Mark Reichman, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Natural Resources, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) targets. Maple Gold Mines Ltd. revealed plans for a summer field program at the Douay and Joutel Gold Projects to explore volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) targets. Maple Gold is also planning VMS exploration work at its 100%-owned Morris Project approximately 30 kilometers east of the town of Matagami in Morris Township, Quebec. Morris is located approximately 30 kilometers east of the Matagami VMS mining camp and hosts the Watson Lake rhyolite unit which forms the footwall of all the VMS mines at Matagami.
Multiple styles of mineralization. Maple Gold’s 400 square kilometer land package is highly prospective for multiple styles of mineralization and the company has added technical expertise to its board and technical advisory committee to ensure the land package is fully explored for all sources of potential world class deposits. For example, the joint venture recently hired Dr. Marina Schofield, an expert in volcanology, structural geology, and VMS systems, to lead the company’s VMS exploration efforts.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
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.
Mark Reichman, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Natural Resources, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Focus on geophysics. In March, Mr. Riaz Mirza was appointed as a Geophysical Advisor to Eskay Mining’s exploration team. Mr. Mirza is the founder of Simcoe Geoscience Limited, a global geophysical service provider, and has significant experience exploring a variety of deposit types including volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits. Mr. Mirza and Simcoe Geoscience Limited were engaged to review Eskay Mining’s geophysical data from its Consolidated Eskay Project area with the goal of drawing direct comparisons to the original Eskay Creek precious metal-rich VMS deposit which is considered among the world’s most precious metal-rich volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits.
Cut from the same cloth. The Eskay Mining and Simcoe teams quickly identified compelling similarities. The same distinct magnetic signatures observed at the Eskay Creek deposit are visible at numerous locations across the Consolidated Eskay Property.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
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.
Bowlero Corp. is the worldwide leader in bowling entertainment, media, and events. With more than 300 bowling centers across North America, Bowlero Corp. serves more than 26 million guests each year through a family of brands that includes Bowlero, Bowlmor Lanes, and AMF. In 2019, Bowlero Corp. acquired the Professional Bowlers Association, the major league of bowling, which boasts thousands of members and millions of fans across the globe. For more information on Bowlero Corp., please visit BowleroCorp.com.
Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Equity Research Analyst, Digital, Media & Technology , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Patrick McCann, CFA, Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Strong Q3 results. The company reported solid Q3 revenue of $315.7 million, up 22.5% from the prior year period, beating our estimate of $298 million by 5.9%. Adj. EBITDA in the quarter increased 17.7% to $127.6 million, beating our estimate of $116.3 million by 9.7%.
Favorable margins. Bowling center adj. gross profit margins were a strong 68% and adj. Center EBITDA margins were 48%, a record high. The company posted impressive total company Adj. EBITDA margins of 40.4% for Q3. The total company adj. EBITDA margins were 60 basis points better than our estimate.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
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.
Ben and Jerry Discuss Interest Rates, Jobs and Inflation
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated today that the Fed is committed to bringing inflation down to its 2% target. Speaking at the “Perspectives on Monetary Policy” panel at the Thomas Laubach Research Conference, Powell said that the Fed will continue to raise interest rates until inflation is under control. The current Fed Chair shared the stage with former Fed Chair Ben Bernanke; the two more or less agreed, with Bernanke seeming a bit less optimistic.
The Panel Discussion
Powell acknowledged that the Fed’s actions to raise interest rates will likely slow economic growth. However, he said that the Fed is confident that it can bring inflation down without causing a recession.
“We understand that high inflation imposes significant hardship, especially on those least able to afford the higher costs of essentials like food, housing, and transportation,” Powell said and then emphasized, “we are strongly committed to returning inflation to our 2% objective.”
Powell reassured that the Fed is closely monitoring the labor market. The event is attended by experts in the field of monetary policy, including economists, central bankers, and other policymakers. It provides an opportunity for experts to share their views on the current state of the economy and the challenges facing central banks. Powell told the attendees that the Fed is committed to keeping the labor market strong but that it will not hesitate to take further action if needed to bring inflation down.
“The labor market is very strong, and we want to see that continue,” Powell said. “But we will take the necessary steps to bring inflation down,” he cautioned.
Ben Bernanke, the former Chair of the Federal Reserve, also spoke at the conference warning that the Fed is facing a difficult challenge in trying to bring inflation down without causing a recession. Bernanke said that the Fed will need to be very careful.
“The Fed is in a difficult spot,” Bernanke said. “It needs to bring inflation down, but it also doesn’t want to cause a recession. It will need to be very careful in its actions.”
Bernanke said that the Federal Reserve is facing a “new normal” in terms of inflation. He said that the Fed will need to be more aggressive in its use of monetary policy to bring down the pace of price increases. The former Fed chair said, “The Fed is going to have to be more aggressive in its use of monetary policy than it has been in the past,” He cautioned. “It’s going to need to raise interest rates more than once this year.”
Bernanke explained to listeners, “the Fed is not trying to cause a recession. But it is willing to risk a recession if it is necessary to bring inflation down.”
The comments from Powell and Bernanke took away any question whether the Fed is committed to bringing inflation down. Most listeners came away from this feeling the Fed is likely to continue to raise interest rates and to shrink its balance sheet in an effort to cool the economy and bring inflation down. However, attendees were also assured the Fed is keenly aware of the risks of a recession and is trying to avoid it.
What Does This Mean for the Economy?
