March 2023 - Page 5 of 14

Blockchain Decentralized Organizations are Quietly Growing Behind the Scenes

Posted on March 21, 2023March 21, 2023 by phoffman@channelchek.com

The Evolution of Blockchain Includes the Less Heralded DAO

Less talked about creations that can only exist with blockchain technology are Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO). This is an organization that operates autonomously on a blockchain network, using smart contracts to execute its functions. While a famous Ether hack gave DAO’s a figurative black-eye a few years back, the defi organizations exists and new purposes, and with that new challenges as well.

What is a DAO?

A Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) is a type of organization that is run by smart contracts on a blockchain network rather than a centralized authority. In a DAO, the rules and regulations are encoded in computer code, which is executed automatically by the blockchain network. This means that decisions are made through a decentralized voting process rather than being controlled by a central authority.

DAOs are not controlled by any single entity or individual but rather by a distributed network of users. The DAO will self-execute on rules and directives encoded in the blockchain. All of these decisions and transactions made within a DAO are recorded on a public blockchain, this is designed to make them transparent and auditable.

DAOs can be used for a wide range of applications, including governance, finance, and decentralized applications (DApps). They offer a way for communities to come together and govern themselves in a decentralized and transparent way, without the need for a centralized authority.

The Purpose of a DAO

The purpose of a DAO is to provide a trusted method of organizing and managing a group of people, without the need for a centralized authority. DAOs are designed to be self-governing, transparent, and autonomous. They enable members to collaborate on a common goal, make decisions through a democratic process, and manage resources in a decentralized way. DAOs are often used for fundraising, investing, and community-driven projects.

Examples of DAOs

One of the most well-known examples of a DAO is The DAO, which was launched in 2016. The DAO was a decentralized investment fund that raised $150 million in Ether (the cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network). Unfortunately, The DAO was hacked shortly after its launch, leading to the loss of millions of dollars. This event highlighted the potential risks associated with DAOs and the need for proper security measures.

A more successful example of a DAO is MakerDAO, which is a decentralized lending platform that uses a stablecoin called DAI. MakerDAO enables users to borrow and lend cryptocurrency without the need for a centralized authority. It operates autonomously through a set of smart contracts that are stored on the Ethereum blockchain network.

Who Uses DAOs?

DAOs are typically used by communities, organizations, and individuals such as Decentralized Finance (DeFi). The Defi projects use DAOs to govern the platform and make decisions about its future path and development.

Some gaming communities have used DAOs to manage in-game assets and govern the community. Social media outlets have chosen decentralization and implement a DAO social media platforms use govern the platform and make decisions about content moderation and platform development.

Are DAOs Legal and Safe?

Regarding the safety and legality of DAOs, they can be safe and legal if designed and implemented correctly. However, like any technology, there are risks associated with DAOs, including the potential for hacking and exploitation of smart contracts.

The legality of DAOs depends on the jurisdiction and the specific nature of the DAO. In some countries, there may be regulatory frameworks that apply to DAOs, while in others they may not be explicitly recognized. In general, the local law applies to the DAO. Those that engage in illegal activities or violate securities laws can be subject to legal action. Regulations specifically applicable to this new technological format are subject to revision.

Take Away

Blockchain technology has grown and evolved since the creation of the first DAO, simply called, The DAO, in 2016. The development of new blockchain platforms and smart contract languages has made it easier to create and operate DAOs, and there are now many different types of DAOs being developed for various use cases. The security of blockchain technology has also improved and expanded adoption and adaptation to different groups will rely on the trust of the technology to shield itself from outside harm.

Paul Hoffman

Managing Editor, Channelchek

Sources

https://blockworks.co/news/reevaluating-crypto-journalism-funding

https://www.investopedia.com/tech/what-dao/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-16/a-trip-down-the-crypto-rabbit-hole-in-search-of-the-dao-hacker#xj4y7vzkg

Michael Burry’s Chart Tweet is Worth Understanding

Posted on March 21, 2023March 22, 2023 by phoffman@channelchek.com

To Show Banks at Risk, Michael Burry’s Picture Equals 1000 Words

Michael Burry has a well-deserved reputation for foreseeing approaching crises and positioning his hedge funds to benefit client investors. While he’s most famous for his unique windfall leading to and after the mortgage crisis of 2008-2009, the current banking debacle has him tweeting thoughts most days. His most recent bank-related tweet is worth sharing and, for most investors, needs some explaining.

Recently Burry posted a chart of some large banks and their insured deposit base relative to their Tier 1 capital.

Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (CET1)

To best understand this chart it helps to be aware that for U.S. banks, the definition of Tier 1 capital is set by regulators. It’s an apples to apples measure of a banks’ financial strength and easily used to compare bank peers. Overall it is the bank’s core capital, and helps to understand how well the banks financial infrastructure can absorb losses. It includes equity and retained earnings, as well as certain other qualifying financial instruments.

Unrealized Bank Losses

The sub-prime banking crisis of 2008 is different than what banks are struggling with now. The problem then was created by lax lending practices, including liar loans, floating rate mortgages with teaser rates, significant house flipping using these introductory (teaser) first year rates, and repackaging and selling the debt – often to other banks.

The current issue facing banks today is the prolonged period of rates being held down by monetary policy. Low rates makes for easy money and economic growth, but there is eventually a cost. The cost is overstimulus and inflation, then what is needed to fight inflation, in other words, higher rates.

