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BRM – December 2021 monthly update

Operational Update13 December 2021BRMFinancials

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A WORD FROM THE MANAGER

In November, Barramundi’s gross performance return was

down (0.7%) and the adjusted NAV was down (0.9%). This

compares to the ASX200 Index (70% hedged into NZ$) which

was down (0.7%).

It was a volatile month for the Australian market, with the

emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant late in the

month impacting market returns. The materials (+6.2%) sector

led the market higher helped by a strong rebound in junior

explorers as well as Iron Ore major, Fortescue which rose 22%.

Communication Services (+5.2%) and the defensive Consumer

Staples (+4.4%) sectors also led the market higher. The Energy

(-8.4%) and Financials (-8.0%) sectors lagged. Financials were

impacted by some poor financial results from Westpac and

CBA (see below).

Portfolio News

Fineos (+10.0% in A$) reiterated its FY22 earnings guidance

at its AGM during the month. Fineos expects revenue to grow

around 18% in the year and importantly expects the recurring

subscription revenue to rise 30%. Fineos has also secured

a new subscription client with a five year term. It has also

bolstered its sales team in the key North American market.

We met with Audinate’s (+7.7%) management team during

the month. Audinate is working hard to manage the supply

chain bottlenecks it faces due to chip shortages. While

these challenges do not seem to be getting worse (touch

wood), bottlenecks are likely to persist for a while. Pleasingly,

Audinate’s order book remains strong with customers placing

orders well in advance of their requirements. Audinate is

seeing inflationary cost pressures (particularly in chips), but it is

managing to pass these on to its customers.

The emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 strain is positive for

Sonic Healthcare (+6.7%) given it prolongs the elevated level

of COVID-19 PCR tests which are processed in Sonic’s labs.

The market also reacted favourably to speculation that Sonic

was exploring an acquisition of a European diagnostics firm.

Subsequent to month end, this firm was ultimately sold to a

private purchaser (not Sonic).

On the last day of the month Credit Corp (+4.6%)

announced the acquisition of the assets of the Radio Rentals

consumer leasing business from Thorn Group which was

well received. Radio Rentals leases household products

(whitegoods, brown goods, tech products) to sub-prime

consumers. Thorn Group has successfully transitioned Radio

Rentals from bricks & mortar outlets to a fully online offer.

The purchase price is $60m but this is covered by the value

of the existing lease book from which Credit Corp will derive

rentals over the remaining life of the contracts that will meet

its targeted investment return. In addition, Credit Corp has

obtained the intellectual property, systems and supply chain

arrangements of the business. This will accelerate Credit

Corp’s already planned development of an online “retail by

instalment” product as part of its Consumer Lending business.

In essence, Credit Corp has paid nothing for the on-going

earnings stream that can be developed from the Radio Rentals

platform. Reflecting both the acquisition and refinement of

its original guidance range, Credit Corp now expects NPAT

growth of +4 to +10% (was -4% to +8%) for the year.

Internationally, a couple of listed data centres were acquired

during the month demonstrating the attractiveness of these

assets. This news buoyed Next DC’s share price which rose

3.3% in November.

AUB Group produced a +5.4% return for November. At its

AGM during the month it reaffirmed guidance for underlying

NPAT growth of +7 to +12%, (representing growth in

continuing operations of +16 to +21%), for the June 2022

year. Although guidance was not upgraded, the tenor of

commentary at the meeting was positive. Progress was noted

on a number of its growth and profit-enhancing strategic

priorities for the year. In particular, the company stated that its

business model is well suited to multiple countries worldwide

and that considered expansion to territories outside Australia

and New Zealand is anticipated in future.

Westpac (-17.9%) and CBA (-11.0%) both fell sharply

after delivering poor financial results in the month. Westpac

has been attempting to address historic underinvestment

in its core business, simplify and control its cost base and

simultaneously grow its revenue at the same time. In its

half year results delivered during the month, the market

was disappointed to see Westpac’s revenue growth miss

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Share Price Premium to NAV (using NAV to four decimal places).