The comments from Ben Bernanke and Jerome Powell suggest that the Fed is prepared to take aggressive action to bring inflation down. This could lead to higher interest rates and slower economic growth. However, the Fed is acting in a way it hopes leads to bringing down inflation without negative growth or a recession.
The bond markets had been pricing in an easing late in the year. US Treasury rates rose as the panel discussion got underway; this suggests that the tenor of some of the comments were unexpected. It is still too early to say what the impact of the Fed’s actions will be on the economy. However, it is clear that the Fed is taking inflation seriously and is willing to take steps to bring it down.
The next Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting will be held on June 13-14, 2023. The FOMC is the policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System. It meets every six weeks to discuss and set monetary policy, including the target for Fed Funds.
The next FOMC meeting is expected to be a critical one, as the committee will be making its decisions in the midst of sticky inflation, a troubled banking sector, and a slowing economy.
The Acceleration of Biotech Acquisitions, Why it Should Continue
The pace of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the biotech sector has accelerated in 2023 compared to 2022 and 2021. The factors driving this increase are numerous, and there is increasing urgency on both sides, the acquirers and acquirees to find a fit. This is playing out with deal value up significantly in 2023, with noticeable acceleration as the year has progressed. During the first quarter, investors in at least eight biotech companies found themselves in enviable positions. Below is a recap of what has already happened and the perceived trend. If it continues, it could lead to 2023 seeing far more biotech deals than the previous two.
According to data from William Blair’s quarterly biopharma review, the total deal volume in the sector was elevated, although far below record highs. Total M&A value for the first quarter was $52 billion versus $88 billion for all of 2022, and $77 billion in 2021. The report shows the average deal was $630 million (versus $367 million in 2022). The upfront cash and equity has doubled from the prior year at $508 million (versus $249 million in 2022).
Later stage companies seem to be what pharmaceutical firms have the most appetite for. The phase of development of the companies most sought was Phase II or later with 100% or all of the public acquisitions in this stage. Five of the eight were in the commercial stage.
The details above are of the eight public companies that merged or were acquired during the first quarter. However, just this week alone, there have been three more biotech acquisitions announced:
On May 16, 2023, Merck & Co. announced that it would acquire Acceleron Pharma for $11.5 billion. Acceleron is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, the acquisition will give Merck access to Acceleron’s lead drug candidate, luspatercept, which is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease.
On May 17, 2023, Gilead Sciences announced that it would acquire Immunomedics for $21 billion. Immunomedics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company the acquisition will give Gilead access to Immunomedics’ lead drug candidate, Trodelvy, which is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.
On May 18, 2023, AstraZeneca announced that it would acquire Daiichi Sankyo’s oncology business for $6.9 billion. Daiichi Sankyo’s oncology business includes a portfolio of marketed and late-stage cancer drugs. The acquisition will give AstraZeneca a broader portfolio of cancer drugs and will help the company to expand its presence in the oncology market.
What is Driving the Acceleration?
There are a number of “not-so-secret” factors that are helping the acceleration of M&A activity in the biotech sector. One factor is the increasing cost of product development. The average cost of developing a new drug has increased from $1 billion to $2.6 billion in the past decade. This has made it increasingly difficult for small and mid-sized biotech companies to develop viable candidates independent of big-pharma’s help. As a result, small companies are increasingly looking to merge, partner or be acquired by larger companies with deeper pockets.
Another factor driving the acceleration of M&A activity in the biotech sector is the increasing focus on innovation. Large pharmaceutical companies don’t have the talent that exists in the universe of small biotech companies. So they are increasingly looking to acquire companies with innovative technologies. These innovations can help them provide new drugs that can compete with the blockbuster drugs coming off patent in the next few years.
Finally, the acceleration of M&A activity in the biotech sector is also being driven by the increasing consolidation of the industry. In recent years, a number of large pharmaceutical companies have merged with or acquired each other. This has led to a smaller number of bigger companies that are now dominant in the industry. These companies are increasingly looking to acquire smaller companies in order to expand their product portfolios and overall reach.
Take Away
While deals in many industries, both public and private, have decelerated to a crawl, the cash-rich pharmaceutical industry giants are tactically looking to build their portfolios of next-generation treatments. And many biotech companies are in need of a lifeline to get their pipeline products the research dollars they deserve. This dynamic has accelerated public and private deals in the industry in 2023.
The acceleration of M&A activity in the biotech sector is a trend that is not expected to end soon. This is because the factors that are driving deals are likely to remain in place. Investors looking to explore smaller biotech companies may want to keep in mind the nuances of the average company attributes that found deals in the first quarter. Top-tier research on a number of smaller companies, provided by the sectors equity analysts at Noble Capital Markets can be found here. Company information and data on many other biotech and life sciences companies can be discovered by going to this link.
IRVING, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Salem Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALM), announced today that it will present virtually at the Singular Research Spring Select Webinar on Wednesday, May 24th at 3:45 PM Central Time. The presentation will be available on the investor relations portion of the company’s website www.salemmedia.com prior to the company’s presentation.
ABOUT SINGULAR RESEARCH
Singular Research aims to be the most trusted supplier of independent, trusted, single-sources research on small-to-micro cap companies to the small-to-medium sized Hedge Fund manager. Singular Research provides quarterly updates for 40 to 70 companies and makes recommendations.
Singular strives to achieve goals by finding undercovered and undervalued securities. Singular’s goal is to provide initiation reports and quarterly updates for approximately 50 micro-to-small cap companies. In most cases, Singular analysts research companies that are not covered by any other firms.
Singular provides honest advice. Independent analysts have no financial interest in the stocks covered. Analysts are compensated based on the accuracy of their research calls not through trading commissions or potential deal flow.
