# 3i Infrastructure Plc reports income ahead of expectations, on track to deliver dividend target

- Link: https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/3i-infrastructure-plc-reports-income-ahead-of-expectations-on-track-to-deliver-dividend-target/4121189637
- Published: 2025-03-31T08:08:29+01:00
- Author: Amilia Stone

**3i Infrastructure plc** (LON:3IN) is an investment company whose purpose is to
invest responsibly in infrastructure, delivering long-term sustainable returns to
shareholders and having a positive influence on our portfolio companies and their
stakeholders.

This statement relates to the period from 1 October 2024 to 28 March 2025.

> **Bernardo Sottomayor, Managing Partner and Head of European Infrastructure, 3i
> Investments plc, Investment Manager of the Company, commented:**
> “We continue to see earnings momentum in the portfolio, driven by our strategic
> focus on prioritising growth investments in our existing portfolio companies.
> We have a focused portfolio of attractive infrastructure businesses in structural
> growth markets. Working closely with management teams, we actively manage our 
> portfolio to drive future growth through capex and strategic expansion. The value
> created by this approach is demonstrated by our long track record of accretive
> realisations.
> We have a proactive approach to debt refinancing, and combined with the earnings
> growth has driven income in excess of expectations.
> For FY25, we expect to report another period of good performance for the Company
> and are on track to deliver the dividend target for the year, which is expected
> to be c.2.5x covered by net income.”

**Highlights****:**

**Valorem sale:** As announced previously, 3iN completed the sale of its 33% stake
in Valorem in January for net proceeds of €310 million, a 31% uplift to the pre-
transaction valuation, generating a 21% gross annual IRR over the life of the investment.

**Refinancing activity**: Three refinancings successfully closed in the Period on
better terms than assumed in our September 2024 valuations. **TCR** closed a €450
million refinancing, comprising €250 million of new term debt and a refreshed revolving
credit facility of €200 million. This enabled a €73 million distribution to 3iN,
with the balance available for reinvestment by TCR. Additionally, debt raised at**
Oystercatcher**, the holding company for the stake in Advario Singapore, enabled
a sizeable distribution to 3iN of €114 million. In March, **Future Biogas** increased
the size of its available debt facilities enabling the company to fund future growth
opportunities. The debt market continues to be favourable for high-quality infrastructure
businesses, as demonstrated by the strong lender appetite for these three transactions.

**Balance sheet:** As per our capital allocation policy, the proceeds from the sale
of Valorem and distributions from the aforementioned refinancings have been used
to repay drawings on the Company’s Revolving Credit Facility (‘RCF’). Expected drawings
on the £900 million multi-currency RCF at 31 March 2025 are €310 million, a reduction
of €406 million since the beginning of the Period, alongside a cash balance of c.
£4 million.

**Portfolio update:**

 * **TCR** continues to perform well, with prolonged higher interest rates and continued
   balance sheet discipline by customers driving growth in TCR’s leasing solution.
   TCR has continued its expansion, increasing its global footprint to 234 airports,
   22 more than the same time last year. TCR has also secured multiple commercial
   wins including a centralised all-electric Ground Support Equipment pooling contract
   at JFK International Airport New Terminal One.
 * ​**Infinis** has had a strong year, with earnings outperforming driven by Captured
   Methane output consistently exceeding expectations throughout the Period. The
   business has made further progress with its solar development pipeline, bringing
   forward 150MW into construction. Infinis is now targeting over 650MW of solar
   in operation by 2030.
 * **Global Cloud Xchange (‘GCX’)** and **Tampnet** are both experiencing strong
   demand for subsea cable capacity driving up average revenue per user. As previously
   announced, in December 2024, GCX committed to invest $34 million (funded from
   the company’s own resources) to acquire strategically important new capacity 
   on the India-Asia-Xpress and India-Europe-Xpress cable systems. The sales pipeline
   for GCX’s capacity remains strong, driven by the increasing need for subsea fibre
   capacity. Tampnet also has a strong pipeline of new projects including in new
   geographies and continues to invest in developing the opportunities around Carbon
   Capture and Renewables.
 * As trailed over the year, **SRL** has experienced a downturn in activity from
   the Local Authority and fibre segments, together with competitive pressure impacting
   rental rates. The increase in costs seen across the UK labour market, including
   from forthcoming minimum wage and national insurance increases, has put significant
   cost pressure on the business. The new management team is focussed on controlling
   costs as part of a revised business plan. We expect these macro-economic challenges
   to be reflected in the projected cash flows, impacting the full year valuation.
 * ​**Ionisos** continues to experience some softness in its non-core industrial
   segment, as previously announced. In the Period, the business also experienced
   unplanned downtime at some sites, resulting in short-term performance behind 
   expectations. The core healthcare division continues to perform well and drive
   overall solid revenue growth in the period.
 * **DNS:NET** has met its objectives in the Period and is at the key milestone 
   of 100k paying customers. The network penetration rate and average revenue per
   user are ahead of previous assumptions. On 14 January 2025, 3iN invested a further
   €24 million in the business to continue the next stage of the network rollout
   through 2025.
 * ​The remaining portfolio companies are performing broadly in line with expectations.​

**Income ahead of expectations:** Total income and non-income cash in the Period
was £273 million, 163% higher than the comparable period in the prior year. The 
increase was principally due to distributions following the refinancing activity
in the Period.

**FY25 dividend target:** 3i Infrastructure is on track to deliver the FY25 dividend
target of 12.65 pence per share, up 6.3% from FY24, which is expected to be c.2.5x
covered by net income.

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