Watch: Investment Opportunities in Essential Private Alternatives
Transcript
[00:00:05] Wayne Byrd:
Hello, I’m Wayne Byrd, Chief Financial Officer of Skyline Group of Companies. Welcome to today’s webinar, Investment Opportunities in Essential Private Alternatives, brought to you by Skyline. This webinar is an exclusive benefit for Investment Executive readers and is organized by Newcom Media’s Content Solutions team. During the webinar, you can write questions for us by typing them into the questions panel located in the control panel on the upper right side of your screen. After this webinar, we will be connecting with you directly to address some of your questions.
So, just to give you a bit of a summary overview here of what we’re going to talk about. Today, I will talk to you briefly about the public versus private investment debate and a general overview of what I see as a reason for increased exposure in the private alt investment space. Following that, I will address more so on the real estate sector and renewable energy sector, and the opportunities ahead in Canada. And with that, how the three I’s (inflation, interest rates, and immigration) have affected the investment landscape here in Canada.
So, jumping straight in, the benefits of private versus public investing. Really, what are the distinguishing benefits of private versus public? And what I would say is the public market; some would say in a public market that the primary difference is liquidity, while the private market would say it’s stability. I would then say it’s emotional versus computational, first and foremost.
[00:01:44] Wayne Byrd:
And the rest of the buzzwords are just subsets of this. What I mean by this is the value of the investments in the public markets is determined by the market, determined by sentiment, by the market analysts, and by the buy, hold, sell rating.
And what does the market decide what the underlying assets are worth? Look on the other side. The private market investment’s value market is determined by data under a NAV (Net Asset Value) per share calculation, driven by the market value of the underlying assets. It’s the removal of emotion and the ebbs and flows that we see in the public space.
So, let’s get into some of the buzzwords – stability, control. In the private alt investment space, for the most part, one of its key characteristics is stability. And by stability, what I mean is predominantly the private spaces insulation from the volatility in the public markets. And by volatility, yes, there’s highs and lows. Therefore, the private alt is most likely trading just at its NAV, at its real data computation. Sentiments and emotions can drive a market up or also drive it down with little impact on the alt space. With this decorrelation or decoupling from the public market, you, the investor, then have more direct control over the investments and influence investment decisions for yourself at the right time, when you want, and not when driven by the market’s sentiment.
[00:03:27] Wayne Byrd:
In the alt space, there may be investments that align more closely with your investment strategy, its criteria and objectives, alignment to you, and the opportunity for higher potential returns. Niche private investments could offer higher real returns due to lower competition in niche markets, but the potential for higher returns in this niche market space requires specific market expertise and operational experience in.
And by real return, I don’t mean arbitrary gains created by market sentiment – the trading up versus the trading down. With the alt space, I would be remiss if I don’t mention that most private investments in the alt space are generally a long game, not for the day trade strategists and players, but the long-term in the established private investment have the ability to provide more strategic and lucrative opportunities.
Let’s pass over to diversification. Private investments typically provide more strategic diversification away from traditional public equities and bonds, even while possibly providing the same investment class. Why? The private investments may have a niche strategy in a broad market, and while influenced by many of the same economic factors, the three I’s that we will touch upon in a few minutes, the resulting return from the private investment may be markedly different than the public players. Therefore, an aspect of diversification. I would suggest that investors pay special attention to private real estate investments and renewable infrastructure investments in these sectors.
[00:05:15] Wayne Byrd:
My opinion is that neither of these are best suited for the public market but more appropriately suited in the private alt space. There are private investments in these sectors that can provide more unique investment opportunities than may exist in the public markets and bring stability and opportunities.
Liquidity. Another buzzword, and obviously in the public space, immediate point click liquidity exists in the public market insofar as there is a buyer of the shares or units, albeit it is at whatever the emotional based market price is for those shares. In the private market, while liquidity may not be immediate and may require some lead time, what it does offer, in return, as noted earlier, is real value for liquidity. Computational versus emotional value.
