Who we are
Carrying the torch forward
Nordstjernan is a family-controlled, foundation-owned investment house.
Founded in 1890 with headquarters in Stockholm, and an investment company since 1999. Our purpose is to safeguard the longevity of our foundation owners and be a custodian of 130 years of industrial heritage. We do so through the generation of strong risk-adjusted returns over cycles and as active and responsible owners. Our ownership structure avails us permanent, flexible and risk-willing capital, while our history has ensured global entrepeneurship is in our blood.
What we do
Patient and risk-willing capital
In a world of almost infinite capital from institutions and Private Equity, we offer something different to owners, management teams and capital partners.
We invest across a variety of situations, either from our own balance sheet where we look for situations where owners, founders or management teams are looking for a professional active owner with long term and flexible capital, through our portfolio companies or through our investment partnerships covering a variety of asset classes.
Nordstjernan also owns and guards a number of notable important historical properties, including Stureplan 3 which we have called our home for over a hundred years, and Engelsbergs Ironworks – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
By the numbers
We manage +40bn SEK
What we own by ownership type
Private majority 55%
Public largest owner 30%
Public large owner 4%
Credit 11%
What we own by sector
Diversified Industrials 32%
Healthcare 30%
Business Services 23%
Credit 11%
Construction & Real Estate 4%
Our beliefs
Owners with conviction
We believe in the power of people, the sobering insights of data and that history has a tendency to repeat itself. We seek to understand longer term trends and stay fiercely informed but are natural sceptics of “the latest thing”. We believe that life is long and what comes around goes around . That is why we value decency and honesty so highly.
Our deep understanding of what’s happening in the world stems from the broad portfolio of companies we invest in, the strong network we have built over a century and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our people. These strengths, combined with the global outlook of our foundation owners, provide us with the conviction, fresh perspectives and new ideas we need to be the best investors, owners and partners we can be.
Taking our responsibility
We believe in entrepreneurship as a positive force and want to combine profitability with greater public benefit.
As an owner, Nordstjernan takes a long-term view, acts responsibly and maintains a high level of business ethics.
Responsible enterprise and business ethics
In our role as owner, we ensure good governance of our portfolio companies and that we and our portfolio companies always act with high business ethics. We support, protect and respect human freedoms and rights and are committed to a free business life with strong property rights and the right to equal treatment. Responsible enterprise means that we always follow the laws and regulations in the markets we and our portfolio companies operate in. It also means that we as owners, through active Board work, have the task of guiding our portfolio companies in matters concerning the environment, social sustainability and governance, within which they have a major impact or risk.
Climate and resource efficiency
In our role as owner, Nordstjernan has the greatest impact on the climate and nature through our portfolio companies. We are therefore active in supporting our portfolio companies in developing, setting and implementing ambitious climate goals. We drive continuous improvements in our own and our holdings’ operations and businesses to reduce our climate impact. By encouraging resource-efficient activities, the burden on the climate and nature is reduced while being economically profitable.
The individual’s ability and development
We have always emphasized and prioritized the freedom and rights of the individual in society. We work actively to prevent discrimination regardless of gender, nationality or age through a meritocratic evaluation. Our basis is decentralized decision-making with great freedom for individuals, Boards and management and we believe in increased value creation through the individual’s ability to learn and develop.