18/08/2023

Upland Resources Limited (UPL) announced that, through its collaborative discussions with the Petroleum Authority of Brunei Darussalam, the company has recently been advised that gas was discovered in two previously unknown reservoirs in the neighbouring block in Brunei, which is located close to, and has a similar geological context to prospective areas in Block SK334. The company said the presence of previously unrecognised reservoirs and proof of gas migration and trapping in the adjacent Brunei block are key positive indicators of broader hydrocarbon prospectivity in the area.

Comment: Finding fresh hydrocarbons in Brunei should be just the ticket for shares of UPL to initiate a fresh rally after recent gains. The overall picture here looks to be of a minnow company turning into a serious player.

Marula Mining (AQSE: MARU) an African focused mining and development company, is pleased to provide an update on the Kinusi Copper Mine, where the Company has received a final report on the Phase 1 Program of exploration activities. The company said the receipt of Geofields’ report on the Phase 1 Exploration Program was a major step forward for our planned activities at the Kinusi Copper Mine. With the field observations by Geofields’ experienced  geologists and the findings now presented in the final Phase I Program Report indicating that Kinusi can potentially host medium to high grade copper mineralisation. Geofields have estimated an initial exploration target of 10-15 million tonnes, and with additional work including definitive resource drilling, this has the potential to be increased further.

Comment: Marula’s share price may speak for itself as far as the ongoing rally is concerned. But RNS’s like today’s underline why the bull run is more than justified, given the company’s operational strengths.

Audioboom (BOOM), the podcast company, announced that Stuart Last, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, purchased 1,083 ordinary shares in the Company on 17 August at a price of 183.5 pence per ordinary share. Following this purchase, Stuart Last holds 41,236 ordinary shares in the company, representing approximately 0.25 per cent. of the company’s issued share capital.

Comment: Management leading from the front is normally a boost for a company’s share price, eventually, one would hope that this is the case with BOOM. In the meantime there is always the G-Force podcast featuring Audioboom’s Chairman, Michael Tobin, to listen to.

Smarttech247 (S247), a provider of AI-enhanced cybersecurity services, announced that it has received approval for its VisionX platform to be listed on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace. The company said it was thrilled to have its VisionX platform listed on the AWS marketplace. AWS’s well-established, trusted platform allows it to showcase VisionX to a wider range of customers, demonstrating its commitment to delivering leading security solutions to a global audience.

Comment: One notices the “AI-enhanced” description of the company, to catch the market’s latest buzzword. S247 continues to underline its position as one of the better cybersecurity plays, in a space that continues to be undervalued by London investors.

Beacon Energy (BCE), the full-cycle oil and gas company, announced an update on the Schwarzbach-2(2.)  The company said the SCHB-2(2.) well has now been safely, effectively and successfully drilled and logged. The well has encountered oil bearing reservoir in the Meletta and PBS sandstones, both shallower than predicted with the PBS being a thicker interval with more sand and of better quality than pre-drill estimates. These results imply significant upside to the reserve range assigned to the Stockstadt Mitte segment in the CPR published by the company in December 2022, and this will be the focus of one of the post-well projects.

Comment: Today’s RNS from BCE explains the recent jump in the share price, presumably as one or two people guessed this news was on its way. One would expect the oil bearing reservoir find to deliver more in the upside short term.

Plant Health Care® (PHC), a provider of novel patent-protected biological products to global agriculture markets, announced that its biochemical fungicide, PHC279, for the control of sugar cane and coffee disease has received federal approval in Brazil. The company said building on the success of Saori use in soybeans and the continued growth of H2Copla use in sugar cane, this new registration will bring the benefits of PHC279 to sugar cane and coffee growers and expand Plant Health Care’s current business in Brazil. This product will help Brazilian farmers sustainably produce crops and supports the company’s vision to be a leading global provider of peptides for agricultural production.

Comment: PHC continues to be a clever company in the small cap space, delivering a decent fundamental win today. Alas, this company may have been too clever for many small cap investors to fully appreciate, despite a very 21^st century product line.