Lisbon – 17 July 2014 – EnterNext, the Euronext subsidiary set up in May 2013 to promote and grow the market for SMEs , has published encouraging results for its first full year in business.
To meet the goals defined in its original brief, EnterNext rolled out an action plan in all four countries where it operates, targeting three key priorities:
• expand and consolidate ties with local SMEs, both listed and unlisted, and promote the stock market as a source of finance
• develop market liquidity in midcaps by reconnecting them with investors
• rally brokers, bankers and the rest of the financial eco-system that finances SMEs
As markets welcomed a wave of new listings, EnterNext’s performance in its first year reflects quantitative and qualitative results consistent with its targets.
Expand and consolidate assistance for SMEs, both listed and unlisted
With markets showing renewed interest in SMEs, the midcap segment covered by EnterNext generated a record 47 IPOs in the period from June 2013 to July 2014. Midcaps raised a combined total of €9 billion, confirming the market’s key role in financing SMEs’ growth.
In keeping with their brief, EnterNext teams reached out to establish a positive dialogue with businesses, and have met personally with over 800 company leaders to date. For heads of listed companies, EnterNext provided expert assistance in making best use of financial markets; for companies not yet listed but whose profile made raising capital via the stock market an option, EnterNext offered information on listing opportunities.
Reconnect investors with midcaps, and rally brokers, bankers and the rest of the financial eco-system to this segment.
Investors—both individuals and institutionals—showed their interest in IPOs, with issues oversubscribed by an average 288% over the period.
Investor interest in midcaps also led to doubling in trade volumes for the segment as a whole from June 2013 to June 2014.
To boost midcap visibility and expand the pool of institutional and individual investors, EnterNext has launched two major initiatives to promote equity research—an essential driver for investment in the SMEs listed on its markets:
• reduced trading fees for brokers producing equity research on midcaps
• a partnership with Morningstar to track the performance of 220 TMT shares on markets covered by EnterNext. Quantitative analyst notes for each company in this sector plus a quarterly industry review by Morningstar will be offered at no charge on its website at www.morningstar.fr/fr/ and on EnterNext’s website www.enternext.biz.
EnterNext in Portugal: New listings, higher market capitalizations
Euronext Lisbon welcomed this year the IPO from Espírito Santo Saúde and admitted to trading last year the Nexponor fund and the Montepio’s units. With these three transactions, Euronext Lisbon’s market capitalization increased approximately €600 million.
Within the context of promoting and reinforcing commitment from financial intermediaries’ with listed SMEs, four brokers – BPI, Caixa-Banco de Investimento, Espirito Santo Investment and Millenniumbcp Investimento – have already joined the trading fees incentive program by conducting research on EnterNext companies which have a market capitalization under €1 billion.
In addition, in the last few months some small and midcaps – notably Bial, Celbi and Saudaçor – have admitted to trading on Euronext Lisbon bond issues, confirming the role of the exchange as an alternative source of financing.
With a view to bringing non-listed companies closer to the capital markets, Euronext Lisbon has also been promoting events devoted to the theme ‘Listing on the Stock Exchange’, notably VIA Bolsa, which gathered in 2013 and 2014 more than 400 guests and 100 companies interested in learning more about the Exchange, an alternative which may help financing their growing strategies in this context of difficult access to bank credit.
“We are very proud of the 47 companies that have listed since EnterNext was launched. It’s been a very encouraging first year, and we have every intention of building on our achievements to make EnterNext a touchstone in the SME arena. There are plenty of businesses and entrepreneurs with projects that the Bourse can help match up with sources of finance. Which, in turn, makes our results a perfect illustration of Euronext’s mission and core business—financing Europe’s real economy,” said Eric Forest, Chairman and CEO of EnterNext.
Luis Laginha de Sousa, Chairman and CEO of Euronext Lisbon, added: “We are extremely happy with EnterNext’s overall results during its first full year of activity. This first anniversary is also an opportunity to wish for the coming years, that across all Euronext locations, together with the financial community and other stakeholders, EnterNext, can help more companies to access financial resources and other strategic benefits, through capital markets, reinforcing Euronext’s position as a major centre for raising capital.”