Trading and financial update
The Board is pleased to provide the following trading and financial update having completed the repositioning of its activities, which are now focussed on four complementary areas:
· Alternative lending Platforms (whether wholly owned or as a significant shareholder) in several countries
· Direct lending, mainly through the Platforms
· Fund management with the first fund (GLI Alternative Finance PLC "GLI Alt Fi") listed in September 2015
· Investment in GLI's managed fund
GLI was an early mover in the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending sector and has assembled a portfolio of Platforms that provide lending diversity by duration, geography and asset type and use highly differentiated origination strategies. The rapid growth in the sector (Liberum AltFi index for business P2P lenders for the 12 months to 11 Nov 2015 is up 128.11% in UK, and 153.45% in Continental Europe - YTD £1.12bn) is an international phenomenon and GLI, with Platforms in the UK, Continental Europe, USA and Africa, continues to assess opportunities throughout the world.
Direct lending activity
GLI's direct lending activity is complementary to its investment in the Platforms enhancing their ability to attract borrowers and providing loan origination channels for GLI which generated interest at an average rate of around 10% on its portfolio during the nine months ended 30 September 2015. Loan losses/provisions were approximately 0.7% of the closing loan book during the nine months ended September 2015.
Managed funds
GLI's wholly owned subsidiary GLI Asset Management Ltd is an authorised fund manager and intends to launch a range of investment funds with differing strategies. GLI's strategic aim of increasing the size and number of its managed funds changes its risk profile as it generates fee income from the managed portfolios with decreasing direct exposure to loan losses.
Its first fund, "GLI Alt Fi" is a London listed investment trust was launched in September 2015. GLI Alt Fi has acquired £40.2m direct loans from GLI resulting in GLI holding 76% of GLI Alt Fi's issued share capital. The target dividend yield on GLI Alt Fi's shares is 8% per annum.
It is intended that GLI Alt Fi, which has already raised £12.5m from third party investors, will continue to issue new shares enabling it to expand and diversify its portfolio, reducing GLI's percentage shareholding. GLI receives management fee income of 0.75% per annum of GLI Alt Fi's net asset value (or of market capitalisation, if lower) of up to £100m, and 0.5% of any excess.
Financial update
The Company intends to publish its Net Asset Value formally, incorporating the results of a review of the value of its investments in Platforms, by mid December. Reflecting, in particular the launch of GLI Alt Fi, the segmental analysis of GLI's statement of financial position has changed significantly since 30 June 2015.
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