Jefferies starts RIT Capital coverage with “buy” on NAV gains, private outlook

Published 13/08/2025, 13:32
© Reuters.

Investing.com -- Jefferies has initiated coverage on RIT Capital Partners with a “buy” recommendation, citing an improving net asset value performance, a shift toward a more institutional investment approach, and a stronger outlook for unquoted holdings. 

The brokerage noted that these developments have yet to be reflected in the trust’s 27.5% discount to NAV, which remains wider than most flexible investment funds but narrower than the average for listed private equity funds.

RIT Capital Partners’ recent performance recovery followed two years of disappointing NAV returns in 2022 and 2023, driven mainly by weakness in private investments. 

That segment has since stabilised, with overall NAV returns returning to low double-digit levels seen historically. 

The portfolio is currently split into 46% quoted equities, 31% private investments and 21% uncorrelated strategies, with private allocations reduced from 41% at the end of 2022.

Within the private portfolio, co-investments dominate direct holdings, with growth equity representing more than half the allocation and a sector focus on enterprise software, fintech and healthcare. 

Several holdings are either preparing for or have begun IPO processes, and net distributions have been trending higher. Recent exits in 2025 include sales or public listings of holdings in Scale AI, Webull, Figma and Chime.

The report said concerns about valuations in private investments still influence sentiment but pointed to evidence of robust marking processes, supported by recent funding rounds in key holdings such as SpaceX, Scale AI and Stripe. It expects the discount to NAV to narrow as the exit environment improves.

Jefferies did not set a price target but based its “buy” recommendation on the combination of recovered NAV growth, portfolio repositioning and potential for re-rating as private asset realisations progress.

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