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.
Leadership transition. Maple Gold’s Board of Directors concluded that a leadership transition was in the best interest of the company’s stakeholders and appointed Mr. Kiran Patankar as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Patankar previously served as Chief Financial Officer and has been a key member of the leadership team since joining the company in 2021. We think his new role could be made permanent within a relatively short time frame at which time he could join the company’s board of directors. Mr. Michael Rukus, a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), has been appointed Chief Financial Officer and previously served as Maple Gold’s corporate controller.
Operational update. With the changes in leadership, management will conduct a thorough review of its operations and plans to enhance Maple Gold’s effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. Drill targets for Douay and Telbel (Joutel), both within the company’s joint venture with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, are being refined with the next phase of drilling expected to begin in the fourth quarter. Maple may also commence a follow-up drill program at its 100%-controlled Eagle mine project during the fourth quarter. During the third quarter, we expect the company to provide more details regarding its exploration budget and associated exploration and drilling plans.
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.
Deciding if Buy and Hold or Trading is Best for You?
New investors today have powerful tools that may exceed what was available even at institutions just a decade ago. This provides a leg-up on those of us who had to cover high trading fees, buy and sell, before we made a dime. Then, there is today’s information availability. Stock prices were printed in the morning from the day before close; that is how investors were updated. Then there is all the other up-to-the-minute information from your broker and company data and research from platforms like Channelchek and others.
This can be both helpful and overwhelming to a new investor deciding where to focus and what type of investment style suits them.
The least expensive discount brokers, when I bought my very first hundred shares cost $100 in and $100 out ($200 round trip). So exceeding two dollars per share on each round lot (orders not in lots of 100 cost more) was necessary to break even. Between this and the non-current price information, a buy-and-hold position was the only position that made much sense.
Now, transacting is just point-and-shoot. Even bid versus ask spreads are minuscule. This makes it more practical for an investor to decide not to ride out a perceived slide even if they have confidence that it will reverse later. Instead, with the ability to unload before an expected trouble spot develops, an investor that waits instead, may become angry with themselves that they held and their account value has declined.
Today’s set of circumstances has a lot more investors acting like traders and trying to time the market. The tolerance for seeing a holding is up, say 6% over a period of time, only to be down 2% over a longer period, then up 7% down the road is much more rare. Newer investors don’t have as much price swing tolerance, they want to take a profit before the market drops. Some then expect as much as a 20% dip that they can buy back into.
Of course, hitting the near tops and low points to maximize profit is unlikely. And trying to do it usually leads to frustration from missed opportunity when it doesn’t then move in the direction that would benefit the trader.
So is it prudent to try to time price moves up and down and trade the shares, to take advantage of so much information? Or, should they do research, find companies they expect will do well, and then look for a good entry point, not even thinking about an exit unless it begins to behave outside of expectations?
This is particularly relevant in a year where the market is up above average, which means if it gravitates back to its mean average annual return, the overall market will end the year lower than it is now.
There is no one simple answer, but a practical approach is to have core holdings to take the long ride with, and then view other stocks separately that maybe move a little faster, up and down, that are for timing moves. This leads to diversification in holding periods. But, in order to work, one has to not forget or give up on the individual strategies of the two investment styles that are to be thought of separately, perhaps even in two different accounts.
But when does one sell from the buy-and-hold portion, is there a trigger? And what is the trigger with the assets in the trading portion?
The same idea could apply to both sets of assets. Set the parameters for every trade and stick to them. Take a profit or a loss when the parameter is met, regardless of what you may feel at that time. Good decisions and “if-this, then-that” thinking is best when not in the heat of battle. Plan your trade and trade your plan regardless. In some cases it may have worked out better if you had acted differently than planned, but if it is based on realistic expectations or probabilities, then chances are, over the years it will reap greater rewards.
This ongoing reassessment, regardless of expected holding time, has the investor set levels, both above and below a stock’s current price, that, when struck causes the investor to evaluate. That evaluation may simply be asking oneself has anything changed since I set this parameter? If not, act. It may also be asking oneself, is this the best use of my capital right now, or is there a better place that I believe has the potential to outperform the current holding?
Take Away
An investment portfolio plan with meaningful rules to follow helps reduce the anxiety of investing. Whether 90% is earmarked buy-and-hold, or 90% is to achieve short-term gains and avoid big drawdowns, the trades must be managed to a pre-thought-out sensible plan. The expectation then is that none of the positions will work out perfectly timed, but as a whole, over a long enough period, the investor will be better off than if they had no guidelines or fewer boundaries.
