DealMaker Q&A

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DealMaker Q&A with Helena Vaz Pinto, M&A partner at Vieira de Almeida.

According to Helena Vaz Pinto, 2018 has been a quite positive year for M&A in Portugal, even with a “structural problem of financing the Portuguese economy, with repercussions in the M&A market”.

How would you assess the performance of the M&A market in Portugal since the beginning of 2018?

The assessment of the Portuguese M&A market in 2018 is quite positive. It has shown clear signs of maturity. It is a market that is no longer driven by the privatizations of large companies (which seems to be a closed chapter), nor a market predominantly integrated by restructuring processes and distressed M&A.

There is abundant liquidity, in particular from the part of foreign investors, and in a context of low interest rates, the M&A market tends to become more dynamic.
Although the distressed M&A component is still relevant, there has been a significant flow of operations that do not qualify as such and that evidence the existence of a certain development of the Portuguese transactional market. Obviously, the size of the transactions is adjusted to the dimension of the national economy, thus focusing mainly on midcap companies.
There was a clear preponderance of some sectors: real estate, financial (banking and insurance) energy, real estate and infrastructure (transport, health, tourism, education, telecoms, etc.).

In your opinion, what are the biggest constraints to M&A operations in Portugal today?

There are a number of structural factors that affect the Portuguese business ecosystem and that impact on the attractiveness of companies for the purpose of enticing investment. Amongst those factors it is worth mentioning the (still) excessive indebtedness and the limitations and restrictions on access to funding in the national banking system and the limited use of alternative sources of financing, namely via the capital market.

There continues to be a structural problem of financing the Portuguese economy, with repercussions in the M&A market. In M&A operations there is a very significant prevalence of foreign investment (of the most diverse origins) that is funded outside the Portuguese financial system. Obviously, it is also the difficulty to obtain finance and capital that pushes Portuguese companies and groups to rationalize their structures, through the sale of assets, the formation of partnerships with third parties or the sale of businesses, generating a significant part of the Portuguese transactional market workflow.

On the other hand, the majority of transactions are not large enough to attract the major international Private Equity houses who have minimum tickets of much greater value.

From another perspective, the fact that the current governmental solution is centered in an alliance between the socialist minority Government and the leftwing parties, led to the approval in 2018 of new legislation imposing the need to obtain the prior permission of employees in the transfer of businesses structured as asset deals. Depending on how courts will interpret and apply such legislation, this may be a relevant obstacle that may jeopardize or restrict the election for such transactions.

Corporate transactions in regulated sectors (financial, health, infrastructure concessions) still involve a lot of bureaucracy and excessive delay in the authorization processes to which they are subject. The issue of excessive delays is particularly relevant in the health sector where we see transactions that take more than one year to be authorized by the competent authorities. This issue is also present in the transactions of distressed assets carried out in a judicial context.

The performance of Venture Capital funds in Portugal has had quite an interesting year in 2018. How do you see the scenario of Portuguese legislation in the face of international models and practices, both for investors and for those seeking funding?

There is a boom of start-ups, venture capital funds, incubators, accelerators and programs and policies to stimulate this type of investment.

There was, in fact, more activity in Venture Capital in 2018 that is based on an economic and political context of incentive to entrepreneurship and innovation. There is a boom of start-ups, venture capital funds, incubators, accelerators and programs and policies to stimulate this type of investment.

In 2018 Venture Capital investments have been on track, but it is particularly worth mentioning that there has been some successful exits this year (which are an essential element of the Venture Capital investment cycle) and which are breaking the stagnation experienced in recent years in the sector (the most striking illustration of this was the IPO Anglo-Portuguese unicorn Farfetch).

The Venture Capital industry in Portugal has always been and remains extremely open and sensitive to international trends, adhering to US-based models and practices. The existing Portuguese regulatory framework in not however adequate for Venture Capital investment, and the adoption of a specific legal regime for this type of investment would thus be highly recommended.

In fact, the Portuguese legislation – in particular, corporate law with respect to investment models and corporate governance -, is not in line with the Venture Capital Anglo-Saxon based legal system, and the design and structuring of a Venture Capital transaction usually requires some adjustments to cope with international standards and practices. These adjustments are not very well understood by foreign investors and may give room to a certain level of entropy.

In this context, we have seen the relocation of Portuguese companies to other jurisdictions with more “investor friendly” corporate and governance structures, such as the USA, but also other European jurisdictions such as the UK and Luxembourg.

