Cap Raise Crucible: Big gold raise feast feeds broker picnic

The capital-raising circus delivered another golden fortnight, with Canaccord Genuity muscling into $262 million worth of gold placements, while rival brokers collected handsome commissions and smaller deals, all of which produced enough options to keep the corporate jocks’ calculators working overtime.

Canaccord secured four mandates, Euroz Hartleys featured on three raisings worth $242 million and Argonaut collected two covering $122 million. The figures represent total deal values rather than amounts exclusively allocated to each broker.

SCP Resource Finance, Taylor Collison, Morgans and Shaw and Partners joined the picnic, while Mahe Capital, Oakley Capital Partners, AE Advisors Group and 62 Capital demonstrated that modest raisings could produce ambitious remuneration.

Across the wider gold sector, announced raisings and offers totalled $282 million. The total also includes $11 million in targeted share purchase plans, still to be banked.

The aftermarket told a different story from the broker sales pitch. Three big gold deals were more than 20 per cent above issue price, while smaller placements and an IPO had punters reaching for the smelling salts.

 Welcome back to the Cap Raise Crucible.

The extensive core yard at Turaco Gold’s 4.6-million-ounce Afema gold project in southeast Côte d'Ivoire. Credit: File

TURACO GOLD (ASX: TCG)

Raised: $120 million
Issue price: 60c
Discount: 12.4%
Latest share price: 72.5c
Return against issue: +20.8%

Turaco supplied the heavyweight transaction, with Canaccord and SCP Resource Finance sharing joint lead-manager and bookrunner duties, supported by Euroz Hartleys and Jett Capital as co-managers.

The disclosed five per cent cash fee on the first $97.1 million tranche alone represents a whopping $4.855 million commission pool. That figure does not include fees on the balance.

Enough to make even a battle-hardened corporate jock reach for the Dom.

The proceeds will help consolidate ownership of Turaco’s 4.65-million-ounce Afema gold project in Côte d’Ivoire, including a proposed US$30 million (A$42.7M) payment for Sodim Limited’s remaining 20 per cent stake. The fresh funds will bankroll exploration, pre-development and a definitive feasibility study targeted for the June quarter of 2027.

Unlike some recent heavyweight gold raisings — I’m looking at you, Wiluna — Turaco shareholders have something to celebrate. At 72.5 cents, placement subscribers were 20.8 per cent ahead.

A multimillion-dollar commission pool and a golden aftermarket. Everyone gets cake.

BRIGHTSTAR RESOURCES (ASX: BTR)

Raised: $82 million
Issue price: 50c
Discount: 11.5%
Latest share price: 60.8c
Return against issue: +21.6%

Canaccord barely had time to chill the Turaco champagne before joining Brightstar’s $82 million placement as global coordinator, sole bookrunner and joint lead manager.

Euroz Hartleys and Argonaut shared lead-manager duties, with Shaw and Partners co-managing. Genesis Minerals provided a heavyweight $30 million cornerstone investment.

The syndicate secured a 0.5 per cent management fee across $82 million and a 4.5 per cent selling fee on the $52 million excluding Genesis - that's roughly $2.75 million in aggregate cash commissions on my abacus.

 Brightstar will direct proceeds towards Sandstone, where the Two Mile Hill-Shillington resource has doubled to 1.45 million ounces following the deeper Shirvington discovery. Drilling, an underground exploration decline and development studies aim to establish a second production centre alongside its separately funded Goldfields project.

At 60.8 cents, placement subscribers were enjoying a 21.6 per cent gain. Another big book, another healthy commission pool and customers unlikely to demand refunds.

SKYLARK MINERALS (ASX: SKM)

Raised: $20 million
Issue price: 24c
Premium: 5.5%
Latest share price: 30c
Return against issue: 25%

Skylark demonstrated that a compelling gold story can persuade investors to pay over the odds.

The company secured $20 million at 24 cents, a 5.5 per cent premium, with Canaccord and Taylor Collison sharing joint lead-manager duties. PDI Gold committed $5.1 million for a strategic 9.9 per cent stake, while directors tipped in $2.05 million.

PDI’s allocation attracted a two per cent fee, eligible institutional subscriptions up to six per cent and director allocations nothing, producing a potential $873,000 commission pool.

The $7.85 million first tranche is accompanied by a $12.15 million second tranche requiring shareholder approval. Skylark is looking to lift its stake in Côte d’Ivoire’s 1.2-million-ounce Zaranou gold project from 51 to 90 per cent and accelerate drilling.

Despite the premium, shares are trading at 30 cents, leaving placement punters 25 per cent ahead. Somebody must have let the green fairies out of the absinthe bottle!

Tesoro Gold’s1.93-million-ounce El Zorro gold project in Chile. Credit: File

Canaccord’s golden run extended to Tesoro Gold, joining Morgans as joint lead manager on a $40 million placement at 73 cents.

