
reported on pages 68 to 71 of the Annual report and accounts 2024.
Developments in relation to these principal risks during the period
are outlined below.
External risks - market and competition
During the period, we saw evidence
that the interest rate cycle has turned in the countries in which
we invest. Inflation in the UK and eurozone is now close to the
Bank of England's and European Central Bank's 2% target following
three years of higher inflation. The portfolio is positively
correlated to inflation as most portfolio companies have revenues
at least partially linked to inflation. Sensitivities to
macroeconomic assumptions are discussed in the Financial review and
in Note 3 to the accounts.
There are no material refinancing
requirements in the portfolio until 2026 and over 92% of drawn
long-term debt facilities are either hedged or fixed
rate.
The Company is exposed to movements
in sterling exchange rates against a number of currencies, most
significantly the euro. During the period, sterling appreciated
c.3% against the
euro. The Company operates a hedging programme which substantially
offsets any foreign exchange movements.
Despite the infrastructure market
continuing to display lower transaction volumes, we have still been
able to generate a premium on exit for our high-quality
infrastructure businesses as demonstrated by the expected sale of
Valorem, the partial syndication of Future Biogas and, in the prior
year, the realisation of Attero.
There is evidence of increasing
pressure on government deficits in the markets in which we invest,
which may cause changes in fiscal and economic policies creating
uncertainty for businesses.
Strategic risks
The Company actively manages its
balance sheet and liquidity position, seeking to maintain adequate
liquidity to pursue investment opportunities, without diluting
shareholder returns by holding surplus cash. At 30 September 2024,
there was £1 million available in cash, with drawings of £595
million under the RCF. In October 2024, the Company agreed the
realisation of its investment in Valorem for €309 million, with
completion expected in Q1 2025. Proceeds will be used to repay
drawings on the RCF, improving available liquidity.
Statement of comprehensive
income
for the six months to 30
September
|
|
Six months
to
|
Six months
to
|
|
|
30 September
2024
|
30
September 2023
|
|
Notes
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
Net gains on investments
|
3
|
40
|
117
|
Investment income
|
|
98
|
97
|
Interest receivable
|
|
-
|
1
|
Investment return
|
|
138
|
215
|
Movement in the fair value of
derivative financial instruments
|
|
58
|
14
|
Management and performance
fees
|
2
|
(25)
|
(24)
|
Operating expenses
|
|
(1)
|
(1)
|
Finance costs
|
|
(17)
|
(16)
|
Exchange movements
|
|
16
|
3
|
Profit before tax
|
|
169
|
191
|
Income taxes
|
|
-
|
-
|
Profit after tax and profit for the period
|
|
169
|
191
|
Total comprehensive income for the period
|
|
169
|
191
|
Earnings per share
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted (pence)
|
6
|
18.3
|
20.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
Statement of changes in
equity
for the six months to 30
September
|
|
Stated
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
capital
|
Retained
|
Capital
|
Revenue
|
shareholders'
|
For
the six months to 30 September 2024
|
|
account
|
reserves
|
reserve
|
reserve
|
equity
|
(unaudited)
|
Notes
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Opening balance at 1 April 2024
|
|
879
|
1,282
|
1,173
|
8
|
3,342
|
Total comprehensive income for the
period
|
|
-
|
-
|
98
|
71
|
169
|
Dividends paid to shareholders of
the Company during the period
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(55)
|
(55)
|
Closing balance at 30 September 2024
|
|
879
|
1,282
|
1,271
|
24
|
3,456
|
|
|
Stated
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
capital
|
Retained
|
Capital
|
Revenue
|
shareholders'
|
For the six months to 30 September
2023
|
|
account
|
reserves
|
reserve
|
reserve
|
equity
|
(unaudited)
|
Notes
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Opening balance at 1 April
2023
|
|
879
|
1,282
|
940
|
-
|
3,101
|
Total comprehensive income for the
period
|
|
-
|
-
|
131
|
60
|
191
|
Dividends paid to shareholders of
the Company during the period
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(51)
|
(51)
|
Closing balance at 30 September
2023
|
|
879
|
1,282
|
1,071