MONTHLY UPDATE

December 2021

BRM NAV

$

0.84

$

0.98

Share Price

PREMIUM

1

16.2

%


as at 30 November 2021

SECTOR SPLIT
as at 30 November 2021

KEY DETAILS

as at 30 November 2021

FUND TYPE

Listed Investment Company

INVESTS IN

Growing Australian companies

LISTING DATE

26 October 2006

FINANCIAL YEAR END

30 June

TYPICAL PORTFOLIO SIZE

20-35 stocks

INVESTMENT CRITERIA

Long-term growth

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Long-term growth of capital and

dividends

TAX STATUS

Portfolio Investment Entity (PIE)

MANAGER

Fisher Funds Management Limited

MANAGEMENT FEE RATE

1.25% of gross asset value

(reduced by 0.10% for every 1%

of underperformance relative to

the change in the NZ 90 Day Bank

Bill Index with a floor of 0.75%)

PERFORMANCE FEE

HURDLE

Changes in the NZ 90 Day Bank

Bill Index + 7%

PERFORMANCE FEE

10% of returns in excess of

benchmark and high water mark

HIGH WATER MARK

$0.81

PERFORMANCE FEE CAP

1.25%

SHARES ON ISSUE

263m

MARKET CAPITALISATION

$258m

GEARING

None (maximum permitted 20%

of gross asset value)

4

%

INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY

21

%

22

%


INDUSTRIALS

18

%

COMMUNICATION

SERVICES


HEALTH CARE

26

%

3

%


FINANCIALS

CONSUMER

STAPLES

5

%

CONSUMER

DISCRETIONARY

expectations because of intense pricing competition in

the mortgage market. Its costs also exceeded expectation,

which left the market sceptical on its ability to achieve its

longer-term cost-out targets. Westpac pointed out that an

acceleration of business projects had the effect of bringing

forward expenditure which will now also subside earlier than

originally anticipated once the projects roll off. Westpac

consequently remains committed to its A$8bn total cost

target which it hopes to achieve by 2024. The market will

remain very focussed on Westpac’s progression towards this

target over the coming few years.

CBA has done a great job capturing an increase in household

demand for mortgages and credit as the Australian economy

(especially housing) has begun recovering from the depths

of the pandemic. This has seen CBA’s share price perform

Robbie Urquhart

Senior Portfolio Manager

Fisher Funds Management Limited

strongly relative to peers. However, in its trading update in the

month, CBA signalled that it too is being impacted by pricing

competition which has detracted from its net interest margin.

This led to its share price falling during the month.

Portfolio Changes

There were no material portfolio changes during the month.

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The Barramundi portfolio also holds cash.

NOVEMBER’S SIGNIFICANT RETURNS IMPACTING
THE PORTFOLIO

during the month in Australian dollar terms

FINEOS

+10

%

NANASONICS

-8

%

OOH!MEDIA

-11

%

WESTPAC

-18%

CBA

- 11

%

5 LARGEST PORTFOLIO POSITIONS as at 30 November 2021

CARSALES.COM

7

%

CSL LIMITED

9

%

WISETECH

6

%

CBA

5

%

SEEK

5

%

The remaining portfolio is made up of another 20 stocks and cash.

Oct

2006

Oct

2007

Oct

2008

Oct

2009

Oct

2010

Oct

2011

Oct

2012

Oct

2013

Oct

2015

Oct

2016

Oct

2014

Share Price/Total Shareholder Return

Share PriceTotal Shareholder Return

$

0.00

$

0.50

$

1.00

$

1.50

$

2.00

$

2.50

$

3.00

$

3.50

Oct

2017

Oct

2018

Oct

2019

Oct

2020

Oct

2021

TOTAL SHAREHOLDER RETURN to 30 November 2021

1 Month3 Months1 Year3 Years

(annualised)

5 Years

(annualised)

Company Performance

Total Shareholder Return+4.0%(7.0%)+9.8%+31.0%+21.3%

Adjusted NAV Return(0.9%)(3.3%)+21.9%+22.2%+16.3%

Portfolio Performance

Gross Performance Return(0.7%)(3.1%)+24.5%+25.7%+19.7%

Benchmark Index^(0.7%)(2.3%)+15.5%+12.6%+10.4%

PERFORMANCE to 30 November 2021

^Benchmark Index: S&P/ASX 200 Index (hedged 70% to NZD)

Non–GAAP Financial Information

Barramundi uses non–GAAP measures, including adjusted net asset value, adjusted NAV return, gross performance return and total shareholder return. The rationale for using such non–GAAP measures is as follows:

»adjusted net asset value – the underlying value of the investment portfolio adjusted for capital allocation decisions, after expenses, fees and tax,