Which transactions would you highlight in terms of importance and complexity this year, whether you have acted directly or with the participation of Vieira de Almeida?

On the team’s work in 2018, in terms of importance I would highlight the following transactions the sale of Alitce/PT’s telecommunication tower businesses in Portugal, creating the first telecommunication tower company in Portugal.

There were also a number of deals in the energy sector (solar and wind) a large number of restructuring transactions that always involve a certain level of complexity.

In terms of complexity, I would also like to highlight the closing of the sale to Mirova Core Infrastructure in the beginning of 2018 of the combined shareholding stakes of two PPP in the road sector in Madeira Island (VIAEXPRESSO and Vialitoral). The sale of the stakes in the two companies was made by two different groups of shareholders with different interests and positions (some sold the entire stake in each different company and some just sold part of its position and remained shareholders of the target companies). Although the sale of the stakes in each company were deal with by two separate agreements, they have been designed in terms that one transaction could not be completed without the other.

Finally, and with regard to the the financial sector, we would like to highlight the sale process launched by CGD (the Portuguese public bank) of its foreign subsidiaries in Spain and South Africa (still ongoing).

DealMaker Q&A

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TTR DealMaker Q&A with Bustillo Abogados Partner Javier Bustillo (in EN/ES)

 

Javier is a Partner of Bustillo Abogados, a boutique commercial law firm that advises startups, private companies and venture capital funds in different types of industries on mergers and acquisitions. His knowledge in this kind of operations and his previous experience in Coca-Cola and Xerox Europe allows him to offer advice in complex operations and to understand the interests of the different parties. 

 

TTR: How would you describe the transactional market in 2018? Do you consider the records to be positive? 

JB: In the Mid-Market segment in which Bustillo Abogados is operating, we see a significant increase in operations with respect to previous years. This increase is mainly driven by a greater ease of financing and efforts to improve their market share as well as their geographical positioning, mainly through acquisitions in technology or innovation. After many complicated years for companies, they are now seeking to promote inorganic growth in order to strengthen their strategic positioning. It is also important to highlight the increase in the valuations of companies that are in a process of purchase since, on numerous occasions, they are presented with different purchase offers. In addition to the previously mentioned easy access to financing, this is due to an improvement in expectations of profitabilityin light of the economic recovery. However, it is difficult to say for how long this bullish trend will last. 

 

TTR: More than half of the transactions advised by Bustillo Abogados so far this year are Venture Capital transactions. Do you think that the startup universe in Spain has room for growth or have we already reached the peak? 

JB: The startup universe in Spain is maturing fast although we are still behind other countries that are several years ahead of us with regards to creating new trends, innovation or know-how. We see a clear approach of large and medium-sized companies to innovation through the acquisition of startups that allow them, among other things, to incorporate innovative technology or accelerate the process of digital transformation. Although the value of the larger operations is increasing, most of them are still of a relatively moderate size compared to other European countries. However, in my view, these differences are going to reduce considering the good work being done in the technological ecosystem in Spain.

 

TTR: After a period of innovative ideas, would you say that we can expect more disruptive ideas or that new startups that are going to emerge will base their development on the improvement or competition of existing projects? 

JB: The technology industry is constantly reinventing itself by seeking to offer innovative products and services that try to respond to the needs generated in our society as is happening now with blockchain for example. In a constantly evolving world, new ideas are emerging every day, attempting to take advantage of business opportunities and fill existing gaps in the market in different areas and sectors. In this context, many startups that are born, seek to simplify processes and jobs that nowadays are too complicated or tedious. However, we cannot forget that many of them bring us closer to realities that were previously unthinkable, such as artificial intelligence or mixed realities, generating at the same time new concerns and desires to which it is necessary to respond.This is why I am convinced that entrepreneurs still have a lot to surprise us with and to revolutionize our lives. 

 

TTR: And from the point of view of investors, in addition to the traditional funds that have been operating in Spain for several years, the numerous Business Angels, and the commitment to Venture Capital by certain banking institutions, is there room for new market players? 

JB: From my perception, Corporate Venture Capital is spreading rapidly, where companies that have had some previous experience with startups either through acquisitions, startup accelerators, incubators or others, decide to increase their commitment and establish their own investment structure. The most iconic companies in Spain have been implementing this strategy for some time already, nevertheless now there is a trend that non-listed companies are also wanting to professionalize their investments. The rapid advancement of technology and its direct impact on almost all business models we know, is forcing companies to be vigilant against possible disruptions in their industry. The establishment of a Corporate Venture Capital allows companies toanalyse, select and invest in a large number of startups that may be of interest to them, either because of a specific technology, to expand their existing portfolio of products or services or simply to improve internal work processes. At the being able to acquire only those that are really crucial for their business. 