Avoiding a Hurricane May Mean Adjusting Your Portfolio
Like most people that live in Florida, I usually first learn of approaching hurricanes from concerned family members up North. My reaction is probably different than others. My first thoughts on rare news events is to ask myself, “is this bullish or bearish?” When it comes to hurricanes, there is an answer – like most events that impact stocks, the answer is, “it depends.” Getting out of the way of a hurricane could also mean a slight adjustment to holdings.
I will mention that the toll on life and property of natural disasters, or any travesty, is not lost on me. But as investors, we must control the risks that we can and look for the rainbow in situations we have no control over.
Economic Damage
Dubravko Lakos-Bujas, JP Morgan’s head of U.S. equity and quantitative strategy, shared insights on the economic impact of hurricanes a couple of years before hurricane Ian struck Naples Florida. But the value of the information has not changed. “Major U.S. hurricane landfalls have had less significant impact on aggregate market performance (~2% decline) given the subsequent pick-up in disaster-induced public and private spending,” Mr. Lakos-Bujas said. “The most significant impact on equity performance is seen at the stock and sub-industry level.”
Money May Grow on Trees
Does your portfolio contain Orange Growers? Gulf Coast REITS? Companies that operate in the affected area of the storm see a loss in production as they close up and, at the same time, a jump in costs as they make repairs. These stocks are most likely to underperform. For those companies in the repair business, for example, lumber and roofing supplies, they could generate business whether a storm actually makes landfall or not. The rebuilding effort will cost insurance companies with a concentration of insured properties in the path of a storm.
Lakos-Bujas warned, “The underperformance should be concentrated in insurance (i.e. property loss coverage), and companies with Hotels, Restaurants, Leisure, & Airlines (i.e. based on occupancy/traffic, rising commodity costs), Telecom and Cable (i.e. capital expenditure tied to repair and potentially lower revenue per unit), and Industrials (i.e. rising input costs, disruption in production and transportation) depending on geographic footprint.”
Solutions tend to gravitate toward problems, even if those problems include damage and destruction. This is a good thing, it is capitalism working in a way that helps others. This help is profitable and could make some sectors outperformers. “The largest outperformers include industries tied to replacing and/or repairing existing capital stock (i.e. Energy Equipment & Services, Communication Equipment, Autos), transportation and logistics (i.e. Distribution, Air Freight, Trading Companies), and construction (Basic Materials and Engineering),” Lakos-Bujas’ said.
The analysis of the JP Morgan equity strategist is based on a study of 31 hurricanes between 1965 and 2014, which had a combined cost of $520 billion. Two o the large storms, Irma and Harvey, represent a high percentage of the total cost.
“Based on current unofficial damage estimates for hurricanes Harvey and Irma, losses this year are expected to exceed 50% of combined costs over the last 50 years,” he said. “These outsized losses could currently drive more pronounced moves at the stock and sub-industry levels than historically.”
So, a person may live across the country or around the globe from the storm and still feel an impact. For historical context, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) has seen an average decline of 2% in the week following a hurricane’s passing.
Rebuilding Benefits Stockholdings Differently
Much of the backstop in the economy and the markets is based on the idea that rebuilding after a storm is stimulative. Households and businesses suddenly jam work that needed to be done into a short time span and spend much more on what could’ve been routine maintenance. Economists say that the near-term impact on GDP is a net positive once the hurricanes pass. A lasting positive impact occurs if a natural disaster brings about rebuilding that improves on the existing structures or facilities instead of just restoring them to their previous state.”
One caveat is that labor markets have been tight. Most other years, roofers and builders flocked to the highest bidders and the flow of money helped speed the rebuilding process. If there are currently not sufficient human resources, this will push costs up more than they otherwise would have. Unfortunately, there continue to be reports of labor shortages in many industries, including construction. Fox Business News reported on August 28, 2023, “America’s shortage of skilled workers is impacting the ability of businesses in the construction and manufacturing industries to staff their businesses and complete jobs on time.” This situation could certainly slow any needed rebuild.
As wildfires in Hawaii have shown us, funds for rebuilding efforts are further complicated by politics. Three of the Floridian candidates for president, including the governor, are from a party that is not in power
Take Away
Opportunity comes in all forms. This includes opportunity to avoid a dip in some of your holdings, and an opportunity to capitalize on increased company profits this includes disasters of all types. Weather events can impact stock performance of individual companies and industry subsets. At roughly a negative 2% average, the overall market could impact investors over the following 30 days at a rate that feels like normal monthly swings.
As a positive thought, after the storm clears, come join Channelchek, Noble Capital Markets and an expected 150 public companies companies all converging on South Florida in early December for NobleCon19, the investment conference where you’ll discover actionable investment ideas inspired directly from company management. Learn more here.