ABOUT SALEM MEDIA GROUP
Salem Media Group is America’s leading multimedia company specializing in Christian and conservative content, with media properties comprising radio, digital media and book and newsletter publishing. Each day Salem serves a loyal and dedicated audience of listeners and readers numbering in the millions nationally. With its unique programming focus, Salem provides compelling content, fresh commentary and relevant information from some of the most respected figures across the Christian and conservative media landscape. Learn more about Salem Media Group, Inc. at www.salemmedia.com, Facebook and Twitter.
Jenn Johnston Assumes Chief Marketing OfficerRole, New Brand Presidents to Lead Round Table Pizza, Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery, and PretzelmakerConcepts
LOS ANGELES, May 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. announces the elevation of Jenn Johnston to the role of Chief Marketing Officer. Since the acquisition of Global Franchise Group in July 2021, Ms. Johnston has held the role of President of the Quick-Service Division at FAT Brands, overseeing brands including Round Table Pizza, Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery, and Pretzelmaker. With Ms. Johnston’s promotion to Chief Marketing Officer, Allison Lauenstein and David Pear will assume Brand President roles.
Ms. Lauenstein will serve as Brand President of Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery, and Pretzelmaker. Ms. Lauenstein brings over a decade of experience working with the respective brands, having previously served as Executive Vice President of Brand Operations and Marketing at Global Franchise Group. Ms. Lauenstein successfully launched several initiatives during her tenure, including the unlimited mix-ins platform at Marble Slab Creamery, the co-branded model of Great American Cookies and Marble Slab Creamery, and the Fresh Twist menu concept for Pretzelmaker. Prior to joining Global Franchise Group, Ms. Lauenstein spent 13 years at Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins Brands in various leadership positions.
With over 20 years of strategic and operational restaurant leadership experience, Mr. Pear will assume the role of Brand President at Round Table Pizza. Mr. Pear most recently served as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Desert De Oro Foods, a multi-unit franchise organization with 360 restaurants, including Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Whataburger, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, and Dave’s Hot Chicken. Prior to that, Mr. Pear served as Senior Vice President of Operations at Del Taco, where he played a key role in consistently increasing same-store sales and driving overall unit growth. Mr. Pear also brings experience from his time at Yum! Brands’ Taco Bell and Domino’s Pizza, where he led operational transformation through a combination of key initiatives focused on culture, continuous improvement of operational elements, and elevation of the guest experience.
“As FAT Brands continues to evolve and grow, we saw an opportunity to expand Jenn’s role to impact the larger organization,” said Thayer Wiederhorn, Chief Operating Officer of FAT Brands. “Her unique marketing and operations background will enable us to develop impactful campaigns that increase brand visibility and drive profitable sales across our 17 concepts. We are also pleased to welcome Allison and David to the team. Allison has a great track record with Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery, and Pretzelmaker. We expect a seamless integration into her new role and immediate value to the brands. On the other hand, David brings exciting insights from his outside experience, which we also expect will bring immediate results. We are fortunate to have them both join our talented management team.”
About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT) is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets, and develops fast casual, quick-service, casual dining, and polished casual dining concepts around the world. The Company currently owns 17 restaurant brands: Round Table Pizza, Fatburger, Marble Slab Creamery, Johnny Rockets, Fazoli’s, Twin Peaks, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Pretzelmaker, Elevation Burger, Native Grill & Wings, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises and owns over 2,300 units worldwide. For more information on FAT Brands, please visit www.fatbrands.com.
Company plans to initiate VERSATILE-003 Phase 3 clinical trial in late 2023
FLORHAM PARK, N.J., May 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PDS Biotechnology Corporation (Nasdaq: PDSB), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a growing pipeline of targeted immunotherapies for cancer and infectious disease, today announced the completion of enrollment in the immune checkpoint inhibitor naïve group (ICI naïve) of its VERSATILE-002 Phase 2 trial for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic human papillomavirus (HPV)16-positive head and neck cancer.
VERSATILE-002 (NCT04260126) is a Phase 2, open-label, multicenter trial of the efficacy and safety of PDS0101 administered in combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), in adults with HPV16-positive, unresectable recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). VERSATILE-002 is investigating two patient populations with HPV16-positive head and neck cancer patients whose cancer has returned or spread. The first group has not been previously treated with an ICI, also known as the ICI naïve cohort, and is PD-L1 positive. The second group of patients has failed treatments, including ICI therapy (ICI refractory). In December 2022, PDS Biotech announced the completion of enrollment in the first stage of the ICI refractory group.
PDS Biotech recently announced that updated data from the ICI naïve group will be the subject of a poster presentation at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. The abstract was also selected as one of the featured posters to be reviewed by an expert panel in the Head and Neck Cancer discussion session. The data will build upon previously announced preliminary efficacy data reported at ASCO 2022 from 17 ICI naïve VERSATILE-002 patients, which demonstrated an objective response rate of 41% (confirmed and unconfirmed responses), clinical benefit rate of 77%, and an overall survival rate of 87% at nine months.
