Mercia Asset Management Share Discussion Threads

[dennisbergkamp] 22/9/2020 19:34

PinkF,

You’re right about merc... no matter how much great news from their investees, the price just goes backwards!

Here’s to hoping for a lasting blue...

D

[columbarius] 22/9/2020 18:43

Good news released by two of Mercia’s portfolio life science companies - Oxgene and Locate Bio.

[sev22] 21/9/2020 15:19

Mercia launches debt fund with up to £40m to invest (21st September 2020).

Mercia is continuing its support of UK SMEs with an additional commitment to its debt funds. Over the next five years, Mercia will provide up to £40million to support the growth of regional SMEs across the UK.

Mercia SME Loans will be providing a much-needed source of finance to ambitious, regional businesses that are seeking debt finance as they move beyond the cash flow constrains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mercia’s investment team can lend between £100,000 to £1million to fund working capital, acquisitions, capital investment and management team restructures/buyouts, an area of specialism for Mercia. The fund can invest in all areas of the UK with a focus on the North of England.

Mercia SME Loans is backed by existing investor, Greater Manchester Pension Fund. It builds on earlier investments completed into previous debt and private equity funds in a relationship which spans more than 15 years.

Mercia’s first SME Loans fund launched in 2015 and backed 52 businesses including high profile brands such as Harrogate Spring Water and polyeurathane fabricators, Rosehill Polymers.

MD of Mercia Debt Funds, Paul Taberner explained: “Mercia SME Loans backs profitable and ambitious SMEs that are reigniting growth plans stalled during the first part of this year. We’re already seeing a strong pipeline of new deals as the regional economies start to recover and we hope initiatives like the launch of our new fund will stimulate even more growth as the country fights back to recovery.”

[sev22] 18/9/2020 10:49

Firm raises £1m for ‘smart bearings’ that detect wear and tear (18th September 2020).

A Sheffield company whose smart sensing technology helps industry to reduce costs has raised £1.1m from NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

Tribosonics embeds sensors within bearings and other moving parts to create ‘intelligent components’ which can monitor friction and wear and tear. The results help companies to extend plant life, prevent critical failures and reduce energy use. Tribosonics’ technology can be used in manufacturing, power generation and transport – for example to create smart factories, or in critical parts such as the bolts on wind turbines and the bearings within a ship’s propeller.

The investment will allow the company to expand its 23-strong team with the addition of 10 new staff over the next 12 months, and invest further in product development. As part of the deal, Sarah Sandle who is VP Strategy of Rolls-Royce, joins the company as Chair.

Tribosonics was founded by Dr Phil Harper, a specialist in tribology or the science of wear, friction and lubrication, and who is now the CTO. In 2018 he was joined by serial entrepreneur Glenn Fletcher, the CEO, who worked with him to develop and commercialise the company’s unique technology. Tribosonics has developed applications for a number of blue-chip clients.

Glenn Fletcher said: “We are delighted to receive the backing of Mercia and NPIF. Mercia has a great track record in backing innovative tech companies. We are a proud Sheffield business, flying the flag for Northern innovation, cutting edge engineering, and transformational IOT solutions.

“This investment will provide the resources to significantly enhance our technology platform and to expand our very talented team as we rapidly scale our commercial activities globally, using our unique sensing technology to create a more sustainable and valuable future.”

Will Schaffer, Investment Manager at Mercia, added: “Tribosonics is at the forefront of Industry 4.0, allowing businesses to unlock data from industrial systems. The solutions that it is developing have huge potential to advance systems design, improve productivity and reduce costs. As friction accounts for 23% of global energy use, they often have the added benefit of reducing carbon emissions. The investment will help Tribosonics to accelerate product development and to deepen customer relationships.”;

Ken Cooper, Managing Director at British Business Bank, said: “This investment demonstrates how NPIF is able to support high-growth businesses in the North, despite the difficulties of social distancing and uncertain economic times. Investment like this is providing vital funding to enable ambitious organisations to expand and create new job opportunities. With more businesses like Tribosonics able to take up investment we should see the economy in the north rebounding strongly.”

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

[sev22] 16/9/2020 17:43

Canaccord Genuity reiterated their 'Buy' recommendation, issued on Monday the 14th of September 2020, with a new price target of 38p.

[sev22] 13/9/2020 16:20

Latest Tweet
Mercia Asset Management PLC Retweeted
12th September, 2020.