And this is in the face of public market sell-off in decline. If there are factors affecting the public markets on a decline that really shouldn’t or couldn’t affect the underlying business, this is where the private alts really do excel and show their marked difference to the investors than the public market. We hear about the private alts offering yield that has a liquidity premium in order to compete with its public counterparts. However, I would suggest that an investment trading at NAV, Net Asset Value, and yielding its target goes back to my opening comparison of emotional versus computational. The underlying business is generally the same for both the public and the private entities in this space.
[00:07:08] Wayne Byrd:
It is the market’s ebbs and flows that can both positively and negatively affect the underlying business. What we are now seeing is investors looking to mitigate this influence and investing in the private offerings and, therefore, direct in its underlying business.
I’m going to touch now a little bit then into real estate and the infrastructure side. And in Canada, the future landscape of the real estate market will change. Driven by a growing population, as you can see in the slide before you. This growing population is driven organically and through immigration targets. The immigration targets in Canada are half a million new Canadians per year. This growth puts a strain on all sectors within the real estate market. Residential, multi-residential, retail, industrial, and at a lesser impact in the office sector right now.
We will all have heard about the housing crisis, but there is more than a need simply for housing. The majority of the other real estate sectors also have tremendous growth ahead of them. What we are also seeing is a trending phenomenon of de-urbanization. And that’s happening today, and it has been happening in the last 18 to 24 months. While we welcome half a million new Canadians each year into this country, and the majority arrive in major metro centres, we have seen a shift in population demographics, the move to suburbs, commuter cities, and rural markets.
[00:08:50] Wayne Byrd:
De-urbanization. And what this means is the increase in demand, both in major metro markets and outside of that corridor for residential, retail, and the need for goods to transport to these markets. Private real estate investments can capitalize on this demand more quickly than the public players, as there are already niche providers in these markets, and the publics would have to make this shift on the public stage at the risk of unacceptance by the market.
Renewable infrastructure, again, amongst all international leaders, Canada has been more recently reinforcing its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability with a commitment to investing and supporting renewable energy and infrastructure projects. As population grows, the demand for energy and supply increases. The green mandate and commitment to the environment will continue and will strengthen. While solar, wind, and hydro projects have all been in place for decades, the entire renewable energy sector is still very much in its infancy, with an incredible future ahead. A sector worth exploring for the long-term investor. Investing in the renewable energy infrastructure sector is about investing in a positive change for the future and for sustainability, but without diminishing the value and investing in the future environment for generations. I will say that there are also solid and attractive returns that can be made by investing in this sector today. And while I still see this as an emerging market and still in its developing stage, which can provide attractive returns for the early adopter.
[00:10:41] Wayne Byrd:
Let’s get into the three I’s. This is something that we know, really, since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, when interest rates were at their low and then stepping up, inflation; now we talk about immigration, the three I’s. We have now experienced interest rates, I’m going to start with interest rates, we’ve now experienced three interest rate cuts here in Canada, and more are being predicted. Earlier this year, we experienced the plateau of the interest rates and felt the impact of these rates throughout the general economy and in the marketplace. Generally speaking, the rising rates to their peak and now a slow decline have had an equal impact in the public market and in the private market in the context of a direct input in the investment industry.
Moving to inflation, since the pandemic, and through rate cuts, the government initiative to print more money to keep the economy running amidst mandated closures and uncertainty, the ensuing inflation was inevitable. In sectors that I’m most familiar with, being real estate and infrastructure, the impact of rising inflation affected all goods and services, all inputs. However, in the real estate sector, this also meant that these inflationary pressures could also be passed through, borne by tenants through rental increases to meet the market. In the renewable energy sector, under government-backed contracts, the influence of inflation on direct inputs was felt when systems went down or upgrades were justified.
