Coronation Africa Frontiers Fund Manager: Stick With MNC Subsidiaries (Citywire)
Citywire has reported that Peter Leger, who runs the $620 million Coronation Africa Frontiers fund, is advising investors that investing in the subsidiaries of multinational firms is the safer way to gain exposure to frontier markets in places like Africa. In his half-year report, Leger stated:
The African continent is filled with wonderful businesses that have a majority shareholder in the form of a global recognised company… Whether it’s Nestlé, British American Tobacco, Lafarge, Barclays, Heineken or Vodafone, these African businesses exist across a multitude of industries and geographies.
And:
Typically we would be willing to pay a higher price earnings multiple for a subsidiary of a multi-national than we would for a similar local company as we believe that the benefits, most of which are softer non-financial in nature, usual translate into better financial returns.
However, he also gave this warning:
Last year, GSK Plc made an offer to minority shareholders to buy half of their holdings at a price that we believed was well below the fair value of the Nigerian subsidiary… Given the immaturity of the regulations in Nigeria, GSK Plc were legally permitted to vote their majority shareholding and force the deal through.
Leger said the fund opted to engage in minority shareholder activism which ultimately led to the SEC prohibiting GSK Plc from using their voting shares and the proposed takeover offer was withdrawn. Nevertheless, Leger still believes that the better level of corporate governance and stronger balance sheets makes multinationals a more attractive way to invest in the frontier for the long-term.
To read the whole article, Frontier markets star: why I’m pinning my hopes on multinationals, go to the website of Citywire.
Similar Posts:
- To Succeed in Africa, a Business Must Succeed in Nigeria (Economist)
- How Big is Africa’s Car Market? (African Executive)
- Nigeria, Argentina and Vietnam Top the Frontier Markets Sentiment Index (WSJ)
- Investors Exit Africa for Other Frontier Markets (WSJ)
- Africa’s Oil & Gas Scene After the Boom: What Lies Ahead (Oxford Energy Forum)
- Airtel Africa (LON: AAF / FRA: 9AA / OTCMKTS: AAFRF): A Telco Who’s Performance Rides on Oil Prices
- ETFs Add to African Access (S&P Global)
- Life of Nigeria’s 1%: $50M Jets; $250K Parties in London; Ermenegildo Zegna, Hugo Boss & Porsche Boutiques (NT)
- How MSCI’s Removal of Qatar & UAE Impacts the Frontier Markets Landscape (MM)
- Old Mutual CEO: Low Oil Prices Won’t Stop Me Investing in Africa (CNBC)
- Africa Rising: The Hopeful Continent (Wellington Management)
- Opportunities in the Next “Emerging” Emerging Market of Africa (Franklin Templeton)
- Moody’s Downgrades Four African Nations
- How Africa’s Free-Trade Zone Will Provide an Economic Boom (WEF)
- YPO CEO Survey: Africa CEO Confidence at 5-year Low (YPO)
Leave a Reply