Nimrod Capital and Doric Lease Corp have announced the successful listing of a new investment company on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Doric Nimrod Air Three Ltd. (DNA3) aims to pay a quarterly dividend equivalent to 8.25 per cent per annum (based on the issue price of 100 pence per share) following the purchase and leasing of four Airbus A380 planes to Emirates.
DNA3 continues an investment model that has been proven highly successful for UK investors as it has been for many years in Europe, and follows the launch of two previous successful offerings by Nimrod Capital. The Doric Lease Corp team, the lease asset manager, has a long and successful history in managing these types of aircraft investments.
DNA3’s investment strategy is the purchase of four A380 aircraft, scheduled for delivery from September to November 2013, and leasing them to Emirates, each for a period of up to 12 years. DNA3 will aim to pay a dividend of 2.0625 pence per share per quarter, equivalent to an annual dividend of 8.25 per cent per 100 pence share. Under the terms of the lease, the airline is responsible for insurance and all other service, maintenance and repair costs. In addition to the regular yield of 8.25 per cent, once the lease has expired, the aircraft are likely to be sold and investors paid out from the residual value.
UK’s first aircraft investment company Doric Nimrod Air One Limited (DNA1) listed in December 2010 investing in one Airbus A380. Doric Nimrod Air Two (DNA2), which listed in July 2011 followed by the issuance of further shares in March 2012, owns seven Airbus A380s. DNA1 shares are now trading at 122 pence compared to the launch price of 100 pence, while DNA2 shares are trading at 234 pence from an initial issue price of 200 pence.
Investors in DNA3 are mainly institutional asset managers, pension schemes, and private wealth managers, who were attracted by the profitable business model of the lessee, Emirates, as well as by the Airbus A380, which benefits from a unique position as the world’s biggest passenger aircraft and, at the same time, a highly efficient aircraft. Emirates reported its 25th year of consecutive profit in May 2013 with a net profit of US$845 million.
“We believe this should prove most interesting to the investment community as many pension, ISA and other general institutional or individual investors are looking for high income investments which pay dividends regularly and are backed by real and stable assets which might also provide a hedge against inflation,” said Marc Gordon, Partner at Nimrod Capital, the specialist investment firm which raised the equity and arranged the listing of all three offerings.
“We are pleased to continue offering A380-based investment opportunities to UK investors. The strong demand for the Emirates name and for the A380 underpins the success story of the airline and the unrivalled product offering and cash generative economics of the aircraft,” commented Mark Lapidus, Chief Executive Officer of Doric Lease Corp.
The shares of DNA3 are listed on the London and Channel Islands Stock Exchanges.