Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

Pin to quick picksMineral & Financial Investments Regulatory News (MAFL)

Jacques Vaillancourt, Chairman of Mineral & Financial Investments, on Strong Q3 Results, Copper Positioning and Unlocking Hidden Portfolio Value

Jacques Vaillancourt, Chairman of Mineral & Financial Investments, on Strong Q3 Results, Copper Positioning and Unlocking Hidden Portfolio Value 

Share Price Information for Mineral & Financial Investments (MAFL)

Share Price is delayed by 15 minutes
Get Live Data
41.50    1.00 (2.47%)
Bid:
40.00
Ask:
43.00
Spread: 3.00 (7.50%)
Market Cap: £16.13m
MAFL Live PriceLast checked at - London Stock Exchange

Intraday Mineral & Financial Investments Share Chart

Net Asset Value Update

3 Feb 2015 07:00

RNS Number : 8254D
Mineral & Financial Invest. Limited
03 February 2015
 

MINERAL & FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS LIMITED

("Mineral & Financial", "MAFL", or the "Company")

NET ASSET VALUE UPDATE

MAFL, the AIM quoted resources investment specialist, today announces an NAV and operations update on its activities for the period ended 31st December 2015.

Highlights:

• Net assets of £1.38 million, or 10.06p per share (unaudited) 

• Believe NAV benefits from cautious positioning on companies with low costs and strong management

Continue to hold Glencore for medium term on belief copper will recover from current weakness & Glencore remains well positioned to recover

• New position in rhodium acquired through ETF

• Legacy investments in Technology and Communication & Media are being reduced when appropriate

• Total cash at period end: £596,000, or 4.3p per share

Post period end:

• Evaluation of assets for strategic acquisitions continues

• Analysis of potential first strategic asset acquisition in advanced stages

• £120,000 realised from reduction in Tern plc interest, following recent uplift in share value

 

Chairman's Statement:

Mineral & Financial Investments' NAV increased to 10.06 pence during 2014, a 29.5% gain year on year. We have continued our work divesting and/or developing value from legacy investments within the Company. In addition we have derived some success from our tactical trading portfolio. The MAFL strategy is to provide exposure to the natural resource sector by either investing tactically in liquid, large cap, resources stocks following careful analysis of both company and commodity fundamentals or making strategic investments in the sector. While commodities prices remain volatile we continue to be cautiously positive regarding gold and also certain other metals we believe should be set for under-supply in the medium term. With this in mind, MAFL has taken a few positions in the metals space through ETFs, including in gold, and in certain of the platinum group metals.

 

The key to the MAFL tactical portfolio is ensuring that the portfolio remains liquid.

 

In addition to our work within the tactical portfolio MAFL has also been developing its strategic asset strategy. With a wide range of experience within MAFL our objective is to identify undervalued companies that need revitalising in order for them to move forward. Our intention is to take significant positions in such assets, to take board representation, and help move these companies forward. The Company's directors continue to make progress with discussions and potential opportunities.

 

It is probably worth noting that there is not a shortage of investment opportunities, but a shortage of acceptable investment opportunities.

 

MAFL intends to be a natural resource focused finance house that provides companies that want to move resources forward with financing and support. Our intention is to act as a full and supportive partner to companies while ensuring all interests are clearly aligned with that of the shareholders.

 

Until we have made strategic investments, our capital will be cautiously exposed to metal and mineral investments so that our shareholders can prudently benefit from mining sector performance. We continue to address legacy investments and, when appropriate, liberate value from these holdings.

 

So, while our first strategic investment has yet to be made, we believe our cautious investment of shareholders' capital has nevertheless yielded positive returns for our shareholders.

 

In the context of the wider industry, we believe the lack of new significant mineral discoveries, production cutbacks and continued slow, but positive global economic growth brings us one year closer to the inflection point for metal prices and the mining industry. We continue to believe that the mining super cycle remains intact, and that the period of correction is approaching its conclusion.

 

2014 was a very difficult year for commodities due to the slowing growth of China and, in the second half of the year, the very rapidly rising US dollar. We take heart in the positive changes occurring in India, and elsewhere in emerging markets. However, there were a few select areas of positive performance within the metal markets.

 

While silver was down 34%, zinc was up 13%. We were fortunate to have purchased zinc earlier in the year to benefit from the positive price movement. During the year we were successful in trading an investment in the uranium sector. We continue to be more positive towards precious metals than base metals. Our least favoured segment of the mining sector continues to be the bulk commodities. Although we recognize that bulk commodity miners will benefit from lower oil pricing, they remain plagued by slowed demand growth and increasing supply.

 

The current environment continues to be fraught with risks. We will continue to be cautious and vigilant on behalf of our shareholders.

