Thin Cats weighs up growth options

Bernard Kellerman
ThinCats Australia, a peer to peer lender to small and medium sized enterprises, said it is "weighing up options to expand" beyond its base of 200 lenders, accounting firms and finance brokers.

The company said yesterday that it was "in discussions with a range of credit unions, private equity funds and accounting firms, who wish to enter the growing peer to peer lending sector through a strategic alliance with the company."

Launched in December 2014, ThinCats Australia is a 25 per cent owned offshoot of ThinCats UK, which has completed loans worth £115 million.

ThinCats Australia has made its initial series of loans at interest rates ranging from 11.5 per cent to 14 per cent with monthly principal and interest repayments. Loans have been made to a diverse range of businesses, including a stone importer for the building industry, a commercial solar energy systems supplier and an industrial and commercial auctioneer.

"These rates reflect the strength and experience of the borrowers concerned," ThinCats said.

The expansion, if it goes ahead will most likely be through a private placement, a direct trade investment in the group an IPO, or a combination of these.