 

TTR: Do you think that we will see a more specialization within sectors in which these new players may arise? If large companies begin to focus more on areas of investment in Venture Capital internally, could it be the case that the investment criterion is based more on the development of a certain technology necessary for the company than on the economic profitability of the project? Could this be understood as an intermediate step between internal development of technology and outsourcing? 

JB: This is precisely the point of Corporate Venture Capital, profitability is no longer seen in purely economic terms, but in many cases these investments are promoted for strategic, business, innovation or human resource reasons. A few decades ago, innovation was always born in the R&D departments of large companies due to the high volume of investment required and the long creation processes, but the lower cost and access to computers has allowed innovation to be transferred to anyone with access to internet. Therefore, companies must also change how and where they invest in order to innovate.

TTR entrevista

TTR: ¿Cómo describiría la situación del mercado transaccional en el año 2018? ¿Considera usted que los registros son positivos? 

J.B.G.: En el segmento de Mid-Market en el que nos desenvolvemos en Bustillo Abogados, apreciamos un incremento importante de operaciones con respecto a años anteriores impulsado principalmente por una mayor facilidad de financiación y el afán por mejorar la cuota de mercado y el posicionamiento geográfico, fundamentalmente a través de la adquisiciones en tecnología o innovación.  Tras muchos años complicados para las empresas, éstas tratan ahora de potenciar un crecimiento inorgánico con el objetivo de fortalecer su posicionamiento estratégico. También es importante destacar un incremento en las valoraciones de las empresas que se encuentran en proceso de compra al encontrarse, en numerosas ocasiones, con diferentes oferta de compra. Esto se debe, además de por el mencionado acceso a la financiación, por una mejoría en las expectativas de rentabilidad dada la recuperación económica. No obstante, lo que resulta difícil es conocer por cuanto tiempo se podrá mantener esta tendencia alcista.  

  

TTR: Más de la mitad de las operaciones asesoradas por Bustillo Abogados en lo que va de año son operaciones de Venture Capital. ¿Cree usted que el universo startup en España tiene margen de crecimiento o ya hemos alcanzado el cénit? 

J.B.G.: El universo startup en España madura a un ritmo muy rápido aunque aún estamos lejos de otros países que nos llevan unos años de ventaja en cuanto a generar nuevas tendencias, innovación o conocimiento. Vemos un claro acercamiento de las grandes y medianas empresas a la innovación mediante la adquisición de startups que les permiten, entre otras cosas, incorporar una tecnología innovadora o acelerar el proceso de transformación digital. Aunque crece la cuantía en las operaciones de mayor tamaño, la mayoría siguen siendo de un tamaño moderado en comparación con otros países europeos, unas diferencias que, desde mi punto de vista, se irán reduciendo al considerar la buena labor que se está haciendo en el ecosistema tecnológico español. 

  

TTR: Tras una etapa de ideas innovadoras, ¿diría usted que cabe esperar más ideas disruptivas, o que las nuevas startups que surjan basarán su desarrollo en la mejora o en la competencia de proyectos existentes? 

J.B.G.: La industria tecnológica se reinventa constantemente buscando ofrecer productos y servicios innovadores que tratan de dar respuesta a las necesidades que se generan en nuestra sociedad como esta ocurriendo ahora con blockchain por poner un ejemplo. En un mundo en constante evolución, cada día surgen nuevas ideas que tratan de aprovechar las oportunidades empresariales y ocupar los huecos existentes en el mercado en áreas y sectores de lo más variado. En este escenario, muchas de las startups que nacen, buscan simplificar procesos y trabajos que puedan resultar complicados o tediosos en la actualidad. Sin embargo, no podemos obviar tampoco que muchas de ellas nos  acercan a realidades que antes eran impensables como la inteligencia artificial o las realidades mixtas, lo que a su vez, genera nuevas inquietudes y deseos a los que será necesario responder. Es por ello que estoy convencido de que los emprendedores aún tienen mucho con lo que sorprendernos y revolucionar nuestras vidas. 

