Roundtable Discussion; The Future of Mineral Sands. Watch the video here.
Approximately 8 years ago the sp was 100+ & the company was almost 100% dependent upon the oil exploration industry. From memory I think it was the chairman sold up his holding & the sp gradually drifted down from there as the oil price dived. Since then it has made an acquisition, increased it's customer base, logistically reduced overheads, pays a divi, become much less dependent upon oil exploration, directors have bought shares at much higher prices than the current sp & never, from my 10 year invested memory, made or needed a placing.
I personally top-sliced my holding, in 2012, once I hit 100% profit & intend to hold till my retirement & beyond.
This company is a unique AIM gem.
Been invested here since early 2012 due to their heavy involvement within the oil industry which was still in vogue back then. Was particularly impressed with their lack of placings hence profitability & solvency which can be a rarity in an AIM company. A steady stream of positive RNS's & small dividends ensued & mostly sustained. Management adapted to prudent cost cutting & logistical rationalization when oil became less trendy. Hence, unsurprisingly to myself, they have further nimbly adapted to the necessity for the zero carbon zeitgeist.
In conclusion, prudent, adaptable & superbly managed gem of a company that has been growing bizarrely unnoticed within the AIM quagmire. Perhaps today's RNS is the overdue but justified 'gamechanger'.
For an AIM company this is a gem with regard to responsible, adaptable, prudent management. They have sensibly diversified from a total dependence upon oil & gas some years back. Subsequently they have rationalized overheads & debt to be able to ride this current global economic earthquake. Have been invested here many years before it bagged circa 2013 & a director sold his holding circa 2014/15.
Unlike most other AIM, debt riddled, companies this is likely to be a robust survivor. The inevitable correction of oil price will also serve to put impetus behind the market cap.
Simon Tucker very confident of all operations notwithstanding the restrictions of the current chaos. Very successful fund-raise and probable renegotiated bank agreement future proofs the underlying cash requirements. Recommend watching the podcast https://srt-marine.com/news-2/ then scroll to the bottom of the page.
Thanks B for this clarity/accuracy. There still remains the £90m contract, March 2016 halted/held in abeyance July 31st 2017 pending financial restructure? Unless I have missed something this has been overlooked by ST in podcasts & certainly deserves an update considering it's size.
Positive news at last re the renegotiated contract. A question remains whereby the initial contract, March 2016, was for £90-100m & this seems to have been haggled down to £31m!? Maybe the reason for the lukewarm sp rise; sp was over 50p prior to the need to renegotiate. Wonder what profit this £31m will generate?
https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/210283/local-officials-talk-up-active-energys-canadian-forestry-operations-210283.html
Wonder how far Senor Spinks has reached re the negotiations with the Metis, Alberta from memory? Some 18 months+ since last mention; having stated in interview, quite a while back, that it was matter of weeks/months to resolution! Great to see director participation in the fundraising.
Just come off the phone from HL re the possibility & process of selling my holding. Was told categorically that the cost of the transaction would be �20 minimum to HSBC, for setting up the deal, then a staggering 200Aus dollars minimum for the currency conversion!! I had him repeat this in case I heard misheard!! I only hold 6199 NWF shares at original cost of �500. The current value showing in the portfolio is �667 so will need to rise another 30+% to even consider a worthwhile trade!!
RNS this morning shows how prudent, diligent, intelligent management can steer a company through 3 years of non self-inflicted challenging circumstances. Truly a 'beacon of light' afflicted by the AIMS 'wild west' stigma. Also mention of dividend reinstatement. Frequent director share purchases over the last 18 months+ imply a steady rise this year.
TRULY PHENOMENAL piece of PHD level research!! Of particular insight is the level & international diversity in competition considering this material was first discovered in Manchester & relatively recently, circa 2002. Have been invested in VRS for a number of years & suffered serious decline in sp approx. 18mths ago. Belief & patience has now been handsomely rewarded to sit in 100% profit having top-sliced, somewhat prematurely, several months back. Have to humbly admit to having performed insufficient research prior to initial investment though always felt confidence in Neil Rickets, based upon many interviews at 'directors talk'. Furthermore, unlike many AIMS co's, this is no 'one trick pony' with a substantial turnover from the 'Total Carbide' division. One other positive, unless I have misread the most recent accounts, being the relatively low debt level, again rare for an AIMS co. However it was, for me, always about the graphene as a must investment & VRS being seemingly the closest to the commercial 'coalface'. My sole concern from the recent Chinese collaboration is the certainty that this 'holy grail' tech knowhow will be 'copied & pasted' & produced more cost effectively. What respect will be paid to the IP & over what time period & what cost should it become necessary for VRS to invoke international law. That said competition is inevitable whether from China, USA et al. The only certainty is that graphene is a humankind game-changer & will long outlive us all. For now it is exciting to have skin in the forefront of this journey & to share & respect the knowledge/understanding & research of fellow passengers/posters. How long, I wonder, till dividends?
Wonder how long it will take for the 'herd' to shift their obsession away from ANGS etc & not miss out on this the most genuinely substantial RNS gem of today.
Seriously impressive year end update...quote...'2016 represented another year of strong growth for Venn with sales in excess of €18m (2015 €11m). The business finished 2016 with a strong cash position of €3m (€1.75m 30 June 2016). The strong momentum enjoyed by the business in 2016 has continued into 2017 to-date, with new business contracts signed to the value €5.7m in the first two months of the year.'...unquote. New business this year alone equates to 1/2 the current market cap. Surely a serious rerate is justified.
Wakey wakey!! RNS this morning with both oil & gas discoveries. Had this been any other 'oily', SOU, RXI et al, the bb would be buzzing. The title 'operational update' has failed to stimulate the 'apathetic'.
Fabulous RNS! What better location could there be to have your technology on display? Well done Simon T...Suez canal next...!? Just tried a dummy sell to be offered 41.7p. Looking to top-slice at approx. 45p but will always retain a decent holding here. Future dividends may just make a comfortable retirement a possibility!