Higher rates hurt banks in a number of ways. The most calculable is the value of their asssets, including publicly traded fixed rate obligations (Treasuries, MBS, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, other bank marketable CDs) all decline in worth when rates rise. The other way banks get hurt is that loans extend out when rates rise by a significant amount. As a bank customer, this is easy to understand, if you took out a 30-year mortgage two years ago, your rate is between 2.75%-3.50%. If mortgage rates move, as they did to 7%, the prepayment speeds on the loans extend out farther. That is to say fewer borrowers are going to add more to their principal payment each month, and those that may have bought another residence by selling the first and paying the loan off, are staying put. The banks had assigned a historic expected prepayment speed to each loan that represents their region, and the low rate loans are now going to take much longer to repay.

FDIC Insurance

Michael Burry (on assets as described above) used his Bloomberg to chart large bank unrealized losses to the potential for depositors to remove their uninsured deposits. Currently the FDIC is only obligated to insure bank deposits up to $250,000. Customers with deposits in excess of this amount (depending on how registered) leave their excess money at a single bank at their own risk.

It would seem logical for large customers and small, in this environment to check their own risk and bring it to zero.

The Wisdom of the Chart

The further up and to the right banks are on the chart, the more at risk the bank can be considered. This is because uninsured deposits equal more than 60% of liabilities, so prudent customers would move someplace where they are better protected.

However, if depositors do move money out of the banks listed here, the bank would have to either find new deposits, or stand to lose 30% or more by selling assets that are underwater because of rising rates. The banks are currently not easily able to go out into the market and attract money. Partially because we are now in a climate where even basic T-Bill levels would be high for a bank to pay, but also because there is less money supply (M2) in the system.

Take Away

Michael Burry is a worth paying attention to. His communication is often through Twitter, and his tweets are often cryptic without context. His most recent set of tweets, including one commenting on the chart outlines what is happening with a number of banks that find themselves in the unenviable position of ignoring the Fed’s forward guidance on rates and very public inflation data.

Sign-up for free stories daily from Channelchek, along with research and a full calendar of investor events. Sign up here.

Paul Hoffman

Managing Editor, Channelchek

Sources

Cassandra B.C. on Twitter

Channelchek Takeaway Series – PDAC Minerals Exploration & Mining Convention

Posted on March 21, 2023March 28, 2023 by cpatches

Takeaways from PDAC Minerals and Mining Convention

Replays Now Available on Channelchek!

This annual event in Toronto, Canada is known for attracting up to 30,000 attendees from over 130+ countries for its educational programming, networking events, and outstanding business opportunities. Since it began in 1932, the PDAC Convention has grown in size, stature and influence. Today, it is the event of choice for the world’s mineral industry hosting more than 1,100 exhibitors and 2,500 investors.

The Noble team attended meetings, networking events and interviewed c-suite executives. We captured it all on video and featured their collective takeaway exclusively on Channelchek. The next best thing to being there. And at no cost. Replays coming to Channelchek March 28, exclusively for registered members.

Replays are available exclusively to Channelchek members. It’s totally free to join the community, just click the join button at the top of the page.

Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM)

IR Jean-Maire Clouet

Watch the Replay

Release – Aurania Announces Participation In The Channelchek Takeaway Series

Posted on March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on AUIAF

Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – March 20, 2023) – Aurania Resources Ltd. (TSXV: ARU) (OTCQB: AUIAF) (FSE: 20Q) (“Aurania” or the “Company”) announces its participation in the Channelchek Takeaway Series from the PDAC 2023 Convention, to be broadcast Tuesday, March 21^st starting at 9:45 am ET. Dr. Keith Barron, President & Chief Executive Officer of Aurania, provides a corporate overview, then takes questions from Mark Reichman, Noble Capital Markets’ senior equity analyst.

Mark Reichman attended the PDAC conference and sat down with various c-suite executives. For the Channelchek Takeaway Series, Mark is unpacking what he learned at the conference and talking to a selection of c-suite executives in the mineral exploration & mining space.

Virtual Event and Registration Details
Aurania’s broadcast will start at 11:00 am ET on Tuesday, March 21^st. Investors can virtually attend the Channelchek Takeaway Series at no cost. Registration details are available on Channelchek.

The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is the leading voice of the mineral exploration and development community. Representing over 6,000 members around the world, PDAC’s work centers on supporting a competitive, responsible, and sustainable mineral sector.

About Noble Capital Markets
Noble Capital Markets, Inc. was incorporated in 1984 as a full-service SEC / FINRA registered broker-dealer, dedicated exclusively to serving underfollowed small / microcap companies through investment banking, wealth management, trading & execution, and equity research activities. Over the past 37 years, Noble has raised billions of dollars for these companies and published more than 45,000 equity research reports. www.noblecapitalmarkets.com email: contact@noblecapitalmarkets.com

About Channelchek
Channelchek (.com) is a comprehensive investor-centric portal – featuring more than 6,000 emerging growth companies – that provides advanced market data, independent research, balanced news, video webcasts, exclusive c-suite interviews, and access to virtual road shows. The site is available to the public at every level without cost or obligation. Research on Channelchek is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., an SEC / FINRA registered broker-dealer since 1984. www.channelchek.com email: contact@channelchek.com

About Aurania
Aurania is a mineral exploration company engaged in the identification, evaluation, acquisition and exploration of mineral property interests, with a focus on precious metals and copper in South America. Its flagship asset, The Lost Cities – Cutucu Project, is located in the Jurassic Metallogenic Belt in the eastern foothills of the Andes mountain range of southeastern Ecuador.

