HBM Healthcare Investments

A stellar year to mark 20th anniversary

3 June 2021

HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN) has posted record returns in its 20th anniversary year, with NAV and share price total returns of 52% and 79% respectively in Swiss franc terms for the 12 months ended 31 March 2021, and net assets surpassing CHF2bn for the first time. The fund has evolved from a pure private equity focus to a public-private hybrid, with a large proportion (67%) of its listed portfolio made up of companies that began in the private portfolio but have continued to be held post IPO. Although near-term market conditions for listed healthcare and biotech look more challenging as ‘hot money’ flows out of the sector, HBMN’s science-led investment process and conservative valuation approach should help it build on its long-term record of success as it enters its third decade. A cash distribution of CHF9.50 (+23.4% y-o-y) is supplemented by a special CHF3.00 anniversary payout to reflect the strong FY21. MORE »

Top 10 holding Viela Bio to be taken out for $3bn

4 February 2021

HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN) is set to receive $92.75m through the takeover of portfolio holding Viela Bio by Horizon Therapeutics, a c 47% uplift on the value of the position at 31 December 2020 and a 53% premium to the closing share price on 31 January 2021. In our view, the takeover (which is expected to complete during the current quarter) further validates HBMN’s private/public approach, with the price paid representing a c 4x return on the fund’s initial pre-IPO investment of $20m in Q219. Taking into account a further $9.5m invested at Viela Bio’s IPO in October 2019, the overall profit is c 220%. We calculate the value of the deal to represent an uplift of c 1.4% on HBMN’s NAV per share. MORE »

Keeping calm amid the market turmoil

25 March 2020

HBM Healthcare Investments’ (HBMN’s) portfolio is still in line for a positive FY20 (NAV TR +13.2% at 24 March 2020 compared with the 31 March FY19 year-end), with the share price largely flat (+1.3%) over the 51 weeks despite the recent global stock market sell-off. Its managers attribute the relative strength to a combination of strong IPO activity from the private portfolio, taking profits in some listed holdings as markets peaked in February, and hedging (through short index positions) in the public portfolio, which generated proceeds of c CHF45m as indices declined. The team is remaining prudent with regard to new private investments (only one has been made so far in 2020), in expectation of more attractive valuations later in the year, but is willing to deploy some of its large cash pile in response to value opportunities in listed markets. Meanwhile, it remains on track to declare a 3–5% distribution for FY20. MORE »

Private/public healthcare fund continues to deliver

6 August 2019

HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN) has continued to produce solid NAV and share price performance, buoyed by recent IPOs from its private portfolio (with more expected to come) and a significant revaluation of largest holding Shanghai Cathay R&D. The Switzerland-listed fund holds a blend of private and listed healthcare companies and funds, diversified by geography and clinical focus, and has significantly outperformed the MSCI World Health Care Index over one, three, five and 10 years in both share price and NAV total return terms. Despite also outperforming its peer group average, and offering a c 4% dividend yield, HBMN currently trades on a wider discount to NAV than many of its peers. MORE »

Strong results show success of strategy

29 October 2018

HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN) has reported extremely strong results for the first half of FY19 (to 30 September), with net earnings of CHF177m. While market conditions have turned negative in October, HBMN’s portfolio of private investments (c 36% of the total) and a market hedge covering c 20% of the listed portfolio should help to limit NAV volatility if the sell-off is prolonged. Results have been buoyed by good clinical data and a number of successful IPOs from the private portfolio, and HBMN’s managers are focused on finding new private opportunities to replace those now in the public portfolio. Ten new investments in H119 were diversified by clinical focus and geography (US, Europe and Asia). HBMN’s shares have re-rated substantially over the past year, arguably as a result of the ongoing evidence of successful execution of its strategy, as well as the high distribution policy (c 5% of NAV paid out each year). MORE »

Positive developments for private/public fund

14 February 2018

HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN) reported profits of CHF72m for the third quarter of its financial year, buoyed by the takeover of long-term holding Advanced Accelerator Applications (AAA). The Switzerland-based fund invests globally in public and private healthcare companies and private equity funds, and is working to build its private company exposure back up towards long-term average levels following a strong period of IPOs and trade sales. The managers take a risk-aware approach to what can be a volatile sector, and have been taking profits on the back of clinical successes, as well as hedging c 20% of the listed equity exposure through a short position in an ETF tracking the NASDAQ Biotechnology index. The discount to NAV has narrowed in line with the general trend for investment companies, but remains wider than those of peers whose sole or main focus is listed equity markets. HBMN’s shares currently yield 4.3%. MORE »

Positive developments for private/public fund

14 February 2018

HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN) reported profits of CHF72m for the third quarter of its financial year, buoyed by the takeover of long-term holding Advanced Accelerator Applications (AAA). The Switzerland-based fund invests globally in public and private healthcare companies and private equity funds, and is working to build its private company exposure back up towards long-term average levels following a strong period of IPOs and trade sales. The managers take a risk-aware approach to what can be a volatile sector, and have been taking profits on the back of clinical successes, as well as hedging c 20% of the listed equity exposure through a short position in an ETF tracking the NASDAQ Biotechnology index. The discount to NAV has narrowed in line with the general trend for investment companies, but remains wider than those of peers whose sole or main focus is listed equity markets. HBMN’s shares currently yield 4.3%. MORE »

Diversified private/public healthcare portfolio

18 July 2017

HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN) is a Swiss-listed, globally diversified healthcare fund that blends listed equities with private companies held both directly and via funds. It invests for long-term capital growth, and many of the listed stocks in its portfolio are those it has backed from an early stage as private companies. The private exposure serves a dual purpose of accessing potentially high-growth investments and limiting NAV volatility, while some of the more mature companies in the listed portfolio may become takeover targets. The fund is well spread by clinical focus and has a bias towards companies with products already on or close to the market. Following a number of successful IPOs and trade sales, HBMN is looking to increase its private company exposure, and holds a short position in a biotech index ETF as a protection against a market downturn. A high distribution policy provides a yield of c 5%. MORE »

Potential for further outperformance

21 November 2016

HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN) is a Switzerland-listed closed-end fund investing in listed and private healthcare companies globally. In a volatile stock market environment, the fund has performed strongly in NAV total return terms, rising to the top of its peer group over one and three years. Factors behind the positive performance include strong exits/IPO values from private companies, premium takeovers of listed stocks, good clinical newsflow from some holdings and the lower volatility of private investments. The managers point to approaching clinical catalysts for a number of the top holdings, where early data suggests newsflow may be positive, leading to substantial (although by no means guaranteed) upside potential. The shares currently yield 5.5%. MORE »

Healthcare specialist with public/private approach

26 February 2016

HBM Healthcare Investments (HBMN) is a Swiss investment company that invests in healthcare companies globally. Its portfolio is spread across private companies, private equity funds and public holdings, many of which began in the private portfolio. After a buoyant IPO cycle it currently has a relatively low proportion invested in private companies (14% at 31 December versus an average since inception in 2001 of 35.6%), but this is set to rise, with $17.5m already committed to two new private investments so far in 2016. HBMN invests broadly across healthcare (diversified by sector, geography and company size) rather than concentrating on the recently more volatile area of biotechnology. It has outperformed the MSCI World Health Care Index over one and three years. Each year 5-8% of NAV is expected to be returned to shareholders through a combination of share buybacks and capital distributions (current yield of 5.6%). MORE »