Unique Private Debt Securities Are Entering the Canadian Market - SME Equity Backed Notes from Equicapita Income Trust

Calgary, Canada, June 01, 2015 --(PR.com)-- Forward thinking investors are seeking yield from more reliable and properly priced sources than public bond markets where rates have been driven virtually to multi-century lows even for high risk credits. Equicapita is an SME private equity fund that has stepped into this vacuum with a novel structure and a novel asset class.

Stephen Johnston, partner at Equicapita, stated “with properly priced yield as such a precious and scarce resource, the ability of a fund like Equicapita to create what we believe is a reliable cash stream from a pool of underlying small and medium businesses and still provide equity upside linkage is creating a new asset class for large investors – SME equity linked private debt. By targeting businesses for acquisition in the sub-$20 million enterprise value range, we avoid competition from traditional PE firms allowing us to achieve much higher returns on deployed capital – which we are able to convert into distribution streams for our investors.”

Michael Cook, partner at Equicapita, "One of the facets of our investment premise is that the generational transfer of ownership of baby boomer businesses far exceeds the amount of capital currently dedicated to this space. In order for this hand-off to occur at reasonable valuations and in an orderly fashion, much more institutional and dedicated investment capital must come into the small, medium enterprise private equity space. Ultimately we believe this will include large pension plans via specialized SME PE funds such as Equicapita.”

Greg Tooth, partner at Equicapita, “Our offering transforms our underlying investments in the equity of our businesses into a yielding investment with compelling coverage ratios.”

Equicapita is a Calgary-based buy-out fund focusing on acquiring Canadian private businesses that can generate strong, sustainable cash flow from their operations in niche markets. Equicapita believes that there are compelling reasons for making private equity investments in the Canadian SME market which is experiencing one the largest generational transfers of wealth as boomer entrepreneurs retire and sell their businesses. The investment has a number of key drivers including:

- Generational opportunity to acquire “baby boomer” SMEs: There is a demographic opportunity to capitalize on the accelerating turnover of baby boomer owned, western Canadian SMEs. According to CIBC “An estimated $1.9 trillion in business assets are poised to change hands in five years — the biggest transfer of Canadian business control on record.”
- Attractive target market: There is a private equity funding gap in the $2 to $20M range is often referred to as the “Nano Gap”. This creates an attractive environment to acquire low cost, stable cash flow streams.
- Valuations: Current trailing cash flow valuations are artificially low, incorporating weak 2008-10 operating results post credit crisis.
- Buy and hold strategy: Equicapita does not use a traditional PE business model: acquisition, aggressive expansion capital, followed by exit. Equicapita’s business strategy is to acquire and hold mature, long-standing enterprises at reasonable valuations.

This news release may contain certain information that is forward looking and, by its nature, such forward-looking information is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate," "expect," "may," "should" "estimate," "project," "outlook," "forecast" or other similar words are used to identify such forward looking information. Those forward-looking statements herein made by Equicapita, if any, reflect Equicapita's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made. Actual results or events may differ from those anticipated or predicted in these forward-looking statements, and the differences may be material. Factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: risks associated with the ownership and operation of businesses, including fluctuations in interest rates; general economic conditions; supply and demand for businesses; competition for available businesses; changes in legislation and the regulatory environment; and international trade and global political conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information contained in this news release (if any), which is given as of the date it is expressed herein. Equicapita undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.