Information on Aurania and technical reports are available at www.aurania.com and www.sedar.com, as well as on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/auranialtd/, Twitter at https://twitter.com/auranialtd, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/aurania-resources-ltd-.

For further information, please contact:

Carolyn Muir
VP Corporate Development & Investor Relations
Aurania Resources Ltd.
(416) 367-3200
carolyn.muir@aurania.com

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Release – Entravision Announces New Credit Facility

Posted on March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on EVC

03/20/2023

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Entravision (NYSE: EVC), a leading global advertising solutions, media and technology company, today announced that on March 17, 2023 the Company entered into a new $275 million credit facility, consisting of a $200 million term loan A and a $75 million revolving credit facility. Led by Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and J.P. Morgan Chase, the new credit facility replaces the Company’s existing credit facility entered into on November 30, 2017.

“The closing of this facility in this volatile financial market is a testament to the continued financial strength of our Company,” said Chris Young, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Entravision. “Our new facility extends the maturity of Entravision’s outstanding debt, while at the same time increases the flexibility of our strong balance sheet. We remain well-capitalized as we continue to execute on our long-term strategic plan and show leadership in the global digital media industry.”

Entravision anticipates it will use the proceeds from the new credit facility to fund its working capital needs, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes. Additional details on the new credit facility are outlined in the company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Entravision

Entravision is a leading global advertising solutions, media and technology company connecting brands to consumers by representing top platforms and publishers. Our dynamic portfolio includes digital, television and audio offerings. Digital, our largest revenue segment, comprises four business units: our digital sales representation business; Smadex, our programmatic ad purchasing platform; our branding and mobile performance solutions business; and our digital audio business. Through our digital sales representation business, we connect global media companies such as Meta, Twitter, TikTok and Spotify with advertisers in primarily emerging growth markets worldwide. Smadex is our mobile-first demand side platform, enabling advertisers to execute performance campaigns using machine learning. We also offer a branding and mobile performance solutions business, which provides managed services to advertisers looking to connect with global consumers, primarily on mobile devices, and our digital audio business provides digital audio advertising solutions for advertisers in the Americas. In addition to digital, Entravision has 49 television stations and is the largest affiliate group of the Univision and UniMás television networks. Entravision also manages 45 primarily Spanish-language radio stations that feature nationally recognized, Emmy award-winning talent. Shares of Entravision Class A Common Stock trade on the NYSE under ticker: EVC. Learn more about our offerings at entravision.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which are included in accordance with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results and performance in future periods to be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this press release. Although the company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from these expectations, and the company disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements made by the company. From time to time, these risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Entravision

Investors:
Christopher T. Young
Interim Chief Executive Officer / Chief Financial Officer
310-447-3870

Kimberly Esterkin
Addo Investor Relations
evc@addo.com
310-829-5400

Source: Entravision

Release – Direct Digital Holdings Expands Executive Team

Posted on March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on DRCT

March 20, 2023 9:00am EDT

Global Marketing Expert Calvin Scharff of Pixalate Joins as Group’s Vice President of Marketing

Information Systems Specialist Michael Ivancic, formerly of EMX, Named Head of Product

HOUSTON, March 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: DRCT) (“Direct Digital Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading advertising and marketing technology platform operating through its companies Colossus Media, LLC (“Colossus SSP”), Huddled Masses LLC (“Huddled Masses”) and Orange142, LLC (“Orange142”), today announced that two digital media executives will be joining the Company in key roles. Calvin Scharff, who most recently served as Vice President of Global Marketing at Pixalate, is joining as the Company’s first Vice President of Marketing. In tandem, Michael Ivancic, who was previously Product Director of the Exchange at EMX by Big Village, is coming on board in a newly created position, as Direct Digital Holdings’ Head of Product.

“As Direct Digital Holdings and our operating companies continue on a growth trajectory, it is critical to attract top talent into the fold to drive our business further ahead,” said Mark D. Walker, CEO and Co-Founder of Direct Digital Holdings.

While at Pixalate, Calvin Scharff led the release of an industry-first Publisher Trust Index indexing 80 million+ websites, 8 million+ mobile apps, and 60,000+ CTV apps, driving trust and openness to the programmatic ecosystem. He was also responsible for building closed-loop marketing systems that relied on data and insights to successfully improve ROI. Before that, he was Vice President of Product Marketing at OpenX.

In his new post, Scharff will be overseeing the development and implementation of digital marketing and digital lead generation strategies in support of the corporate and business development objectives of Direct Digital Holdings and its subsidiaries. He will be reporting to the Company’s Chief Growth Officer, Maria Vilchez Lowrey.

“With Direct Digital Holdings serving both the buy- and sell-sides of the programmatic ecosystem, our marketing needs to address a multitude of stakeholders,” said Vilchez Lowrey. “Calvin’s track record in leading successful marketing efforts across the digital media landscape will be invaluable as we maximize multichannel marketing efforts to drive customer acquisition and retention.”

At EMX by Big Village, Michael Ivancic owned and developed the product roadmap and strategy for the advertising exchange, programmatic integrations (both supply- and demand-side), Prebid header-bidding adapter, identity solutions, first-party and third-party targeting and internal tooling. Prior, he served as Engineering Manager at Synacor, Inc. and earlier in his career, he held product and development positions at Adiant and Seevast, Inc.

As Head of Product at Direct Digital Holdings, Ivancic will be responsible for creating and implementing product strategy for buy-side and supply-side initiatives. He will report to Anu Pillai, Chief Technology Officer for the Company.