Image: President Jimmy Carter and Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping meet outside of the Oval Office on Jan. 30, 1979
The US and China May Be Ending an Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation − A Policy Expert Explains What This Means for Research
A decades-old science and technology cooperative agreement between the United States and China expires this week. On the surface, an expiring diplomatic agreement may not seem significant. But unless it’s renewed, the quiet end to a cooperative era may have consequences for scientific research and technological innovation.
The possible lapse comes after U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., led a congressional group warning the U.S. State Department in July 2023 to beware of cooperation with China. This group recommended to let the agreement expire without renewal, claiming China has gained a military advantage through its scientific and technological ties with the U.S.
The State Department has dragged its feet on renewing the agreement, only requesting an extension at the last moment to “amend and strengthen” the agreement.
The U.S. is an active international research collaborator, and since 2011 China has been its top scientific partner, displacing the United Kingdom, which had been the U.S.‘s most frequent collaborator for decades. China’s domestic research and development spending is closing in on parity with that of the United States. Its scholastic output is growing in both number and quality. According to recent studies, China’s science is becoming increasingly creative, breaking new ground.
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,Caroline Wagner, Professor of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University.
As a policy analyst and public affairs professor, I research international collaboration in science and technology and its implications for public policy. Relations between countries are often enhanced by negotiating and signing agreements, and this agreement is no different. The U.S.’s science and technology agreement with China successfully built joint research projects and shared research centers between the two nations.
U.S. scientists can typically work with foreign counterparts without a political agreement. Most aren’t even aware of diplomatic agreements, which are signed long after researchers have worked together. But this is not the case with China, where the 1979 agreement became a prerequisite for and the initiator of cooperation.
In 1987 former President Jimmy Carter visited Yangshuo, his wife Rosalyn and he insisted that went around Yangshuo countryside by bicycle.
A 40-Year Diplomatic Investment
The U.S.-China science and technology agreement was part of a historic opening of relations between the two countries, following decades of antagonism and estrangement. U.S. President Richard Nixon set in motion the process of normalizing relations with China in the early 1970s. President Jimmy Carter continued to seek an improved relationship with China.
China had announced reforms, modernizations and a global opening after an intense period of isolation from the time of the Cultural Revolution from the late 1950s until the early 1970s. Among its “four modernizations” was science and technology, in addition to agriculture, defense and industry.
While China is historically known for inventing gunpowder, paper and the compass, China was not a scientific power in the 1970s. American and Chinese diplomats viewed science as a low-conflict activity, comparable to cultural exchange. They figured starting with a nonthreatening scientific agreement could pave the way for later discussions on more politically sensitive issues.
On July 28, 1979, Carter and Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping signed an “umbrella agreement” that contained a general statement of intent to cooperate in science and technology, with specifics to be worked out later.
In the years that followed, China’s economy flourished, as did its scientific output. As China’s economy expanded, so did its investment in domestic research and development. This all boosted China’s ability to collaborate in science – aiding their own economy.
Early collaboration under the 1979 umbrella agreement was mostly symbolic and based upon information exchange, but substantive collaborations grew over time.
A major early achievement came when the two countries published research showing mothers could ingest folic acid to prevent birth defects like spina bifida in developing embryos. Other successful partnerships developed renewable energy, rapid diagnostic tests for the SARS virus and a solar-driven method for producing hydrogen fuel.
Joint projects then began to emerge independent of government agreements or aid. Researchers linked up around common interests – this is how nation-to-nation scientific collaboration thrives.
Many of these projects were initiated by Chinese Americans or Chinese nationals working in the United States who cooperated with researchers back home. In the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, these strong ties led to rapid, increased Chinese-U.S. cooperation in response to the crisis.
Time of Conflict
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, scientific collaboration between the two countries increased dramatically – joint research projects expanded, visiting students in science and engineering skyrocketed in number and collaborative publications received more recognition.
As China’s economy and technological success grew, however, U.S. government agencies and Congress began to scrutinize the agreement and its output. Chinese know-how began to build military strength and, with China’s military and political influence growing, they worried about intellectual property theft, trade secret violations and national security vulnerabilities coming from connections with the U.S.
Recent U.S. legislation, such as the CHIPS and Science Act, is a direct response to China’s stunning expansion. Through the CHIPS and Science Act, the U.S. will boost its semiconductor industry, seen as the platform for building future industries, while seeking to limit China’s access to advances in AI and electronics.
A Victim of Success?
Some politicians believe this bilateral science and technology agreement, negotiated in the 1970s as the least contentious form of cooperation – and one renewed many times – may now threaten the United States’ dominance in science and technology. As political and military tensions grow, both countries are wary of renewal of the agreement, even as China has signed similar agreements with over 100 nations.
