Sobre Bestinver, Fuente Citywire.
Spanish selectors spooked by Bestinver sales talk
By Chris Sloley, Amy Williams on 12 February 2014
Spanish fund selectors have voiced concern over the future for investment firm Bestinver after sales talks gained momentum on Tuesday.
The suggestion of a sale came to light after the firm’s parent company, Acciona, was badly affected by draft proposals on renewable energy subsidies.
Acciona saw its share price drop 5% on Tuesday afternoon following the Spanish government’s announcement on changes to state support.
Talk quickly turned to how the company will recoup projected losses, with suggestions that Bestinver, home to renowned fund manager Francisco Garcia Parames (pictured), could be offloaded to make up the deficit.
One fund selector, who wished to remain anonymous, told Citywire Global that the group would need to divest some assets and generate cash. He said this had created uncertainty in the Spanish funds industry.
‘Fund selectors are nervous regarding the situation from here,’ said the source, who sold out of his Bestinver holdings earlier in the year.
Another selector based in Spain said: ‘Obviously a new owner for the firm could become a negative development, but we are sure that if a transaction occurs, the stability of the management team and the investment process will be a key factor in the operation.’
The importance of Parames
The importance of the role played by Parames was noted by several selectors. One stating: ‘Bestinver is Francisco García Paramés and without him nobody would buy the firm.’
It is thought negotiations are currently underway between a buyer and the asset manager.
Parames, the firm’s most high profile manager, moved to Bestinver’s London office last summer to help oversee development of the business.
His co-managers, Alvaro Guzmán de Lazaro and Fernando Bernad Marrase, however, stayed in the firm’s Madrid base.
Cash cushion
In a letter to shareholders seen by Citywire Global, Bestinver has sought to dilute discussion of a sale but, at the same time, pointed to significant levels of cash reserves in case of withdrawals or volatility.
The equity investment group said it has €1.1 billion in cash and short-term fixed income instruments ‘in case there is panic’.
Speaking to Citywire Global on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Bestinver said:
‘Some international investors, with more experience of these matters, said talks like this could create panic and that panic could lead to redemptions, so we have looked at the cash we have on our balance sheets.’
‘It is currently €1.1 billion and that is not because we thought it was going to happen but we have seen our net assets grow by almost three times over the past five years.’
http://citywireglobal.com/news/spanish-selectors-spooked-by-bestinver-sales-talk/a733651