LONDON (ShareCast) - (Sharecast News) - Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund announced it was proceeding with a partially pre-emptive issue of ordinary shares to raise £200m gross proceeds, in light of what its board called a "growing set" of attractive investment opportunities in the economic infrastructure debt market.
The FTSE 250 fund said the fundraise would be equivalent to up to 188,679,245 new ordinary shares, to be issued at a price of 106.0p each.

Its board said it recognised the importance of pre-emption rights to ordinary shareholders, and as a result, 149,420,048 new ordinary shares were being initially offered to qualifying shareholders by way of an open offer, under which they would be entitled to apply for two new shares for every 11 existing shares held on the record date.

The balance of the new ordinary shares, together with any new shares not taken up by qualifying shareholders, would be made available under the placing or offer for subscription.

"The company intends to use the proceeds raised from the initial issue, less expenses, to repay the drawn commitments under its multi-currency revolving credit facility," the board said in its statement.

"As at the latest practicable date, the company had drawn an amount of approximately £116.2m from its RCF which includes drawdowns made under the accordion tranche.

"Any net issue proceeds raised in excess of the amount drawn under its RCF are expected to be deployed into the company's near term pipeline of in excess of £300m of investment opportunities, in accordance with the company's investment policy."

Sequoia also proposed to implement a share issuance programme, which it said would allow it the flexibility to issue up to a maximum of 250,000,000 ordinary shares in the future.

It said any future issues under the share issuance programme would be subject to the availability of a future pipeline of investment opportunities, which meet the company's investment policy - in particular its target return and risk criteria - and its level of deployment.

"The company expects to publish a prospectus in connection with the initial issue and the share issuance programme shortly."

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