Baker Steel Resources Trust - Strong revaluation boost from Futura

Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT) has reported a strong 16.3% NAV increase in its end-December 2023 monthly update (reducing the FY23 NAV decline to 6.3%), following its year-end portfolio valuations update. The key driver was a c 47% revaluation of Futura Resources, BSRT’s largest holding, which owns two coking coal mines in Australia. This follows the successful financing in September 2023, which allowed Futura to advance its Wilton mine to production. At the last closing price, BSRT shares a

Baker Steel Resources Trust - Futura Resources financing is a major milestone

Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT) announced that Futura Resources (its second-largest holding, making up 25.3% of end-August 2023 NAV) closed a c A$26.2m funding round (A$21.2m convertible note and A$5m in-kind commitments from contractors and suppliers). This should fully fund the advancement of the Wilton coking coal mine to production. We see it as a major milestone and possibly also a considerable trigger for BSRT’s year-end NAV uplift. We note Futura’s high royalty and dividend income pote

Baker Steel Resources Trust - Valuation headwinds reflected in June 2023 NAV

Baker Steel Resources Trust’s (BSRT’s) recently published June 2023 NAV, reflecting the usual half yearly review of portfolio valuations, resulted in a 5.2% NAV decline versus end-May 2023 (bringing the year-to-date fall to c 18%). This fall was mainly the result of lower listed peer multiples and updated royalty models, with key individual drivers being Futura Resources (fair value down c 17% in sterling terms during June 2023), Kanga Potash (down 21%), Caledonia Mining Corporation (down 6%) an

Baker Steel Resources Trust - Facing a challenging funding environment

Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT) has been affected by the challenging funding environment for mining development projects, especially for single-project junior mining companies. The funding environment led Tungsten West to carry out an interim fund-raising at a depressed valuation. BSRT’s key potential NAV trigger for this year remains a possible successful funding by Futura Resources to launch production at its two coking coal mines in Australia. While the fund-raising has again been delayed

Baker Steel Resources Trust - Upside potential from successful project funding

Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT) posted an NAV total return of -16.3% in FY22, which was mostly a result of the de-rating of recently floated holdings Tungsten West and First Tin and the impact of Western sanctions against Russia on Polar Acquisition (PAL) and Azarga Metals. However, BSRT also agreed to sell its equity stake in its largest holdings (Bilboes Gold, completed in January 2023) and saw progress across several projects. BSRT’s maturing portfolio offers the prospect of attractive inc

Baker Steel Resources Trust - Adjusting to the new reality

Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT) recently faced headwinds from weaker equity and industrial/precious metals markets and the impact of cost inflation on the budgets of junior mining projects. BSRT’s NAV declined by c 18.5% ytd mostly due to a fall in the share price of recently floated holdings (Tungsten West, First Tin), lower share prices of listed peers (Cemos, Nussir), agreed sale price (Bilboes) and a 50% write-down of holdings with exposure to Russia (Polar Acquisition and Azarga Metals)

Baker Steel Resources Trust - NAV broadly flat in FY21 after strong FY20

In FY21, Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT) reported a modest unaudited NAV total return (TR) of 1.2% (after the strong 31.5% posted in FY20), below the c 11.0% TR recorded by the EMIX Global Mining Index. The positive revaluation of several industrial commodity projects (see chart below), supported by higher price projections and/or development progress, was mostly offset by writing down its precious metals mining investments, which now make up c 25% of BSRT’s portfolio vs c 35% at end 2020. We

Baker Steel Resources Trust - Several IPOs of portfolio projects on the horizon

Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT) posted a solid 29.2% NAV total return over the 12 months to end-June 2021, primarily supported by revaluations at end-2020 and new funding rounds at project level (eg Tungsten West and First Tin). BSRT’s portfolio is maturing with several projects nearing construction or production stage (eg Bilboes, Futura Resources and Tungsten West, representing c 51% of the NAV), making them ripe for an exit or monetisation. Meanwhile, BSRT has not invested in any new proje

Baker Steel Resources Trust - Annual review results in a strong NAV uplift

Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT) reported an impressive NAV total return (TR) of 29.2% for 2020, visibly ahead of the EMIX Global Mining Index (22.2% TR in sterling). This largely resulted from a yearend valuation review of unlisted portfolio holdings and was driven by a combination of projects moving up the development curve, the rebound in commodity prices (CRB Commodity Index up by 21% in H220) and higher market multiples of listed peers (vs end-June). Key contributors include Cemos reachin

Baker Steel Resources Trust - NAV yet to reflect latest project developments

Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT) recorded a solid 10.8% NAV total return in the 12 months ended 30 October 2020, assisted by the progress of several projects and its precious metals exposure. Looking ahead, potential positive NAV triggers for Q420 and Q121 relate in particular to BSRT’s three major projects (Bilboes, Tungsten West and Futura), which made up 45% of its NAV at end October 2020. On the other hand, the recently published pre-feasibility study (PFS) on the Prognoz mine assumes lowe

LIBERUM: Plus500: Strategic progress pays dividends

Tatton Asset Management (TAM LN) - Record net inflows

Tatton, the leading on-platform discretionary fund manager (DFM) and IFA support services Group has released a trading update ahead of its results to 31 March 2024, due on 18 June 2024.

