Victory Capital launches alternative investments platform with acquisition of New Energy Capital Partners

Submitted 14/09/2021 - 9:50am

Victory Capital Holdings' wholly owned operating subsidiary Victory Capital Management Inc is to acquire 100 per cent of New Energy Capital Partners (NEC).

NEC will become Victory Capital’s 11th Investment Franchise and represents the Company’s first Franchise focusing exclusively on alternative investments. Founded in 2004 and based in Hanover, New Hampshire, NEC is a leading alternative asset management firm focused on debt and equity investments in clean energy infrastructure projects and companies. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2021 and be immediately accretive to Victory Capital’s earnings.

David Brown, Chairman and CEO of Victory Capital, says: “Launching an alternative investment platform creates an additional path for future growth. The same principles that have led to success in our traditional asset management business will guide the strategy for this part of our business. This includes adding autonomous Investment Franchises, with excellent investment performance track records and managing strategies designed to add value to client portfolios. Our operating and distribution infrastructure will support these Investment Franchises to allow them to stay focused on managing assets and serving clients.

“NEC perfectly embodies all of the characteristics we seek, and we particularly like their specialisation in clean and renewable energy, which is a fast-growing market segment.”

With four active private closed-end funds, NEC is invested across both debt and equity instruments and has a diverse investor base of limited partners representing a mix of institutional investors including endowments, foundations, insurance companies, pension plans, health systems, government entities and family offices. With a broadly diversified portfolio of projects, spanning multiple energy markets and geographic jurisdictions, NEC generates returns that are uncorrelated with commodity exposure and traditional energy investments. NEC’s investment process will be unchanged and allow for continued long-term investment excellence.

“We are very excited to be partnering with an industry leader—Victory Capital—to enhance operating support and accelerate our growth trajectory,” says Scott Brown, Founder and CEO of NEC. “Following the transaction’s close, we look forward to benefiting from Victory Capital’s well-established distribution capabilities.

“Since we launched our first fund 17 years ago, the clean energy sector has substantially matured. Technology advancements have led to material declines in production costs and the industry’s economics have now reached a tipping point. This—coupled with increasing attention on climate change and rapidly evolving government standards—bodes well for solar, wind, and hydro technologies to increase their respective shares of the growing electrical generation market.”

In 2020, projects funded by NEC offset more than 4.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. This greenhouse gas abatement equates to planting more than 73 million trees.

Closing is subject to customary approvals, conditions and consents. BofA Securities is serving as financial advisor to Victory Capital, and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is serving as legal advisor to Victory Capital. UBS is serving as financial advisor to NEC, and Choate Hall & Stewart LLP is serving as NEC’s legal advisor.

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