[00:12:21] Wayne Byrd:
In this sector, the returns may have been somewhat dampened if systems weren’t properly maintained or planned for through responsible inventory management. Hard physical assets are generally seen as a hedge against inflation. When economies go through the cycles of advance and decline, generally, the long view in hard assets is therein a long advance. With real estate infrastructure, as inflationary pressures impact all goods, this, too, means that the provider of real estate and infrastructure, goods and services can also increase the rents or prices for the goods or services provided to the end user market as I earlier mentioned. Holding tangible, real assets during periods of inflation provide the investors a strong hedge within this sleeve of their portfolio.
In the public versus private debate, how do interest rates and inflation affect one over the other? The simple answer, the short answer, is they affect the same. However, the more complicated answer is while they shouldn’t affect them differently IF the market sentiment has a negative reaction to interest rates or inflation, or any common economic factor for that matter, then the publics may see a decline in their market cap when their underlying real value should not have changed. Again, the emotional effect versus the computational effect. Now immigration. A little earlier, I commented on the impact of immigration and population growth in Canada.
[00:14:05] Wayne Byrd:
And what does this mean in the real estate sector? This year-over-year growth in the Canadian population has not only created a housing crisis but is also putting stress on the supply of commercial real estate and logistics-based real estate. Not only in the major metro markets is this demand being felt, but as I noted earlier, through the realization of de-urbanization, the real estate market overall is seeing an increase in the demand for this supply. While there are many real estate providers in the industry, the public generally keeps their focus on the major metro markets, while the privates take the de-urbanization trend as niche opportunities to create further diversification and return for their investors.
Now, change the narrative to infrastructure, and the parallel is obvious. As the population grows, be it through immigration or organically, the need for expanded infrastructure and increased power generation sustainably is inevitable. More energy production, storage, and infrastructure are needed as the Canadian population grows.
Now, for us at Skyline, this is where we at Skyline Group of Companies can step in and deliver investments that have a proven track record of stable returns, capital growth, and niche investment strategies within the Canadian marketplace. Skyline Investment Funds, while unique and separate entities, they are a Skyline economic ecosystem. All credit to the investment strategies that we have in place.
[00:15:47] Wayne Byrd:
Assets under management across all four funds are approximately $9 billion in real estate and infrastructure across Canada. $9 billion with investor equity in excess of $4 billion. A very well-capitalized group of investment funds available.
Skyline Apartment REIT, formed in June 2006. Today it provides approximately 22,000 apartment suites across Canada, home to over 50,000 Canadians. Our strategy has always been to invest in secondary, tertiary markets yet stable, strong, and growing communities. Acquiring multi-residential real estate assets in these secondary communities is generally at a higher cap rate, i.e., lower multiples of earnings that similar assets in major metro markets would trade at. What does this mean? The opportunity for higher returns, while diversified across Canada, with one of Canada’s largest providers of multi-residential rentals.
I’m going to jump ahead to the Skyline Retail REIT, and there’s a reason why I’ll mention it next. Formed in October 2013, it also shares the same investment strategy: secondary, tertiary markets. And what is unique about Skyline Retail is that our focus is on essentials retail. So, providing necessity-based retail to local communities across the country. Grocery, pharmacy, banks, doctors, quick service restaurants, etc. With the locations predominantly tenanted by recognizable national tenants. These retail nodes are not enclosed malls and are not fashion or electronic-focused. These essentials-focused assets in secondary and tertiary markets are considerably insulated from e-commerce in a way the enclosed malls and big box retailers aren’t.
Now, back to Skyline Industrial REIT.
[00:17:47] Wayne Byrd:
Formed in January 2012, Skyline Industrial REIT is focused on logistics and warehouse assets along major transportation routes. While it may not be predominantly located in secondary, tertiary markets, this is also constructed by design. These assets are the gateway for the movement of goods, essentials, and discretionary to all markets across North America. Be the major markets or the suburbs and secondary markets as a result of the de-urbanization trend.