|
9
|
3,241
|
Balance sheet
as at 30 September
|
|
30 September
2024
|
31 March
2024
|
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
|
Notes
|
£m
|
£m
|
Assets
|
Non-current assets
|
Investments at fair value through
profit or loss
|
3
|
3,972
|
3,842
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
3
|
66
|
49
|
Total non-current assets
|
|
4,038
|
3,891
|
Current assets
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
3
|
50
|
33
|
Trade and other
receivables
|
|
2
|
3
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
1
|
5
|
Total current assets
|
|
53
|
41
|
Total assets
|
|
4,091
|
3,932
|
Liabilities
|
Non-current liabilities
|
Trade and other payables
|
|
(9)
|
(32)
|
Loans and borrowings
|
|
(595)
|
(510)
|
Total non-current liabilities
|
|
(604)
|
(542)
|
Current liabilities
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
3
|
(7)
|
(5)
|
Trade and other payables
|
|
(24)
|
(43)
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
(31)
|
(48)
|
Total liabilities
|
|
(635)
|
(590)
|
Net
assets
|
|
3,456
|
3,342
|
Equity
|
Stated capital account
|
5
|
879
|
879
|
Retained reserves
|
|
1,282
|
1,282
|
Capital reserve
|
|
1,271
|
1,173
|
Revenue reserve
|
|
24
|
8
|
Total equity
|
|
3,456
|
3,342
|
Net
asset value per share
|
|
|
|
|
Basic and diluted (pence)
|
6
|
374.7
|
362.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Financial statements and related
Notes were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of
Directors on
11 November 2024 and signed on its
behalf by:
Richard Laing
Chair
Cash flow statement
for the six months to 30
September
|
Six months
to
|
Six months
to
|
|
30 September
2024
|
30
September 2023
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
Cash flow from operating activities
|
Purchase of investments
|
(31)
|
(60)
|
Proceeds from partial realisations
of investments
|
37
|
6
|
Investment
income1
|
2
|
18
|
Operating expenses paid
|
(1)
|
(2)
|
Interest received
|
-
|
1
|
Management and performance fees
paid
|
(67)
|
(61)
|
Amounts received on the settlement
of derivative contracts
|
26
|
36
|
Net
cash flow from operating activities
|
(34)
|
(62)
|
Cash flow from financing activities
|
Fees and interest paid on financing
activities
|
(16)
|
(16)
|
Dividends paid
|
(55)
|
(51)
|
Drawdown of revolving credit
facility
|
134
|
310
|
Repayment of revolving credit
facility
|
(33)
|
(179)
|
Net
cash flow from financing activities
|
30
|
64
|
|
Change in cash and cash equivalents
|
(4)
|
2
|
Cash and cash equivalents at the
beginning of the period
|
5
|
5
|
Effect of exchange rate
movement
|
-
|
(1)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the
period
|
1
|
6
|
1
|
Investment income includes dividends
of £1 million (30 September 2023: £8 million) and interest of £1
million (30 September 2023: £10 million) received from portfolio
assets held directly by the Company.
|
Accounting policies
Basis of preparation
These financial statements are the
unaudited Half-yearly condensed financial statements (the
'Half-yearly Financial Statements') of 3i Infrastructure plc (the
'Company'), a company incorporated and registered in Jersey for
the six-month period ended 30
September 2024.
The Half-yearly Financial Statements
have been prepared in accordance with International Accounting
Standard 34 Interim Financial Reporting ('IAS 34'). The accounting
policies are consistent with those set out in the Annual report and
accounts 2024 and those which we expect to adopt for the Annual
report and accounts 2025, which will be prepared in accordance with
United Kingdom adopted international accounting standards. They
should be read in conjunction with the financial statements for the
year to 31 March 2024, as they provide an update of previously
reported information.
Going concern
The financial statements are prepared
on a going concern basis, as the Directors are satisfied that the
Company has the resources to continue in business for the
foreseeable future. In making this assessment, the Directors have
considered a wide range of information relating to present and
future conditions, including the Company's cash and liquidity
position, current performance and outlook, which considered the
impact of the inflationary and interest rate environment, ongoing
geopolitical uncertainties and current and expected financial
commitments, using the information available up to the date of
issue of these Financial statements.
