HICL C shares

moneylover

I would quite like to buy some of these and the offer closes 22 March. Can I buy through any of the discount online brokers does anyone know. I have an HL account and X-O account but cannot see that they are participating. Anyone know about iii as was thinking about buying dividend yielding shares through them in the future as re-investment cheap.
IC had an article but was silent about buying - I am at a loss and dont want to buy if it will cost a lot in fees anyway
Am not invested in HICL at the moment
Be grateful for any info, thank you

moneylover

no-one knows? Very unusual on this board! I phone iii and they didnt seem to know what I was talking about.....

gadgetmind

Hey, give us chance!

All current holders are being offered an entitlement of one C share for each six that they currently own. As you don't own any, then I'm not sure you have any way to buy them, but I'm no expert on this.

Current investors are also being given the option to apply for any of the issue that isn't taken up, but everything I read suggests that this will be oversubscribed.

As the IC article is behind a pay wall, what did it say regards the C shares?

I've gone for my full entitlement, and the same again on top as I was wanting to put a few £k more into HICL, but I won't be too bothered if I don't get them.

I assume you've also carefully considered 3IN, JLIF, BBGI, and INPP?

moneylover

HICL c shares were recommended by IC I read the full artic1e in the printed copy. It said you could apply if you didnt own any but maybe thats wrong. I suppose I will have to phone Capita. I wanted to buy through an online broker so didnt get paper shares but I suppose that doesnt matter. If they are going to be oversubscribed by existing borrowers then not much point me bothering probably. I did look thhrough the prospectus but there is 140 pages so lots I probably missed.
I was going to invest £3000 but not much good if they send me £500.
I havent considered any of the others that you mention and there is a lot there - bit cheeky but any ranking pos? HICL has been recommended several times by IC and I hadnt bought - they said in article that this was a good way in! Fed up now!
Thanks!

gadgetmind

moneylover wrote: »

It said you could apply if you didnt own any but maybe thats wrong.

Dunno, but they don't seem to be making it easy.

I was going to invest £3000 but not much good if they send me £500.

£3k is a sensible minimum IMO due to dealing costs.

I havent considered any of the others that you mention and there is a lot there - bit cheeky but any ranking pos?

If I knew the answer to that, I would hold only one rather than HICL, JLIF and BBGI.

This is a tinge out of date, and is pre-BBGI, but might be worth reading.

http://www.fool.co.uk/news/investing/2011/08/31/a-defensive-sector-for-turbulent-times.aspx

TBH, these companies are held in bulk by the big guys, so the prices will never have any silly miss-pricing. I bought during the bad days last year, and still only got in a few pence below current prices.

BTW, always take dividend accumulation into account with these "steady eddies".

I'm currently using such infrastructure to "hold down a corner" of my portfolios as bonds and gold look risky alongside. They really are "buy now, hold forever" assets.

moneylover

gadgetmind, thanks for all this, I had read the article you sent it was what first got me interested in HICL etc.
These C shares will be different I suppose they wont dilute the price of the main shares presumably the price should not change.
I think that I shan't bother given that most if not all the issue will go to existing holders and my money will just be tied up then returned. I wish you luck with getting the size of investment you want, I wish I had invested when I first read the article and subsequent ones in IC but I was a complete beginner and taking things very very slowly.
Yes, £3000 is the magic figure for me with shares. That was one of the first things I ever managed to figure out.

gadgetmind

I sometimes go for £2k holdings, but usually only if I'm doing a 50:50 split into a sector.

I've got a total of £24k in infrastructure, so have it split between three PFI companies and the FS Global Listed Infrastructure OEIC.

I'm also considering BRXX as they have some sporting events there over future years, but the FS OEIC seems to have it covered anyway.