
investment returns as defined on page 17 have been
recovering over the last three years, at 3.5%, 4.9% and
6.2% respectively. Given the impact of past lower M&A
activity on distributions, it is very encouraging that funds
generated by portfolio cashflows of £131m were more
than three times that of the previous year.
Continuing our focus on leading GPs and investing
alongside them, the selection of these depends heavily
onthe GPs’ ability to maintain growth through cycles.
Thisenables them to capture capital gains and an uplift at
the exit on prior valuations. In our Step Three work to get
closer to the data, and as part of our performance review
and monitoring processes, we havebeen building a
picture of portfolio data using the companies we are
closest to ourselves – the direct investments, which make
up 54% of our portfolio. It is encouraging that we have
seen good growth – 16%
1
in underlying profits this year
–inour portfolio of co-investments and manager-led
secondaries. The uplift experience of last year, on page 35
of the Manager’s Review, also builds our confidence in the
selection of our GPs, who have the experience, expertise
and resources to maintain growth in their companies even
during today’s long holding periods.
On the cash management side, we continue to take a
prudent approach to our borrowing. This reflects the
expectations of our investors, who will be pleased to see
that we have managed to continue our programme of new
investments and buybacks while keeping net debt as a
percentage of PIN’s NAV on 31st May 2025 at 8.7% –
only a slight increase on the 2024 year-end figure of 8.1%.
At year end, we were using £103m of the £400m revolving
credit facility, and we still had £111m of private placement
loan notes outstanding. Our net debt to NAV ratio is lower
than the relevant peer group average of 12.9%
2
.
The discount on the publication date of this annual report
represents a slight narrowing to 33%
3
compared with 34%
as at 31st May 2024. While this is an improvement on the
mid-40s range when I took over as Chair at the end of
2022, it still doesn’t reflect the fundamental value of
theshares.This is precisely why the Board is focused on
delivering a set of actions in Step Three of our programme,
and hopefully we will see the results start to come through
significantly over the next year or two.
6. Conclusion
Markets continue to be challenged. However, PIN is a
seasoned investment trust and I believe investors should
benefit from a strong, global portfolio of diverse private
companies capable of delivering long-term growth and
market-beating returns.
Overall, it has been a productive year of extensive review,
resulting in changes in policies and tactics, some of which
have already been adopted, with further announcements
due around the Capital Markets Day in September, and
the end of the calendar year.
While the strategic plan is clearly work in progress, I am
summarizing seven action areas, focused on realising
market-beating returns:
1. Maintain our focus on offering an ever-widening set
ofinvestors access to a global, diversified portfolio of
private companies capable of delivering long-term
growth and market-beating returns.
2. Concentrate investment in the funds and
associated direct investments of top-performing
GPs, benefiting from the strong competitive advantage
PIN has from Pantheon relationships.
3. Implement enhanced performance strategies,
such as smoothing out investing cycles through
consistent vintage investing.
4. Implement an all-encompassing dynamic approach
to capital management, by considering all sources
and uses of capital through the cycle to improve
shareholder returns.
5. Simplify our communications, including explaining
PE complexities and investment trust benefits to
expand demand for PIN shares.
6. Complete the development of PIN’s marketing
tools and implement “test and learn” marketing
programmes in preparation for a much bigger
campaign later in the year.
7. Use the strong PE-experienced Board to continue
proactive supervision of the Manager, especially in
corporate strategies, broadening our reach,
governance and cost management.
It has been a great honour and pleasure for me to work
over the years with such a committed Board, and with
our Manager. In closing, let me reserve the biggest
heartfelt thank you to all of our shareholders. Thank you
for your continued support, for your candid and helpful
feedback, and for being part of what we are building
together. The path ahead is exciting. Our strategy is
clearer, our structure is stronger, and our commitment
–toputting shareholders first – remains at the heart of
everything we do.
John Singer CBE
Chair
30 July 2025
PIN is a seasoned
investment trust
and I believe
investors should
continue to
benefit from an
extremely strong,
global portfolio
ofdiverse private
companies capable
of delivering
long-term growth
and market-
beating returns.
1 Refer to Alternative Performance
Measures on page 125 for further
information on the methodology used
tocalculate Direct portfolio revenue
andEBITDA growth numbers.
The data represents a subset of direct
investments and may not be
representative of PIN’s overall portfolio.
2 Relevant peer group comprised: CT
Private Equity Trust, HarbourVest
Global Private Equity, ICG Enterprise
Trust and Patria Private Equity Trust.
Data as at 31 May 2025. The HVPE net
debt used in this calculation is based on
a full look-through basis and therefore
includes, publicly disclosed, debt at its
intermediate fund-level.
3 As at 29 July 2025.
Chair’s Statement and Overview
Pantheon International Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2025
08
Strategic Report Manager’s Review Governance Financial Statements Supporting Analysis Other Information