  

TTR: Y desde el punto de vista de los inversores, además de los fondos tradicionales que llevan varios años operando en España, de los numerosos Business Angels existentes, y de la apuesta por inversiones de Venture Capital que están llevando a cabo determinadas entidades bancarias, ¿hay cabida para nuevos players de mercado? 

J.B.G.: Desde mi percepción, se está extendiendo con fuerza el formato de Capital Riesgo Corporativo, donde las empresas que han tenido algún contacto previo con startups ya sea mediante adquisiciones, aceleradoras de proyectos de startups, incubadoras u otras deciden incrementar su compromiso y establecer su propia estructura de inversión. Las empresas más emblemáticas de España llevan tiempo desarrollando esta estrategia si bien es cierto que ahora se percibe un movimiento en las empresas no cotizadas que también buscan profesionalizar sus inversiones. El rápido avance de la tecnología y su impacto tan directo en casi todos los modelos de negocio que conocemos está obligando a las empresas a estar vigilantes ante posibles disrupciones en su industria. El establecimiento de un Capital Riesgo Corporativo permite a las empresas analizar, seleccionar e invertir en un elevado número de startups que puedan ser de su interés, ya sea por una tecnología determinada, porque amplían la cartera existente de productos o servicios o simplemente para mejorar procesos internos de trabajo, pudiendo adquirir solo aquellas que realmente sean determinantes para su negocio. 

  

TTR: ¿Cree usted, por lo tanto, que asistiremos a una especialización más acusada por sectores de los nuevos players que puedan surgir? Si las grandes empresas comienzan a habilitar áreas de inversión en Venture Capital a nivel interno, ¿podría darse el caso de que el criterio de inversión se basase más en el desarrollo de una determinada tecnología necesaria para la empresa que en la rentabilidad económica del proyecto? ¿Podría entenderse esto como un paso intermedio entre desarrollo interno de tecnología y externalización? 

J.B.G.: Ese es justo el punto de inflexión en el formato de Capital Riesgo Corporativo dado que ya no se busca únicamente rentabilidad en términos económicos sino que en muchos casos, dichas inversiones vienen promovidas por razones estratégicas, de negocio, de innovación o de recursos humanos. Hace unas décadas la innovación nacía siempre en los departamentos de I+D de las grandes empresas dado el alto volumen de inversión requerido y los largos procesos de creación pero el abaratamiento y el acceso a la computación ha permitido trasladar la innovación a cualquier persona con acceso a internet por lo que las empresas deben también cambiar el cómo y el dónde invierten para innovar. 

DealMaker Q&A

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Entrevista com Amir Bocayuva Cunha, sócio da área de Direito Societário e Empresarial do BMA – Barbosa Müssnich Aragão.

Segundo Amir Bocayuva Cunha, a performance do mercado brasileiro de M&A em 2018 está acima das expectativas e as questões mais relevantes para o setor “não estão nem tanto relacionadas com as incertezas ou a instabilidade político-econômica e sim com as consequências da operação Lava-Jato e suas derivadas em termos de compliance, anti-corrupção e lavagem de dinheiro”.  Leia a entrevista completa abaixo:

O mercado brasileiro tem sido muito pautado por temas como instabilidade e incertezas políticas, o que trouxe uma série de consequências para as empresas nacionais. Em termos de assessoria em transações de M&A, quais foram os maiores entraves que essas incertezas provocaram, para além do ritmo de espera?

ABC: Considerando se tratar de um ano de eleições, o que adiciona incerteza a um mercado que já vem sofrendo com a crise política e econômica, a meu ver, até o terceiro trimestre de 2018, o mercado de M&A brasileiro, ficou acima das expectativas considerando-se. Portanto, eu diria que a performance do mercado foi bastante razoável até o fim do terceiro trimestre, e assim deve permanecer até o final do ano.

A meu ver, as principais questão no mercado de M&A em 2018 não estão nem tanto relacionadas com as incertezas ou a instabilidade político-econômica e sim com as consequências da operação Lava-Jato e suas derivadas em termos de compliance, anti-corrupção e lavagem de dinheiro. Tais fatores, embora já existissem no passado, continuam desempenhando um papel relevante nas mesas de negociação de operações de M&A. Essa questão se torna ainda mais relevante quando a operação envolve alguma empresa que, de alguma forma, tenha sido envolvida na Lava-Jato e tenha firmado um acordo de leniência. O risco de descumprimento do acordo de leniência e as consequências daí decorrentes são fatores que tem adicionado complexidade às transações.

