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Classic Motorcycles or Classic Cars? Which Offer The Best Returns?
In a recently recorded interview, Brand Communications CEO Alan Green and The Motorcycle Broker Paul Jayson look at the investment returns from some of the great classic motorcycles and cars over recent years. Average investment returns for classic cars over 15 years from the Coutts Passion Index are discussed, before Alan and Paul look at some examples of investment returns from rarer machines, including the Ferrari 250 GTO, Alfa Romeo 8C and 6C, Aston Martin DB4, Ducati 916 Carl Fogarty race bike, Ducati 750SS Green Frame, Brough Superior, Vincent Black Lightning and Honda CBX 1000. Paul looks at some of the pitfalls for prospective classic motorcycle purchasers, and emphasises the importance of machine provenance and originality before the purchase. Ahead of the next episode covering potential dark horse classic motorcycle investments for the coming decade, Paul talks about the amazing Allen Millyard Kawasaki 1000 four cylinder two stroke.
Hipgnosis Songs Fund – Another brick in my investing wall
As a long standing fan of all things prog rock, and with a penchant for great British acts such as Pink Floyd, Genesis, Peter Gabriel and Led Zep, today is the day when I must decide whether or not to invest into a company responsible for producing the iconic cover for Dark Side of the Moon.
Hipgnosis was originally founded by Cambridge natives Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell, with Peter Christopherson adding his talents some time later. Much of the iconic imagery, now indelibly associated with the music, has inspired a new generation of prog rock bands, including the likes of Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree.
That iconic imagery and music is very much alive today at the Pink Floyd exhibition ‘Their Mortal Remains’ at the V&A Museum. This incorporates work and media appearances by Hipgnosis co-founder Aubrey Powell, along with the band.
But enough of the history. The current day Hipgnosis Songs Fund (HSF) is a nod to the past in name only, set up by Merck Mercuriadis, who previously managed artists such as Beyonce, Sir Elton John and Guns N’ Roses. Mercuriadis also managed parts of former AIM-quoted Sanctuary Group, which ran into problems with its accounts when it was quoted and was eventually taken over.
HSF will invest into songs and musical intellectual property rights, which involves acquiring songs, enabling investors to benefit from the royalties and related income. It sees a unique market opportunity, as technology disrupts the way music is consumed. This year, for the first time, revenues from streaming services are forecast to surpass CD/vinyl sales. Music consumers are moving away from illegal downloading to convenient and legal streaming, which is hugely improving the monetisation of music.
HSF says an institutional investor has agreed to subscribe for 20% of the fund, and will be advised by a board featuring musicians and songwriters, including Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers.
With the fund valued at some £200m on IPO, HSF are targeting a 6.5% annual dividend yield once fully investing, with the first dividend due to be paid in November 2017.
Although the new HSF bears no resemblance to the original Hipgnosis, and is in all honesty little more than a royalty arrangement to use the name, the concept of investing directly into a disruptive earnings model in the music industry is intriguing, particularly with a 6.5% yield on offer.
HSF certainly looks likely to form another brick in my investing wall. At the very least I’ll remain comfortably numb until the first dividend payment in November.
Alan Green