In 2024, the NOVA Group of Companies (NOVA) (Nova Poshta) doubled its investments to UAH 8.5 billion compared to 2021, said NOVA CFO Petro Fokov.
“NOVA Group’s investments this year (2024 – IF-U) amount to UAH 8.5 billion. This is twice as much as the amount of investments in 2021,” he said at the Ukrainian CFO Forum on Thursday.
According to the CFO, the group is investing in areas that provide an opportunity to increase the speed, ease and reliability of delivery.
Fokov identified four main components of the NOVA Group’s investment program: the development of a network of branches and post offices in Ukraine, including the opening of new ones, repair and upgrading of existing ones, and the construction of shelters and safety capsules, in particular in branches located in the frontline areas.
Another component is investments in the automation of sorting centers.
“In particular, these are new services, including fulfillment – logistics outsourcing, whereby an online store transfers goods for storage and order picking to a logistics operator,” said the NOVA Group CFO, adding that the service can significantly speed up the delivery of shipments to customers.
An important component of NOVA’s investments is energy independence. The group invests in solar panels and gas cogeneration to produce electricity for its own needs.
Mr. Fokov also emphasized investments in the international business: NOVA Group operates in 15 countries. “Even this year, our first foreign country has turned a profit, although most of them have not yet – they are still approaching the break-even point,” Fokov said.
In addition, NOVA allocated UAH 1.5 billion to help the Armed Forces.
The chief financial officer named the group’s own and borrowed funds as the main sources of investment financing. In particular, this is a UAH 3 billion loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which was received in 2024.
“This year we signed an agreement for UAH 3 billion with the EBRD. We received the first loan six years ago for a minimum amount of UAH 180 million. We built the facility and repaid the loan on time, and now we have a strong (credit – IF-U) history worth UAH 3 billion,” Fokov stated, adding that the EBRD lends to NOVA Group in hryvnia.
The group also attracts loans from commercial banks, working with 10 leading Ukrainian banks and following a strategy of unifying bank covenants.
“As I said, we have 10 partner banks and each of them has its own requirements that are important to fulfill. And it is quite difficult when you have 10 different covenant systems and need to ensure 100% compliance. Our strategy is to fully unify the covenants of all our business partners… We have taken the most developed system of financial covenants of the EBRD as a basis and offer our partner banks with which we start cooperation to join this system or choose requirements from this menu. So far, we have succeeded… I advise all CFOs to try to implement such a policy,” Fokov said.
According to him, the banks’ consent depends on the size and reputation of the company.
“If you have a strong reputation, it’s easier to do, because you have a certain negotiating power. Or it can be done when you have a partner like the EBRD or other international financial institutions,” said the NOVA CFO.
The third component of NOVA’s investment program financing is hryvnia bonds issued by the group, Fokov said. According to him, by issuing bonds in January 2023, the group became the first to resume raising funds through this type of debt financing after the full-scale invasion.