The Company is in a strong position
in relation to its ability to continue to operate and the Company
has sufficient resources to meet its ongoing needs. At 30 September
2024, the Company's liquidity totalled £306 million
(31 March 2024: £395 million).
Liquidity comprised cash and deposits of £1 million (31 March 2024:
£5 million) and undrawn facilities of £305 million (31 March 2024:
£390 million) with a maturity date of November 2026. Income and
non-income cash is expected to be received from the portfolio
investments during the coming year, a portion of which will be
required to support the payment of the dividend target and the
Company's other financial commitments. Expected net proceeds of
€309 million are due to be received from the sale of Valorem in the
first quarter of 2025. The Company had no investment commitments at
30 September 2024 (31 March 2024: none).
The Half-yearly Financial Statements
were authorised for issue by the Directors on 11 November
2024.
The Half-yearly Financial Statements
do not constitute statutory accounts. The financial statements for
the year to
31 March 2024, prepared in accordance with United Kingdom adopted
International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS') and
International Accounting Standards, and on which the auditors
issued a report, which was unqualified, have been filed with the
Jersey Financial Services Commission.
Key
judgements and sources of estimation
uncertainties
The preparation of the Half-yearly
Financial Statements in conformity with IFRS requires the Board to
make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the
application of policies and reported amounts of assets and
liabilities, income and expenses. The estimates and associated
assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors
that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the
results of which form the basis of making the judgements about the
carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily
apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these
estimates.
The estimates and underlying
assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to
accounting estimates
are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if
the revision affects only that period or in the period of the
revision and future periods if the revision affects both current
and future periods. All judgements used in the preparation of the
Half-yearly Financial Statements are consistent with those stated
in the Annual report and accounts 2024.
The key area where estimates are
significant to the Half-yearly Financial Statements and have a
significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying
amounts of assets and liabilities in future periods is in the
valuation of the investment portfolio. The majority of assets in
the investment portfolio are valued on a discounted cash flow basis
which requires assumptions to be made regarding future cash flows
and the discount rate to be applied to these cash flows. The
portfolio is well diversified by sector, geography and underlying
risk exposures. The valuation of each asset has significant
estimation in relation to asset specific items and the potential
impact of macroeconomic factors such as inflation and interest rate
expectations. The key risks to the portfolio are discussed in
further detail in the Risk review section. A key focus of the
portfolio valuations at 30 September 2024 was an assessment of the
impact of the macroeconomic environment on the operational and
financial performance of each portfolio company. We have
incorporated into our cash flow forecasts a balanced view of future
income receipts and expenses.
Notes to the accounts
1
Operating segments
The Directors are of the opinion that
the Company is engaged in a single segment of business being
investment in Core-plus infrastructure. The internal information
shared with the Directors on a monthly basis to allocate resources,
assess performance and manage the Company presents the business as
a single segment comprising the total portfolio of
investments.
The Company is an investment holding
company and does not consider itself to have any customers. Given
the nature of the Company's operations, the Company is not
considered to be exposed to any operational seasonality or
cyclicality that would impact the financial results of the Company
during the period or the financial position of the Company at 30
September 2024.
2
Management and performance fees
|
Six months
to
|
Six months
to
|
|
30 September
2024
|
30
September 2023
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
Management fee
|
25
|
24
|
Performance fee
|
-
|
-
|
|
25
|
24
|
Total management and performance fees
payable by the Company for the period to 30 September 2024 were
£25 million (30 September 2023: £24 million). Note 8 provides
further details on the calculation of the management fee and
performance fee.
