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Volta Finance Limited (VTA / VTAS)
June 2025 monthly report
NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION, OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR PART, IN OR INTO
THE UNITED STATES
Guernsey, July 24, 2025
AXA IM has published the Volta Finance Limited (the “Company” or “Volta
Finance” or “Volta”) monthly report for June 2025. The full report is
attached to this release and will be available on Volta’s website shortly
(www.voltafinance.com).
Performance and Portfolio Activity
Dear Investors,
In June, Volta Finance achieved a net performance of +0.4% bringing the
cumulative performance from August 2024 to date to +11.2%. Both the CLO Debt
and CLO Equity assets of the Volta Finance portfolio delivered positive
returns, in the context of a positive momentum across credit markets after the
volatility induced by tariffs.
June marked a return to a “risk on” environment, with strong gains in U.S.
equity markets amid significant weakening of the US Dollar. This shift was
fuelled by easing trade tensions and moderating inflation. Despite inflation
levels being close to target, the Fed decided to keep interest rates unchanged
at 4.25%-4.50% during their June meeting while elaborating on the
unpredictable effects of Trump’s tariffs. In Europe, sentiment was mixed,
with major indices ending the month flat. The ECB cut rates by 25 basis points
while Christine Lagarde signalled a likely pause in future rate cuts. This
easing comes as the eurozone inflation has returned to the central bank's
target of 2%.
However, significant uncertainties still loom as we enter summer. Only a
handful of countries reached agreements with their U.S. counterparts and the
approaching deadline could trigger further disruptions notably in supply
chains. The sudden escalation of the Iran/Israel situation, culminating in the
U.S. bombings of Iranian nuclear facilities, also raised concerns regarding
the stability of the region and added disruptions to oil supplies. This led to
a spike in crude oil prices and increased interest in traditional safe-haven
assets although they retraced by the end of the month due to a temporary
resolution of the conflict.
Credit markets shrugged those worries off and hedged close to the tightest
levels experienced over the last year. For instance, the European High Yield
index (Xover) settled at 283bps (from 300bps), close to the 280bps resistance
level. On the Loan side, Euro Loans closed roughly unchanged at 97.70px
(Morningstar European Leveraged Loan Index) while US Loans closed c. 40c up at
97.00px. Primary CLO levels moved sideways across all rated tranches,
providing stability and the right environment for CLO formation. In terms of
performance, US High Yield returned +1.9% over the month while Euro Loans were
up +0.13% and US Loans +0.80%.
The median CCC assets exposure in CLO portfolios remained stable at 4.5% in
the US, slightly above the exposure of European CLOs to CCCs (4.1%). Loan
maturity walls continued to transition towards 2030 and beyond, with the next
significant refinancing deadlines in 2028 and 2031 in the US, while loan
recoveries remained significantly higher than bonds at approximately 62% vs
48%.
In terms of activity, the month was particularly busy as we faced some CLO
debt redemptions (€4.8m) and actively replaced risk to maintain overall risk
exposure unchanged. We purchased BB (600bps context), single-B (up to 900bps)
and Equity risk from both the Primary and Secondary markets. Cash stood at 11%
at the end of the month. Volta Finance’s cashflow generation was slightly up
at €28.3m equivalent in interests and coupons over the last six months,
representing close to 21% of June’s NAV on an annualized basis.
Over the month, Volta’s CLO Equity tranches returned +1.6%** while CLO Debt
tranches returned +1.0% performance**. The EUR/USD move to 1.18 had an impact
on our long dollar exposure in terms of performance (0.4%).
As of end of June 2025, Volta’s NAV was €273.0m, i.e. €7.46 per share.
*It should be noted that approximately 0.14% of Volta’s GAV comprises
investments for which the relevant NAVs as at the month-end date are normally
available only after Volta’s NAV has already been published. Volta’s
policy is to publish its NAV on as timely a basis as possible to provide
shareholders with Volta’s appropriately up-to-date NAV information.
Consequently, such investments are valued using the most recently available
NAV for each fund or quoted price for such subordinated notes. The most
recently available fund NAV or quoted price was 0.07% as at 30 May 2025, 0.07%
as at 31 March 2025.