“Completing enrollment in the ICI naïve arm is an important milestone in the VERSATILE-002 Phase 2 trial and the ongoing development of PDS0101 in combination with KEYTRUDA® as a potential treatment for recurrent and/or metastatic HPV16-positive head and neck cancer,” said Dr. Lauren V. Wood, Chief Medical Officer of PDS Biotech. “HPV-driven HNSCC is a growing problem, and there is a large unmet medical need to develop an HPV-targeted immunotherapy. Preliminary data reported at ASCO 2022 and highlighted at our October 2022 Head and Neck Cancer KOL Roundtable suggest that PDS0101 in combination with KEYTRUDA® may lead to improved outcomes in ICI naïve, recurrent or metastatic HNSCC patients. We now look forward to reporting updated data from the VERSATILE-002 trial at ASCO 2023 as the next step towards a planned global confirmatory randomized, controlled trial investigating the combination of PDS0101 and KEYTRUDA® in this same patient population.”
90% of HPV-associated head and neck cancers in the U.S. are reported to be caused by HPV16, as reported in a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine (J Clin Med 2018 Sep;7(9):241). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation to the combination of PDS0101 and KEYTRUDA® for the treatment of HPV16-positive HNSCC.
About PDS0101
PDS0101, PDS Biotech’s lead candidate, is a novel investigational human papillomavirus (HPV)-targeted immunotherapy that stimulates a potent targeted T cell attack against HPV-positive cancers. PDS0101 is given by subcutaneous injection alone or in combination with other immunotherapies and cancer treatments. In a Phase 1 study of PDS0101 in monotherapy, the treatment demonstrated the ability to generate multifunctional HPV16-targeted CD8 and CD4 T cells with minimal toxicity. Interim data suggests PDS0101 generates clinically effective immune responses, and the combination of PDS0101 with other treatments can demonstrate significant disease control by reducing or shrinking tumors, delaying disease progression and/or prolonging survival. The combination of PDS0101 with other treatments does not appear to compound the toxicity of other agents.
About VERSATILE-002
VERSATILE-002 is a single-arm Phase 2 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of PDS0101, an HPV16-targeted investigational T cell-activating immunotherapy that leverages PDS Biotech’s proprietary Versamune® technology, in combination with Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab). The combination is being evaluated in immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-naïve and ICI-refractory patients with recurrent/metastatic HPV16-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and was granted Fast Track designation by the Food and Drug Administration in June 2022.
Preliminary efficacy and safety data were presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting for ICI naïve patients (PR link). Preliminary data from the first 19 patients demonstrated that 77% of the patients with available imaging (17 of 19) had either disease stabilization or tumor shrinkage. Additionally, the overall survival rate of these patients at 9 months was 87%.
About PDS Biotechnology
PDS Biotech is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a growing pipeline of targeted cancer and infectious disease immunotherapies based on our proprietary Versamune®, Versamune® plus PDS0301, and Infectimune™ T cell-activating platforms and PDS0301 tumor targeting immunocytokine. We believe our targeted immunotherapies have the potential to overcome the limitations of current immunotherapy approaches through the activation of the right type, quantity and potency of T cells. To date, our lead Versamune® clinical candidate, PDS0101, has demonstrated the ability to reduce and shrink tumors and stabilize disease in combination with approved and investigational therapeutics in patients with a broad range of HPV16-associated cancers in multiple Phase 2 clinical trials and will be advancing into a Phase 3 clinical trial in combination with KEYTRUDA® for the treatment of recurrent/metastatic HPV16-positive head and neck cancer in 2023. Our Infectimune™ based vaccines have also demonstrated the potential to induce not only robust and durable neutralizing antibody responses, but also powerful T cell responses, including long-lasting memory T cell responses in pre-clinical studies to date. To learn more, please visit www.pdsbiotech.com or follow us on Twitter at @PDSBiotech.
Forward Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended) concerning PDS Biotechnology Corporation (the “Company”) and other matters. These statements may discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the Company’s management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “forecast,” “guidance”, “outlook” and other similar expressions among others. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights; the Company’s anticipated capital requirements, including the Company’s anticipated cash runway and the Company’s current expectations regarding its plans for future equity financings; the Company’s dependence on additional financing to fund its operations and complete the development and commercialization of its product candidates, and the risks that raising such additional capital may restrict the Company’s operations or require the Company to relinquish rights to the Company’s technologies or product candidates; the Company’s limited operating history in the Company’s current line of business, which makes it difficult to evaluate the Company’s prospects, the Company’s business plan or the likelihood of the Company’s successful implementation of such business plan; the timing for the Company or its partners to initiate the planned clinical trials for PDS0101, PDS0203 and other Versamune® and Infectimune™ based product candidates; the future success of such trials; the successful implementation of the Company’s research and development programs and collaborations, including any collaboration studies concerning PDS0101, PDS0203 and other Versamune® and Infectimune™ based product candidates and the Company’s interpretation of the results and findings of such programs and collaborations and whether such results are sufficient to support the future success of the Company’s product candidates; the success, timing and cost of the Company’s ongoing clinical trials and anticipated clinical trials for the Company’s current product candidates, including statements regarding the timing of initiation, pace of enrollment and completion of the trials (including the Company’s ability to fully fund its disclosed clinical trials, which assumes no material changes to the Company’s currently projected expenses), futility analyses, presentations at conferences and data reported in an abstract, and receipt of interim or preliminary results (including, without limitation, any preclinical results or data), which are not necessarily indicative of the final results of the Company’s ongoing clinical trials; any Company statements about its understanding of product candidates mechanisms of action and interpretation of preclinical and early clinical results from its clinical development programs and any collaboration studies; and other factors, including legislative, regulatory, political and economic developments not within the Company’s control. The foregoing review of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the other risks, uncertainties, and other factors described under “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in the documents we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Versamune® is a registered trademark and Infectimune™ is a trademark of PDS Biotechnology.
KEYTRUDA® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp and Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA.
Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – May 18, 2023) – Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (TSXV: MGM) (OTCQB: MGMLF) (FSE: M3G) (“Maple Gold” or the “Company“) is pleased to provide an update regarding property-wide volcanogenic massive sulfide (“VMS”) targeting and plans for a summer field program at the Douay and Joutel Gold Projects (“Douay” and “Joutel”, respectively) located in Québec, Canada, which are held by a 50/50 joint venture (the “JV”) between the Company and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited. The Company is also planning VMS exploration work at its 100%-owned Morris Project (“Morris”) located approximately 30 kilometres (“km”) east of the town of Matagami in Morris Township, Québec.
The JV’s primary focus remains on testing resource expansion targets at Douay and testing prospective near-mine extension targets in the Telbel mine area at Joutel. However, the Douay and Joutel projects each have demonstrated potential for gold and base metals VMS mineralization, as is illustrated by a series of targets previously defined by field mapping and geophysical surveying across the combined 400 km² property package (see news from July 19, 2022). Under the terms of the JV agreement, the partners agreed to jointly fund C$500,000 in exploration on VMS targets on the western portion of Douay (see news from February 3, 2021).
Summary of VMS-focused exploration and corporate initiatives:
The Company’s mapping, sampling and top of bedrock drilling during 2018 identified six (6) priority target areas for potential base metals and gold-rich VMS mineralization (see press release November 14, 2018).
The Company subsequently appointed Dr. Gérald Riverin, a recognized VMS expert with 40+ years of experience in the Abitibi Greenstone belt, to its board of directors and Technical Advisory Committee (see news from June 9, 2020).
In late 2021, the JV consolidated two (2) inlier claim blocks covering 22 claims and 12.3 km² of ground in the central portion of Douay in an area deemed prospective for zinc and copper mineralization (see news from October 19, 2021).
Also in 2021, the Company acquired 100% of Morris and completed preliminary ground geophysics and lithogeochemical sampling. In 2022 and 2023, the Company completed deep penetrating pulse electromagnetic (“PEM”) surveys that outlined a 3 km long conductive zone adjacent to a favorable rhyolite unit.
In 2022, the JV completed a regional airborne magnetic and electromagnetic (“Mag-EM”) survey to support exploration drill targeting, which identified 55 targets within four (4) primary target areas prospective for pyritic gold and VMS mineralization (see news from July 19, 2022). After geophysical review, sixteen (16) of these targets were selected for priority follow-up (see Figure 1).
In 2023, the Company appointed Paul Harbidge, CEO of Faraday Copper Corp., an emerging U.S. copper developer, to its Technical Advisory Committee to further strengthen the Company’s technical group and support gold and base metals exploration (see news from February 7, 2023).
The JV has recently hired Dr. Marina Schofield, an expert in volcanology, structural geology and VMS systems, to lead the Company’s VMS exploration efforts.
“We have methodically built a pipeline of prospective gold and base metals VMS targets across the large >400 km² Douay-Joutel property package and have expanded our technical expertise in order to systematically evaluate and advance a VMS-focused exploration program,” statedMatthew Hornor, President and CEO of Maple Gold. “The past-producing high-grade Estrades zinc-gold mine is located just over 11 km to the west of Douay-Joutel and the same geologic horizon that hosted that mine appears to continue onto the western portion of the Douay property. Further to the southeast, historical regional exploration drilling along the Joutel Deformation Zone, east of the historical Eagle-Telbel deposits, has also returned anomalous zinc and gold values. We look forward to completing further cost-effective field work this summer to bring the highest priority VMS discovery targets to a drill-ready stage.”
VMS Targets and Associated 2023 Summer Exploration Plans:
Figure 1: Geology base map highlighting VMS and VMS-like base metal mines and deposits in the region and copper-zinc showings.
The Douay-Joutel property straddles the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone, which is geologically underlain, from south to north, by predominantly intermediate to felsic tuffs of the Joutel-Raymond Grp, the basinal sediments of the Harricana Grp and the predominantly mafic volcanic sequence forming the Cartwright Hills Grp, followed by further basinal sediments of the Taïbi Grp. Although the geological model for Eagle-Telbel is still evolving, gold mineralization was associated with mixed sedimentary and pyroclastic horizons hosting abundant iron carbonate and semi-massive sulfide (pyrite) at the top of the volcanic package that hosts the past-producing Joutel/Poirier VMS mining camp. The main VMS target horizons occur laterally along the Eagle-Telbel Mine Horizon, as well as along multiple interflow horizons within The Cartwright Hills Grp, which include the interpreted eastern extension of the Estrades horizons.
Figure 2: Gold, VMS and base metal target areas in the greater Joutel area (same legend as Fig 1).
The Joutel Targets (see Figure 2 above) include several EM anomalies within ~2-5 km of the historical Eagle, Telbel and Eagle West deposits that have very limited drilling. These deposits are associated with the Harricana and Joutel Deformation Zones and appear as discrete conductive zones aligned along a well-defined northwest trend. The Mag-EM survey indicates possible similar structures extending more than 9 km further to the east in this area where historical drilling intersected anomalous gold (“Au”) and zinc (“Zn”) in several holes. Hole M-94-078 (also known as McClure 93-2 showing) intersected 0.81% Zn over 0.6 metres (“m”); hole JO-12-05 intersected 6.1 g/t Au over 1.5 m, as well as 0.55% Zn over 4 m further downhole, including 0.88% Zn over 1m.
