SVG says climate for asset sales improving

British private equity investor SVG Capital said prospects for selling parts of its investment portfolio had improved thanks to stronger financial markets.

“We believe that the prospects for realisation activity, particularly for the more mature and defensive investments, are improving,” it said in a statement issued on Monday.

SVG, the biggest investor in European buyout firm Permira, said it had raised £12.2m from the partial sale of its holding in German telephone company Freenet during the three months to October 30.

That was £3.9m more than the shares had been valued at in June.

SVG had £171.4m in cash and net debt of £237.2m at October 30, the company said.

SVG’s shares closed at 130.8 pence on Friday, valuing the company at about £406m. The stock has risen by about a third since the start of the year.