RE: Quarterlies1 May 2021 09:59
Quote: "European Metals holds the largest known lithium deposit in Europe, which it expects to become one of the lowest-cost lithium mines in the world upon operation.
The mine is in an optimal location, with support from local and regional governments as well as a plethora of potential customers nearby.
The company has three major catalysts that will emerge this year, propelling the company to 150% growth.
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The company currently plans to heavily favor debt financing for their project, with equity taking a back seat. This is to avoid shareholder dilution and, with an incredibly low payback period of just 1.8 years, debt financing doesn’t incur as much risk as typical for a company looking to raise almost $500 million with only $18 million in net assets. The payback period was calculated using the above EBITDA of $266.946 million.
A payback period of just 1.8 years is very appealing for prospective financiers as it lowers the risk of their investment. For shareholders of European Metals, this is also a positive as it allows the company to begin reinvesting into expansions quickly after operations begin. To further aid in the company’s financing efforts, they have into a partnership with EIT InnoEnergy SE. InnoEnergy is the principal facilitator and organizer of the European Battery Alliance. The EU-funded organization lists securing raw materials as its top priority. Through its work leading the organization, InnoEnergy has developed strong relationships with companies throughout the battery supply chain and will bring valuable assistance in negotiations for debt financing, offtake agreements, and grant funding. With a very low payback period and the help of InnoEnergy, European Metals has a surprisingly strong financial assurance.
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The company’s financial situation, as strange as this may sound, is actually one of its biggest assets in my eyes. It has a far stronger proposition than most lithium juniors and should be enticing for financiers.
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When we take a look at the company’s future operations, it’s clear why the long-term play holds the greatest potential for investors. I expect that European Metals will be turning out an EBITDA of $266.946 million, a figure that dwarfs the company’s current market capitalization of just around $180 million. While 150% growth would ultimately take the company’s value to $450 million, or around $2.50 per share, an earnings multiple of 1.69x is still fairly low -- even if expansions weren’t in store for the future.
The ceiling for the mine is estimated to account for a 10x expansion, based on the current plan’s coverage of just 9.3% of the total indicated reserves.
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(cont)