Financial services provider Unicapital Group (Unicapital) is rallying behind the Philippine equity capital markets. Through private and public fundraising efforts, it has bolstered its commitment to aid regulators and stakeholders in pursuing post-pandemic recovery via stakeholder education and overall private sector support.
Unicapital is the issue manager behind Citicore Energy REIT's Initial Public Offering (IPO)–the largest public offering in 2022 and the first and largest renewable energy REIT IPO in the Philippines to date. It acclaimed the roles of its experts and advisors in the success of several successful public listings at the height of the pandemic.
Held in high regard within the organization, Unicapital's leaders consider its core team of experts as the company's strategic asset behind expert advice and forecasts in navigating several market challenges during COVID.
Unicapital Group president and chief executive Jaime Martirez shared in a statement that its team of committed professionals helped steer the group through significant headwinds as it treaded the economic and market challenges brought about by the pandemic and provided best-in-class guidance and market analysis relevant to the business decisions of their valued clientele.
"We [Unicapital] take pride in the ability of our core team to provide timely and tailor-fit recommendations. Beyond just numbers and figures, the members of the Unicapital Group's team of experts and advisors are very much equipped with a strategic mindset and years of experience, allowing us to craft and deliver innovative and effective solutions for our clients," said Martinez.
The group leads the country's independent financial services space amidst a market dominated by foreign investment banks and bank-affiliated investment houses across three companies: Unicapital, Inc. (UI), Unicapital Finance and Investments, Inc. (UFII), and Unicapital Securities, Inc. (USI).
Unicapital also served as co-underwriter of Alternergy's PhP1.6B public offering last year. Despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic and rising interest rates, Unicapital successfully brought about the listing of Php3.7B Eastwest Bank's bank bonds (2020), Php750M PH Resorts Group Follow-on offer (2020), Php600M PH Resorts Group Top-up placement (2021), Php6.4B Citicore Energy REIT IPO (2022), Php12B Unionbank of the Philippines Stock Rights Offering (2023), Php1.6B Philippine Business Bank Placement and Stock Rights Offering (2023), Php1.6B Alternergy Holdings, Inc. IPO (2023). They supported the Php1.6B Merrymart IPO (2020) and Php14.7B DDMP REIT IPO (2021) at the height of the pandemic.
During the first seven months of this year, the company also played important roles in the Php10B Unionbank of the Philippines Stock Rights Offering and the Php6B Double Dragon Corporation First Tranche Bonds.
Picking Up Steam
As a leading independent investment house in the country, Unicapital has built its credentials in providing corporate finance and advisory services for Philippine corporations, as well as financing and lending, treasury, and brokerage services. Backed by highly esteemed shareholders with expertise and businesses encompassing several industries besides banking, the company and its leaders understand their role in the bigger landscape.
"For the past 40 years up until today, we continue to uphold our role as a partner in creating a financial ecosystem that is safe, secure, and accessible, even to smaller industry players like SMEs and including individuals. Our successes in issuing and advising IPOs in the recent past amid a global threat and economic challenge, COVID, are manifestations of foresight, expertise, and stability as an investment house. This demonstrates our commitment and support for the growth of the private sector and to encourage and develop investment practices across different sectors," said Martinez.
As a definitive action, Martinez added that the company has been proactive in stakeholder education on stock investing and the capital markets and supports regulators in such efforts. Moreover, the company continues to innovate and be future-proof, prioritizing valuable talents, upskilling, and diversifying product and service offerings to expand its current customer base.
"We are an independent player within the big Philippine financial services ecosystem; our backgrounds as shareholders and leaders vary widely. Banks do not back us; this necessitated and consequently established the group's agile, flexible, and innovative approach to our daily operations and client engagement," said Martinez.
"Our high regard for these traits is our competitive edge–fully constituted within our culture and DNA and manifested through diversity in industry expertise, adaptability in responding to our stakeholders' varied needs, and the continuous pursuit towards forward-thinking strategies for the group and our customers. We look at opportunities and impact–to Unicapital, to our clients and our investors in the long run." Martirez added, emphasizing the group's critical competencies.
Early this year, Unicapital was awarded the Innovative Deal of the Year Philippines by the Asian Banking & Finance, Best Independent Financial Services Provider Philippines for 2024 by the World Economic Magazine, and the Best Financial Advisory Company in the SME Sector for 2024 by the Global Banking & Finance Review. The company is also set to release its' house view on the Philippine economy and capital markets this month and share expert insights on business growth prospects for 2025.
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