Uranium & Gold Financings, McEwen Copper News Boosts Streamer, and CEO Investment in Lender
Published: 12/9/2024
Author: FRC Analysts
*See important disclosures at the bottom of this report.Highlights
In this edition, we analyze the performance of our top picks, including a junior gold company under coverage, whose shares rose 10% last week. We also highlight key updates from other resource companies under coverage, including positive developments for a royalty company, financings, exploration successes, and a spin-out transaction. Additionally, the CEO of an alternative real estate lender investing personal funds into the deal signals strong confidence in the company’s growth prospects.
- Gain insights into companies under coverage that experienced significant developments last week, along with our analysts' commentary and actionable takeaways.
- FRC top picks and standout performers from the past week
Commentary on Resource Companies Under Coverage
Power Nickel Inc. (PNPN.V, CMETF)
PR Title: Announces shareholder approval and court approval of spin-out of Golden Ivan property and Chilean assets
Analyst Opinion: Positive – Shareholders have approved a previously announced plan to spin out certain non-core assets into a newly formed company. Under this arrangement, shareholders will receive 0.05 of a common share in the new company for each PNPN share they own. Management has decided not to list the new company’s shares on any exchange in the near term. We believe this decision reflects their intention to carry out additional exploration, which could potentially lead to a higher valuation if initial results are favorable. Our fair value estimate for PNPN excludes these non-core assets, making the free shares an added reward for shareholders.
PR Title: McEwen Copper secures environmental permit for construction and operation of the Los Azules copper-gold-silver project (Argentina)
Analyst Opinion: Positive – The advanced-stage Los Azules project hosts a large, open-pittable copper deposit (38 Blbs + 4.7 Moz gold +159 Moz silver). A definitive feasibility study (DFS) is expected in 2025. TNR owns a 0.36% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on the Los Azules project. We are projecting annual royalty revenue of $6M from this project for TNR, using conservative copper prices.
Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (SYH.V, SYHBF)
PR Title: Announces a $9.5M private placement
Analyst Opinion: Positive – Proceeds will fund exploration and drilling at the company’s uranium projects in Saskatchewan, as well as working capital. SYH’s portfolio includes 29 properties, spanning over 1.4 million acres in the Athabasca Basin. We expect a surge in M&A activity in the uranium sector in 2025, driven by growing demand for sustainable energy for data centers and AI initiatives, coupled with a vulnerable supply chain.
LaFleur Minerals Inc. (LFLR.CN)
PR Title: Announces a $3M private placement
Analyst Opinion: Positive – Shares are up 26% since we initiated coverage in October 2024. A significant advantage for LFLR is its ability to rapidly advance its Swanson gold project in Quebec into production with minimal CAPEX, thanks to the existing underground mine development, and its proximity to the 100% owned Beacon mill.
Grid Metals Corp. (GRDM.V, MSMGF)
PR Title: Initial results of a maiden drill program at the MM copper-nickel project (Manitoba)
Analyst Opinion: Positive – The first six holes from an ongoing drill program along the 4 km Eagle gabbro trend, within the MM copper-nickel project, intersected high-grade, copper-rich zones, including 44 m of 0.93% CuEq, with 25 m of 1.47%. GDRM is also conducting geophysical surveys to potentially identify additional mineralization. The advanced-stage MM project hosts two open-pittable nickel-copper-PGM deposits, with indicated resources totaling 263 Mlbs nickel, 317 Mlbs copper, and 450+ Koz of precious metals.
StrategX Elements Corp. (STGX.CN)
PR Title: Nagvaak project exploration update (Nunavut)
Analyst Opinion: Positive – Recent exploration identified additional targets within a 200 km by 100 km area at its flagship Nagvaak project. This property has potential for hosting nickel, vanadium, cobalt, silver, PGM, and graphite. Management is planning a drill program.
Churchill Resources Inc. (CRI.V, CRICF)
PR Title: Recent developments at the Taylor Brook nickel project (Newfoundland)
Analyst Opinion: Positive – Drilling at the TB-01 nickel target intersected both near-surface and deep nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide zones. Geophysical surveys are ongoing, and CRI plans follow-up exploration and drilling in H1-2025. Taylor Brook shows potential for hosting nickel sulphide deposits, a key source of class 1 nickel for lithium-ion batteries.
Updates on Financials, Technology, Energy, and Special Situations Companies Under Coverage
Builders Capital Mortgage Corp. /TSX:BCF
PR Title: Announces anticipated second closing of bond offering
Analyst Opinion: Positive - BCF's CEO intends to invest $4.25M in the company's $50M bond financing, bringing the total raised to $11.5M. Bondholders will participate on a pari passu (equal) basis with shareholders. We see the CEO's investment as a strong endorsement of the company's prospects.
In Q3-2024, BCF recorded its highest-ever quarterly revenue (up 5% YoY), amid higher lending rates, and mortgage originations, beating our estimate by 3%. We believe the company can sustain its $0.80/share annual dividend, even if lending rates fall by 2%, and loan loss provisions increase tenfold.
FRC Top Picks
The following table shows last week’s top five performers among our Top Picks. The top performer, Western Exploration, was up 10%. The company plans to complete a resource update for its gold project in Nevada, followed by a preliminary feasibility study (PFS) in 2025.
Top Five Weekly Performers | WoW Returns |
Western Exploration Inc. (WEX.V) | 9.7% |
Kootenay Silver Inc. (KTN.V) | 7.8% |
Southern Silver Exploration Corp. (SSV.V) | 7.5% |
Starcore International Mines Ltd. (SAM.TO) | 7.1% |
Hemostemix Inc. (HEM.V) | 6.7% |
* Past performance is not indicative of future performance (as of Dec 9, 2024) |
Performance by Sector
Total Return | 1 Week | 1 mo | 3 mo | 6 mo | 1 yr | 3 yr | Since launch |
Mining | -2.2% | -12.6% | 8.5% | -11.6% | 8.9% | -39.6% | -5.6% |
Cannabis | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | -32.0% | -23.6% |
Tech | -3.4% | -6.7% | 3.7% | -31.7% | -24.3% | -29.1% | -4.6% |
Special Situations (MIC) | -0.8% | 0.2% | 6.3% | 14.7% | 45.5% | -45.9% | 5.2% |
Private Companies | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 6.7% | 20.5% | 30.5% |
Portfolio (Total) | -2.0% | -10.0% | 7.3% | -7.2% | 11.4% | -24.0% | 4.2% |
Benchmark (Total) | 0.2% | 2.4% | 12.2% | 4.9% | 16.1% | -32.2% | -30.5% |
Portfolio (Annualized) | - | - | - | - | 11.4% | -8.7% | 0.4% |
Benchmark (Annualized) | - | - | - | - | 16.1% | -12.1% | -3.3% |
1. Since the earliest initiating date of companies in the list of Top Picks (as of Dec 9, 2024) | |||||||
2. Green (blue) indicates FRC's picks outperformed (underperformed) the benchmark. | |||||||
3. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. |
Our complete list of top picks (updated weekly) can be viewed here.