* Net asset value 171 pence per share, down 18 percent
* Portfolio valuation down 5 percent in local currency
* Sees no major distributions over next 12-18 months
* Shares down 8 percent
* Permira writes down portfolio by 1 percent
(Adds sharses, detail)
By Simon Meads
LONDON, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Private equity firm SVG Capital Plc said its portfolio value slumped by almost a fifth in the first half, sending shares down more than 11 percent lower despite signs its business was bottoming.
Its exposure to European buyout house Permira -- in which it is the largest investor -- was the main reason, as SVG wrote down investments in recession-hit consumer businesses such as fashion house Valentino Hugo Boss.
Net asset value fell 18 percent to 171 pence a share in the six months to end-June, SVG said on Friday, forcing its shares down 8 percent by 1017 GMT.
"Some of the larger more cyclical businesses have seen a fall in earnings, which coupled with the leverage in their capital structures has resulted in the overall valuation writedowns," Chief Executive Lynn Fordham told reporters in a conference call.
Much of the fall was due to currency effects, SVG said, and the portfolio fell just 5 percent when reported in local currencies, after steep declines last year.
A spokesman for Permira said the buyout house had written down portfolio value by 1 percent over the same period, but declined to comment on individual portfolio companies.
"Given the concentration of the portfolio and uncertain outlook we think the share price has run ahead of itself," said Oriel Securities analyst Iain Scouller in a note.
Shares in SVG have risen around 40 percent in last six weeks and investors should take advantage of the gains, Scouller said, downgrading its rating to Sell from Hold.
A similar rebound in the FTSE 100 since March and stabilising sales have increased expectations of portfolio write-ups at the half-year mark after private equity firms took the knife to valuations last year.
But SVG wrote 35 percent off the value of fashion house Valentino Hugo Boss, 92 percent from Spanish food retailer DinoSol and 62 percent from ceramic tile distributor Marazzi.
Many of Permira's more mature investments have performed well though, Fordham said, and SVG wrote up its investment in budget fashion chain New Look by 75 percent.
PERMIRA TIES
Investments in Permira funds account for 72 percent of SVG's portfolio, a proportion that has fallen as a result of a 64 percent writedown in SVG's net asset value at the end of 2008.
SVG has been seen as a quoted proxy for Permira, but has made efforts to distance itself from the European buyout house since an over-commitment to one of its funds caused it to launch a rights issue to repair its balance sheet.
Permira chairman Damon Buffini resigned from SVG's board in May as part of a broader strategic review, which saw Fordham promoted to Chief Executive from finance director.
Any potential strategic change in SVG's exposure to Permira or increase in commitments to other private equity firms is unlikely to be announced until it starts to see distributions back from company sales, Fordham said.
Despite talk of a re-opening of the IPO market, with a number of Permira firms including frozen food firm Birdseye Iglo and New Look touted as potential candidates for listings, SVG said it did not expect to receive major distributions over the next 12-18 months. (Reporting by Simon Meads; Editing by Dan Lalor and Jon Loades-Carter)