Origo Partners Share Discussion Threads

[shroder] 11/10/2010 07:28

Were off..

[tenapen] 10/10/2010 11:37

They could be a matched trade !





This site as OPP as a 100% buy but as we know these guides change daily and should not be used as a tool for investing. Fun all the same.

[shroder] 10/10/2010 11:07

Well spotted, glass cutter at the ready ;-))

[tenapen] 09/10/2010 11:50

Two BIG trades after the bell,

2 x 1,480,000 @ 30p

[mangal] 08/10/2010 10:31

yes, almost broken; past 30 & 40 next stop.

[shroder] 08/10/2010 10:26

The glass is cracking :-)))

[shroder] 06/10/2010 12:21

A million traded pretty much at the offer, can't be much more to go (famous last words :-))

[shroder] 06/10/2010 11:49

Mongolia confident IPO will ease doubts

By William MacNamara in London, Leslie Hook in Beijing, and Robert Cookson in Hong Kong

Published: October 5 2010 19:17 | Last updated: October 5 2010 19:17

Mongolia's pitch to become the new frontier for metals and mining is facing renewed scrutiny from investors around the world as a Mongolian coal miner completes a landmark listing in Hong Kong. Mongolian Mining Corp (MMC) is set to raise at least $650m after pricing its shares on Tuesday in Hong Kong in the middle of a target range set by advisers JPMorgan and Citi.

The initial public offering, representing 20 per cent of the company's equity, creates the first homegrown, multibillion-dollar miner in a country that possesses little capital or infrastructure, but vast deposits of coal, copper and gold.

The arrival of this young "state champion", as Zorigt Dashdorj, Mongolia's mining minister calls MMC, comes as the country's prime minister and top officials complete a global tour intended to raise the country's investment profile.

Referring to MMC's deposits of coking coal, which is used to make steel and which lie close to the border with China, a banker involved in MMC's IPO said: "Here you have high-quality mineralisation sitting next to the biggest consumer of those minerals."

But the statement applies to all large mineral projects in Mongolia, including Oyu Tolgoi, the copper-gold mine that defines the country for international investors.

The proximity to China created investor euphoria about Mongolia a year ago. Last October, a long-awaited agreement between the government and Ivanhoe Mines, the developer of Oyu Tolgoi, signalled that the country was open for business just as China was becoming a net importer of commodities such as coal.

But the momentum slackened as investors looked more closely at the country's dire lack of infrastructure, in spite of the government's promises of a big building programme of roads, railways and power plants.

"Investors need the confidence of a successful IPO because Mongolia is still a high-risk frontier with little track record," says Chris Rynning, chief executive of Origo, a Beijing-based private equity company that has invested in Mongolia.

"MMC is an important test case for outbound IPOs from Mongolia, where a success will form precedent for many more IPOs to come," he added.

The retail part of MMC's share offering was 10 times oversubscribed, according to bankers. The investor interest in MMC is one sign that Mongolia's minerals-led development is regaining momentum.

The government has clarified plans for Tavan Tolgoi, the enormous coking coal deposit that ranks with Oyu Tolgoi as one of the best undeveloped mineral areas in the world.

Tavan Tolgoi will be half-owned by the government, Mr Zorigt told the Financial Times in an interview.

The half earmarked for privatisation will be split 20:30 between Mongolian and international investors respectively. The concession, however, will be split into two blocks. Erdenes, the state-owned mining group, is considering international applications to operate one of these blocks.

MMC has been dubbed "mini-TT", after Tavan Tolgoi. The company's principal mine – which aims to produce 15m tonnes of coking coal by 2013 – comprises one-sixth of the original Tavan Tolgoi licence area.

As part of the development programme, MMC is building a road to China and is expecting a rail line to follow as part of the government's plans for an east-west arterial railway to intersect the Soviet-era trans-Mongolian line.



It is also building its own coal-washing plant and claims that there is enough water in the bleak south Gobi desert to do so.

Worries about the country's basic water and rail infrastructure, as well as its lack of equipment, have weighed on the shares of a Mongolian company that pioneered a Hong Kong listing earlier this year.

SouthGobi Energy, a thermal coal miner, has seen its shares fall 36 per cent since its debut in January.

Meanwhile, a second Mongolia-related IPO has completed in Hong Kong. Last week, Winsway, a coking coal trader and logistics company handling shipments from Mongolia to China, raised HK$3.7bn (US$477m). It priced its shares just below the middle of the range.

Bankers involved in the Winsway and MMC IPOs were nervous of both companies coming to the market at the same time. But in spite of the Winsway IPO, SouthGobi remains investors' main focal point.

Mr Zorigt is confident that MMC, which is expected to debut in Hong Kong in mid-October, will help dispel investor doubts about the future of Mongolia and he promises that other national champions will be emerging over the next decade.

"We are strong believers in national champions," he says. "In our experience, in our part of the world, Japan and Korea have succeeded in part because of these large corporations. The next step of our industrialisation requires this more sophisticated type of business."