** “performances” of asset classes are calculated as the Dietz-performance
of the assets in each bucket, taking into account the Mark-to-Market of the
assets at period ends, payments received from the assets over the period, and
ignoring changes in cross-currency rates. Nevertheless, some residual currency
effects could impact the aggregate value of the portfolio when aggregating
each bucket.
CONTACTS
For the Investment Manager
AXA Investment Managers Paris
François Touati
francois.touati@axa-im.com
+33 (0) 1 44 45 80 22
Olivier Pons
Olivier.pons@axa-im.com
+33 (0) 1 44 45 87 30
Company Secretary and Administrator
BNP Paribas S.A, Guernsey Branch
guernsey.bp2s.volta.cosec@bnpparibas.com
+44 (0) 1481 750 853
Corporate Broker
Cavendish Securities plc
Andrew Worne
Daniel Balabanoff
+44 (0) 20 7397 8900
*****
ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED
Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies
(Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the
London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities. Volta’s home
member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the
Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the
AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands.
Volta’s Investment objectives are to preserve its capital across the credit
cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its Shareholders through
dividends that it expects to distribute on a quarterly basis. The Company
currently seeks to achieve its investment objectives by pursuing exposure
predominantly to CLO’s and similar asset classes. A more diversified
investment strategy across structured finance assets may be pursued
opportunistically. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an
investment management company with a division specialised in structured
credit, for the investment management of all its assets.
*****
ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS
AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company
within the BNP Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth
management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with
2,800 professionals and €859 billion in assets under management as of the
end of June 2024.
*****
This press release is published by AXA Investment Managers Paris (“AXA
IM”), in its capacity as alternative investment fund manager (within the
meaning of Directive 2011/61/EU, the “AIFM Directive”) of Volta Finance
Limited (the "Volta Finance") whose portfolio is managed by AXA IM.
This press release is for information only and does not constitute an
invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation
may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate
copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This
document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the
United States or to persons who are “U.S. persons” for purposes of
Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be
restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United
States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the
Securities Act. Volta Finance does not intend to register any portion of the
offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering
of such securities in the United States.
*****
This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i)
persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals
falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000
(Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (iii) high net worth
companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling
within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being
referred to as “relevant persons”). The securities referred to herein are
only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe,
purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with,
relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or
rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be
relied on as a guide to future performance.
*****
This press release contains statements that are, or may deemed to be,
"forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be
identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms
"believes", "anticipated", "expects", "intends", "is/are expected", "may",
"will" or "should". They include the statements regarding the level of the
dividend, the current market context and its impact on the long-term return of
Volta Finance's investments. By their nature, forward-looking statements
involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Volta
Finance's actual results, portfolio composition and performance may differ
materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. AXA
IM does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise
forward-looking statements.
Any target information is based on certain assumptions as to future events
which may not prove to be realised. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these
future events, the targets are not intended to be and should not be regarded
as profits or earnings or any other type of forecasts. There can be no
assurance that any of these targets will be achieved. In addition, no
assurance can be given that the investment objective will be achieved.
The figures provided that relate to past months or years and past performance
cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance or construed as a
reliable indicator as to future performance. Throughout this review, the
citation of specific trades or strategies is intended to illustrate some of
the investment methodologies and philosophies of Volta Finance, as implemented
by AXA IM. The historical success or AXA IM’s belief in the future success,
of any of these trades or strategies is not indicative of, and has no bearing
on, future results.
The valuation of financial assets can vary significantly from the prices that
the AXA IM could obtain if it sought to liquidate the positions on behalf of
the Volta Finance due to market conditions and general economic environment.
Such valuations do not constitute a fairness or similar opinion and should not
be regarded as such.
Editor: AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS PARIS, a company incorporated under the laws
of France, having its registered office located at Tour Majunga, 6, Place de
la Pyramide - 92800 Puteaux. AXA IMP is authorized by the Autorité des
Marchés Financiers under registration number GP92008 as an alternative
investment fund manager within the meaning of the AIFM Directive.
*****
Attachment
* Volta - Monthly report-June 2025
(https://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/39ada4e4-9918-4b37-a79d-f13ff7c4692b)