3
Investments at fair value through profit or loss and financial
instruments
All financial instruments for which
fair value is recognised or disclosed are categorised within the
fair value hierarchy, described as follows, based on the lowest
level input that is significant to the fair value measurement as a
whole:
Level
|
Fair value input description
|
Financial instruments
|
Level 1
|
Quoted prices (unadjusted and in
active markets)
|
Quoted equity investments
|
Level 2
|
Inputs other than quoted prices
included in Level 1 that are observable in the market either
directly (ie. as prices) or indirectly (ie. derived from
prices)
|
Derivative financial instruments
held at fair value
|
Level 3
|
Inputs that are not based on
observable market data
|
Unquoted investments and unlisted
funds
|
For assets and liabilities that are
recognised in the financial statements on a recurring basis, the
Company determines whether transfers have occurred between levels
in the hierarchy by reassessing the categorisation (based on the
lowest level input that is significant to the fair value
measurement as a whole) for each reporting period.
The table below shows the
classification of financial instruments held at fair value into the
fair value hierarchy at
30 September 2024. For all other
assets and liabilities, their carrying value approximates to fair
value. During the period ended 30 September 2024, there were no
transfers of financial instruments between levels of the fair value
hierarchy (31 March 2024: none).
Trade and other receivables on the
Balance sheet includes £1 million of deferred finance costs
relating to the arrangement fee for the revolving credit facility
(31 March 2024: £2 million). This has been excluded from the table
below as it is not categorised as a financial
instrument.
Financial instruments classification
|
As at 30 September
2024
|
|
(unaudited)
|
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Total
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Financial assets
|
Investments at fair value through
profit or loss
|
-
|
-
|
3,972
|
3,972
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
116
|
-
|
116
|
|
-
|
116
|
3,972
|
4,088
|
Financial liabilities
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
(7)
|
-
|
(7)
|
|
-
|
(7)
|
-
|
(7)
|
|
As at 31
March 2024
|
|
(audited)
|
|
Level
1
|
Level
2
|
Level
3
|
Total
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
£m
|
Financial assets
|
Investments at fair value through
profit or loss
|
-
|
-
|
3,842
|
3,842
|
Trade and other
receivables
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
82
|
-
|
82
|
|
-
|
83
|
3,842
|
3,925
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
(5)
|
-
|
(5)
|
|
-
|
(5)
|
-
|
(5)
|
Reconciliation of financial instruments categorised within
Level 3 of fair value hierarchy
|
As at 30 September
2024
|
As at 31
March 2024
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
Level 3 fair value reconciliation
|
£m
|
£m
|
Opening fair value
|
3,842
|
3,641
|
Additions
|
95
|
256
|
Disposal proceeds and
repayment
|
(37)
|
(224)
|
Movement in accrued
income
|
32
|
(11)
|
Fair value movement (including
exchange movements)
|
40
|
180
|
Closing fair value
|
3,972
|
3,842
|
All unrealised movements on
investments and foreign exchange movements are recognised in profit
or loss in the Statement of comprehensive income during the period
and are attributable to investments held at the end of the
period.
The holding period of the investments
in the portfolio is expected to be greater than one year.
Therefore, investments are classified as non-current unless there
is an agreement to dispose of the investment within one year and
all relevant regulatory approvals have been received. It is not
possible to identify with certainty where any investments may be
sold within one year.
Investment income of £98 million (30
September 2023: £97 million) comprises dividend income of £1
million
(30 September 2023: £8 million) and
interest income of £97 million (30 September 2023: £89
million).
Unquoted investments
The Company invests in private
companies which are not quoted on an active market. These are
measured in accordance with the International Private Equity
Valuation guidelines with reference to the most appropriate
information available at the time of measurement. Further
information regarding the valuation of unquoted investments can be
found in the Portfolio valuation methodology section of the Annual
report and accounts 2024.
The Company's policy is to fair value
both the equity and shareholder debt investments in infrastructure
assets together where they will be managed and valued as a single
investment, were invested at the same time and cannot be realised
separately. The Directors consider that equity and debt share the
same characteristics and risks and they are, therefore, treated as
a single unit of account for valuation purposes and a single class
for disclosure purposes. As at 30 September 2024, the fair value of
unquoted investments was £3,972 million (31 March 2024: £3,842
million). Individual portfolio asset valuations are shown in Table
1 in the Financial review section.
