Member Info for Takayama

Of course, another option for UNESCO's response would be to say to the Swedish government that it cannot comment as the area doesn't lie on land with world heritage status, but the Swedish government is free to apply for it to be considered as an "extensions to the existing World Heritage property as a transboundary properties". That would of course kick the ball further down the field as Sweden would then be locked in a debate as to whether or not they should apply for the region to be so considered. All really irrelevant to BEM's interests in that it doesn't advance any useful decision, but of course very relevant to those who oppose and simply want the company to throw in it's hand. Hence, you should always consider an alternative option. Legal is lengthy costly and BEM is a mining company after all, and what would the chances be of winning a case at the point of either debate or actual application for the transboundary status for the property. Or, of course, seek a win-win solution. And finally we can simply cross our fingers and toes, which sometimes works.

RichPoes - I looked at Northern Leaf too, and came to the same conclusion. But it's still possible to get a stake in Northern Leaf via buying into an investment business like AIM listed FFWD that have invested. There are plenty of other companies at an early stage before global dominance too - eg Little Green Pharma (ASX) who are expanding into Europe. Again, look at companies listed in the UK that have invested early bird for exposure. It's easy to think we're the only players given only 3 or so actual CBD companies so far listed in London. I understand LGP are considering a London listing in the nearish future given their European plans. Ed McDermott is a big player in this area, having built up EMMAC, recently sold to Curaleaf. Look them up. It's a fascinating pond that Kanabo are just a small fish within.

Always interested in the views of better informed LT holders, being a new arrival myself. I seem to be only able to find excellent news around the company, and now pointed in the direction of Juvenescence. So pleased I've jumped into FFWD at this stage. “There are a maximum of 10 funds focused on Longevity,” Mellon said. “There’ll be 50-70 in the next few years and in 10 years’ time there’ll be thousands. The Longevity investment market is like the cannabis market – it will grow very quickly, but it will be much bigger.” Their estimated value as of late 2019 was $500M, we have 0.8%, thus given the amazing range that Juvenesence offers, I can't help but be excited of what's on offer for 2021: launch of 'Metabolic Switch', IPO (on the cards since late 2019, pres delayed because of Covid), wide range of other areas of science, lots of IP. Tbh, I was looking at my holding to fund a new kitchen, but I may just borrow the money from the bank for the kitchen and continue to hold for a few years. Aside from possible IPO news and Metabolic Switch, any other bits of news on the horizon with this one? Thanks in advance.

It's tough to know when to buy. However, if you look at the RNS of late, you'll see that there have been several changes in institutional holdings. The price went down to 250p, so my guess is that these were all sells (I can't be bothered to do the legwork to be certain) - there's an insurance policy in place (check the RNS again, and the IPO docs) for Morgan Stanley to buy shares to 'stabilise' at 265p for 30 days. They've been doing this. So my guess is that anyone that's wanted to offload for whatever reason since the IPO will probably do it before the 30 days is over in order to guarantee at least 265, their money back. Frankly, given the price is now back up to the mid -270s, I'd guess there isn't anyone left wanting to offload quickly until the 6 month lock in is over for other shareholders, when there MAY be another sell off - but again, this will be after results, so by that time, there'll be a lot wider market for TRST shares. What does this mean? My guess is that it is increasingly less likely that there'll be a pull back as time goes on. However, I sold a third of my holding this morning to buy into a company where there is greater risk. but also greater potential reward! (FFWD)! Thus spreading my risk with the majority in TRST, some in high risk high return, and around the same amount in another high risk higher return company! TRST is my boring but safe bet for the future!

Ok - thanks both! Still, I feel that there is some value in Factom, the company appears to still be up and running, the zero write down happened prior to that podcast, and I am guessing that the value is therefore still more than expected. Appreciate the insights and perspective of long term holders. Cheers!