Copyright The Financial Times Limited

[shroder] 04/10/2010 18:33

Worth keeping an eye on investor relations tab here too tenapen,

[tenapen] 04/10/2010 17:37

:-)
Two good write ups but only one buyer, ho hum ;-).

I will look out for information about the UK float and i will post here if i see it. If other's would do the same I would be gratefull.

regards.

Just seen this,




LONDON (SHARECAST) - US-based water purification technology developer HaloSource, in which Unilever Technology Ventures and Mars Incorporated have stakes, plans an AIM flotation in order to finance expansion.

Cont.....

[robards] 04/10/2010 11:04

OPP owns 16.6% of Halosource (OPP 2009 annual report, page 8)


Add: paid $10m for it.

[mangal] 04/10/2010 10:26

Shroder, what's the connection between HaloSource & OPP?

[shroder] 04/10/2010 09:57

Halosource in the Sunday Times


Pure water is the prize

A simple piece of technology that filters out toxic metals and destroys viruses could avert world health and economic crises by producing clean water

Danny Fortson

Published: 3 October 2010


When the drought that hit East Africa in 2005 and 2006 was at its worst, the region's people had to make do with as little as one litre of water a day - about five glasses. To put that into perspective, the average Briton uses 150 litres a day.

These figures are striking enough but according to experts in climate change and development, the number of people at risk from unsafe water will increase as temperatures and populations climb.

A study published last week by a group of researchers from America, Europe and Australia - billed as the first worldwide synthesis of water resources - concluded that more than 5 billion people, about four-fifths of the world's population, rely on "insecure" sources.

It is the most elemental of crises and its implications, from widespread disease and death to social unrest and potential economic disruption, are daunting. Around the world, governments and, increasingly, companies are chipping away at the problem. Of the latter, HaloSource is among the most promising.

The American group has developed a filter that not only sifts out toxic metals and chemicals but also destroys biological pathogens and viruses on contact.

John Kaestle, chief executive of HaloSource, said the process is a step beyond anything else available today and could bring potable water to many of the 1.1 billion people the World Bank estimates do not have access to clean supplies.

"This is a disruptive technology that will be accessible to the emerging market consumer. It offsets the limitations of many of today's technologies, which rely on pumping through a filter or electric motors. This is a simple gravity device."

So how does it work? The company was formed in 1997 after Jeff Williams, a British scientist who spent time studying infectious disease in Darfur, Sudan and South America, teamed up with Dave Worley, a chemist at Auburn University in Alabama.

Worley had developed a way to bind molecules of bromine, an element that kills biological pathogens on contact, to polystyrene beads the size of large grains of sand. These are put into cartridges that can be added to everything from household jugs to water tanks.

Crucially, the bromine is effective enough not to need the water to be boiled - often an expensive or impossible option for the poor.

Perfecting the process took more than a decade and $60m (£38m) from backers including Unilever, the consumer products group; Masdar, Abu Dhabi's clean technology investment arm; the confectionery giant Mars; and Consensus Business Group, the investment firm of property mogul Vincent Tchenguiz.

The company is gearing up for a float in London, the proceeds of which it plans to use to roll out its HaloPure cartridges in developing world markets such as China, India and Brazil.

HaloSource is expected to announce the share offering, which will value it at £100m, this week. Liberum Capital, the broker, has been hired to handle the deal.

Addressing water problems has, for many governments, become a national priority, not least because 85% of infectious diseases in the developing world come from waterborne pathogens, according to the World Health Organisation.

The company is not, however, out to save the world. Its focus on what Kaestle calls "emerging market consumers" is key. These are not the poorest of the poor. Rather, HaloSource has its sights set, initially at least, on the lower and middle classes who can afford the $20 to $100 it expects to charge for the cartridges. These last up to six months before they need to be replaced.

Ultimately, Kaestle hopes to establish the group as the default filtration system for white goods, in the way that Intel chips have become for computers.

The firm recently signed a deal with Bajaj, an Indian white goods giant with more than 300,000 retail distribution outlets, as the first step along that road. Indeed, HaloSource is now in talks with a trio of Chinese white goods manufacturers about integrating its filters into their ranges.

That is the future. Today, however, most of HaloSource's turnover comes from the more prosaic business of selling equipment to purify pools, aquariums and water from storm run-off.

It has also developed textiles, such as tea towels and linens, which when washed with bleach are activated to kill infectious agents such as MRSA and E.coli.

But the company has no doubt that its future lies in bringing drinkable water to the masses. Last year the US Environmental Protection Agency certified its ability to kill microbes, viruses and bacteria.

Kaestle said: "There are almost 200 countries in the world but only in a handful is it safe to drink from the tap."

-------------------------------------------------

[shroder] 04/10/2010 09:25

Nice piece in the Independent today,


By Alistair Dawber, Monday, 4 October 2010

Origo eyes green technology sector

With growth in China and India going like the clappers, it probably shouldn't come as a huge surprise that a private-equity firm that devotes itself to investment in the two emerging-market powerhouses should be doing well. The Aim-listed Origo group, which focuses on mining assets, largely in China, posted its full-year numbers last week, the highlight of which was a swing into pre-tax profit.

