Gold News

Capital Shortage in Junior Mining

Gold and silver juniors are having to fight to raise funds right now...
 
MICHAEL FOWLER, senior mining analyst with Loewen, Ondaatje, McCutcheon Ltd., has worked in the investment industry since 1987 as a base and precious metals mining analyst for numerous high-profile firms.
 
Fowler's coverage list included the major North American gold mining companies, but is now focused on small- to mid-sized companies. Previously, he worked as a geophysicist involved in mineral exploration for 10 years. Involved in the discovery of the high-grade Cigar Lake uranium mine in Northern Saskatchewan in the early 1980s, Fowler is a member of the Institution of Materials in the UK and a member of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
 
Here, in this interview with The Gold Report, Fowler discusses how private equity is getting into the junior silver and gold-mining game...
 
The Gold Report: In January, the exchange-traded fund SPDR Gold Trust outperformed its silver counterpart, the iShares Silver Trust, by about 6%. Should investors expect gold to outperform silver for the entire year?
 
Michael Fowler: Gold and silver are going to perform in tandem this year. Gold is in a corrective phase at the moment. I expect it to average around $1300 per ounce and silver to average about $21 per ounce. We expect gold and silver prices to increase into 2015.
 
TGR: We've seen a bevy of bought-deal financings to start the year. Some are financing below current market prices. Could you provide us with some insight as to what's happening there?
 
Michael Fowler: There are about 1,800 resource companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange and a capital shortage. The demand for capital is huge, but the supply is low. Companies are taking advantage of the small bounce in the gold price last month. In terms of financings, a 10% to 15% discount over the share price is typical when you're trying to get a deal done in this kind of environment.
 
TGR: Does that make you somewhat more optimistic?
 
Michael Fowler: Yes, it is encouraging. However, it doesn't change my view that the industry is still in a mess. There continues to be a capital shortage. Companies spent money like drunken sailors in the past few years and the consequence is they have to cut costs significantly.
 
TGR: What types of projects are getting money?
 
Michael Fowler: The better-quality companies are being financed. There is a capital shortage, but that doesn't mean there's no capital.
 
TGR: What makes a quality mining company in this market?
 
Michael Fowler: The majority of these companies are still just exploring. Investors want production, good assets and strong management.
 
TGR: Some recent reports suggest that there's as much as $10 billion in private equity looking to find its way into the undervalued junior mining sector. Is that changing how you evaluate companies in the junior gold mining and silver space?
 
Michael Fowler: No, but if private equity finds the valuations of junior miners compelling, it means that these companies are extremely cheap. However, even private equity is having a hard time finding quality. There have been a few investments, but it's easy to get burned in this sector. Private equity firms are looking through the weeds and trying to find something of value.
 
TGR: Please outline the must-haves for companies you think are going to move in 2014.
 
Michael Fowler: Jurisdiction-wise, North America is hot right now. So we would recommend assets in that jurisdiction. Companies have to have quality assets. The grade of the deposit is important. The cost structures are important. Valuation needs to be inexpensive, with potential for growing cash flows.
 
TGR: Your coverage universe has changed dramatically compared to the previous year. What constitutes the companies that you continue to cover?
 
Michael Fowler: I'd encourage people to also invest in midtier gold companies, which would be my favorites. Our coverage only reflects our business, which is more speculative, but it's wise to be involved in midtier gold companies, too.
 
TGR: You are presenting an upcoming workshop at the annual PDAC conference in Toronto, March 1, titled, "Investment Fundamentals: Understanding Mineral Exploration and Resource Development and the Relationship to Company Stock Prices." What are three things you hope investors take away from that workshop?
 
Michael Fowler: It's a great course that's been going for nine years. There's a lot of seasoned mining professionals, consultants, engineers, etc. We always get good reviews and we keep on getting invited back to the PDAC conference to do this.
 
It gives the attendees the basics of the business and the major risks in exploration and mining engineering. It goes through the mineral exploration cycle to development and production. It focuses on how consultants, analysts and engineers value mineral properties and companies and the techniques that they use. It tries to relate those valuation techniques to what is actually happening in the marketplace and the major drivers of company stock prices.
 
The audience is very interesting. It's a mix of CEOs, accountants, lawyers, geologists, engineers, students and people from all over the world.
 
TGR: Could you leave us with some thoughts on the cost cutting that's going on across the industry and how that's going to ultimately play out?
 
Michael Fowler: This is a key issue. The cost cutting that's been going on is only a start. The industry wasn't doing so hot with gold at $1250 per ounce. What if it goes to $1150 per ounce? There will be some severe problems. The bottom line is that significant cost cutting is going to happen this year and there's going to be a lot of impairments as well. Reserves are going to be downgraded and write-offs are going to be in full swing in year-end results.
 
TGR: Thanks, Michael.
 
Michael Fowler: You're welcome.

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