Assuming the McDermott 'provisional agreement' comes to fruition in the same way his expectation of the EMMAC deal has actually come to fruition, then, not wanting to jump the gun on more long term holders here, it looks like NAV is (reasonably) around 2- 3x the March 2020 NAV, to which the SP appears to have been tied for some time, up to last week. Like many investors investing in what look like great companies (I include myself in that equation), pay day comes suddenly but after a long wait. Is this the right time (after admittedly many horrendous years looking at the company's accounts) that finally the vision is about to pay off? It really looks to be from wha I can see.

Pirate Flag - Really? This is from a recent interview (as in end of March) with McDermott: "McDermott says for Factom, it has reached a provisional agreement with Factom whereby it is proposed that FastForward’s US$6mln SAFE note shall be converted to equity by the issue of 5.9mln new shares in Factom." Not sure whether your info has overtaken mine or mine overtaken yours? (https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/925507/fastforward-innovations-reveals-key-updates-for-portfolio-companies-factom-and-emmac-life-sciences-925507.html)

FY will have been a little too early to incorporate all the latest news, but given current SP is based around the situation 2020, I'd say a lot has happened since then:
EMMAC - £6m valuation against £2.4M
Factom - Had been written off but now looking like we're getting approx 6M shares currently around $2 each
Leap - looking to IPO this year, valuation presumably northwards of £7.1 M
Northern Leaf - Have to admit that was what brought FFWD to my attention
Other holdings?
So £14.2 Mill NAV of 2020 Mar currently blown out of the water by how much? Many of you out there will have better figures than me, so grateful for your views!

It'll come. The whole sector is set to do well. Check out, for example, FFWD who have bought into the Northern Leaf pre-IPO.

It'll bob up and down, but the sector in general is on the way up. Check out FFWD for example who managed to get in (as an angel investor listed on AIM) on the Northern Leaf pre-IPO investment round.

No advice but speculation only: My speculatative guess is that given it is currently seeking to increase it's workforce by over 5% (around 50 jobs advertised for a payroll of 765), they are growing pretty seriously. HY results are due on August 4, nothing much is likely to happen until then. There's been a bit of a sell off, who knows by whom? But of course, employees were able to trade shares for the first time after the float. The company has achieved great growth in recent years, I'd guess this will continue. In terms of brand name, I know that Trustpilot tend to be the place I'd go to research unfamiliar business. They lead the market in terms of brand reviews. Personally, I can only see up and up. Tech is the future and less prone to cyclical dips. So it looks like a blue chip in terms of quality.

Unfortunately, he said he didn't know when international air travel would open up again. His exact words were "it's too early to tell", but he promised to give as much notice as possible.

Hi Treetop. I've been a shareholder here for over ten years. I've followed the news too (with occasional dips out admittedly) and know about what Kurt has done with the Sami. But there is a point about approach - the Sami don't want a dialogue with Kurt on his terms (how to mine in a way that respects the Sami's wishes), and the Sami meanwhile are approaching this from a different perspective: "no mine under any circumstances"., to which Kurt's response is 'further dialogue' please, and of course you can imagine the Sami response there. So we can all see Kurt's difficulty. The Sami's focus is on the process which has worked for them so far. The worst part about Kurt is that as far as I can see, he's pretty much given up. Of course, it is natural to do feel like giving up when the other side are refusing dialogue, but I know that it is his approach that is stopping him from advancing. There are ways to kick off dialogue when the other side has dug their heels in as the Sami have done. I know my point isn't lost on Kurt even if it is lost on others. But I do think that this is the issue that he needs to address, either publicly or via back channels. And it just doesn't seem to be happening. It feels like he's doing just enough to demonstrate that he's done something (to satisfy the box tickers), but it obviously isn't enough to bring resolution.

Nice board guys. Lots of useful posts. I'm not invested as I'm tied up elsewhere, but I bet this is going to zoom up by double digits today. It's a really good bit of news. Good luck.

So how could getting the Sami onside to support a mine be the wrong thing to do?