»adjusted NAV return – the return to an investor after expenses, fees and tax,

»gross performance return – the Manager’s portfolio performance in terms of stock selection and currency hedging before expenses, fees and tax, and

»total shareholder return – the return combines the share price performance, the warrant price performance, the net value of converting any warrants into shares, and the dividends paid to shareholders. It assumes

all dividends are reinvested in the company’s dividend reinvestment plan, and that shareholders exercise their warrants, (if they were in the money), at warrant expiry date

All references to adjusted net asset value, adjusted NAV return, gross performance return and total shareholder return in this monthly update are to such non–GAAP measures. The calculations applied to non–GAAP

measures are described in the Barramundi Non–GAAP Financial Information Policy. A copy of the policy is available at http://barramundi.co.nz/about-barramundi/barramundi-policies/

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Disclaimer: The information in this update has been prepared as at the date noted on the front page. The information has been prepared as a general summary of the matters covered only, and it is by
necessity brief. The information and opinions are based upon sources which are believed to be reliable, but Barramundi Limited and its officers and directors make no representation as to its accuracy or

completeness. The update is not intended to constitute professional or investment advice and should not be relied upon in making any investment decisions. Professional financial advice from a financial

adviser should be taken before making an investment. To the extent that the update contains data relating to the historical performance of Barramundi Limited or its portfolio companies, please note that

fund performance can and will vary and that future results may have no correlation with results historically achieved.

Barramundi Limited

Private Bag 93502, Takapuna, Auckland 0740

Phone: +64 9 489 7074 | Fax: +64 9 489 7139

Email: enquire@barramundi.co.nz | www.barramundi.co.nz

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Computershare Investor Services Limited

Private Bag 92119, Auckland 1142

Phone: +64 9 488 8777 | Fax: +64 9 488 8787

Email: enquiry@computershare.co.nz | www.computershare.com/nz

ABOUT BARRAMUNDI

Barramundi is an investment

company listed on the New Zealand

Stock Exchange. The company

gives shareholders an opportunity

to invest in a diversified portfolio

of between 20 and 35 quality

growing Australian companies

through a single, professionally

managed investment. The aim of

Barramundi is to offer investors

competitive returns through capital

growth and dividends.

CAPITAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Regular Dividends

»Quarterly distribution policy introduced in

August 2009

»Under this policy, 2% of average NAV is targeted to be

paid to shareholders quarterly

»Dividends paid by Barramundi may include dividends

received, interest income, investment gains and/or

return of capital

»Shareholders who prefer to have increased capital rather

than a regular income stream have the opportunity to

participate in the company’s dividend reinvestment plan

(DRP)

»Shares issued to DRP participants are at a 3% discount

to market price

»Barramundi became a portfolio investment entity on

1 October 2007. As a result, dividends paid to New

Zealand tax resident shareholders have not been subject

to further tax

Share Buyback Programme

»Barramundi has a buyback programme in place allowing

it (if it elects to do so) to acquire its shares on market

»Shares bought back by the company are held as treasury

stock

»Shares held as treasury stock are available to be re-

issued for the dividend reinvestment plan

MANAGEMENT

The Manager has authority delegated

to it from the Board to invest according

to the Management Agreement and

other written policies. Barramundi’s

portfolio is managed by Fisher Funds

Management Limited. Robbie Urquhart

(Senior Portfolio Manager), Terry Tolich

and Delano Gallagher (Senior Investment

Analysts) have prime responsibility for

managing the Barramundi portfolio.

Together they have significant combined

experience and are very capable of

researching and investing in the quality

Australian companies that Barramundi

targets. Fisher Funds is based in

Takapuna, Auckland.

BOARD

The Board of Barramundi

comprises independent

directors Alistair Ryan (Chair),

Carol Campbell, Andy Coupe

and David McClatchy.

Warrants

»Warrants put Barramundi in a better position to grow

further, operate efficiently, and pursue other capital

structure initiatives as appropriate.

»A warrant is the right, not the obligation, to purchase an

ordinary share in Barramundi at a fixed price on a fixed

date.

»There are currently no Barramundi warrants on issue.

Data sourced from publicly available filings. Our datasets may not be complete. Automated analysis can produce errors. If you believe any data on this page is incorrect, please contact us at hello@nzxplorer.co.nz. For informational purposes only. Not investment advice.