O BMA participou de uma série de operações de Private Equity em 2018, incluindo operações de destaque como a venda da operação brasileira do Walmart para a Advent International. Entretanto, o ano tem sido de queda nos números de operações e também no total aportado no país. Qual a sua avaliação da performance do ano e suas espectativas para 2019 nos investimentos de PE? 

ABC: Em relação às operações envolvendo fundos de Private Equity, nossa sensação é que, de fato, houve uma queda em termos de número de transações. Participamos de algumas operações, mas se olharmos numa perspectiva dos últimos cinco anos, percebemos que houve de fato uma redução, o que nos parece absolutamente normal e dentro da expectativa, tendo em vista que os fundos de Private Equity investem já vislumbrando as estratégias de saída. Em algumas conversas com fundos de PE, notamos que muitos estavam aguardando uma definição do cenário eleitoral para poder colocar em prática os seus planos de investimento.

Quais transações destacaria em termos de importância e complexidade esse ano, sejam as que tenham atuado diretamente ou que contaram com a participação do BMA? 

ABC: As operações que mais se destacam em termos de importância e complexidade são: a conclusão da aquisição da XP Investimentos pelo Itaú, em que, pela primeira vez, vimos o Banco Central exercer uma função de controle concorrencial de uma maneira jamais vista antes. Essa operação foi uma mudança de paradigma no comportamento do Banco Central quanto à análise dos efeitos concorrenciais de operações envolvendo instituições financeiras. E, durante as negociações que tivemos com o Banco Central para a aprovação da operação, que, inclusive, exigiu modificações relevantes da operação inicialmente contratada, o Banco Central indicou que , a partir de agora, esse seria um novo padrão de conduta para operações futuras. Destaco também a operação da Embraer com a Boeing, que é uma operação bastante complexa e relevante e que acabou sendo afetada pelo cenário político, mas que agora, com a eleição definida, esperamos que tenha condições de ser concluída num futuro breve. Por fim, vale destacar a operação, que envolveu a maior disputa pelo controle de uma companhia aberta que vimos no mercado de capitais brasileiro, envolvendo a Eletropaulo, em que a Enel foi a vencedora. Além da disputa entre diferentes interessados, a operação resultou num incremento significativo do valor das ações da companhia, gerando enorme valor para seus acionistas.

Com o fim do ano se aproximando, quais setores possuem, na sua opinião, maior potencial de crescimento até o fim do ano e em 2019?  

ABC: Com a definição do cenário eleitoral, entendo que os setores que apresentam potencial de crescimento para 2019 e para os próximos anos, serão os setores de Infraestrutura, tal como saneamento básico, rodovias, portos, dentre outros.  Acreditamos que deverá haver uma nova onda de privatizações, concessões, PPPs fomentada pela vertente liberal anunciada pelo próximo governo, o que deve movimentar bastante o mercado. Vislumbro também um aumento da atividade no setor de energia e óleo e gás. As rodadas de leilões realizada pela ANP esse ano deverá produzir resultados em toda a cadeia produtiva que atende a esse setor.

DealMaker Q&A

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TTR DealMaker Q&A with Uría Menéndez-Proença de Carvalho Parner Jorge Brito Pereira

Fotografias perfil advogados Uría Proença de Carvalho; Janeiro 2016

Jorge Brito Pereira joined Uría Menéndez-Proença de Carvalho as a partner in 2016 and focuses his practice on corporate, M&A, financing and capital markets work. He has broad experience in advising on prominent transactions in Portugal, in particular privatizations, takeover bids, public offerings, M&A and financing.

TTR – In 2018, there has been a significant increase in the M&A deal value in Portugal, though this result was strongly influenced by some specific transactions such as China Three Gorges’ PTO over EDP and, more recently, the acquisition by Sonae Sierra of three shopping centers in Spain. How would you rate the Portuguese transactional this year?

There is no question that 2018 will close as a very positive year for M&A transactions in Portugal.

JBP – There is no question that 2018 will close as a very positive year for M&A transactions in Portugal. Furthermore, the M&A market has been increasingly positive in the last few years. The focus on Portugal by foreign investors cannot be disputed today, and low interest rates (which have had a direct effect on regulated markets and real estate) is one of the factors driving this trend. At Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho, our M&A activity has been increasing exponentially for the last few years and therefore we are very optimistic about the near future.