Argonaut and Euroz Hartleys co-managed, with two per cent management and three per cent selling fees, potentially delivering a $2 million commission pool. The money will advance engineering, permitting and feasibility studies at its 1.93-million-ounce El Zorro gold project in Chile.

At 74 cents, Tesoro subscribers were barely above water.

Meanwhile, not every big cheque needed a broking syndicate.

Centaurus Metals secured US$40 million (A$57M) in strategic equity commitments from Glencore and China’s CNGR for its Jaguar nickel project in Brazil.

Both agreed to subscribe at 42.5 cents, a five per cent premium to the 20-day volume-weighted average price. The first US$25 million (A$35.63M) has been banked, with US$15 million (A$21.4M) conditional on shareholder approval and a final investment decision. CNGR’s outstanding US$7.5 million (A$10.7M) also requires Chinese regulatory clearance.

No placement broker featured, although Standard Chartered Bank earns 1.5 per cent of CNGR’s equity subscription, potentially US$300,000 (A$427,500) on its full US$20 million (A$28.5M) commitment.

At 35.5 cents, the strategic entry price was 16.5 per cent above market. Apparently, even Glencore gets no free pass.

At the smaller end of the scale, BOA Resources raised $9.245 million at 10.5 cents through BW Equities and Cygnet Capital, with Bell Potter co-managing. The six per cent commission represented approximately $550,000, while BOA’s 10-cent price left subscribers 4.8 per cent underwater.

Accelerate Resources raised $1.045 million at 0.4 cents through Leeuwin Wealth, whose six per cent fee delivered $62,700.

Enough for a six-litre Imperial of 1982 Château Pétrus around the desk.

The money will advance the company's manganese exploration at Woodie Woodie North in the Pilbara. At 0.4 cents, punters were square - no Pétrus, no Panadol and no gain.

The rights-issue market offered brokers other ways to make a quid.

ADX Energy launched a renounceable entitlement offer seeking up to $5.2 million at 1.2 cents for its Austrian oil and gas portfolio.

Mahe Capital partially underwrote $1 million, earning a five per cent underwriting fee worth $50,000, plus management and qualifying shortfall-placement fees. The proposed package also included up to 20.81 million underwriter options exercisable at 2.5 cents until December 2028, separate from shareholder options.

Not bad for underwriting a lazy million. ADX traded at 1.1 cents, 8.3 per cent below the still-open offer.

Perth-based biotech Proteomics International offered a contrast, launching a share purchase plan seeking up to $5 million at 10 cents. No broker needed for that one.

Shareholders were offered one free option for every new share, exercisable at 15 cents until November 2028, subject to approval. Proceeds will accelerate commercialisation of its diagnostic technology targeting diabetic kidney disease, oesophageal cancer and endometriosis through Healius in Australia, and support preparations for US expansion.

At 9.4 cents, the market price stood six per cent below the offer.

While one company offered underwriting fees and broker options, the other went directly to shareholders. Which approach would punters prefer?

Pinnacle Minerals flagged a $1.3 million raise at 4.5 cents, with Oakley Capital Partners and AE Advisors Group sharing lead-manager and adviser duties.

The six per cent cash fee is worth up to $78,000. Hardly enough to trouble Collins Street. But that was just the entrée.

The proposed package also included 3.33 million facilitation shares, 3.33 million facilitation performance shares and 22 million adviser performance rights, subject to approvals and hurdles.

More than 28 million potential securities on top of a cash commission feels like a hefty remuneration package against just $1.3 million in fresh funding. Pinnacle’s 4.2-cent share price was 6.7 per cent below the proposed issue price.

However, the options cupboard was not finished being raided. Perth-based 62 Capital lined up a $1 million placement for Simble Solutions at 0.35 cents a share, pocketing a six per cent cash commission worth $60,000 and potentially another 50 million broker options, exercisable at 0.7 cents over four years, subject to approval.

Yep, 50 million!

The options require shareholder approval, while Simble’s 0.3-cent share price left placement punters 14.3 per cent underwater. While the broker may have picked up potential upside, the punters are more likely to call for the nurse.

Finally, the IPO market delivered its own cold shower. Jacaranda Natural Resources raised $8 million at 20 cents, with Gaia Natural Capital acting as joint lead manager and sole bookrunner alongside Boston Global.

The prospectus provided for a two per cent management fee, four per cent selling fee on eligible subscriptions and a $50,000 completion fee.

Depending on eligible allocations, cash remuneration totalled between $370,000 and $530,000, with Gaia also entitled to 1.6 million lead-manager options exercisable at 30 cents over three years.

A handy collection of incentives for an $8 million float.

Jacaranda traded at 18 cents, 10 per cent below its IPO price, after a recent intraday plunge to 12.5 cents — a stomach-churning 37.5 per cent below the float price.

At least punters have likely climbed back off the ledge.

As usual, the brokers got their share. Investors, meanwhile, have their work cut out.

And that neatly captured another fortnight in the Crucible.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au