The United States is stuck in a world that no longer exists – one where it dominates science and technology. China now leads the world in research publications recognized as high quality work, and it produces many more engineers than the U.S. By all measures, China’s research spending is soaring.
Even if the recent extension results in a renegotiated agreement, the U.S. has signaled to China a reluctance to cooperate. Since 2018, joint publications have dropped in number. Chinese researchers are less willing to come to the U.S. Meanwhile, Chinese researchers who are in the U.S. are increasingly likely to return home taking valuable knowledge with them.
The U.S. risks being cut off from top know-how as China forges ahead. Perhaps looking at science as a globally shared resource could help both parties craft a truly “win-win” agreement.
Patent Covers Multiple Component Vaccine for Both Prevention and Treatment
Atlanta, GA, August 28, 2023 – GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a biotechnology company developing immunotherapies and vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for Patent Application No. 17/726,254 titled “Compositions and Methods for Generating an Immune Response to Treat or Prevent Malaria”.
The allowed claims cover compositions comprising GeoVax’s modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector expressing Plasmodium antigens and methods of inducing an immune response to malaria utilizing the compositions. The compositions and methods covered in the allowed claims are useful both prophylactically and therapeutically and may be used to prevent and/or treat malaria.
According to data from the World Health Organization, globally, malaria causes 227 million infections and 619,000 deaths annually. Despite decades of vaccine research, vaccine candidates have failed to induce substantial protection. Most of these vaccines are based on individual proteins that induce immune responses targeting only one stage of the malaria parasite’s life cycle. GeoVax’s MVA-VLP malaria vaccine candidates incorporate antigens derived from multiple stages of the parasite’s life cycle and are designed to induce an immune response with durable functional antibodies and CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, all hallmarks of an ideal vaccine-induced immune response.
David Dodd, GeoVax President and CEO, commented, “We remain strongly committed to advancing innovation towards improving public health worldwide and this patent allowance reflects a potentially significant advancement relative to malaria prevention. Our development priorities continue to be our next-generation COVID-19 vaccine, currently in Phase 2 clinical trials, and our cancer immunotherapy program, with Gedeptin® as our lead product in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for Advanced Head and Neck cancer. However, developing vaccines against global public health threats, such as malaria, is also part of our longer-term commitment focus. This patent allowance adds to our growing portfolio of wholly owned, co-owned, and in-licensed intellectual property, now standing at over 115 granted or pending patent applications spread over 24 patent families.”
About the GV-MVA-VLPTM Platform
GeoVax’s GV-MVA-VLPTM vaccine platform utilizes modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA), a large virus capable of carrying several vaccine antigens, that expresses proteins that assemble into virus-like particles (VLP) immunogens in the person receiving the vaccine. The production of VLPs in the person being vaccinated can mimic the virus production that occurs in a natural infection, stimulating both the humoral and cellular arms of the immune system to recognize, prevent, and control the target infection. The MVA-VLP derived vaccines can elicit durable immune responses in the host similar to a live-attenuated virus, while providing the safety characteristics of a replication-defective vector.
About GeoVax
GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapies and vaccines for solid tumor cancers and many of the world’s most threatening infectious diseases. The company’s lead program in oncology is a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy, Gedeptin®, presently in a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers. GeoVax’s lead infectious disease candidate is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine targeting high-risk immunocompromised patient populations. Currently in three Phase 2 clinical trials, GEO-CM04S1 is being evaluated as a primary vaccine for immunocompromised patients such as those suffering from hematologic cancers and other patient populations for whom the current authorized COVID-19 vaccines are insufficient, and as a booster vaccine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In addition, GEO-CM04S1 is in a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the vaccine as a more robust, durable COVID-19 booster among healthy patients who previously received the mRNA vaccines. GeoVax has a leadership team who have driven significant value creation across multiple life science companies over the past several decades. For more information, visit our website: www.geovax.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements regarding GeoVax’s business plans. The words “believe,” “look forward to,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “will,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, including whether: GeoVax is able to obtain acceptable results from ongoing or future clinical trials of its investigational products, GeoVax’s immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines can provoke the desired responses, and those products or vaccines can be used effectively, GeoVax’s viral vector technology adequately amplifies immune responses to cancer antigens, GeoVax can develop and manufacture its immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax’s immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax’s vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans, GeoVax’s immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete development, there is development of competitive products that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax’s products, GeoVax will be able to enter into favorable manufacturing and distribution agreements, and other factors, over which GeoVax has no control.