“Michael has a strong background in overseeing a management portfolio of products and a deep understanding of the evolving role that data and audience play in the programmatic market,” said Pillai. “He is going to be a tremendous asset as we drive productization within our various companies to successfully meet the needs of both the buy- and sell-side.”

About Direct Digital Holdings
Direct Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: DRCT), owner of operating companies Colossus SSP, Huddled Masses and Orange 142, brings state-of-the-art sell- and buy-side advertising platforms together under one umbrella company. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell-side platform, Colossus SSP, offers advertisers of all sizes extensive reach within general market and multicultural media properties. The company’s subsidiaries Huddled Masses and Orange142 deliver significant ROI for middle market advertisers by providing data-optimized programmatic solutions at scale for businesses in sectors that range from energy to healthcare to travel to financial services. Direct Digital Holdings’ sell- and buy-side solutions manage approximately 90,000 clients monthly, generating over 100 billion impressions per month across display, CTV, in-app, and other media channels. Direct Digital Holdings is the ninth Black-owned company to go public in the U.S and was named a top minority-owned business by The Houston Business Journal.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and which are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties.

As used below, “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Direct Digital Holdings. We use words such as “could,” “would,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “expect,” “likely,” “believe,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project” and other similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements, but not all forward-looking statements include these words. All statements contained in this release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements.

All of our forward-looking statements involve estimates and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our industry experience and our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, many factors could affect our actual operating and financial performance and cause our performance to differ materially from the performance expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: our dependence on the overall demand for advertising, which could be influenced by economic downturns; any slow-down or unanticipated development in the market for programmatic advertising campaigns; the effects of health epidemics, such as the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic; operational and performance issues with our platform, whether real or perceived, including a failure to respond to technological changes or to upgrade our technology systems; any significant inadvertent disclosure or breach of confidential and/or personal information we hold, or of the security of our or our customers’, suppliers’ or other partners’ computer systems; any unavailability or non-performance of the non-proprietary technology, software, products and services that we use; unfavorable publicity and negative public perception about our industry, particularly concerns regarding data privacy and security relating to our industry’s technology and practices, and any perceived failure to comply with laws and industry self-regulation; restrictions on the use of third-party “cookies,” mobile device IDs or other tracking technologies, which could diminish our platform’s effectiveness; any inability to compete in our intensely competitive market; any significant fluctuations caused by our high customer concentration; any violation of legal and regulatory requirements or any misconduct by our employees, subcontractors, agents or business partners; any strain on our resources, diversion of our management’s attention or impact on our ability to attract and retain qualified board members as a result of being a public company; our dependence, as a holding company, of receiving distributions from Direct Digital Holdings, LLC to pay our taxes, expenses and dividends; and other factors and assumptions discussed in the “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations” and other sections of our filings with the SEC that we make from time to time. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should any of these assumptions prove to be incorrect, our actual operating and financial performance may vary in material respects from the performance projected in these forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained in this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances, and we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/direct-digital-holdings-expands-executive-team-301775541.html

SOURCE Direct Digital Holdings

Released March 20, 2023

Release – Comstock Participates in Channelchek’s Takeaway Series

Posted on March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 by aweinsoff@channelchek.com

Research News and Market Data on LODE

VIRGINIA CITY, NEV., MARCH 20, 2023 – Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) (“Comstock” or the “Company”), today announced their participation in the Channelchek Takeaway Series from the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) 2023 Mining Convention. The Series will be broadcast on Tuesday, March 21, starting at 9:45 EDT.

Corrado De Gasperis, Comstock’s Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer provides an overview of Comstock’s vast mineral holdings, existing gold and silver resources and mineral exploration and discovery plans, including space-based hyperspectral imaging and AI-enabled high precision mineral discovery analytics, and then participates in a question-and-answer session with Mark Reichman.

PDAC is the leading voice of the mineral exploration and development community. Representing over 6,000 members around the world, PDAC’s work centers on supporting a competitive, responsible, and sustainable mineral sector. Mark Reichman, Noble Capital Markets’ senior equity analyst attended the conference and sat down with various c-suite executives. For the Channelchek Takeaway Series, Mark is unpacking what he learned at the conference and talking to a selection of c-suite executives in the mineral exploration & mining space.

The event will be broadcast starting at 9:45 am EDT on Tuesday, March 21. Investors can virtually attend the Channelchek Takeaway Series at no cost. Registration details are available on Channelchek.

About Comstock

Comstock (NYSE: LODE) commercializes innovative technologies that contribute to global decarbonization by efficiently converting under-utilized natural resources, primarily, woody biomass into net zero renewable fuels, end of life metal extraction, and generative AI-enabled advanced materials synthesis and mineral discovery. 

About Noble Capital Markets

Noble Capital Markets, Inc. was incorporated in 1984 as a full-service SEC / FINRA registered broker-dealer, dedicated exclusively to serving underfollowed small / microcap companies through investment banking, wealth management, trading & execution, and equity research activities. Over the past 37 years, Noble has raised billions of dollars for these companies and published more than 45,000 equity research reports. www.noblecapitalmarkets.com email: contact@noblecapitalmarkets.com

About Channelchek

Channelchek (.com) is a comprehensive investor-centric portal – featuring more than 6,000 emerging growth companies – that provides advanced market data, independent research, balanced news, video webcasts, exclusive c-suite interviews, and access to virtual road shows. The site is available to the public at every level without cost or obligation. Research on Channelchek is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., an SEC / FINRA registered broker-dealer since 1984. . www.channelchek.com email: contact@channelchek.com

Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release and any related calls or discussions may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “should,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of doing so. Forward-looking statements include statements about matters such as: future industry market conditions; future explorations or acquisitions; future changes in our exploration activities; future prices and sales of, and demand for, our products; land entitlements and uses; permits; production capacity and operations; operating and overhead costs; future capital expenditures and their impact on us; operational and management changes (including changes in the Board of Directors); changes in business strategies, planning and tactics; future employment and contributions of personnel, including consultants; future land sales; investments, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, business combinations, operational, tax, financial and restructuring initiatives, including the nature, timing and accounting for restructuring charges, derivative assets and liabilities and the impact thereof; contingencies; litigation, administrative or arbitration proceedings; environmental compliance and changes in the regulatory environment; offerings, limitations on sales or offering of equity or debt securities, including asset sales and associated costs; and future working capital, costs, revenues, business opportunities, debt levels, cash flows, margins, taxes, earnings and growth. These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by our management considering their experience and their perception of historical and current trends, current conditions, possible future developments, and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees, representations or warranties and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are unforeseeable and beyond our control and could cause actual results, developments, and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Some of those risks and uncertainties include the risk factors set forth in our filings with the SEC and the following: adverse effects of climate changes or natural disasters; adverse effects of global or regional pandemic disease spread or other crises; global economic and capital market uncertainties; the speculative nature of gold or mineral exploration, and lithium, nickel and cobalt recycling, including risks of diminishing quantities or grades of qualified resources; metal recycling, processing or mining activities; costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with precious metal based activities, including environmentally friendly and economically enhancing clean mining and processing technologies, precious metal exploration, resource development, economic feasibility assessment and cash generating mineral production; costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with metal recycling, processing or mining activities; contests over our title to properties; potential dilution to our stockholders from our stock issuances, recapitalization and balance sheet restructuring activities; potential inability to comply with applicable government regulations or law; adoption of or changes in legislation or regulations adversely affecting our businesses; permitting constraints or delays; ability to achieve the benefits of business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, us, including those involving battery technology, quantum computing and advanced materials development, and development of cellulosic technology in bio-fuels and related carbon-based material production; ability to successfully identify, finance, complete and integrate acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, business combinations, asset sales, and investments that we may be party to in the future; changes in the United States or other monetary or fiscal policies or regulations; interruptions in our production capabilities due to capital constraints; equipment failures; fluctuation of prices for gold or certain other commodities (such as silver, zinc, lithium, nickel, cobalt, cyanide, water, diesel, gasoline and alternative fuels and electricity); changes in generally accepted accounting principles; adverse effects of war, mass shooting, terrorism and geopolitical events; potential inability to implement our business strategies; potential inability to grow revenues; potential inability to attract and retain key personnel; interruptions in delivery of critical supplies, equipment and raw materials due to credit or other limitations imposed by vendors; assertion of claims, lawsuits and proceedings against us; potential inability to satisfy debt and lease obligations; potential inability to maintain an effective system of internal controls over financial reporting; potential inability or failure to timely file periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission; potential inability to list our securities on any securities exchange or market or maintain the listing of our securities; and work stoppages or other labor difficulties. Occurrence of such events or circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, or the market price of our securities. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements by or attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Except as may be required by securities or other law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Neither this press release nor any related calls or discussions constitutes an offer to sell, the solicitation of an offer to buy or a recommendation with respect to any securities of the Company, the fund, or any other issuer.

*Contact information:*
Comstock Inc. P.O. Box 1118 Virginia City, NV 89440 www.comstock.inc	Corrado De Gasperis Executive Chairman & CEO Tel (775) 847-4755 degasperis@comstockinc.com	Zach Spencer Director of External Relations Tel (775) 847-5272 Ext.151 questions@comstockinc.com

Orion Group Holdings (ORN) – 4Q Post Call Commentary

Posted on March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 by cpatches

Monday, March 20, 2023

Joe Gomes, Managing Director – Generalist Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

A New Strategic Plan. After being at the Company for six months, CEO Travis Boone and CFO Scott Thanisch released a strategic plan designed to unlock Orion’s full potential for long-term, sustainable growth. While ambitious, we believe the ingredients are in place for a successful outcome.

End Markets Remain Positive. The Marine sector and the Concrete segment both continue to enjoy positive tailwinds. Government money continues to pour into the Marine space, although the associated agencies need to actual award contracts, while population growth in Texas is driving demand for concrete services.

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This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.

Comstock Inc. (LODE) – Advancing to Commercialization

Posted on March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 by cpatches

Monday, March 20, 2023

Comstock (NYSE: LODE) innovates technologies that contribute to global decarbonization and circularity by efficiently converting under-utilized natural resources into renewable fuels and electrification products that contribute to balancing global uses and emissions of carbon. The Company intends to achieve exponential growth and extraordinary financial, natural, and social gains by building, owning, and operating a fleet of advanced carbon neutral extraction and refining facilities, by selling an array of complimentary process solutions and related services, and by licensing selected technologies to qualified strategic partners. To learn more, please visit www.comstock.inc.

Mark Reichman, Senior Research Analyst, Natural Resources, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

A look back at 2022. Last year was a productive year for Comstock. Most importantly, Comstock’s Cellulosic Fuels business commenced production and shipping of bio-intermediate product samples to prospective customers and is advancing licensing agreement discussions with multiple renewable fuel producers. Comstock expanded the leadership of its metals recycling business and received a conditional use permit to operate a universal waste storage facility. Within its mining segment, the company reconsolidated its properties which host measured and indicated resources containing 605,000 and 5,880,000 ounces of gold and silver, respectively, and inferred resources containing 297,000 ounces of gold and 2,572,000 ounces of silver.

