Vodafone (VOD) and Google today announced a ten year strategic expansion of their existing partnership to bring new services, devices, and TV experiences to millions of Vodafone’s customers across Europe and Africa, supported by Google Cloud and Google’s Gemini models. The agreement will bring storage, security, and AI assistance to Vodafone’s customers in 15 countries, as well as its partners in an additional 45 markets worldwide, while Google will use Vodafone’s fixed and mobile connectivity services to improve workforce productivity.
Comment: An international hot air / buzz word RNS, which of course will not be enough to prevent VOD continuing to be one of the stock market’s most frustrating and rudderless companies.
Imperial Brands (IMB) confirmed trading in line with expectations and increases shareholder returns for FY25. FY24 pre-close trading update. Trading in line with expectations with further growth in both tobacco and NGP.
Comment: It is always good to see Sin Stocks do well for shareholders, with IMB up nearly 20% so far this year, increasing the share buyback and sweetening the dividend.
Georgina Energy (GEX) advised that, via its wholly owned subsidiary Westmarket Oil & Gas Pty Ltd, it has executed a Confidentiality Agreement with a well-established Australian-listed Oil & Gas exploration and production company, with Australian onshore gas production assets, in relation to its well re-entry programme. GEX said that the execution of this agreement with a well-established, production company with Australian onshore gas assets and significant acreage, provides Georgina with exciting potential opportunities for growth following the development of Hussar and Mt Winter.
Comment: As stated here before, while the bears have tried to throw stones here, the newsflow remains as solid as any explorer / developer could be, plus with the sizzle of significant assets being on tap.
Xtract Resources (XTR) announced the results of a metallurgical study by Altrius Consulting which investigated three methods to pre-concentrate copper-gold mineralisation from the Racecourse Mineral Resource on the Bushranger Porphyry Copper-Gold Project in central New South Wales, Australia. The objective of ore pre-concentration is to reduce the operating costs for producing a copper-gold mineral concentrate from the Racecourse Mineral Resource. XTR said that the pre-concentrate test work on copper-gold mineralisation from the Racecourse deposit on the Bushranger Project has shown encouraging results with coarse particle flotation using NovaCellTM technology, demonstrating the potential to increase the grade of copper concentrates and recover up to 30% more copper.
Comment: We have the return of XTR / Bushranger, and in an encouraging way giving the increases grades and recoverable copper, two factors that the market had previously quibbled about. A share price return towards 1p by the end of the year now seems doable.
GreenX Metals (GRX) reported a successful outcome of the international arbitration claims (Claim) against the Republic of Poland (Poland or Respondent) under both the Australia-Poland Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) (together the Treaties). The Company has been awarded approximately £252m. Poland has 28 days from the date of the BIT Award and three months from receiving the ECT Award to apply for set aside of the respective Awards, which can only be set aside under limited circumstances.
Comment: If nothing else GRX has validated all the coterie of stock market litigation plays, such as Panthera (PAT), Ascent (AST) and Zenith (ZEN). The stingy London market has marked the stock up 100% in initial dealings, so this means GRX should really be up 2x or 3x in short order.
Audioboom (BOOM), the global podcast company, reported partnership renewals and a substantial increase in audience and advertiser demand for its political and news programming slate. Audioboom podcasts covering the UK general election and early stages of the US Presidential race recorded a 34% jump in audience reach during Q3 2024 as listeners flocked to podcasting for high quality coverage and analysis.
Comment: While better podcast listens is all well and good, the lay of the land as far as the BOOM share price is that it will take rather more than the revelations in this RNS to move the dial.
ProBiotix Health (AQSE: PBX), the life sciences business developing probiotics to support cardiometabolic health, announced a Q3 2024 trading update (for the nine months to 30 September 2024) which shows ongoing strong momentum in the business. Sales +39% to £1.525m (2023: £1.099m). Gross Profit +40% to £874k (2023: £623k). Gross Profit margin stable at 58% (2023: 57%). Strong cash balance with no requirement for further funding.
Comment: The latest update from PBX reminds us why Optibiotix OPTI is clearly kicking itself for hiving off its golden goose. The extra kick in the teeth here is that PBX does not need further funding…
Renalytix (RENX), an artificial intelligence-enabled in vitro diagnostics company, announced that as previously disclosed regarding its intention to move listing of its ADSs from Nasdaq to the OTC Markets Group Inc., that effective with the market open today its ADSs are now trading on the OTCQB. RENX said with recent steps to improve its balance sheet through completing a financing round with high-quality investors, and structuring its business with a tight commercial focus on growing sales through a lean and efficient market-driven model, it believes it now has the capital and cost structure to pursue its strategic goals toward improved profitability.
Comment: With Oberon raising £11.8m for RENX, it could be argued that the company has more than enough cash to stay on the Nasdaq. However, it is clear that commercialization is the key focus for RENX. With the shares at just 8p it would appear that those seeking value have a decent risk/reward from current levels.
Atlantic Lithium (ALL) the Africa-focused lithium exploration and development company targeting the delivery of Ghana’s first lithium mine, announced that the Minerals Commission of Ghana has issued a Mine Operating Permit in respect of the Company’s flagship Ewoyaa Lithium Project. ALL said with its sights set on achieving first production of lithium in Ghana, it now eagerly awaits parliamentary ratification of the Ewoyaa Mining Lease. It hopes that ratification can occur in the coming sitting, expected to resume on the 15th of this month, which would set it on the path towards construction and operation of this globally significant lithium project.
Comment: Now we know why shares of ALL have been stirring of late, with the Permit news clearly a major milestone. Indeed, lithium price concerns aside, the share price really should be on the right side of 30p already.
Gunsynd (GUN) updated in relation to the Falcon Lake and Merlin Projects in Canada, which the Company acquired a 100% legal and beneficial interest in the Projects as previously announced on 5 August 2024 and 19 August 2024. GUN this marks an exceptional first pass exploration campaign on the two newly acquired projects that are delivering extremely high grade samples. It remains committed to carrying out more in-depth exploration to follow up these attractive sample results.
Comment: After a rather long hiatus, today’s RNS is enough to give GUN a shot in the arm, something which is underlined further by the paltry £1m market cap.
First Class Metals (FCM), the UK-listed metals exploration company, announced that The 79th GRP Ltd, has increased its loan to the Company by £270,000, reinforcing the strategic partnership that has been developing between the two companies. This additional funding builds on the strong relationship already established and marks an exciting new phase of collaboration. FCM said this latest financing underscores the validity of our incubator-style strategy, where it actively progresses assets along the value chain while efficiently managing its resources.
Comment: The additional investment into FCM is not only a fiscal shot in the arm, but a decent validation of the company’s strategy and chances of delivering for shareholders.
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