Further information on our risk factors is contained in our periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K that we have filed and will file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – August 28, 2023) – Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (TSXV: MGM) (OTCQB: MGMLF) (FSE: M3G) (“Maple Gold” or the “Company“) today announced the immediate departure of Matthew Hornor as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Maple Gold and the concurrent appointment of Kiran Patankar, an experienced mining executive and current Chief Financial Officer of Maple Gold, as its Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. The Company also announced the appointment of Michael Rukus, a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and current Corporate Controller of Maple Gold, as its Interim Chief Financial Officer to fill the vacancy created by Mr. Patankar’s appointment.
Mr. Patankar brings to the role an extensive public company leadership, investment banking and capital markets background and a diverse financial, technical, and strategic skill set, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, project evaluation and development, financial controls and reporting, stakeholder engagement and corporate governance. His appointment will ensure a smooth transition and operational continuity while the Board pursues an active strategy to unlock value through prudent capital allocation and disciplined exploration and development of the Company’s district-scale gold projects located in Québec, Canada.
“After careful review and discussion, the Independent Directors unanimously concluded that a leadership transition is in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders and stakeholders,” stated Michelle Roth, Maple Gold’s Chairperson, speaking on behalf of the Board. “The Board would like to thank Mr. Patankar and Mr. Rukus for stepping into their respective positions and looks forward to working with them in their expanded roles as we execute on our value creation initiatives and deliver on the Company’s enormous growth potential.”
Mr. Patankar has more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in the mining industry. He has served as Maple Gold’s Chief Financial Officer since 2022, after serving as the Company’s Senior Vice President, Growth Strategy since 2021. From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Patankar served as President, CEO and a Director of two TSX-V listed gold exploration and development companies, where he led growth initiatives and orchestrated successful company turnarounds. As an investment banker with leading Canadian and global financial institutions from 2007 to 2014, he worked exclusively with mining companies on strategic corporate matters and executed M&A and corporate finance transactions totaling more than $3 billion in value. Mr. Patankar holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.
Mr. Rukus has more than 15 years of progressive leadership experience in finance and accounting, including over 10 years in the exploration and mining industry. He has led and directed global accounting and finance teams across multiple jurisdictions and has helped companies drive efficient and comprehensive financial plans and analysis to meet their strategic goals. Mr. Rukus attained a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University with majors in both Economics and Business Administration and holds Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified General Accountant (CGA) designations.
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.sedarplus.ca 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.
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.
Concessions are in good standing. In March, Aurania paid its annual concession fee in the amount of US$2,337,345 (C$3,165,349) to maintain its 207,764-hectare land package in Ecuador and has retained its interest in 94 concessions covering 93,300 hectares in Peru. On July 31 and during the first week of August, Dr. Keith Barron, Aurania’s CEO, met with Ecuador’s Minister of Energy and Mines and other government officials to discuss, among other things, options to recover concessions for which Aurania applied in 2016 and were initially held in reserve for Aurania by the government but subsequently not granted. Dr. Barron expects to return to Ecuador in September to resume discussions.
Pursuing an exploration license in France. In parallel with its activities in Ecuador, Aurania has applied for a 51 square kilometer exploration permit in the Brittany Peninsula of northwestern France. The Brittany Peninsula is part of the orogenic Variscan belt. The concession area, situated within the Morbihan Department, has historically been the site of significant high-grade gold finds. Aurania’s geologists visited the area and found numerous blocks of quartz and evidence of past mining activity.
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.
Heading Into the Unofficial End of Summer, Powell Gave the Market a Lot to Think About
The last “unofficial” week of summer will likely be characterized by light trading, which could amplify volatility. This week follows what is viewed by many as a more hawkish tone than expected by Fed Chair Powell on Friday. The next FOMC meeting is not until September 19–20; that is a long time to obsess over every economic number, and there are many key numbers that will be released this week. Investors will be watching the labor report, alongside the PCE price index, personal income and spending data, JOLTS job openings, ISM Manufacturing PMI, and the second estimate of Q2 GDP growth.
Monday 8/28
• 10:30 AM ET, the Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index is expected to post a 16th straight negative number, at a steep minus 21.0 in August versus minus 20.0 in July. The survey asks manufacturers whether output, employment, orders, prices and other indicators increased, decreased or remained unchanged over the previous month. Responses are aggregated into an index where positive values generally indicate growth while negative values generally indicate contraction.
Tuesday 8/29
• 10:00 AM ET, Consumer Confidence is expected to dip slightly in August, at a consensus 116.5 versus July’s 117.0. This report has exceeded not only the consensus in the last three reports but the full consensus range as well.