TTR – Though the Real Estate sector remains the most attractive for investors, other segments such as Technology and Finance & Insurance have emerged as hot targets for investments in the country. What are the market conditions that favor or explain this appetite for Portuguese companies in those segments?

JBP – Different market conditions can explain that effect. Firstly, M&A is closely dependent upon an investor’s ability to acquire a loan at a good interest rate, and the truth is that we are currently experiencing an environment of historically low interest rates. Also, as a side effect of these low interest rates, the discounted cash flow of a company’s future earnings are worth more. This triggers movement in the market – new buyers, with new valuations of assets, create movement. Secondly, different sectors of our system are, for different reasons, in the process of consolidation, which always ends up triggering acquisitions. Finally, Portugal has been under the spotlight of foreign investors who, in contrast to the bailout years, now view Portugal as an interesting, stable and promising economy.

TTR – Which deals would you highlight in terms of importance and complexity this year?

JBP – Because of its value, and at a moment in which its outcome is still unclear, the China Three Gorges takeover appears to be the most important transaction of the year (at least, so far) but there are many others. Fortunately, Uría Menéndez – Proença de Carvalho is, or has been, involved in most of the significant transactions of the year (unfortunately I cannot disclose information regarding ongoing transactions and current clients).

 

TTR –  Any scenarios or trends that we should be on the lookout for within the Portuguese M&A market in the coming months or in 2019? And which sectors do you believe have the greatest potential for growth?

JBP – 2019 looks rather promising for the M&A market. It is hard to point out the actual areas in which it will more active, but it seems clear that the financial, energy and telecom sectors will be the most dynamic.

DealMaker Q&A

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TTR DealMaker Q&A with Pérez-Llorca Corporate Partner  Pedro Marques da Gama

TTR:  How would you characterise the activity of the Spanish transactional market so far this year? Do you think that the indicators are positive?

In my opinion, transactional activity is following the same upward trend as we have observed over the past year. We are advising on many transactions, some of which are of rather significant amounts, in various business sectors. In any case, there is a certain preponderance of real estate transactions. These are currently taking many forms, from the purchase of portfolios of assets acquired as a result of mortgage loan defaults, to transactions with SOCIMIs. I believe that the indicators are quite good, because they clearly show that Spain is still capable of generating opportunities and attracting the interest of many investors. However, if we look at the assets in the most recent transactions, this growth could be considered rather cyclical, supported by the high liquidity that the most qualified investors still possess, and the restructuring and consolidation of the banking sector in 2012-2013. Whether the trend we have been experiencing for the last few years is sustainable in the long term or not will become clear in the future.

TTR: You have advised on numerous debt portfolio sales transactions, which assets in particular are the most popular? Generally speaking, do these types of transactions date back to the economic crisis or before?

At present, the most popular assets are non-performing loans secured by mortgages, as well as the real estate assets subject to those mortgages. Within this area, I think investors tend to be more interested in loans granted to SMEs and loans to developers. These assets are mostly from banking transactions which closed before 2013, so it can be concluded that their origin dates back to the economic crisis and, in particular, to the bank restructuring and resolution measures adopted in Spain. As a consequence of these measures, many assets from cajas and other banks that were restructured have emerged on the balance sheets of financial institutions. These are non-core assets which in some cases consume these institutions’ capital. That said, each chapter of the lengthy bank consolidation that Spain is undertaking generates new opportunities for investors (the acquisition of Banco Popular by Santander is one of the most recent examples of this). Therefore, the origin of all transactions cannot be traced back to the economic crisis of 2012-2013, although it is true to say that this was the most decisive moment of the entire process.

TTR:  What is the usual profile of buyers of this type of asset? Do you think that they usually intend to collect the debt or carry out collateral?

The buyers who look for large or medium-sized portfolios tend to be the non-regulated investment funds, usually called hedge funds, which have a higher risk profile. Most of the funds are from the US, although there are also some from the UK and Scandinavia. The main objective of the funds is, in very general terms, to achieve the best possible internal rate of return (IRR) on their investments in order to pay their investors in accordance with the relevant remuneration policy. Given that these funds tend to have a short lifespan, the time taken to monetise their investments is very important. Viewed from this perspective, collecting the debt by means of an agreement with the debtor without resorting to the courts seems to be the preferable form of recovery, as this option tends to be quicker. However, this is often not possible because the debtors are not willing to reach out-of-court agreements, and so the enforcement of guarantees has become a routine mechanism for collecting outstanding debt.

TTR: And the sellers? Why sell rather than manage the debt?