Hardman & Co Insight: 2023 was an annus horribilis for Quoted UK Infrastructure and Renewable Energy

The focus of Hardman & Co Research is on the nine quoted Infrastructure Investment Companies (IICs) and on the 22 Renewable Energy Infrastructure Funds (REIFs): the stocks analysed are all members of the Association of Investment Companies (AIC). We are updating our publication of January 2023, assessing both the lacklustre share price performances during 2023 and the key issues, including interest rates, inflation and power prices. As a 31-strong group, its combined market capitalisation is no

Ondo InsurTech FY24 Trading Update

Ondo InsurTech has released a brief post-YE update revealing its good progress continued through 2H24 and consequently FY24 will be in line with market expectations.

Foxtons Group (FOXT LN) - 1Q24 IMS shows real momentum

Foxtons Group plc first quarter revenue rose 9% to £35.7m (1Q23: £32.9m) with growth delivered across all business segments. Trading is in line with management's expectations.

BlackRock World Mining

BRWM’s managers: we see all the classic signs of high commodity prices...

Morning Note – 18 April 2024

NextEnergy Solar Fund - Attractive Refinancing

The refinancing of a £135m revolving credit facility and the extension of a similar £70m facility gives NESF firepower as development opportunities for new solar are especially attractive thanks to lower module prices in Europe. They give the fund key financial flexibility at a critical time as it pursues its capital recycling programme.

Foxtons Group - FY24 underpinned by market share gains

Foxtons Group’s Q1 revenue grew by 9%, supported by growth in all three divisions as the strategic initiatives continue to gain significant momentum, driven by investment in staff, best-in-class bespoke IT and data platforms. This implies that Foxtons’ medium-term targets are now coming into focus. Market share is being gained in all divisions, which puts Foxtons in a good position as the sales market stabilises. We maintain our valuation of 132p/share and believe that if interest rates stabilis

The Hardman & Co Monthly: April 2024

Feature article: Steady as she goes, but could be better: A review of investment company liquidity since 2016 Liquidity is the lifeblood of equity markets. The measurement of liquid asset availability to a market or company is a way of gauging a market’s health. This article builds on our previous work, which analysed the liquidity data for non-financial trading companies, by applying the same analytical techniques to the investment companies (IC) space. We analyse liquidity for ICs as a whol

Initial Equity Trading Comments - 19 February 2024

M Winkworth+ (WINK, House Stock at 163p) - Solid FY23A results, well placed to grow

Hybridan Research: Sector Review: Artificial intelligence in UK cybersecurity: the human uplift 17/04/2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a double-edged sword in cybersecurity. Whilst new AI models, architectures, and innovations are emerging to protect the security posture of organisations, attackers are also benefiting from deepfakes, sophisticated phishing, and automation of malicious codes. To ensure the impact of AI on cybersecurity to be a net-positive, we need to pit good AI against bad AI. Point solutions enhanced with machine learning: Global cybersecurity has been built with point soluti

Resilient FY24, confident long-term outlook

Vp’s full year update highlights sector-leading results, once again benefiting from the diversity of its end markets and the quality of its specialist businesses. With results expected to be broadly in line with expectations, we trim our FY24 PBT forecast by c.5% to £39.0m, a shade below the FY23 outturn (£40.2m). We consider this an impressively resilient performance set against a mixed market backdrop. Under new leadership, a strategic refresh is underway and management is confident in long

AUM up 30% in FY24, record flows, forecasts raised

AUM jumped £3.8bn or +30% in FY24, reaching £16.6bn on 31 Mar 24, 12% above our previous forecast of £14.7bn. Including 50%-owned 8AM Global, Assets Under Influence hit £17.6bn. Investment performance provided a tailwind, adding £1.5bn to AUM. But our key takeaway from Tatton’s hugely impressive last few years, is that it has designed and implemented a superior offering in platform-MPS with net flows consistently far higher than peers. That leadership looks even more pronounced in H2-24 with net