Suzy2 - You've missed the point and so has aug59. Look, sometimes when you want something and someone is in your way, you need to figure a way to get them out of your way. Of course you can be a completely docile investor, and of course Kurt Budge is happy as he doesn't have investors asking him awkward questions, stating that 'we are following a process (that the government is making up as they go along to avoid the process)' - or you can say, right, I'm going to try and get them out of my way? Don't you see? So much is at stake, especially for you pensioners here who have invested so much! I get that it's easier to do nothing. But so much is at stake! If this were my mine, I'd be doing everything I could to make this work! It's massive! You know it's massive and you have the opportunity to do something, but you choose to do nothing, and leave your pension pot in the hands of someone you don't even question! You know Suzy2, I wonder sometimes what on earth is going on in your head if you interpret my post as that of 'the Sami spokesperson'? I really hope I haven't overestimated you.

Slightly off topic and I should know, but I don't. Can anyone enlighten? When I look at share trades, I see purchases of very small numbers of stock - sometimes one, 14, 27, or some other ridiculous number. This is I suspect some sort of manipulation, related to pushing numbers on L2 to push bid or ask numbers - though I don't really know, or why. Does any one here know? TIA.

Good post treetop: "Kurt has to gain widespread support before gutless politicians will upset fanatics" (though I may temper the language a little!!!). The whole point about this is the LACK OF LEADERSHIP!! Both on the BEM side so far and the Sami side. I don't disagree with 3cardbrag that granting the mine won't be bad for the Sami. But from their current perspective, it will! That's why they oppose it (and they are wrong to do so, I agree)! Thus, given I am on the BEM side, I'd urge our CEO to take the reins of leadership, step up to the plate, and offer the Sami a genuine alternative. Look, fellow investors, the Sami won't last another two/three generations at this rate. Look it up. Their culture is dying out. It's a golden opportunity for KB to step up, and say, look, we're going to work with you to make reindeer herding MORE of a success than ever! It isn't rocket science - but it is about being plugged into the modern world, knowing people who can process venison, have access to consumers, have access to all the other markets where venison products can be used so that the young Sami can believe that there is a future in being a Sami. It simply isn't happening at the moment, and KB's 'open letter' is, frankly, weak. The Sami need money, expertise and a long term backer. That is BEM. Get the Sami on board, and we've got our mine regardless of Baylan and the imported protesters. Or we wait a hundred years, the Sami will be all but a cultural curiosity and finally the mine opens.

Personally, I have a lot of respect for Baylan as an opponent. I get it that he has a difficult political decision to make. He knows he needs to make a decision, and either way he goes it will be unpopular. So when I say 'pull the rug from under', it is from the perspective of the person who ends up losing out. Either us or the Sami. A decision is inevitable at some point, and one side or the other will feel the 'rug has been pulled from under them'. I disagree about Kurt having done as much as he can. The point about being repudiated is you just need to find another way. The stakes are too high here. From where I'm sitting, it looks like the Sami way of life is dying. That's a shame. And Kurt could capitalise on that. I don't know exactly what he's done. From what I recall, he 'wrote an open letter'. That simply isn't enough. If he's done more, he could publish and let us know, but from what I saw in the last results was that there wasn't anything else he has done 'via backchannels etc'. He needs to identify Sami weak points from the Sami perspective and offer ways to strengthen those weak points, using a slice of future profit from the mine. The Sami don't trust him because in their eyes, he's just another bloke out to exploit them and their land. It isn't about simply co-existing. It's about win/win. I know it isn't conventional, but sometimes you need to go for the unconventional especially when you reach an impasse as we are in. The world is changing. Capitalism is moving towards stakeholder capitalism more and more. It simply isn't the 1970s anymore and especially not in Sweden. BEM could be part of that, demonstrating leadership where Sami leadership has obviously failed. I like Budge. I know it doesn't matter if I like him or not, but he could demonstrate more leadership in this issue rather than be an 'applicant' in a process. It's simply a bit weak.

I'm sensing a good buying opportunity in a week or two!