• 10:00 AM ET, The JOLTS report consensus for July is 9.559 million near its June’s 9.582 million level. Economist consensus have been fairy accurate for this well monitored indicator. The JOLTS report tracks monthly change in job openings and offers rates on hiring and quits.
Wednesday 8/30
• 8:30 AM ET, GDP (the second estimate of second-quarter) is expected to show no change from 2.4 percent growth in the quarter’s first estimate. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE), at 1.6 percent growth in the first estimate, is expected to come in at 1.7 percent in the second estimate.
• 10:00 AM ET, Pending Home Sales are expected to fall by 0.4% after rising .3% in June. The National Association of Realtors developed the Pending Home Sales report as a leading indicator of housing activity. Specifically, it is a leading indicator of existing home sales, not new home sales. A pending sale is one in which a contract was signed, but not yet closed. It usually takes four to six weeks to close a contracted sale. Home transactions are a harbinger for economic activity.
• 10:00 AM ET, The State Street Investor Confidence Index measures confidence by looking at actual levels of risk in investment portfolios. This is not an attitude survey. The State Street Investor Confidence Index measures confidence directly by assessing the changes in investor holdings of equities. The prior number (July) was 96.2%.
• 10:30 PM ET, EIA The Energy Information Administration (EIA) provides the Petroleum Status Report weekly with information on petroleum inventories in the US, whether produced in the US or abroad. The level of inventories helps determine prices for petroleum products.
Thursday 8/30
• 7:30 AM ET, The Challenger Job-Cut Report for August will be reported and compared to last months 23,697 job cuts.
• 8:30 AM ET, Jobless claims for the week ended 8/26 are expected to come in at 238,000. The prior week the figure was 230,000.
• 8:30 AM ET, Personal Income is expected to have risen 0.3 percent in July with Consumption Expenditures expected to increase a solid 0.6 percent. These stats will be compared with June’s 0.3 percent increase for income and 0.5 percent increase for consumption.
• 9:45 AM ET, The Chicago PMI is expected to have risen in August to 44.6 versus 42.8 in July which was the eleventh straight month of sub-50 contraction.
• 3:00 PM ET, Farm Prices for July are expected to have risen month over month by 0.4%, however year-on-year declined by 5.3%. Farm prices are a leading indicator of food price changes in the producer and consumer price indices. There is not a one-to-one correlation, but general trends move in tandem. Inflation is a general increase in the prices of goods and services.
• 4:30 PM ET, The Fed’s Balance Sheet totaled $8.139 trillion last week. Further declines in line with the Feds quantitative tightening (QT) is expected.
Friday 9/1
• 8:30 AM ET, the Employment Situation report is expected to show a moderating but still strong 170,000 increase for nonfarm payroll growth in August versus 187,000 in July which was a bit lower than expected. Average hourly earnings in August are expected to rise 0.3 percent on the month for a year-over-year rate of 4.4 percent; these would compare with 0.4 and 4.4 percent in the prior two reports. August’s unemployment rate is expected to hold unchanged at 3.5 percent.
• 10:00 AM ET, The ISM manufacturing index has been in contraction the last nine months. August’s consensus is 46.8 versus July’s 46.4.
• 10:00 AM ET, Construction Spending for July is expected to have risen 0.5% to match June’s 0.5% increase that had benefited from a second strong month for residential spending.
What Else
There is no early close scheduled for the US markets on Friday before the three day Labor Day weekend.
Have you attended an in-person roadshow organized by Noble Capital Markets. Noble has been reaching out to retail and institutional investors and holding these events designed for investors to meet management teams. Investors have been able to discover more about their companies, often enough to make an informed decision. The forum has been getting rave reviews from investors and company management teams. Use this link to see if a roadshow is scheduled near you.
Michael Heim, Senior Vice President, Equity Research Analyst, Energy & Transportation, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Production was a bit light, but new wells are coming. Production was flat in the June quarter versus last year and down 9% versus the previous quarter. Results were modestly below our expectations. Management indicated that it pushed drilling (and thus well completion) into the third quarter. Hemisphere remains on track to drill ten wells this year. The company reports that production is back up over 3,000 boe/d in August and appears heading towards a good jump in production in the December quarter when wells are completed.
Lower-than-expected production had an adverse affect on bottom-line financial results. With lower-than-expected production’ revenues, operating income, adjusted fund flow, and net income were all a few C$ million lower than projected in our models. Realized prices were in line with expectations as were operating costs and netbacks.
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.