Planned work to advance VMS targets at Douay and Joutel is expected to include compilation of existing data, including review of historical drill logs, followed by field work including lithogeochemistry and initial follow-up ground EM surveys to support bringing highest priority VMS target areas towards a drill ready stage.
Separately, planned work at Morris is expected to include detailed lithogeochemical sampling to establish the full extent of strong VMS related hydrothermal alteration identified in 2021 and identify promising portions of the 3 km long conductor identified by ground geophysics in 2022 and 2023 (see Figure 3). Morris is located approximately 30 km east of the Matagami VMS mining camp and hosts the Watson Lake rhyolite unit which forms the footwall of all the VMS mines at Matagami.
Figure 3: 100% owned Morris claims with geology and geophysics compilation. Favorable alteration is highlighted by higher Riverindex values.
The scientific and technical data contained in this press release was reviewed and prepared under the supervision of Fred Speidel, M. Sc., P. Geo., Vice-President Exploration of Maple Gold. Mr. Speidel is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Speidel has verified the data related to the exploration information disclosed in this press release through his direct participation in the work.
About Maple Gold
Maple Gold Mines Ltd. is a Canadian advanced exploration company in a 50/50 joint venture with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited to jointly advance the district-scale Douay and Joutel gold projects located in Québec’s prolific Abitibi Greenstone Gold Belt. The projects benefit from exceptional infrastructure access and boast ~400 km2 of highly prospective ground including an established gold resource at Douay (SLR 2022) that holds significant expansion potential as well as the past-producing Eagle, Telbel and Eagle West mines at Joutel. In addition, the Company holds an exclusive option to acquire 100% of the Eagle Mine Property.
The district-scale property package also hosts a significant number of regional exploration targets along a 55 km strike length of the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone that have yet to be tested through drilling, making the project ripe for new gold and polymetallic discoveries. The Company is well capitalized and is currently focused on carrying out exploration and drill programs to grow resources and make new discoveries to establish an exciting new gold district in the heart of the Abitibi. For more information, please visit www.maplegoldmines.com.
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.
Forward Looking Statements:
This press release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively referred to as “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada, including statements about exploration work and results from current and future work programs. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management’s best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company’s expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Maple Gold Mines Ltd.’s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company’s website at www.maplegoldmines.com. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
CHATHAM, N.J., May 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today that management will participate in the A.G.P. Virtual Healthcare Conference and host investor meetings. The conference is being held May 23-24, 2023.
In addition, Seth Lederman, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Tonix, will participate in a panel discussion titled, “New Approaches to Depression,” scheduled from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET, Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Investors interested in arranging a meeting with the Company’s management during the conference should contact the conference coordinator or Ian Frost at ian.frost@westwicke.com.
Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.*
Tonix is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, licensing, acquiring and developing therapeutics to treat and prevent human disease and alleviate suffering. Tonix’s portfolio is composed of central nervous system (CNS), rare disease, immunology and infectious disease product candidates. Tonix’s CNS portfolio includes both small molecules and biologics to treat pain, neurologic, psychiatric and addiction conditions. Tonix’s lead CNS candidate, TNX-102 SL (cyclobenzaprine HCl sublingual tablet), is in mid-Phase 3 development for the management of fibromyalgia with topline data expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. TNX-102 SL is also being developed to treat Long COVID, a chronic post-acute COVID-19 condition. Enrollment in a Phase 2 study has been completed, and topline results are expected in the third quarter of 2023. TNX-1900 (intranasal potentiated oxytocin), in development for chronic migraine, is currently enrolling with topline data expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. TNX-601 ER (tianeptine hemioxalate extended-release tablets), a once-daily formulation being developed as a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), is also currently enrolling with interim data expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. TNX-1300 (cocaine esterase) is a biologic designed to treat cocaine intoxication and has been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA. A Phase 2 study of TNX-1300 is expected to be initiated in the third quarter of 2023. Tonix’s rare disease portfolio includes TNX-2900 (intranasal potentiated oxytocin) for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome. TNX-2900 has been granted Orphan Drug designation by the FDA. Tonix’s immunology portfolio includes biologics to address organ transplant rejection, autoimmunity and cancer, including TNX-1500, which is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD40-ligand (CD40L or CD154) being developed for the prevention of allograft rejection and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. A Phase 1 study of TNX-1500 is expected to be initiated in the third quarter of 2023. Tonix’s infectious disease pipeline includes TNX-801, a vaccine in development to prevent smallpox and mpox, for which a Phase 1 study is expected to be initiated in the second half of 2023. TNX-801 also serves as the live virus vaccine platform or recombinant pox vaccine platform for other infectious diseases. The infectious disease portfolio also includes TNX-3900 and TNX-4000, classes of broad-spectrum small molecule oral antivirals.
*All ofTonix’s product candidates are investigational new drugs or biologics and have not been approved for any indication.
This press release and further information about Tonix can be found at www.tonixpharma.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “expect,” and “intend,” among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Tonix’s current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to the failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations; delays and uncertainties caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic; risks related to the timing and progress of clinical development of our product candidates; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payor reimbursement; limited research and development efforts and dependence upon third parties; and substantial competition. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. Tonix does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 13, 2023, and periodic reports filed with the SEC on or after the date thereof. All of Tonix’s forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by all such risk factors and other cautionary statements. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date thereof.
Bowlero Corp. is the worldwide leader in bowling entertainment, media, and events. With more than 300 bowling centers across North America, Bowlero Corp. serves more than 26 million guests each year through a family of brands that includes Bowlero, Bowlmor Lanes, and AMF. In 2019, Bowlero Corp. acquired the Professional Bowlers Association, the major league of bowling, which boasts thousands of members and millions of fans across the globe. For more information on Bowlero Corp., please visit BowleroCorp.com.
Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Equity Research Analyst, Digital, Media & Technology , 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.
Strong Q3 results. The company reported solid Q3 revenue of $315.7 million, up 22.5% from the prior year period, beating our estimate of $298 million by 5.9%. Adj. EBITDA in the quarter increased 17.7% to $127.6 million, beating our estimate of $116.3 million by 9.7%. Our estimates are illustrated in Figure #1 Q3 Results.
Favorable margins. Bowling center adj. gross profit margins were a strong 68% and adj. Center EBITDA margins were 48%, a record high. The company posted impressive total company Adj. EBITDA margins of 40.4% for Q3. The total company adj. EBITDA margins were 60 basis points better than our estimate.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
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.
ChatGPT-Powered Wall Street: The Benefits and Perils of Using Artificial Intelligence to Trade Stocks and Other Financial Instruments
Artificial Intelligence-powered tools, such as ChatGPT, have the potential to revolutionize the efficiency, effectiveness and speed of the work humans do.
And this is true in financial markets as much as in sectors like health care, manufacturing and pretty much every other aspect of our lives.
I’ve been researching financial markets and algorithmic trading for 14 years. While AI offers lots of benefits, the growing use of these technologies in financial markets also points to potential perils. A look at Wall Street’s past efforts to speed up trading by embracing computers and AI offers important lessons on the implications of using them for decision-making.
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,Pawan Jain, Assistant Professor of Finance, West Virginia University.
Program Trading Fuels Black Monday
In the early 1980s, fueled by advancements in technology and financial innovations such as derivatives, institutional investors began using computer programs to execute trades based on predefined rules and algorithms. This helped them complete large trades quickly and efficiently.
Back then, these algorithms were relatively simple and were primarily used for so-called index arbitrage, which involves trying to profit from discrepancies between the price of a stock index – like the S&P 500 – and that of the stocks it’s composed of.
As technology advanced and more data became available, this kind of program trading became increasingly sophisticated, with algorithms able to analyze complex market data and execute trades based on a wide range of factors. These program traders continued to grow in number on the largely unregulated trading freeways – on which over a trillion dollars worth of assets change hands every day – causing market volatility to increase dramatically.
Eventually this resulted in the massive stock market crash in 1987 known as Black Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered what was at the time the biggest percentage drop in its history, and the pain spread throughout the globe.
In response, regulatory authorities implemented a number of measures to restrict the use of program trading, including circuit breakers that halt trading when there are significant market swings and other limits. But despite these measures, program trading continued to grow in popularity in the years following the crash.
HFT: Program Trading on Steroids
Fast forward 15 years, to 2002, when the New York Stock Exchange introduced a fully automated trading system. As a result, program traders gave way to more sophisticated automations with much more advanced technology: High-frequency trading.
HFT uses computer programs to analyze market data and execute trades at extremely high speeds. Unlike program traders that bought and sold baskets of securities over time to take advantage of an arbitrage opportunity – a difference in price of similar securities that can be exploited for profit – high-frequency traders use powerful computers and high-speed networks to analyze market data and execute trades at lightning-fast speeds. High-frequency traders can conduct trades in approximately one 64-millionth of a second, compared with the several seconds it took traders in the 1980s.
These trades are typically very short term in nature and may involve buying and selling the same security multiple times in a matter of nanoseconds. AI algorithms analyze large amounts of data in real time and identify patterns and trends that are not immediately apparent to human traders. This helps traders make better decisions and execute trades at a faster pace than would be possible manually.
Another important application of AI in HFT is natural language processing, which involves analyzing and interpreting human language data such as news articles and social media posts. By analyzing this data, traders can gain valuable insights into market sentiment and adjust their trading strategies accordingly.
Benefits of AI Trading
These AI-based, high-frequency traders operate very differently than people do.
The human brain is slow, inaccurate and forgetful. It is incapable of quick, high-precision, floating-point arithmetic needed for analyzing huge volumes of data for identifying trade signals. Computers are millions of times faster, with essentially infallible memory, perfect attention and limitless capability for analyzing large volumes of data in split milliseconds.
And, so, just like most technologies, HFT provides several benefits to stock markets.
These traders typically buy and sell assets at prices very close to the market price, which means they don’t charge investors high fees. This helps ensure that there are always buyers and sellers in the market, which in turn helps to stabilize prices and reduce the potential for sudden price swings.
High-frequency trading can also help to reduce the impact of market inefficiencies by quickly identifying and exploiting mispricing in the market. For example, HFT algorithms can detect when a particular stock is undervalued or overvalued and execute trades to take advantage of these discrepancies. By doing so, this kind of trading can help to correct market inefficiencies and ensure that assets are priced more accurately.
Stock exchanges used to be packed with traders buying and selling securities, as in this scene from 1983. Today’s trading floors are increasingly empty as AI-powered computers handle more and more of the work.
The Downsides
But speed and efficiency can also cause harm.
HFT algorithms can react so quickly to news events and other market signals that they can cause sudden spikes or drops in asset prices.
Additionally, HFT financial firms are able to use their speed and technology to gain an unfair advantage over other traders, further distorting market signals. The volatility created by these extremely sophisticated AI-powered trading beasts led to the so-called flash crash in May 2010, when stocks plunged and then recovered in a matter of minutes – erasing and then restoring about $1 trillion in market value.
