Topicals



We research widely to deliver unique insights.


Recent Topicals

Real Estate Investments

Jun 7, 2015

In our Cytonn Weekly report #18, we spoke about how investors typically invest in well-known and liquid asset classes such as money markets, equities and fixed income, collectively referred to as “traditional investments” or “public markets”. There exists an alternative to these traditional investments in private equity, real estate and structured products. Last week, in our Cytonn Weekly report #19, we demystified structured products, and this week we explain real estate investments. While relatively illiquid and more complex, alternative investments are essential to an investment portfolio for 2 reasons: First, they offer higher returns. Second, the returns are more stable and uncorrelated to more volatile returns such as equities. For example locally, real estate has registered the highest returns over the last 5 years, at 24% p.a., as compared to traditional markets, as can be seen in the graph below.

Karen Real Estate Investment Opportunity

Jun 7, 2015

 Cytonn Real Estate, our development affiliate, last week highlighted Amara Ridge, a development coming up in Karen, a leafy suburb of Nairobi: Amara Ridge flythrough . Amara Ridge, which is breathtaking, distinct and luxurious, showcases Cytonn’s unique platform of bringing financing, landowners and development capability together using innovative Joint Venture structures. We have picked Karen as one of our key areas of focus because it is one of the few areas in Nairobi that still offers serene country living coupled with significant potential for attractive financial returns. Essentially, it offers an opportunity to not only own and enjoy a home, but also to build financial affluence driven by 3 main factor...

The Kenyan 2015/2016 Budget

Jun 14, 2015

Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich presented Kenya’s FY 2015/2016 Budget of Kshs 2.2 trillion to Parliament on the 11th of June 2015. Total expenditure increased by 22.7% to Kshs 2.2 trillion and is expected to be financed by Kshs 1.3 trillion of tax collections, Kshs 567 billion of borrowings (both local and foreign) as well as project grants. As was expected, the lion’s share of the budget was allocated to the Social Sector, 28% of total expenditure, with the bulk being spent on education. The constant investment in education and security is important to improving the attractiveness of Kenya as an investment destination. Another large beneficiary category is the Energy, Infrastructure and ICT sector, which has been allocated 27% of the budget, with the increment primarily to road and railway construction to fund the Standard Gauge Railway. The increase in energy allocation will fund geothermal power generation, power transmission and rural electrification. We are of...

Effect of the 2015/2016 budget on the economy

Jun 21, 2015

Kenya’s 2015/2016 budget presented last week outlined a planned expenditure of Kshs 2.2 trillion, representing a 20% increase from the 2014/2015 budget. The increase in expenditure is going to be financed through both normal revenue collections increases (Kshs 1.3 bn) and also increased borrowing both in the local (Kshs 229.7 bn) and international markets (Kshs 340.5 bn). To attain the economic growth rate of 7%, the budget allocation was guided by the following key sub objectives: Improving the business environment through (a) enhancement of security, (b) improving the ease of doing business, (c) maintenance of a stable macro economic environment, and (d) deepening of the financial sector; Better infrastructure development. We continue to see a lot of allocation towards development expenditure and stre...

Cytonn’s Q1 2015 Banking Report

Jun 28, 2015

Our private equity business includes three main businesses, traditional PE, PIPE and QPE: Traditional private equity attracts private capital into private businesses using either pooled or deal by deal PE fund structures; Public investments into private entities, (“PIPE”), attracts public capital into private companies, and Quoted private equity, (“QPE”), attracts private capital into public / listed businesses such as listed banks. As part of our QPE business, we periodically do research reports for our global markets PE clients looking to invest in the region. This report looks at the relative long-term attractiveness of the listed banks as an investment. We have tried to answer the question, from an investor point of view: which is the most attractive...