Origo said that pre-tax profits came in at $2m (£1.3m), versus a loss of $3.5m (£2.2m) last year.

The improved performance comes, perhaps more impressively, as the group's shares have put on nearly 80 per cent in the past 12 months. The progress comes in the group's third year as an Aim-listed group, and now that it has turned a profit, investors will want to hear about exit strategies and how it plans to put its $47.7m (£30m) cash pile to work.

No private-equity firm wants to see cash gathering dust in the bank. As well as mining, Origo has its eye on green tech companies and in recent months has invested in the sector.

Back in August, it bought a 16.5 per cent stake in Unipower Battery for an aggregate amount of $4.3m (£2.7m). Then, in September, Origo announced the acquisition of a 25 per cent holding in Kincora, the owner of the Bronze Fox copper-gold prospect in Mongolia for $3m (£1.9m).

"We maintain our positive outlook for both the Chinese economy and the company's prospects," said chief executive Chris Rynning.

"We see most growth potential in the natural resource and clean-technology sectors and we will continue to target investments Mongolia and our plans for a new fund focused on the clean-technology sector."

[shroder] 29/9/2010 11:25

Nice one tenapen, trying to move up again today, lets see if we can clear the 'glass celling' at 30p

[tenapen] 28/9/2010 13:39

Just topped up a BIG £400 = 1354 shares :-)

(small time investor)

[shroder] 28/9/2010 07:35

Solid set of results, will go through in detail later.

[tenapen] 27/9/2010 11:22

Great news and a good profit, I like it.

Water is the key for both India and China so if OPP could build up thier holdings in that sector i would be less nervous in adding to my small OPP holding.

Regards.

[shroder] 27/9/2010 09:09

Not a bad return, demonstrating their skills for acquiring good investments.

_________________________________________________________________

27 September 2010

Origo Partners sells stake in E-Bill


Origo Partners Plc ("Origo") today announced that it has agreed to dispose of
its 7% stake in E-Bill China Holding Ltd ("E-Bill"), a Chinese electronic
payment services provider.

The stake, acquired for US$2 million, will be sold back to E-Bill's founding
shareholder for US$2.8 million in cash - a 1.4x cash to cash return on the cost
of the investment. The net proceeds of the transaction will be used to fund
further investments, primarily in the natural resources and clean-technology
sectors.

Commenting on today's announcement, Chris Rynning CEO of Origo said:

"Our decision to divest our stake in E-Bill is driven by our desire to re-deploy
capital to the sectors in which we see the strongest long-term growth prospects.

"Whilst we have had a productive relationship with E-Bill's management team and
view it as a successful partnership, our increased focus on the natural resource
and clean-technology sectors means our stake in E-Bill is no longer core to our
investment portfolio."

[tenapen] 27/9/2010 08:36

Mattjos, thanks for pointing me in this direction.

I also hold some FCSS and would if it fell back buy a few more as i 'possibly' would buy OPP if it also fell back some. Bolton as a proven track record and experience is everything IMO. He is also going for the Chinese consumerism which i think is a good idea. OPP are more of a infrastructure play and as such there is room for both in a portfolio.

Good link Shroder, thanks.

Regards.

[shroder] 26/9/2010 20:29

Interims on Thursday from memory, should get an update on IPO's scheduled for the forth quarter.

[mattjos] 26/9/2010 20:02

saw that Shroder ... Bolton & 3i late to the party, imo & taking PI money during a current buoyant period. not for me.
OPP have a good lead & seemingly a good set of connections in place already. prefer my money here.

[shroder] 26/9/2010 16:31

3i to raise renminbi fund

By Martin Arnold

Published: September 24 2010 23:21 | Last updated: September 24 2010 23:21
3i aims to raise a renminbi-denominated fund to invest in Chinese private equity in an ambitious two-year expansion plan outlined by the group's chief executive.

Michael Queen, who took over at 3i in early 2009, said the group aimed to build on its track record in Asia by joining the growing number of western private equity groups rushing to raise renminbi funds.


"Investors are looking for regionally focused funds to invest in," said Mr Queen. "They want to invest in China, in India and in Europe. So over the next 18 to 24 months we plan to raise a European private equity fund, a Chinese renminbi fund and a second Indian infrastructure fund."

His comments come a week after Mr Queen unveiled a strategic restructuring to merge 3i's growth capital business, which buys minority stakes, with its buy-out team, which acquires control of companies.

The shake-up triggered the departure of several top dealmakers in 3i's buy-out team, including Jonathan Russell, its global head of buy-outs. This has upset some investors in 3i's €5bn (£4.3bn) buy-out fund, which could make it harder to raise fresh cash.

However, Mr Queen said the buy-out and growth capital businesses were becoming more similar and the new geographically focused structure would help 3i to raise new regionally focused funds in the future.

He denied claims by some 3i staff that morale was low. "The team is incredibly fired up and ready to go out into the market and I expect you will see our dealmaking increase sharply from now on," he said.