Powell’s Right About the Resilient Economy, How it May Affects Some Stocks
One can generalize and say small cap companies are more sensitive to recessions than large caps – and they would be correct. In his speech in Jackson Hole, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said, “But we are attentive to signs that the economy may not be cooling as expected. So far this year, GDP growth has come in above expectations and above its longer-run trend, and recent readings on consumer spending have been especially robust.” His words sound like a soft landing, no landing, or puts any hard landing far off into the future. Over the past few years, the performance of small-cap stocks has not held its own relative to the performance of large caps when highly weighting the stratospheric performance of mega caps.
After the most recent year and a half of both business news and investors expressing recession concerns, the newer conversation is one of an economic soft landing. Those mentioning the inverted yield curve “proof” has been silenced as rates out on the curve have begun to move steadily higher. The conversation has now been replaced with expectations of increased economic activity. Even if expectations don’t fully come to fruition, it is expectations that move markets – just look at last year’s down stock market which was the result of investors expecting a recession was imminent.
Will Small Caps Finally Run With the Bulls?
The S&P 600 Small Cap Index is is at the same level as December 2020 (Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices)
The S&P 600 small cap index is up by nearly a third as much as the S&P 500 this year (4.40% versus 13.98%) and trades at only 15 times earnings. BofA Securities using Russell Index numbers for its analysis of Russell 1000 large cap and Russell 200 small cap indexes, calculated that small companies are 30% cheaper than usual in comparison to big ones. Over the next decade, according to BoA Securities estimates, small caps are poised to gain an average of 11% a year versus 4% for large caps.
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices
The S&P 600 Small Cap Index has underperformed the S&P Large Cap Index by nearly 10% over the past year. Another well-respected firm, T. Rowe Price, takes the expectations in small-caps a step further in its August insight report titled: The Outlook for U.S. Smaller Companies Looks Increasingly Compelling (Now is not the time to wait on the sidelines). The report highlights additional factors supporting the increased probabilities of small-cap performance.
T. Rowe Price discussed how smaller companies are more oriented towards U.S. economic activity. The author, Curt Organt, the portfolio manager of the firms smaller company equity strategy, also pointes to the many bills in Congress that support capital spending projects in the U.S., explaining this will also provide a tailwind.
• “While the U.S. equity market has become increasingly concentrated at the top end over the past decade, smaller‑company valuations are at their most compelling levels in decades.”
• “History shows that as high concentration in the S&P 500 Index begins to unwind, a new cycle of small‑cap outperformance usually begins.”
• “Shifting trends in the U.S. economy are particularly supportive of smaller companies, providing a potential catalyst for higher earnings growth.”
The portfolio manager discussed how, through history, investors in small-cap stocks ordinarily command higher relative valuations compared to their larger counterparts. At present, as mentioned before, small-cap stocks are currently trading at a substantial discount in relation to large-cap stocks.
Downside protection is also seen as a positive in small-caps, whether compared to its own history, or to today’s large cap valuations. The low valuations in the smaller companies do offer a degree of downside protection during market downturns.
Take Away
At the conclusion of his Jackson Hole speech, Powell said, “As is often the case, we are navigating by the stars under cloudy skies. In such circumstances, risk-management considerations are critical.” Although he was talking about U.S. monetary policy, the words apply equally well if applied to a portfolio’s investment policy. One can never be completely sure of what is around the corner that can either accelerate returns or set the portfolio back. But, placing probabilities on your side, over time, is good practice.
One can never have too much information when selecting companies to invest in. Small company information is particularly challenging for investors to find. Creating a login to Channelchek allows access to data on 6,000 small and microcap companies; this may be the key to further placing investment probabilities on your side. And, if you’d like to take your exploration for the ideal smaller companies to invest in to a higher level, join Noble Capital Markets and Channelchek at its annual investment conference, NobleCon19, this fall.
Here’s How Big the Multinational Insider Advantage Is
Corporate insiders who trade stocks based on the information they gain on the job earn a lot more if they work at multinational corporations than their peers at U.S. companies with no sales abroad. That’s the main finding of our new peer-reviewed research. We wanted to know if multinational insiders stand to make more money because of the complexity of the information they could possess relative to outsiders.
Insider trading happens when a director or employee trades their company’s public stock or other security based on important or “material” information about that business. Insider trading isn’t illegal as long as the person reports the trade to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the information is already in the public domain.
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, D. Brian Blank, Assistant Professor of Finance, Mississippi State University, and Dallin Alldredge, Assistant Professor of Finance, Florida International University.
We wanted to know if multinational insiders stand to make more money because of the complexity of the information they could possess relative to outsiders.
So we examined returns from over 2.5 million trades reported to the SEC from 1987 to 2019 by insiders at over 10,000 companies. This is only a subset of all insider trades reported during the period because we focused on only those transactions most likely to be informed by the employee’s insight. We then compared monthly returns for insiders at multinational and domestic companies with those for a typical investor.