 

Jacques Vaillancourt

Executive Chairman

 

Chief Investment Officer's Statement

The recent uptick in the price of gold has made it one of the best performing asset classes so far this year, albeit that we are less than a month in. Looking back a bit further, it's interesting to note that the gold price actually strengthened by around eight per cent over the whole of 2014 and allowing for the latest gains, proving that although there has been plenty of bearish talk flying around in the past few months, the reality could be construed somewhat differently. Certainly, the commentary to Mineral & Financial's previous NAV update, for the period to end September 2014, spoke about the Company's cautious optimism in regard to the future gold price. Following the recent uptick, we retain that cautious optimism, and continue to hold gold.

In general terms though, the commodities and mining equity markets remain in a depressed state. With that in mind, the Company has continued to take a cautious approach as far as equity investments are concerned. In the previous quarter we were able to sell out of BHP Billiton before the most recent falls in that company's share price, but we continue to hold Glencore on the basis that it has the least exposure to iron ore and that copper is likely to recover from its recent weakness.

In the most recent quarter the Company took a new position in rhodium, a metal which we believe is near the bottom of its price cycle and which looks set for gains as increased demand from car manufacturers weighs against a widening deficit in supply.

Elsewhere, there was a slight drop off in the value of our 1.4% holding in Cap Energy, the ISDX-quoted West African oil explorer, as the shares drifted in limited liquidity. However, there should be increased newsflow in 2015 regarding funding, seismic and other work on the off-shore prospects, and a potential move to Aim, and the Company is hopeful that that will have a corresponding impact on liquidity.

Finally, the Company took advantage of the recent near-tripling in the share price of Tern PLC to sell a significant portion of our 8.2 per cent holding. We retain a small 1.64 per cent holding although, given that Tern is not a resources company, this remains subject to review.

Alastair Ford

Chief Investment Officer

 

For more information:

 

Katy Mitchell, WH Ireland +44 161 832 2174

 

Laurence Read, Director +44 20 3289 9923

 

 

 

 

 

Notes: The net asset value calculation is subject to audit and is made on the basis that the Company has 13,722,062 shares in issue. All listed investments, including investments on ISDX, are valued at the closing bid price as at 31st December 2014. The Company has an investment in one unquoted gold Company, which is currently valued at the price at which the gold Company in question last raised money, although this is subject to review.

 

 

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
END
 
 
NAVUUONRVOAURAR
Date   Source Headline
3rd Feb 201212:00 pmRNSAcquisition
1st Feb 201212:36 pmRNSQuarterly NAV
27th Jan 20123:07 pmRNSAllotment of New Ordinary Shares
12th Jan 201210:26 amRNSDirectorate Change
3rd Jan 20127:00 amRNSAcquisition
8th Dec 20117:00 amRNSAcquisition
5th Dec 20115:35 pmRNSIssue of Equity - Replacement
2nd Dec 20117:00 amRNSStatement re Share Price Movement
25th Nov 20119:03 amRNSIssue of Equity
7th Nov 20113:55 pmRNSIssue of Equity
2nd Nov 20118:15 amRNSChange of Name and NAV Update
25th Oct 20115:22 pmRNSResult of GM and Appointment of Broker
18th Oct 201111:23 amRNSChange of Directorate - Replacement
11th Oct 20112:10 pmRNSChange of Directorate
7th Oct 20112:59 pmRNSPublication of Circular and EGM Notice
4th Oct 20114:37 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
28th Sep 201111:15 amRNSInterim Results
1st Sep 20113:20 pmRNSPlacing and Loan Note Agreement
17th Aug 20112:45 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
12th Aug 20117:00 amRNSResult of AGM
9th Aug 20114:40 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
26th Jul 20114:36 pmRNSNAV Announcement
27th Jun 20115:40 pmRNSNotice of AGM
22nd Jun 201111:35 amRNSIssue of Equity
16th Jun 201111:05 amRNSAnnual Financial Report
1st Jun 20115:15 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
9th May 201111:24 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
28th Apr 20112:01 pmRNSNAV Announcement
7th Apr 20119:14 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
7th Apr 20119:05 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
7th Mar 20118:51 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
1st Mar 20115:06 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
21st Feb 20114:45 pmRNSSubstantial Holdings
8th Feb 20114:53 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
4th Feb 20112:44 pmRNSPosting of EGM Circular
3rd Feb 201112:57 pmRNSBoard Changes & Subscription of Shares
2nd Feb 20112:51 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
31st Jan 20115:13 pmRNSChange of Adviser
31st Jan 20117:00 amRNSPlacing and Loan Note Agreement
26th Jan 20112:41 pmRNSNAV, Performance fee & Issue of Shares
21st Jan 20114:30 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
21st Jan 20114:30 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
19th Jan 201110:36 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
18th Jan 20114:32 pmRNSIssue of Shares
14th Jan 20113:33 pmRNSDirectorate Change
14th Jan 201112:10 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
11th Jan 20112:35 pmRNSIssue of Shares
22nd Dec 20105:13 pmRNSIssue of Shares
21st Dec 20105:54 pmRNSIssue of Shares
21st Dec 20105:15 pmRNSTrading Update

Due to London Stock Exchange licensing terms, we stipulate that you must be a private investor. We apologise for the inconvenience.

To access our Live RNS you must confirm you are a private investor by using the button below.