Real Estate Credit Investments Limited (LON:RECI) won Best Specialist Debt Investment fund 2024 in Citywire’s 2024 Investment Company awards.
RECI is a stable quarterly-paying high returns dividend stock that specialises in European real estate credit markets. RECI’s investment team is Cheyne Capital who have won the award as fund managers two years a row.
This category represents the best investment companies drawn from each Deutsche Numis debt sub-sector. Investment companies are ranked by their three-year Sharpe ratio – measuring risk-adjusted return. Citywire looked at which funds had generated the best return against cash. Those with less than £25m, three years’ manager performance history or in potential or actual wind-down have been removed.
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In Hardman’s latest October research note, they noted that the discount has halved over the past six months. Hardman notes management has been proactive in changing the asset mix (into lower-risk senior loans, away from development loans, reducing bond holdings), commencing an active share buyback programme and improving disclosure. Some real-estate market concerns have also moderated.
In terms of the outlook for RECI, Hardman states that the benefits from RECI’s risk reduction should improve the balance of investors’ risk/reward. The share buyback has recently been renewed at the higher (up to £10m) level. The initial programme was just £5m. Deal activity in the property sector shows participants’ confidence in that market. Read the full research note here.