LHV Pensionifond M

September 2024: The bond investment returned 9%

Kristo Oidermaa and Romet Enok, Fund Managers

The beginning of September was quite volatile, just as the beginning of August was; nonetheless, the major indices ended the month positively. The US S&P 500 index was up 2% in dollars and the European Euro Stoxx 50 rose 0.9% in euros. The emerging markets index was up as much as 6.4% in dollars during September. This was mainly due to China, whose index gained 23.5% in dollars as the market responded to the country’s long-awaited major government spending aimed at stimulating the economy. The Baltic OMX Baltic Benchmark index saw little change, ending the month down 0.8%.

After a six-year investment, the Livonia fund sold its stake in the Lithuanian company Freor to the company’s management. Freor manufactures top-quality refrigeration equipment to help food retailers reduce environmental impact and energy consumption. The company was founded in 2000 and, since then, it has managed to expand operations to 55 countries.

One of the more significant direct investments in the fund’s bond portfolio came to an end when Sunly repaid its bonds. Sunly raised 13 million euros from LHV funds for renewable energy investments in 2020. In the time since, Sunly has grown so fast that its equity went up from 13 million euros four years ago to nearly 300 million euros by the end of 2023. Our bond investment yielded around 9% per annum during this period.

We continue to look for new local projects where LHV pension funds can participate in similar developmental leaps.

August 2024: Eesti Energia bonds have started with strong results

Kristo Oidermaa and Romet Enok, Fund Managers

August was quite volatile for the markets. After falling earlier in the month, the S&P 500 index recovered to end the month up 2.3% in dollars. The European Euro Stoxx 50 ended the month up 1.8% in euros. The emerging market index rose 1.4% in dollars during the month, with China, the biggest contributor to that rise, up 1%. The OMX Baltic Benchmark index fell by approximately 2.7% in euros during the month.

In August, LHV pension funds sold a stake in the forest fund Birdeye Timber Fund 1 for 8.4 million euros. The duration of the investment was ten years, during which period we contributed to the development of Estonian forests and the management of the forest portfolio. Forest land as an asset class is based on real property and is less volatile than traditional investments such as stocks and bonds.

Our major investment this summer – Eesti Energia subordinated bonds – has started with strong results, bringing the fund a return of approximately 3% by the end of August. A significant part of the return was due to the overall decline in interest rates in Europe (reminder: after interest rates are lowered, the prices of most bonds rise automatically). If the company’s results improve, the price of the bonds could increase further. To top it off, the fund accumulates interest at the rate of 7.875% per year in the meantime.

July 2024: We made a new major investment

Kristo Oidermaa and Romet Enok, Fund Managers

July was a rather volatile month on the stock markets. While the S&P 500 index, which largely represents technology stocks, dipped during the month and ended with a 1.1% return in dollar terms, the Dow Jones index, which reflects more established industrial-sector companies, performed much better, with a monthly return of 4.4%.

The Euro Stoxx 50 index saw little change in July, with its value decreasing by 0.3% in euro terms. The emerging markets index also remained largely unchanged. The index was negatively impacted by China, which declined by 2.2% in dollar terms, but positively influenced by India and Indonesia, which rose by 3.9% and 3.5%, respectively. The OMX Baltic Benchmark index increased by approximately 1% in euro terms over the month.

In July, the largest private-equity fund in the Baltics, BaltCap, announced that it had acquired the business software platforms FitekIN and ONEA from the Belgian technology firm Unifiedpost Group. FitekIN has previously been owned by BaltCap, so the fund is already well-acquainted with the company. FitekIN and ONEA provide businesses with automation and digitisation solutions for invoice management and approval. Both platforms operate in 13 countries across Europe, with plans to expand into additional markets in the future.

The fund now holds its largest single investment position after subscribing to Eesti Energia’s new bonds. These bonds offer an annual interest rate of 7.875%, and Eesti Energia is expected to repay the loan in approximately five years. In addition to bank loans, the energy provider raised funds through bonds to complete its extensive investment plan. Capital-intensive construction projects are underway in the renewable energy, network services and fuel business sectors. The bond is traded on the international market, providing an additional opportunity to profit from potential price increases.

Meanwhile, the fund’s cash reserves were boosted by repayments from our direct investments. First, Baltic Horizon made its final planned early redemption payment, and then our subordinated bond issued to Bigbank in 2017 reached full repayment.