 In primary sales transactions (when the seller is the original lender) the sellers are usually credit or financial institutions. In my opinion, these institutions prefer to sell rather than manage the debt, because their main business consists of attracting other funds and lending money to their clients. Managing failed credits is not the main business of a bank and is an activity that depletes their internal resources which could be made available for other activities which are more in line with their interests.

 

TTR:  What percentage discount is usually applied to the price of these assets vis-à-vis their valuation?

 The percentage of the discount depends significantly on the type of asset, profile and experience of the parties, as well as the scope of the portfolio. Focussing on mortgage-backed credits, I understand that the price will be around 50% of the outstanding principal, although that figure can vary significantly depending on the particular case. However, investors often establish bespoke valuations for each asset in the credit portfolio, or at least for the most substantial assets. Another aspect that must be considered is the legal risks that cannot be covered by a contract. Namely, the sellers can refuse to give guarantees to the buyers about certain aspects of the credits. In these situations, the investors would have to factor the risk into the price offered, which would logically entail an additional discount.

TTR:  How do you think the frequency of this type of transaction will evolve in the medium/long term? Will they increase or have we already reached the peak?

I think that there are many contributing factors that lead us to believe that this type of transaction will continue in the medium term with the same frequency that we have seen in recent years. Firstly, the macroeconomic circumstances and the high liquidity existing in the market  feeds the demand for new transactions. Another aspect to keep in mind is the Spanish credit portfolio sales market, which functions extremely well, like a very well-oiled machine. All the main participants in this sector (such as banks, investment bankers, auditors, servicing companies, lawyers and even notaries) have significantly developed their skills and amassed a great deal of experience, and they are now capable of responding and acting very efficiently and professionally. Lastly, the main sellers still have many non-core and sub-performing or non-performing assets on their balance sheets, so it is very likely that in the medium term we will continue to see many transactions, continuing the upward trend of recent years.

Entrevista con Pedro Marques da Gama, sócio en Pérez-Llorca

TTR: ¿Cómo definiría la actividad del mercado transaccional español en lo que va de año? ¿Considera que los registros son positivos?

P.M.G: En mi opinión, la actividad transaccional sigue la misma tendencia alcista que hemos observado durante el último año. Estamos asistiendo a muchas operaciones, algunas de ellas de valores bastante significativos, y en varios sectores de actividad. En todo caso, existe una cierta preponderancia de operaciones vinculadas con el real estate, que en la actualidad asumen variadas formas, desde la compra de carteras de activos adquiridos como consecuencia del incumplimiento de préstamos hipotecarios, hasta operaciones con SOCIMIs. Considero que los registros son bastante buenos, porque muestran claramente que España sigue siendo capaz de generar oportunidades y de atraer el interés de muchos inversores. No obstante, si miramos a los activos que están siendo objeto de las operaciones más recientes, podríamos pensar que se trata de un crecimiento de cierta forma coyuntural, que se apoya en la enorme liquidez que sigue existiendo por parte de los inversores más calificados, y la restructuración y consolidación del sector bancario que hemos visto durante el periodo 2012-2013. El futuro se encargará de despejar dudas sobre si lo que estamos viviendo desde hace algunos años es una tendencia sostenible o no en largo plazo.

TTR: Ha participado usted como asesor en numerosas operaciones de compraventa de carteras de deuda, ¿cuáles son concretamente los activos más demandados? En términos generales, ¿su origen se remonta a la crisis económica o es posterior?

P.M.G: En la actualidad, los activos más demandados son los créditos “non-performing” garantizados con hipotecas, así como los activos inmobiliarios objeto de dichas hipotecas. Dentro de este ámbito, creo que los inversores suelen mostrar más apetito por créditos concedidos a Pymes y el crédito promotor. Estos activos proceden en su mayoría de operaciones bancarias cerradas antes de 2013, por lo que se puede concluir que su origen remonta a la crisis económica y, en particular, a las medidas de reestructuración bancaria acometidas en España. Como consecuencia de dichas medidas, han aflorado en los balances de las entidades financieras muchos activos procedentes de las cajas y otros bancos que fueron reestructurados, que son activos “non-core” y que en algunos casos consumen capital propio de dichas entidades. Ahora bien, cada capítulo de la larga consolidación bancaria que España lleva acometiendo va generado nuevas oportunidades para los inversores (la adquisición de Popular por Santander es uno de los ejemplos más recientes que tenemos). Por lo tanto, no se puede decir que el origen de todas las operaciones se remonta a la crisis económica vivida en 2012-2013, aunque es cierto decir que esto fue el momento más decisivo de todo este proceso.