Whilst investing may have changed post-COVID, there are still plenty of opportunities out there, as we find out with Ken Cooper from @BritishBBank, @BevingtonRyan from @Maven_CP, Kate Ronayne from @longwallventure and Julian Viggars from @Mercia_PLC #highgrowth2020

[sev22] 09/9/2020 20:58

Spin-out raises £2.4m for early cancer detection test (9th September 2020).

A university spin-out which has developed a way to detect cancer at an early stage using a simple blood test has completed a £2.4m funding round led by Mercia’s EIS funds.

The investment will allow ClinSpec Diagnostics (ClinSpec Dx) to further develop its technology and expand its team. The Glasgow-based company was founded in 2016 to commercialise research by Dr Matthew Baker at the University of Strathclyde. Through a combination of infra-red light and artificial intelligence, its ‘drop, dry, detect’ technology provides results in minutes.

Mercia first invested in the business in 2019. The latest round – which also includes funding from the Scottish Investment Bank, SIS Ventures, EOS Advisory and the University of Strathclyde – brings the total raised by the company so far to £4m.

Studies have shown ClinSpec’s technology has potential as a multi-cancer early detection test which could also indicate the type and severity of the tumour, allowing doctors and clinicians to prioritise the most effective treatments.

The new funding will allow it to complete its second brain cancer trial, develop an algorithm covering the most common cancers and create a further five jobs, taking its total headcount to 14. The company remains open for a further £1 million to prepare the groundwork for Series A funding.

Mark Hegarty, CEO of ClinSpec Dx, said: “Worldwide, 26,000 people die from cancer each day. Early detection is critical for effective treatment, but many cancers go undetected for too long. This funding is another significant step forward for ClinSpec Dx in our mission to detect cancer earlier and help to increase patient survival and quality of life.”

[p1nkfish] 02/9/2020 14:12

At this rate 27.5p after 3 years will be a stetch and not a gravy train.

[p1nkfish] 01/9/2020 07:53

Share register needs attention, too little held by 3%+ holders imho and better names would help give others confidence. Weak looking.

22.50p ceiling needs to be broken to run to 26p+.

Where will the demand come from when there are 53% approx outside of 3% holders, 233M shares approx.

What catalyst to spur demand to drive this up when there are so many shares in so many small players hands?

[p1nkfish] 01/9/2020 07:45

Meanwhile the world moves on.

[columbarius] 28/8/2020 19:34

After the carrying value of Warwick Acoustics took a big hit due to covid, this is more encouraging.

[p1nkfish] 25/8/2020 15:35

How about helping Mercia shareholders make a return?

[sev22] 25/8/2020 15:07

Twitter.
25th August, 2020.

📽 Want to know how Mercia’s investment has helped successful regional businesses scale?

Hear from our portfolio companies @OXGENEofficial, @SockMonkeyLtd and @nDreamsVR, and find out how your business could benefit from our regional expertise.

#interview #investment #regions

[p1nkfish] 24/8/2020 07:56

Options set too low send the wrong massage when the market expects a stretch. Now everyone will think this is a gravy train or that 25% over 3 years is a stretch.

Either perception won't attract new money.

[p1nkfish] 24/8/2020 07:51

8% shareholder yield in a vehicle like this should be about normal not a stretch.
Not ambitious but leading to more dilution.

[robsy2] 24/8/2020 07:36

At least the benefit is delivered in tranches over 3-5 years. They pay for the shares at the current sp, they only get them if the share price gives 8% a year compound,so If the shares vest then the likes of us will get something if they do. Sounds quite bullish to me.

[redartbmud] 24/8/2020 07:22

Merc 'The gift that keeps giving' - to the directors.

Mercia Asset Management PLC (AIM: MERC), the proactive, regionally focused specialist asset manager, announces that options (the "Options") over a total of 9,497,000 new Ordinary shares with a nominal value of £0.00001 each in the capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares") were granted after the market closed on 21 August 2020, pursuant to the 2014 Mercia Company Share Option Plan, at an exercise price of 21.50p per Ordinary Share (being the closing mid-market price of an Ordinary Share on 21 August 2020). The Options will, subject to the satisfaction of the performance condition, vest in three equal tranches on the third, fourth and fifth anniversary of the date of grant of the Options.

[columbarius] 21/8/2020 14:39

You're filtered then. Too much boring clutter.

[p1nkfish] 21/8/2020 12:03

Will continue until something changes.

[columbarius] 21/8/2020 11:44

The reality is you've been making the same point ad nauseam for months.

[p1nkfish] 21/8/2020 10:09

I drive people into pubs. Particular those unable to face reality.

[columbarius] 21/8/2020 09:11

You come across as the sort of bloke who empties pubs.