Goals for 2023. Executing one or more license agreements associated with its biorefining technologies and commencing development of commercial scale projects remains the most significant revenue opportunity in 2023. Within its mining segment, Comstock expects to publish preliminary economic assessments for the Lucerne and Dayton resource areas. Within its lithium-ion battery recycling segment, the company expects to advance the technology readiness for broader material recycling, including photovoltaics.

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This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

1·800·Flowers.com, Inc. (FLWS) – Focused on Innovation and Acquisitions

Posted on March 20, 2023February 6, 2024 by cpatches

Monday, March 20, 2023

For more than 45 years, 1-800-Flowers.com has offered truly original floral arrangements, plants and unique gifts to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, everyday occasions, and seasonal holidays, and to deliver comfort during times of grief. Backed by a caring team obsessed with service, 1-800-Flowers.com provides customers thoughtful ways to express themselves and connect with the most important people in their lives. 1-800-Flowers.com is part of the 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. family of brands. Shares in 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, ticker symbol: FLWS.

Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Jacob Mutchler, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.

Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.

Highlights from recent NDR. This report highlights investor meetings hosted in Southern Florida last week by Chris McCann, CEO; Tom Hartnett, President; Bill Shea, CFO; and Andy Milevoj, Sr. VP Investor Relations.

On the hunt for acquisitions. The company has made successful acquisitions during uncertain economic times, such as the acquisition of Harry & David in 2014, a year of sluggish economic growth. Management indicated that acquisitions is the best use of cash at this time, which may position the company for enhanced revenue and cash flow growth. Notably, the company indicated that it has always acquired for cash.

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This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).

The Central Banks High Wire Act

Posted on March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 by phoffman@channelchek.com

Worst Bank Turmoil Since 2008 – Fed is Damned if it Does and Damned if it Doesn’t in Decision Over Interest Rates

The Federal Reserve faces a pivotal decision on March 22, 2023: whether to continue its aggressive fight against inflation or put it on hold.

Making another big interest rate hike would risk exacerbating the global banking turmoil sparked by Silicon Valley Bank’s failure on March 10. Raising rates too little, or not at all as some are calling for, could not only lead to a resurgence in inflation, but it could cause investors to worry that the Fed believes the situation is even worse than they thought – resulting in more panic.

This article was republished with permission from The Conversation, a news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It represents the research-based findings and thoughts of, Alexander Kurov, Professor of Finance and Fred T. Tattersall Research Chair in Finance, West Virginia University.

What’s a Central Banker to Do?

As a finance scholar, I have studied the close link between Fed policy and financial markets. Let me just say I would not want to be a Fed policymaker right now.

Break It, You Bought It

When the Fed starts hiking rates, it typically keeps at it until something breaks.

The U.S. central bank began its rate-hiking campaign early last year as inflation began to surge. After initially mistakenly calling inflation “transitory,” the Fed kicked into high gear and raised rates eight times from just 0.25% in early 2022 to 4.75% in February 2023. This is the fastest pace of rate increases since the early 1980s – and the Fed is not done yet.

Consumer prices were up 6% in February from a year earlier. While that’s down from a peak annual rate of 9% in June 2022, it’s still significantly above the Fed’s 2% inflation target.

But then something broke. Seemingly out of nowhere, Silicon Valley Bank, followed by Signature Bank, collapsed virtually overnight. They had over US$300 billion in assets between them and became the second- and third-largest banks to fail in U.S. history.

Panic quickly spread to other regional lenders, such as First Republic, and upset markets globally, raising the prospect of even bigger and more widespread bank failures. Even a $30 billion rescue of First Republic by its much larger peers, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, failed to stem the growing unease.

If the Fed lifts interest rates more than markets expect – currently a 0.25 percentage point increase – it could prompt further anxiety. My research shows that interest rate changes have a much bigger effect on the stock market in bear markets – when there’s a prolonged decline in stock prices, as the U.S. is experiencing now – than in good times.

Making the SVB Problem Worse

What’s more, the Fed could make the problem that led to Silicon Valley Bank’s troubles even worse for other banks. That’s because the Fed is at least indirectly responsible for what happened.

Banks finance themselves mainly by taking in deposits. They then use those essentially short-term deposits to lend or make investments for longer terms at higher rates. But investing short-term deposits in longer-term securities – even ultra-safe U.S. Treasurys – creates what is known as interest rate risk.

That is, when interest rates go up, as they did throughout 2022, the values of existing bonds drop. SVB was forced to sell $21 billion worth of securities that lost value because of the Fed’s rate hikes at a loss of $1.8 billion, sparking its crisis. When SVB’s depositors got the wind of it and tried to withdraw $42 billion on March 9 alone – a classic bank run – it was over. The bank simply couldn’t meet the demands.

But the entire banking sector is sitting on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of unrealized losses – $620 billion as of Dec. 31, 2022. And if rates continue to go up, the value of these bonds will keep going down, which fundamentally weakens banks’ financial situation.

*The Fed has been aggressively raising rates to stem the rapid increase in prices for items such as food.*

Risks of Slowing Down

While that may suggest it’s a no-brainer to put the rate hikes on hold, it’s not so simple.

Inflation has been a major problem plaguing the U.S. economy since 2021 as prices for homes, cars, food, energy and so much else jump for consumers. The last time consumer prices soared this much, in the early 1980s, the Fed had to raise rates so high that it sent the U.S. economy into recession – twice.

