OTPP and CDPQ Ink Deal to Co-Own New Zealand's Connexa
Spark New Zealand has told the markets this morning it will sell its remaining share in mobile towers business Connexa to global investment group CDPQ for $314 million.
The sale means Spark, which completely owned its towers since inception, will not own physical mobile tower infrastructure any more, although it retains the technology that powers the infrastructure. The decision to divest from towers is part of a review of ‘non-core’ assets the company started in October.
Two years ago the telco began divesting itself from the business, which owns 1263 tower sites, when it sold 70% of what was then called Towerco to the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board for $900m.
Under new majority ownership, the company was renamed Connexa, and became New Zealand’s first independent mobile tower company, with Spark retaining a 30% holding.
The shareholding was diluted to 17% when Connexa bought 2degrees’ 1124 mobile tower sites in 2023. On completion of the deal, Ontario Teachers’ holding in Connexa rose to 83%.
Spark said at the time the reason for retaining a share in the business was because as the anchor tenant, it ensured “we are a key strategic partner as the business grows. We will also continue to own all the 'smarts' of our network - such as radio equipment and spectrum - which is what drives our competitive advantage and differentiation in the market.”
But today’s announcement means Spark has sold its remaining shareholding, which had been whittled back to 17% in the intervening two years, to CDPQ, a Quebec, Canada-based global investment group with C$452 billion in assets under management and offices in 10 countries.
The sale will net $70m for Spark.
As part of the agreement Connexa’s majority owner, Ontario Teachers' will also sell 33% of its shareholding to CDPQ. On completion of the transaction Ontario Teachers’ and CDPQ will each hold a 50% co-controlling interest in Connexa.
Under the terms of the deal, Spark will remain a key customer of Connexa. Spark said it would continue to determine how its mobile network is developed, including where and when capacity investments occur, with Connexa then designing and deploying these build programmes. Spark will also continue to own all the 'smarts' of the network – such as radio equipment and spectrum.
The transaction is subject to Overseas Investment Office approval and any necessary foreign regulatory filings, all of which is expected to occur in the third quarter of the 2025 year. When done, Spark’s two appointed directors will resign from the Connexa board.
Spark New Zealand CEO Jolie Hodson said the sale to CDPQ, “a high-calibre global investment group, reflects the high quality of this asset and will ensure, alongside existing owner Ontario Teachers’, Connexa remains well positioned to deliver its services to customers, including Spark”.
In 2022, when Spark sold 70% of TowerCo (Connexa), Vodafone said a few days later it would be offloading an 80% interest in its 1487 towers for $1.36b.
In 2021, Australia’s Telstra sold a 49% stake in its towers for A$2.1b (NZ$2.3b).
In 2021, Spain’s Telefonica sold its 30,000 towers for €7.7b.
One factor is that many are faced with making sizeable new investments in physical infrastructure to build out their 5G networks.
Selling and leasing back their towers, along with some that have yet to be constructed, is a way of smoothing out that investment by paying for it in the form of rent rather than capital expenditure.
Adwitiya Srivastava of Reuters also reports Spark New Zealand to sell stake in mobile towers business to Canada's CDPQ for $182 million:
Spark New Zealand will sell its remaining 17% stake in mobile towers firm Connexa for NZ$314 million ($181.77 million) to Canadian investment fund Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ), the telecom company said on Thursday.
Spark had announced in October its plans to divest its stake in Connexa, at a time when media speculation had emerged the Canadian pension fund, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) is looking to offload its shareholding in Connexa as well.
Spark added OTPP, as part of the agreement, will also sell 33% of its 83% shareholding to CDPQ, resulting in both parties, CDPQ and OTPP, having a 50% co-controlling interest in Connexa post-transaction.
The sale is expected to generate a gain of about NZ$70 million in reported EBITDAI for Spark upon completion, the company said.
Under the terms of the deal, Spark will continue to be a key customer of Connexa and will maintain control over the development of its mobile network, it added.
Earlier today, Ontario Teachers' issued a press release stating it has reached an agreement to sell an equity stake in Connexa to CDPQ:
Toronto and Montreal, Canada and Auckland, New Zealand – December 11, 2024 – Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan ("Ontario Teachers’”) and CDPQ, a global investment group, today announced that CDPQ will acquire a co-controlling shareholding in Connexa, a leading designer, builder and operator of New Zealand’s most comprehensive mobile tower infrastructure network.
CDPQ is acquiring a 33% stake in Connexa from Ontario Teachers’ as well as Spark New Zealand’s (“Spark”) entire ~17% stake for CAD 745 million (NZ 909 million). Following the conclusion of the transaction, which is subject to New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office approval and other regulatory filings, Connexa will be co-controlled by Ontario Teachers’ and CDPQ, with each investor holding a 50% stake. Completion is anticipated to occur in the first half of 2025.
Connexa was created in October 2022 when Ontario Teachers’ purchased a majority stake in the passive mobile telecom tower assets of Spark. Connexa subsequently acquired the tower assets of another local mobile network operator, giving it more than 2,400 towers in New Zealand. Under Ontario Teachers’ ownership, the business has grown to over 75 staff, delivered over 80 new sites, adopted innovative engineering solutions and deployed industry-leading digital tools. It has strengthened relationships with all its customers, secured significant new business, and recently acquired Clearspan — to become New Zealand’s largest owner of land under mobile towers.