The fair value of the investments is
sensitive to changes in the macroeconomic assumptions used as part
of the portfolio valuation process. As part of its analysis, the
Board has considered the potential impact of a change in a number
of the macroeconomic assumptions used in the valuation process. By
considering these potential scenarios, the Board is well positioned
to assess how the Company is likely to perform if affected by
variables and events that are inherently outside of the control of
the Board and the Investment Manager.
The majority of the assets held
within Level 3 are valued on a discounted cash flow basis; hence,
the valuations are sensitive to the discount rate assumed in the
valuation of each asset. Other significant unobservable inputs
include the inflation rate assumption, the interest rate
assumption used to project the future cash flows and the forecast
cash flows themselves.
Increasing the discount rate used in
the valuation of each asset by 1% would reduce the value of the
portfolio by
£329 million (31 March 2024: £352
million). Decreasing the discount rate used in the valuation of
each asset by 1% would increase the value of the portfolio by £372
million (31 March 2024: £404 million).
The majority of assets held within
Level 3 have revenues that are linked, partially linked or in some
way correlated
to inflation. The long-term CPI
assumption for the country of domicile of the investments in the
portfolio is 2.0% (31 March 2024: 2.0%). The long-term RPI
assumption for UK assets is 2.5% (31 March 2024: 2.5%). Changing
the inflation rate assumption may result in consequential changes
to other assumptions used in the valuation of each asset. The
impact of increasing the inflation rate assumption by 1% for the
next two years would be to increase the value of the portfolio by
£53 million (31 March 2024: £54 million). Decreasing the inflation
rate assumption used in the valuation of each asset by 1% for the
next two years would decrease the value of the portfolio by £52
million (31 March 2024: £56 million).
The valuations are sensitive to
changes in interest rates, which may result from: (i) unhedged
existing borrowings within portfolio companies; (ii) interest rates
on uncommitted future borrowings assumed within the asset
valuations; and (iii) cash deposits held by portfolio companies.
These comprise a wide range of interest rates from short-term
deposit rates to longer-term borrowing rates across a broad range
of debt products. Increasing the cost of borrowing assumption for
unhedged borrowings and any future uncommitted borrowing and the
cash deposit rates used in the valuation of each asset by 1% would
reduce the value of the portfolio by £187 million (31 March 2024:
£220 million). Decreasing the interest rate assumption used in the
valuation of each asset by 1% would increase the value of the
portfolio by £186 million (31 March 2024: £214 million). This
calculation does not take account of any offsetting variances which
may be expected to prevail if interest rates changed, including the
impact of inflation discussed above.
Over-the-counter derivatives
The Company uses over-the-counter
foreign currency derivatives to hedge foreign currency movements.
The derivatives are held at fair value which represents the price
that would be received to sell or transfer the
instruments at the balance sheet date.
The valuation technique incorporates various inputs including
foreign exchange spot and forward rates and uses present value
calculations. For these financial instruments, significant inputs
into models are market observable and are included within Level
2.
Valuation process for Level 3 valuations
The valuations on the Balance sheet
are the responsibility of the Board of Directors of the Company.
The Investment Manager provides a valuation of unquoted
investments, debt and unlisted funds held by the Company on a
half-yearly basis. This is performed by the valuation team of the
Investment Manager and reviewed by the valuation committee of the
Investment Manager. The valuations are also subject to quality
assurance procedures performed within the valuation team. The
valuation team verifies the major inputs applied in the latest
valuation by agreeing the information in the valuation computation
to relevant documents and market information. The valuation
committee of the Investment Manager considers the appropriateness
of the valuation methods and inputs and may request that
alternative valuation methods are applied to support the valuation
arising from the method chosen. On a half-yearly basis, the
Investment Manager presents the valuations to the Board. This
includes a discussion of the major assumptions used in the
valuations, with an emphasis on the more significant investments
and investments with significant fair value changes. Any changes in
valuation methods are discussed and agreed with the Audit and Risk
Committee before the valuations on the Balance sheet are approved
by the Board.