We found that all insiders beat the market, but those at multinationals did better – especially if they were on the highest rungs of the corporate ladder. While insiders at domestic companies typically obtained a return of 2.4% in the month following a stock purchase, those at multinational corporations reaped 2.8%. That may not sound like a lot, but, assuming consistent returns, it could amount to earning $170,000 more if an insider traded $1 million over several months. And it’s triple the typical stock market monthly gain of 0.9%
The most in-the-know insiders – executives and others with the most intimate knowledge of the company and its operations – at multinationals got an even bigger advantage, earning 3.6% per month vs. 2.7% at domestic companies.
Why it Matters
Insider trading is familiar to most people from movies that portray it in criminal terms, such as Gordon Gekko of “Wall Street.” In the film, he makes millions off others’ inside information.
But even when it is legal, insider trading is very profitable. That’s because insiders trading on public information are more knowledgeable about their industry and process information more effectively than outside investors.
With global companies, the advantage of being an insider increases. Since multinational companies generate earnings in foreign countries, with different currencies, cultures, economies and operating environments, it can be hard for an outsider or analyst to accurately value the company and its stock price. This is especially true when the company does business in regions that are culturally and linguistically distinct from the U.S. This helps insiders trade more efficiently, by buying underpriced stocks at a bargain and selling them later for a windfall.
Companies often motivate their employees to work harder by offering them a stake in their success, but if insiders seem to be getting an unfair advantage over ordinary investors, it may undermine trust in financial markets. The size and profitability of such trades – particularly in light of our data – mean regulators and policymakers may want to consider whether new restrictions on insider trading are needed, such as placing additional limits on the timing or frequency of trades.
What Other Research is Being Done?
Scholars, including us, are pursuing many avenues of research on insider trading, such as how insider trading restrictions are determined and how insider trades inform markets when news is limited. We’ve recently conducted research on how insider trades by colleagues at the same company tend to cluster together, and we are currently looking at how innovation affects insider trading.
Another recently published project relates to how information is incorporated into stock market prices and how investors underreact to news that may affect insiders’ ability to trade profitably. Similarly, ongoing research uses a GPT language model to assess the complexity of business regulatory filings and financial statements by analyzing technical jargon that can confuse investors, which could also affect how outside investors understand stock prices compared with insiders.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation is the largest provider of dredging services in the United States. In addition, Great Lakes is fully engaged in expanding its core business into the rapidly developing offshore wind energy industry. The Company has a long history of performing significant international projects. The Company employs experienced civil, ocean and mechanical engineering staff in its estimating, production and project management functions. In its over 131-year history, the Company has never failed to complete a marine project. Great Lakes owns and operates the largest and most diverse fleet in the U.S. dredging industry, comprised of approximately 200 specialized vessels. Great Lakes has a disciplined training program for engineers that ensures experienced-based performance as they advance through Company operations. The Company’s Incident-and Injury-Free® (IIF®) safety management program is integrated into all aspects of the Company’s culture. The Company’s commitment to the IIF® culture promotes a work environment where employee safety is paramount.
Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , 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.
Port Arthur Award. Yesterday, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock announced the award for the Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project Marine Dredging and Disposal contract. This is the second LNG related award received by the Company this summer, following on the heels of the Next Decade contract. The Port Arthur LNG project is a natural gas liquefaction and export terminal in Southeast Texas with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico.
Work Details. The scope of work on this project is to dredge the Port Arthur LNG Berthing Pocket on the Port Arthur Ship Canal. The berthing pocket and turning basin will connect to the Port Arthur Ship Canal and allow LNG vessels to berth, load and depart safely. A significant portion of the dredged materials will be placed by Great Lakes within designated Beneficial Use of Dredged Material (BUDM) areas to restore and enhance marshlands within a local wildlife refuge. Great Lakes is expected to start this project later this year and finish within two years.
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.
Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , 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.
Raising Price Target. With the shares exceeding our $10 price target, we are raising our target to $12. Our new target is 1.1x our 2023 revenue estimate, up from a prior 1.0x, and still well below the specialty foods peer group average of 2.3x. While we were impressed with the second quarter results, rising milk prices and the potential of consumers trading down in a recessionary environment continue to make us take a more conservative approach to valuation.
Shares Up Solidly YTD. On the heels of record quarterly results, LWAY shares appreciated over 60% since August 11th and are now up 77.8% YTD, compared to a 6.2% YTD rise in the Russell 2000. The last time LWAY shares breached the $10 level was back in 2017.
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.
