Scirocco Energy Regulatory News (SCIR)

7 December 2022

Scirocco Energy plc

("Scirocco" or the "Company")

Corporate Update & Investor Event

Scirocco (AIM: SCIR), the AIM investing company targeting attractive assets within the European sustainable energy and circular economy markets, is pleased to provide a corporate update ahead of the Investor Event that it is hosting later today. The update includes various strategic targets as well as the announcement of an exclusivity agreement for the acquisition of an additional bio-gas plant.

The new Corporate Presentation that is being used for the Investor Event will be made available on the website via the following link:

https://www.sciroccoenergy.com/investors/presentations/

Strategy Update

At the Investor Event, the Board will provide an update on its strategic progress as it seeks to construct a portfolio capable of supporting attractive dividend yield and further growth through re-investment. To date, through the establishment of its Joint Venture with EAG (SCIR 50%), EAG has completed the acquisition of 100% of Greenan Generation Limited (GGL) and its 0.5 MWe Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant in Northern Ireland. Since completing that acquisition in October 2021, GGL has performed strongly, generating for EAG a 12 month EBITDA estimate to 30 September 2022 of £602,000 (unaudited), after c. £375,000 of costs associated with operating investments and business development.

Since establishing the joint venture, EAG has developed a pipeline of Biogas acquisitions in line with the stated strategy to acquire "bitesize" plants in the value range of £3-4m each. The goal is to acquire individual plants using EAG's "cookie cutter" approach whereby target assets are acquired as SPVs through a combination of debt and equity, the assets are then optimised through operating techniques and investments to grow profitability and enhance the value of each asset and the portfolio as a whole. A typical SPV is forecast to generate c. £850k EBITDA with enterprise value in the range of £7.5-£8.5m per plant, thereby demonstrating the appealing value proposition of the strategy.

Based on the strategic objectives and current deal flow pipeline being progressed by EAG, it is the intention that EAG will, subject to securing the necessary funding, acquire two plants through 2023 and a further two plants in 2024. Should EAG be successful in converting these opportunities as guided then EAG would create a business generating over £5 million EBITDA per annum with an implied cash on cash multiple of c. 2.5x accruing to EAG investors.

Exclusivity Agreement for target plant

Consistent with the stated strategy, Scirocco is pleased to announce that EAG has entered into an exclusivity agreement to acquire 100% of the share capital in a target SPV which has been delivering consistent operational and financial results over the past 7 years, generating an EBITDA of £567k for its last financial year. It is EAG's expectation that its plans to optimise performance can increase EBITDA at the plant to £725k in its first year of ownership.

EAG has completed phase 1 of its DD process using its internal resources and, following signing of exclusivity, will move into Phase 2 which includes drafting of the SPA and associated project documents. The acquisition requires £3.8m of acquisition capital as well as approximately £200k in closing costs, and will be debt funded to approximately 70% of the total. Assuming all progresses as planned, including sourcing of the necessary finance, then EAG is targeting a completion date at the end of February 2023. Further updates will be provided as and when appropriate.

Tom Reynolds, Scirocco's CEO commented:

"We're pleased to provide investors with a deeper dive into our strategy and the market drivers that support our strategic focus. Our JV with EAG gives Scirocco unique access to a compelling opportunity pipeline that can be converted on highly attractive and value accretive terms. The JV's initial acquisition of GGL last year demonstrates the low-risk and high-margin profitability of these assets and the value uplift that EAG provides upon completion. In that regard, we are pleased to provide the market with strategic targets that we believe can be comfortably delivered by EAG based on the pipeline being progressed. As detailed in the presentation we provide today, subject to financing being available as expected, the team is confident of building an asset base with enterprise value of up to £100 million by 2027. 

In the context of this update, we are also pleased to announce the Exclusivity Agreement that EAG has signed with a target SPV. The team's extensive internal DD on the target indicates that this SPV benefits from all the factors consistent with EAG's investment model and represents a compelling opportunity for EAG and Scirocco. While this process is still relatively early stage and formal DD is required, we are hopeful that EAG will progress this opportunity to SPA in the coming months with a view to adding a second plant to the portfolio in Q1'23. In parallel with the DD process, EAG is also progressing funding discussions and is confident that the implied multiples of these targets and the compelling market drivers that support investment into this sector in pursuit of UK's net-zero targets will ensure the most appropriate form of funding can be secured to complete any subsequent transaction."

For further information:

Inside Information

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by Scirocco to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) no. 596/2014 ("MAR"). On the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service ("RIS"), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.