4
Loans and borrowings
The Company has a £900 million
revolving credit facility ('RCF') at 30 September 2024 maturing on
3 November 2026 (31 March 2024: £900 million).
The RCF is secured by a floating
charge over the bank accounts of the Company. Interest is payable
at EURIBOR or SONIA plus a fixed margin on the drawn amount. This
fixed margin is subject to a small adjustment annually based upon
performance against agreed sustainability metrics. As at 30
September 2024, the Company had £595 million of drawings under the
RCF (31 March 2024: £510 million). The RCF has certain loan
covenants, principally a loan-to-value ratio.
There was no change in total
financing liabilities for the Company during the period as the cash
flows relating to the financing liabilities were equal to the
income statement expense. Accordingly, no reconciliation between
the movement in financing liabilities and the cash flow statement
has been presented.
5
Issued capital
|
As at 30 September
2024
|
As at 31
March 2024
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
|
Number
|
£m
|
Number
|
£m
|
Authorised, issued and fully
paid
|
|
|
|
|
Opening balance
|
922,350,000
|
1,598
|
922,350,000
|
1,598
|
Closing balance
|
922,350,000
|
1,598
|
922,350,000
|
1,598
|
Reconciliation to Stated capital account
|
As at
|
As
at
|
|
30 September
2024
|
31 March
2024
|
|
£m
|
£m
|
Proceeds from issue of ordinary
shares
|
1,598
|
1,598
|
Transfer to retained reserves on 20
December 2007
|
(693)
|
(693)
|
Cost of issue of ordinary
shares
|
(26)
|
(26)
|
Stated capital account closing balance
|
879
|
879
|
6
Per share information
The earnings and net assets per share
attributable to the equity holders of the Company are based on the
following data:
|
Six months
to
|
Six months
to
|
|
30 September
2024
|
30
September 2023
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Earnings per share (pence)
|
|
Basic and diluted
|
18.3
|
20.7
|
Earnings (£m)
|
|
Profit after tax for the
year
|
169
|
191
|
Number of shares (million)
|
|
Weighted average number of shares in
issue
|
922.4
|
922.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
As at
|
As
at
|
|
30
September
|
31
March
|
|
2024
|
2024
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
Net
asset value per share (pence)
|
|
|
Basic and diluted
|
374.7
|
362.3
|
Net
assets (£m)
|
|
|
Net assets
|
3,456
|
3,342
|
7
Dividends
|
Six months to 30 September
2024
|
Six months
to 30 September 2023
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Declared and paid during the period
|
pence per
share
|
£m
|
pence per
share
|
£m
|
Prior year final dividend paid on
ordinary shares
|
5.950
|
55
|
5.575
|
51
|
The Company proposes paying an
interim dividend of 6.325 pence per share (30 September 2023: 5.95
pence) which will be payable to those shareholders that are on the
register on 22 November 2024. On the basis of the shares in issue
at 30 September 2024, this would equate to a total interim dividend
of £58 million (30 September 2023: £55
million). The designation of a portion of the dividend as an
interest distribution is described in the Information for
shareholders section.
8
Related parties
Transactions between the Company and 3i
Group
3i Group plc ('3i Group') holds 29.2%
(31 March 2024: 29.2%) of the ordinary shares of the Company. This
classifies 3i Group as a 'substantial
shareholder' of the Company as defined by the Listing Rules. During
the period, 3i Group received dividends of £16 million (30
September 2023: £15 million) from the Company.
3i Investments plc, a subsidiary of
3i Group, is the Company's Alternative Investment Fund Manager and
provides its services under an Investment Management Agreement
('IMA'). 3i plc, another subsidiary of 3i Group, together with 3i
Investments plc, provides support services to the Company (which
are ancillary and related to the investment management service)
which it is doing pursuant to the terms of the IMA.
Fees under the IMA consist of a
tiered management fee and time weighting of the management fee
calculation and a one-off transaction fee of 1.2% payable in
respect of new investments. The applicable tiered rates are shown
in the table below. The management fee is payable quarterly in
advance.