High inflation quickly cuts into how much stuff your money can buy. It also makes saving money more difficult because it eats at the value of your savings. When high inflation sticks around for a long time, it gets entrenched in expectations, making it very hard to control.

This is why the Fed jacked up rates so fast. And it’s unlikely it’s done enough to bring rates down to its 2% target, so a pause in lifting rates would mean inflation may stay higher for longer.

Moreover, stepping back from its one-year-old inflation campaign may send the wrong signal to investors. If central bankers show they are really concerned about a possible banking crisis, the market may think the Fed knows the financial system is in serious trouble and things are more dire than previously thought.

So What’s a Fed to Do

At the very least, the complex global financial system is showing some cracks.

Three U.S. banks collapsed in a matter of days. Credit Suisse, a 166-year-old storied Swiss lender, was teetering on the edge until the government orchestrated a bargain sale to rival USB. A $30 billion rescue of regional U.S. lender First Republic was unable to arrest the drop in its shares. U.S. banks are requesting loans from the Fed like it’s 2008, when the financial system all but collapsed. And liquidity in the Treasury market – basically the blood that keeps financial markets pumping – is drying up.

Before Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse, interest rate futures were putting the odds of an increase in rates – either 0.25 or 0.5 percentage point – on March 22 at 100%. The odds of no increase at all have shot up to as high as 45% on March 15 before falling to 30% early on March 20, with the balance of probability on a 0.25 percentage point hike.

Increasing rates at a moment like this would mean putting more pressure on a structure that’s already under a lot of stress. And if things take a turn for the worse, the Fed would likely have to do a quick U-turn, which would seriously damage the Fed’s credibility and ability to do its job.

Fed officials are right to worry about fighting inflation, but they also don’t want to light the fuse of a financial crisis, which could send the U.S. into a recession. And I doubt it would be a mild one, like the kind economists have been worried the Fed’s inflation fight could cause. Recessions sparked by financial crises tend to be deep and long – putting many millions out of work.

What would normally be a routine Fed meeting is shaping up to be a high-wire balancing act.

Digging into Mining Stocks “Need-to-Knows”

Posted on March 20, 2023March 20, 2023 by phoffman@channelchek.com

Image: 12,000 feet above sea level, the Salar de Uyuni is rich in copper and lithium – Elias Rovielo (Flickr)

A Look at Mining Stocks and Where to Find Opportunity

Look around the room you’re in, with the exception of your cup of coffee and whatever you may be eating; almost everything came out of the ground at some point. This includes the wires you can’t see in the walls, the ring on your finger, and the minerals in the battery of your phone. Demand for these elements isn’t going away. And it’s no secret that the need for many is growing. This includes minerals used for power storage, gold purchased by cautious investors, and uranium which is expected to fuel modern reactors.

From an investor’s standpoint, this provides opportunity. But the mining sector is a bit different than others, especially the smaller, high-potential mining stocks. Stock selection relies on an understanding of the company, its opportunity, and also what minerals it is involved in. The demand for these materials, which make everyday modern life possible, does rise and fall with new inventions and global demand for growth. But, demand is never expected to dry up. In fact, it could be said that with each passing day, there’s an incremental but growing scarcity of natural resources.

Just back from the PDAC minerals and mining convention in Toronto, Noble Capital Markets Sr. Natural Resources Analyst discusses his take aways from the huge event and interviews 12 select mining companies, and provides his insights and takes your questions. More information available here for March 21^st online event.

Precious Metals

Gold and silver have traditionally been stores of value. The flood of newly minted money as stimulus during the pandemic, and the difficulty central banks are having reducing the expanded supply of money, have caused inflation. As world currencies lose value, gold and silver tend to go up in value versus traditional money. For mining stocks, a rule of thumb is as long as it costs less to pull the metal from the ground, than the value of the element, company value is inclined to move in the same direction as the element. Silver, for its part, is also considered important in manufacturing many solar panels and is an industrial metal as well as decorative.

Base Metals

Base metals are essential for building infrastructure, the value of the metals and often the mining stocks associated with these building blocks rise and fall with economic activity. Iron ore, for steel, is the most mined metal. It’s critical for bridges, buildings, and pipelines.

Aluminum is second on the list of most mined metal; while we are familiar with household uses such as foil and beverage cans, its light weight, strength, and rigidity make it critical for aerospace, automotive, and marine applications.

Copper is also considered a base metal, critical in infrastructure growth because of its conductive properties.

Base metal mining stocks are often looked at when world economies are committing to growth, or when they have come out of a period of low growth and are expected to return to a more normal pace.

Battery Metals

Renewable energy is creating more demand for copper and some non-base metals. This has been a big recent driver of interest in mining stocks. The renewable energy sector will continue to grow demand for storage and transmission of power.

Image Credit: Mark Reichman (Sr. Analyst, Noble Capital Markets)

The expected demand makes sense, but in terms of numbers it is very compelling. For example, to build a wind turbine with a capacity of three megawatts it will takes 335 tons of steel, 4.7 tons of copper, 3 tons of aluminum and more than 700 pounds of rare earth minerals – plus other materials such as aggregates.

A conventional power plant requires fewer metals, about one ton of copper is used in a facility that can continuously produce one MW of power. The trade off being the non-renewable fuel used to generate electricity traditionally. But, for now renewable energy sources require more metals, the sector is experiencing planned growth, this accelerates demand for these materials.