Since then, volatile markets have become the new normal. In 2016 research, two co-authors and I found that volatility – a measure of how rapidly and unpredictably prices move up and down – increased significantly after the introduction of HFT.
The speed and efficiency with which high-frequency traders analyze the data mean that even a small change in market conditions can trigger a large number of trades, leading to sudden price swings and increased volatility.
In addition, research I published with several other colleagues in 2021 shows that most high-frequency traders use similar algorithms, which increases the risk of market failure. That’s because as the number of these traders increases in the marketplace, the similarity in these algorithms can lead to similar trading decisions.
This means that all of the high-frequency traders might trade on the same side of the market if their algorithms release similar trading signals. That is, they all might try to sell in case of negative news or buy in case of positive news. If there is no one to take the other side of the trade, markets can fail.
Enter ChatGPT
That brings us to a new world of ChatGPT-powered trading algorithms and similar programs. They could take the problem of too many traders on the same side of a deal and make it even worse.
In general, humans, left to their own devices, will tend to make a diverse range of decisions. But if everyone’s deriving their decisions from a similar artificial intelligence, this can limit the diversity of opinion.
Consider an extreme, nonfinancial situation in which everyone depends on ChatGPT to decide on the best computer to buy. Consumers are already very prone to herding behavior, in which they tend to buy the same products and models. For example, reviews on Yelp, Amazon and so on motivate consumers to pick among a few top choices.
Since decisions made by the generative AI-powered chatbot are based on past training data, there would be a similarity in the decisions suggested by the chatbot. It is highly likely that ChatGPT would suggest the same brand and model to everyone. This might take herding to a whole new level and could lead to shortages in certain products and service as well as severe price spikes.
This becomes more problematic when the AI making the decisions is informed by biased and incorrect information. AI algorithms can reinforce existing biases when systems are trained on biased, old or limited data sets. And ChatGPT and similar tools have been criticized for making factual errors.
In addition, since market crashes are relatively rare, there isn’t much data on them. Since generative AIs depend on data training to learn, their lack of knowledge about them could make them more likely to happen.
For now, at least, it seems most banks won’t be allowing their employees to take advantage of ChatGPT and similar tools. Citigroup, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and several other lenders have already banned their use on trading-room floors, citing privacy concerns.
But I strongly believe banks will eventually embrace generative AI, once they resolve concerns they have with it. The potential gains are too significant to pass up – and there’s a risk of being left behind by rivals.
The New Russell Indexes Unconfirmed Versions – How Investors Use Them
The preliminary list of stocks to be included in the Russell Reconstitution, and also which Russell Index, is a huge day for many stock investors and the impacted companies as well. This year, it occurs on Friday, May 19. The list, although preliminary and subject to refinements each Friday through June, includes the stocks that are believed to meet the requirements based on valuations taken on April 28. This is the first official file from the popular index provider, in addition to informing the investor public what to expect when the indexes are reconstituted. The reconstitution can be expected to impact prices as index fund managers readjust holdings. The event also, for many, redefines market-cap levels that are considered small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap.
Background
The Russell Reconstitution is an annual event that reconfigures the membership of the Russell indexes by defining the top 3000 stocks based on market-cap (Russell 3000), then the top 1000 stocks (Russell 1000), and reclassifying the smaller 2000 stocks to form the Russell 2000 Small Cap Index. These serve as a benchmark for many institutional investors, as the indexes reflect the performance of the U.S. equity market across different market-cap classifications. The reconstitution process adds, removes, and weights stocks to ensure the indexes accurately represent the market.
The Preliminary List which will be published after the market closes on May 19, 2023, is a crucial step in the market cap reclassification process. It provides market participants with an initial glimpse into potential additions and deletions from the indexes. The stocks listed on this preliminary roster may experience increased attention from investors, as it hints at potential buying or selling pressure once the final reconstitution is completed.
The newly reconstituted indexes become live after the market close on June 23.
Implications for Investors
The release of the Russell Preliminary List on May 19 could provide opportunities for investors, including:
Enhanced Market Visibility – Companies listed on the Preliminary List may experience increased trading volumes and heightened market popularity, or even scrutiny, as investors evaluate their potential inclusion in the Russell indexes.
Potential Price Movements – Stocks slated for addition or deletion from the indexes can experience price volatility as market participants adjust their positions to align with the anticipated reconstitution changes.
Portfolio Adjustments – Active managers who track the Russell indexes may need to realign their portfolios to reflect the new index constituents, potentially triggering buying or selling activity in affected stocks.
Investor Considerations
Stock market participants should consider the following factors when analyzing the Preliminary List and its potential impact:
Final Reconstitution – The Preliminary List is subject to changes in the final reconstitution, which is typically announced in late June. Investors should monitor subsequent updates to confirm the actual index membership changes. These updates may occur as the result of faulty data or dramatic changes to the company such as a merger since the April 28 market cap snapshot.
Fundamental Analysis – As always, the fundamentals and financial health of the companies should be among the most important factors for non-index investors to consider. In the past, potential additions often presented attractive investment opportunities, while potential deletions may mean the stock gets less attention from investors.
Take Away
The release of the Preliminary List on May 19, 2023, marks a significant milestone in the Russell Reconstitution process. Investors should pay close attention to the stocks listed, as they may experience increased market visibility and potential price movements. However, it is important to remember that the Preliminary List is subject to changes. Thorough fundamental analysis, including earnings, potential growth, and liquidity assessment, is prudent for most stock investments. For information to evaluate small-cap names, look to Channelchek as a source of data on over 6,000 small cap companies.