Gross investment value
|
Applicable tier rate
|
Up to £1.25bn
|
1.4%
|
£1.25bn to £2.25bn
|
1.3%
|
Above £2.25bn
|
1.2%
|
For the period to 30 September 2024,
£25 million (30 September 2023: £24 million) was payable and
advance payments of £25 million were made resulting in no amount
due to 3i plc at 30 September 2024 (31 March 2024: nil). In
consideration of the provision of support services under the IMA,
the Company pays the Investment Manager an annual fee that
increases each year on 1 October by the amount of the prevailing
CPI rate of the current year. The cost for the support services
incurred for the period to 30 September 2024 was £0.6 million (30
September 2023: £0.5 million). There
was no outstanding balance payable at 30 September 2024 (31 March
2024: nil).
Under the IMA, a performance fee is
payable to the Investment Manager equal to 20% of the Company's
total return in excess of 8%, payable in three equal annual
instalments. The second and third instalments will only be payable
if either (a) the Company's performance in the year in which that
instalment is paid also triggers payment of a performance fee in
respect of that year, or (b) if the Company's performance over the
three years, starting with the year in which the performance fee is
earned, exceeds the 8% hurdle on an annual basis. There is no high
water mark requirement.
The performance hurdle requirement
was not exceeded for the period to 30 September 2024 and,
therefore, no performance fee accrual was recognised (30 September
2023: nil). The outstanding balance payable as at 30 September 2024
was £32 million (31 March 2024: £74 million), which includes the
second and third instalments of the FY24 fee and the third
instalment of the FY23 fee.
Year
|
Performance
fee
(£m)
|
Outstanding balance at 30
September 2024
(£m)
|
Payable in
FY25
(£m)
|
FY24
|
26
|
17
|
9
|
FY23
|
45
|
15
|
15
|
Under the IMA, the Investment
Manager's appointment may be terminated by either the Company or
the Investment Manager giving the other not less than 12 months'
notice in writing, or by giving the other six months' notice in
writing if the Investment Manager has ceased to be a member of 3i
Group, or with immediate effect by either party giving the other
written notice in the event of insolvency or material or persistent
breach by the other party. The Investment Manager may also
terminate the agreement on two months' notice given within six
months of a change of control of the Company.
9
Subsequent events
On 7 October 2024, the Company
announced that it had received a binding offer for its 33% stake in
Valorem for expected net proceeds of €309 million (equivalent to
£257 million based on 30 September 2024 exchange rate). This is
discussed further in the Financial review.
Independent review report to 3i
Infrastructure plc
Conclusion
We have been engaged by 3i
Infrastructure plc ('the Company') to review the condensed set of
financial statements in the Half-yearly financial report for the
six months ended 30 September 2024 which comprises the Statement of
comprehensive income, the Statement of changes in equity, the
Balance sheet, the Cash flow statement, the accounting policies
section and related notes 1 to 9.
Based on our review, nothing has come
to our attention that causes us to believe that the condensed set
of financial statements in the half-yearly financial report for the
six months ended 30 September 2024 is not prepared, in all material
respects, in accordance with United Kingdom adopted International
Accounting Standard 34 and the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency
Rules of the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct
Authority.
Basis for Conclusion
We conducted our review in accordance
with International Standard on Review Engagements (UK) 2410 "Review
of Interim Financial Information Performed by the Independent
Auditor of the Entity" issued by the Financial Reporting Council
for use in the United Kingdom (ISRE (UK) 2410). A review of interim
financial information consists of making inquiries, primarily of
persons responsible for financial and accounting matters, and
applying analytical and other review procedures. A review is
substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance
with International Standards on Auditing (UK) and consequently does
not enable us to obtain assurance that we would become aware of all
significant matters that might be identified in an audit.
Accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion.
As disclosed in the accounting
policies, the Annual financial statements of the Company are
prepared in accordance with United Kingdom adopted international
accounting standards. The condensed set of financial statements
included in this Half-yearly financial report has been prepared in
accordance with United Kingdom adopted International Accounting
Standard 34, "Interim Financial Reporting".