TTR: ¿Cuál es el perfil más frecuente de los compradores de este tipo de activos? ¿Cree usted que habitualmente persiguen el cobro de la deuda o que el objetivo es la ejecución de las garantías?

P.M.G: Los compradores que buscan grandes carteras o carteras de mediana dimensión suelen ser los fondos de inversión no regulados, con un perfil de riesgo más elevado, normalmente llamados “hedge funds”. La mayoría de los fondos son de los EEUU, aunque se ven también algunos del Reino Unido y de la Escandinavia. El objetivo principal de los fondos es, en términos muy generales, alcanzar la mejor tasa interna de retorno (TIR) posible de sus inversiones para poder remunerar a los inversores en sus fondos, de acuerdo con la correspondiente política de remuneración. Dado que estos fondos suelen tener habitualmente un periodo de vida corto, el tiempo en el que se puedan monetizar sus inversiones es un aspecto muy relevante. Desde esa perspectiva, se puede pensar que la forma preferible de recobro es el cobro de la deuda a través de un acuerdo con el deudor sin tener que acudir a los juzgados, ya que se trata de una opción de recobro tendencialmente más rápida. Sin embargo, esta vía muchas veces no es posible, porque los deudores no están disponibles para alcanzar dichos acuerdos fuera del juzgado, por lo que la ejecución de garantías se convierte en un mecanismo rutinario para conseguir cobrar la deuda pendiente.

TTR: ¿Y de los vendedores? ¿Por qué vender en lugar de gestionar el cobro?

P.M.G: En operaciones de venta primarias (cuando el vendedor es el originador del préstamo) lo normal es que los vendedores sean entidades de crédito o financieras. En mi opinión, estas entidades prefieren vender en lugar de gestionar el cobro, porque su negocio principal consiste en captar fondos ajenos y prestar dinero a sus clientes. La gestión de créditos fallidos no es el negocio principal de un banco y es una actividad que les consume recursos internos que se podrían liberar para otras actuaciones más adecuadas a los intereses de los mismos.

TTR: ¿Qué porcentaje de descuento suele ser aplicado habitualmente en el precio de estos activos frente a su valoración?

P.M.G: El porcentaje del descuento depende mucho del tipo de activo, perfil y experiencia de las partes, así como dimensión de la cartera. Centrándonos en créditos hipotecarios, entiendo que el precio estará en torno a un 50% del principal pendiente de amortizar, aunque dicha cifra puede variar mucho en función del caso concreto. No obstante, es muy habitual que los inversores establezcan valoraciones individualizadas para cada posición de la cartera de créditos, o al menos para las posiciones más relevantes de la misma. Otro aspecto que se debe tener en cuenta son los riesgos legales que no se pueden cubrir contractualmente. Es decir, los vendedores pueden no aceptar dar garantías a los compradores respecto de determinados aspectos de los créditos. En estas situaciones, los inversores tendrán que computar su riesgo en el precio ofrecido, lo cual lógicamente supone un descuento adicional al mismo.

TTR: ¿Cómo cree usted que evolucionará la tendencia de este tipo de operaciones en el medio/largo plazo? ¿Aumentarán o ya hemos alcanzado máximos?

P.M.G: Yo creo que existen diversos factores que contribuyen para pensar que este tipo de operaciones seguirá en el medio plazo la tendencia de continuidad de los últimos años. En primer lugar, las circunstancias macroeconómicas y la elevada liquidez que existe en los operadores del mercado alimenta la demanda de nuevas operaciones. Otro aspecto a tener en cuenta es el propio mercado español de venta de carteras de créditos que funciona extraordinariamente bien, casi como si fuese una maquina muy bien aceitada. Todos los principales intervinientes en este sector (me refiero a bancos, banqueros de inversión, auditoras, compañías de servicing, abogados y hasta los notarios) han desarrollado mucho sus aptitudes y acumulado mucha experiencia, y son actualmente capaces de responder y de actuar de forma muy eficiente y profesional. Finalmente, los principales vendedores siguen teniendo en sus balances muchos activos “non-core” y sub-performing o non-performing, por lo que es muy probable que sigamos asistiendo a muchas operaciones en el medio plazo, manteniendo la actual tendencia alcista de los últimos años.