Jan Brand, Managing Director, Infrastructure, Asia-Pacific at Ontario Teachers’, said: “We are pleased to bring in CDPQ, a likeminded and long-term-oriented investor, as our ownership partner in Connexa. CDPQ’s addition will help unlock additional capital to help us continue to grow the business and maintain its leading position in New Zealand’s mobile tower infrastructure network. We remain committed to Connexa and its strong team and are pleased to see that CDPQ shares our confidence in the business’s long-term prospects.”
Emmanuel Jaclot, Executive Vice President and Head of Infrastructure, at CDPQ said: “We are thrilled to join forces with Ontario Teachers’ to invest in Connexa, a premier mobile network platform with a critical role in facilitating digital connectivity for New Zealanders. This marks CDPQ's inaugural infrastructure investment in the country and our third investment in mobile networks globally during the past five years. Together, we will bring international sector expertise and long-term capital to support Connexa in delivering its growth strategy.”
Bruce Crane, Executive Managing Director and Head of Asia-Pacific at Ontario Teachers' added: "Our focus on core markets such as New Zealand is central to creating long-term value across our portfolio in Asia-Pacific. By strategically managing our assets and seeking partnerships with aligned investors, we aim to drive sustainable growth. This approach allows us to capitalize on opportunities in key sectors like infrastructure, positioning Ontario Teachers' to generate alpha and maximize value for our members.
Rob Berrill, CEO at Connexa, said: “We want to acknowledge Ontario Teachers’ and Spark’s considerable support over the last two years as Connexa was established and rapidly scaled to become New Zealand’s largest mobile tower infrastructure company. We look forward to continuing to work with Ontario Teachers’ and now also CDPQ as we execute our business strategy and enable a more connected digital future for all New Zealand.”
About Ontario Teachers’
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board (Ontario Teachers') is a global investor with net assets of CAD 255.8 billion as at June 30, 2024. We invest in more than 50 countries in a broad array of assets including public and private equities, fixed income, credit, commodities, natural resources, infrastructure, real estate and venture growth to deliver retirement income for 340,000 working members and pensioners.
Our more than 450 investment professionals operate in key financial centres around the world and bring deep expertise in a broad range of sectors and industries. We are a fully funded defined benefit pension plan and have earned an annual total-fund net return of 9.3% since the plan's founding in 1990. At Ontario Teachers', we don't just invest to make a return, we invest to shape a better future for the teachers we serve, the businesses we back, and the world we live in. For more information, visit otpp.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
About CDPQ
At CDPQ, we invest constructively to generate sustainable returns over the long term. As a global investment group managing funds for public pension and insurance plans, we work alongside our partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. We are active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at June 30, 2024, CDPQ’s net assets totalled CAD 452 billion. For more information, visit cdpq.com, consult our LinkedIn or Instagram pages, or follow us on X.
CDPQ is a registered trademark owned by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and licensed for use by its subsidiaries.
About Connexa
Connexa is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest specialist mobile tower infrastructure company, operating a nationwide portfolio of more than 2,400 mobile sites. Connexa has an ambitious committed mobile tower build programme to meet New Zealand’s growing demand for wireless digital connectivity. For more information, visit connexa.co.nz or follow us on LinkedIn.
Go back to read my comment from two years ago when Connexa agreed to a $700m deal to acquire 2degrees’ passive infrastructure.
At the time, Bruce Crane, Senior Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific Infrastructure & Natural Resources at Ontario Teachers’ said:
“This acquisition of high-quality digital infrastructure assets increases Connexa’s scale and capabilities, creating Aotearoa’s leading digital infrastructure platform. As a responsible and long-term investor in the region, we are committed to supporting Connexa as it significantly expands its mobile tower network in the years to come to meet the country’s growing mobile and data demand needs. We are also very pleased to have the opportunity to grow the strong relationship we have established with Spark and welcome 2degrees as a long-term partner for Connexa.We are excited to further grow our infrastructure portfolio in Asia-Pacific and specifically New Zealand which remains a key market for Ontario Teachers’ across multiple asset classes.
Now, with this latest deal, Spark is exiting its mobile tower business completely and once completed, Connexa will be co-owned 50-50 between OTPP and CDPQ.
With more than 2,400 mobile sites, Connexa is playing a critical role to meet New Zealand’s growing demand for wireless digital connectivity.
Having two large global investors as owners allows Connexa to tap into their network across the globe and use their support to grow their business in towers.
The attractiveness of owning mobile tower assets in New Zealand is that it's a developed economy with rule of law, very transparent, low corruption (have to mention this) and these assets and their fees are highly regulated with inflation indexing embedded in their long-term contracts with telecom firms.
In short, these digital infrastructure assets are great to own over the long run and this deal will benefit both OTPP's members and CDPQ's as well.
Given CDPQ is acquiring Spark New Zealand's stake for $314 million, the deal values Connexa at NZ$1.847 billion.
Lastly, in a slowing economy, I personally like these digital infrastructure deals because they provide safe, secure cash flows with an inflation hedge.
You'd be hard pressed to find better assets to match long dated liabilities.
Alright, that's a wrap but before I forget AsianInvestor had a story on Teachers' drive for Asian alpha two weeks ago which you can read here.
India remains a key focus area but given recent developments, I'm sure Teachers' is being extra careful there.
In my humble opinion, you can't compare investing in Australia and New Zealand to investing in India which is fraught with many more risks (but also more opportunities given its explosive growth).
Alright, that's a wrap, crazy day today, I should write a separate blog on trading markets.
Below, as kiwis become increasingly reliant on digital connectivity to live, work and play, Connexa is improving their experience by designing, building and operating New Zealand’s most comprehensive mobile tower infrastructure network to enable telecommunications organizations to deliver the most advanced technologies. All for a more connected Aotearoa.
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