Conclusion Relating to Going Concern
Based on our review procedures, which
are less extensive than those performed in an audit as described in
the Basis for Conclusion section of this report, nothing has come
to our attention to suggest that the Directors have inappropriately
adopted the going concern basis of accounting or that the Directors
have identified material uncertainties relating to going concern
that are not appropriately disclosed.
This Conclusion is based on the
review procedures performed in accordance with ISRE (UK) 2410;
however, future events or conditions may cause the entity to cease
to continue as a going concern.
Responsibilities of the directors
The Directors are responsible for
preparing the Half-yearly financial report in accordance with the
Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules of the United Kingdom's
Financial Conduct Authority.
In preparing the Half-yearly
financial report, the Directors are responsible for assessing the
Company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing as
applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going
concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to
liquidate the Company or to cease operations, or have no realistic
alternative but to do so.
Auditor's Responsibilities for the review of the financial
information
In reviewing the Half-yearly
financial report, we are responsible for expressing to the Company
a conclusion on the condensed set of financial statements in the
Half-yearly financial report. Our Conclusion, including our
Conclusion Relating to Going Concern, are based on procedures that
are less extensive than audit procedures, as described in the Basis
for Conclusion paragraph of this report.
Use
of our report
This report is made solely to the
Company in accordance with ISRE (UK) 2410. Our work has been
undertaken so that we might state to the Company those matters we
are required to state to it in an independent review report and for
no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not
accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Company,
for our review work, for this report, or for the conclusions we
have formed.
Deloitte LLP
London, United Kingdom
Date: 11 November 2024
Statement of Directors'
responsibilities
The Directors, who are required to
prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it
is not appropriate, are satisfied that the Company has the
resources to continue in business for the foreseeable future
and that the financial statements continue to be prepared on a
going concern basis.
The Directors confirm to the best of
their knowledge that:
•
the condensed set of financial statements have
been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 'Interim Financial
Reporting' as adopted by the United Kingdom;
•
the Half-yearly report, taken as a whole, is fair,
balanced and understandable and provides the information necessary
for shareholders to assess the Company's performance; and
•
the Half-yearly report includes a fair review of
the information required by the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency
Rules (4.2.7 R and 4.2.8 R).
The Directors of 3i Infrastructure
plc and their functions are listed below.
By order of the Board
Richard Laing
Chair
11 November 2024
Board of Directors and their
functions
Richard Laing
|
Independent non-executive Chair and
Chair of the Nomination Committee, Disclosure Committee and the
Management Engagement Committee.
|
|
Doug Bannister
|
Independent non-executive
Director.
|
|
Wendy Dorman (resigned 4 July 2024)
|
Independent non-executive Director
and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.
|
|
Jennifer Dunstan
|
Non-executive Director.
|
|
Milton Fernandes (appointed 15
July 2024)
|
Independent non-executive
Director.
|
|
Stephanie Hazell
|
Senior Independent non-executive
Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
|
|
Samantha Hoe-Richardson (resigned 4 July 2024)
|
Independent non-executive
Director.
|
|
Martin Magee
|
Independent non-executive Director,
and appointed Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee 4 July
2024.
|
|
Information for
Shareholders
Financial calendar
Ex-dividend date for interim
dividend
|
21 November 2024
|
Record date for interim
dividend
|
22 November 2024
|
Interim dividend expected to be
paid
|
13 January 2025
|
Full year results expected
date
|
8 May 2025
|
Designation of dividends as interest
distributions
As an approved investment trust, the
Company is permitted to designate dividends wholly or partly as
interest distributions for UK tax purposes. Dividends designated as
interest in this way are taxed as interest income in the hands of
shareholders and are treated as tax deductible interest payments
made by the Company. The Company expects to make such dividend
designations in periods in which it is able to use the resultant
tax deduction to reduce the UK corporation tax it would otherwise
pay on the interest income it earns from its investments. The Board
is designating the full 6.325 pence per share interim dividend
payable in respect of the period as an interest
distribution.
3i
Infrastructure plc
Registered office
IFC6, The Esplanade
St. Helier
Jersey JE2 3BZ
Channel Islands
www.3i-infrastructure.com