Skyline Clean Energy Fund, formed in May 2019, has been constructed for the investment in renewable energy infrastructure. The Fund presently is in solar, both roof, rooftop and ground mount, and also biogas facilities. The solar investments are producing electricity to be sold back into the grid or to be consumed by end users. The biogas investments are either producing electricity or renewable natural gas. Again, to be sold back into the grid or contracted to energy providers or to be consumed by end users.
In summary, as the Canadian population grows, these Skyline Investment Funds provide a solid foundation for investors’ portfolios with stability, opportunity, and diversification. Through our strategic investment objectives, all four Skyline Funds are currently available on Fundserv, are all open for investment today, and are eligible for both non-registered and registered accounts. Our Skyline Funds are investing in 100% Canadian real estate and renewable energy. Investors seeking to insulate themselves from the volatility of the public markets and the emotional impact that the market has on the sleeve of their investment portfolio dedicated to real estate and renewable energy infrastructure should look at the opportunities and benefits of stability through private alts in real estate and renewable infrastructure in Canada.
[00:20:04] Wayne Byrd:
Take control of your investments. Remove the emotion bias of the markets and make it your choice, your decision. The future landscape in Canada, in the private alt investment space, has incredible opportunities with long-term stability and potential for heightened returns.
And now we will move ourselves towards the Q&A session. And I’d just like to update you on the following. For those tuning into the live webinar, we will be applying to ICM, ICS, AAC, and the Institute for Continuing Education credits. We will send you an email alert when your CE certificate is ready, which can take up to a month. CE accreditation is powered by CE Corner. Follow. CE Corner on LinkedIn to learn more about the newest courses so you can easily keep yourself compliant. This webinar will be available on InvestmentExecutive.com within the next couple of weeks so you can replay the webinar at any time.
For those watching the replay of this webinar who could not tune in live, we will also be applying to ICM, ICS, AAC, and the Institute for Continuing Education credits. After viewing this recording, please visit CE corner to take a quiz and earn your credits, pending approval.
[00:21:29] Wayne Byrd:
And now, let’s get started with some questions.
Well, I must have done a remarkable job walking you through the three I’s and how real estate and infrastructure have positioned themselves well in the Canadian marketplace and really should be a good consideration, a strong consideration, for you and that sleeve of your investments. Looking to potentially reduce your exposure to the emotion-based, the basis of the public markets, and just create that insulation from the ebbs and flows. And as I noted earlier, you know, public markets can both rise as well as decline. And I’m not here to talk all negatively about the public markets because there is the opportunity for gaining on the increase side, but understanding when is the right time to jump in, when is the right time to sell? I think if we all knew that, we would be much wealthier than we are today.
Okay, so a question has come in, and that is how have higher rates, interest rates, affected supply and demand of housing? And I will speak more specifically about that rather than making a general response as we have three private REITs and an infrastructure fund here at Skyline. And for us, during the increasing trend of the interest rates to the point where they reach their plateau earlier this year.
[00:23:17] Wayne Byrd:
The supply and demand for housing, well, sellers want to continue to test the market, and it is the buyer, for example, us, who are a little slower to be looking at the acquisition side when we are using debt when we are leveraging to invest, to acquire these assets. I would say in the last 12 months, our activeness in the acquisition market was tempered, paused, and slow because we could see that rates were coming down. We knew that rates had to decline, so it’s only been now recently through now the third cut, that things are beginning to get a little more active. And we’re back, you know, looking very strategically at acquisitions.
So, can purchases of Skyline Funds be made directly from Skyline, or does a private market dealer have to be involved?
Skyline has an Exempt Market Dealer and that is Skyline Wealth Management. That is available for investing through our Exempt Market Dealer.
It appears that kind of covers most of the questions here coming in, so we will wrap things up. We’re now at the end of the webinar. I would like to thank you all for joining me today. And I’d like to invite participants to fill out our brief exit survey form, as we value your comments and your feedback. Thank you, everyone, and have a wonderful day.