Electric vehicle production also uses a significant amount of materials from the mining sector. For example, an electric car requires four times the amount of copper to build. Lithium (used in electric car batteries) is being consumed at a pace near the capacity to pull it from the ground and process the mineral. By 2050, analysts predict that consumption may be up to 170% above currently known lithium reserves. This assumes no change in technology. There is a lot of speculation about how this will be handled and where the raw materials will come from.

If the reasons listed above have not yet convinced you to focus some of your exploration on investing in mining stocks, then let’s see what additional benefits may come from select companies and summarize them below.

Why Investors Allocate to Mining

Goods that will continue to be required, even in times of crisis will always have some level of demand. Those that are looked at as important to the future growth of the world economy have an even stronger underlying argument.

If one is looking for exposure to the EV market and expected growth, selecting a car company out of the dozens that are popping up both from the traditional automakers, and new entrants could cause a watered-down investment in the new demand for the building blocks. While an investment in mining companies may not seem as sexy as one in a company that makes state of the art vehicles, the underlying building blocks are what will be in most demand.

Stocks allow the possibility of capital gains not possible from investing directly in gold or a gold ETF. Depending on the stock there may even be the opportunity for dividends or royalty payments.

There is the ability to diversify into stocks that cover different parts of the economy. In addition to what was mentioned above, there are coal miners, uranium miners, cobalt, and pretty much everything else that comes out of the ground.

Each March there is a large mining conference that takes place in Toronto. The Senior Natural Resources Analys from Noble Capital Markets was there a few weeks ago and is presenting on some of what he learned. At the same time he’s meeting with a dozen mining companies that were in attendance.

Whether you are a veteran investor in this sector, or new and wishing to absorb as much as you can from Sr. Management of mining companies, register for free here to attend this online discovery event.

Paul Hoffman

Managing Editor, Channelchek

Sources

https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hybrids-evs/why-electric-cars-may-soon-flood-the-us-market-a9006292675/

https://www.ifminvestors.com/docs/default-source/insights/ifm-investors—what-we-look-for-in-miners-and-explorers.pdf?sfvrsn=31e2305_2

https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/040815/what-criteria-classify-company-junior-gold-miner.asp

https://www.tsinetwork.ca/reports/best-canadian-mining-stocks-tsx-plus-gold-stocks-canadian-diamond-mines-and-more/

The Week Ahead – UBS Buying Credit Suisse, FOMC Decision

Posted on March 19, 2023March 19, 2023 by phoffman@channelchek.com

What Will the First Week of Spring 2023 Bring Investors?

The week started out with Swiss authorities having persuaded UBS Group AG (UBSG.S) on Sunday to buy Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN.S). UBS will pay 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.23 billion) for 167-year-old Credit Suisse and assume up to $5.4 billion in losses in a deal backed by a massive Swiss guarantee. It is expected to close on the deal this year.

The main focus of investors this week is still expected to be the two-day FOMC meeting and rate decision on Wednesday. While the need to dampen inflation hasn’t changed, weakness in the banking system, in part brought on by weaker asset prices which occurs naturally with higher rates, may cause the Fed to adjust its approach.

Monday 3/20

No Economic numbers are to be released
5:24 PM ET, Spring 2023 begins.

Tuesday 3/21

9:00 AM ET, The first day of a two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) begins.
10:00 AM ET, Existing Home Sales for February are expected to rise to a 4.17 million annualized rate after January’s lower-than-expected 4.0 million rate.isting home sales in

Wednesday 3/22

10:30 AM ET, The Energy Information Administration (EIA) Petroleum Status Report, provides weekly information on petroleum inventories in the U.S., whether produced here or abroad. The level of inventories helps determine prices for petroleum products.
2:00 PM ET, FOMC statement released. It has been a year since the Fed began its tightening post FOMC meetings and is expected to raise rates again. However, the statement after the meeting should yield clues as to the impact, if any, weakness in banks has on the path forward for the Fed.
2:30 PM ET, Federal Reserve Chair J. Powell will hold a press conference to discuss the Fed’s decision.

Thursday 3/23

8:30 AM ET, Jobless Claims Jobless for the week of March 18 are expected to come in at 195,000 versus 192,000 in the prior week.
10:00 AM ET, New Home Sales are expected to fall to 645,000 after surging to a 670,000 annualized rate in January.
4:30 PM ET, The Federal Reserves Balance Sheet now includes the new Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP) announced last Sunday.

Friday 3/24

8:30 AM ET, Durable Goods Orders are expected to post a 1.5% rise in February boosted by an easy comparison against January’s 4.5% decline which was impacted by lower aircraft orders.
9:30 AM ET, The ST. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard is expected to give a public address. Bullard has been an outspoken hawk among Fed regional Presidents.

What Else

The markets are focused on the Fed announcement Wednesday, and holding its collective breath to see if there will be more bank closures and forced sales, or if there are only a few banks impacted by weak balance sheets.

On Tuesday there will be a live online event that is part of the Take Away series by Noble Capital Markets. This event will feature select mining companies from the PDAC mining conference held earlier this month. Learn more about the no cost event here.

For institutional or individual investors in New York or South Florida, there may be the opportunity to listen to the management of some interesting companies (no cost). Entravision (EVC) will be presenting in New York on March 23, and management of Maple Gold Mines (MGMLF) is making themselves available to meet investors on March 25 in Miami. Get more information here on attending.

Paul Hoffman

Managing Editor, Channelchek

Sources

https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20230319a.htm

https://us.econoday.com/articles.aspx?cust=us&year=2023&lid=0