RE:RE:Probe Metals A Potential Suitor?NP,
Very interesting info on, you have a better memory than me.
- Sokalsky, had a vague recollection, but I did not check it out when I wrote the post this morning. Chairman of PRB BoD and sits on AEM board as well, interesting!
- Lorito, the lawyer
- ES: I know that Sprott Asset Management was involved, but PRB Corp Presentation did not mention EricS's personal ownership. It did mention Sprott Management as a major shareholder, but not the %. Only G was mentioned at ~14%. Do you know the % ownership of Sprott Asset Management and that of ES (normally his personal holding goes through an Ontario number company).
Oh, such a tangle web they weave!
- How much control ES has with AZX? Direct personal control 33.3M shares ($2M) for ~7%, plus another ~7% if he exercise 33.3Mwt @ 0.09 (for $3M). He can do it anytime. $3M is chump change if he wants to double his control.
The merging between PRB and AZX would reduce G ownership of ~14% significantly. Assuming Orenada has 1Moz AZX would have a value of $100M (1Moz x $100/oz in situ. Let's also assume that PRB Market Cap stays at $126M (it would be more valuable after the RE which is scheduled in Q1 2018). So, to absorp AZX PRB would have to issue $100M worth of shares ($100/1.35 = $74M shares). Total of shares following the merger = 94 +74 = 168Ms. G's 14% (94M x 0.14 = 13M shares) would become 13M/168M = ~8% of the combined entity...and AZX shareholders would control 44% of the combined entity (major holders like AEM, ES would have 3.5% and 6% respectively, including wts)
The above math is very rough and just to illustrate that G's influence would be diminish after the merger. A more detailed math would be required to sort out who would be in control of the new entity. But, it would seem ES could play the role of the kingmaker.
GH
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NextPhase wrote: GH,
Yeah, Probe Metals makes a lot of sense... especially considering Jamie Sokalsky is the chairmen of the board for Probe Metals and a director for Agnico Eagle. If you can remember, he had also been the CEO for Barrick Gold for a few of years.
From Agnico's website (emphasis mine):
Jamie Sokalsky, Honours B. Comm., CA
(director since 2015),
Independent
Mr. Sokalsky served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Barrick Gold Corporation from 2012 to 2014. He also served as the Chief Financial Officer of Barrick and as its Executive Vice President. Mr. Sokalsky has over 20 years of experience as a senior executive in the mining industry, including finance, corporate strategy, project development and mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He also served for 10 years at George Weston Limited and began his professional career at Ernst & Whinney Chartered Accountants, a predecessor of KPMG. Mr. Sokalsky is the Chairman of the Board of Probe Metals Inc. and a director of Pengrowth Energy Corporation and Royal Gold Inc. Mr. Sokalsky received his CA designation in 1982 and his B. Comm is from Lakehead University. Next, corporate lawyer John Lorito is connected to both Sprott Management and Probe Metals, and he has facilitated similar transactions in the past. https://www.stikeman.com/en-ca/people/john-g-lorito/representative-work
His representative work includes the following:
- Probe Metals Inc. in connection with its acquisition of Adventure Gold Inc. by way of a plan of arrangement with an implied total equity value of approximately C$22.8M.
- Sprott Asset Management in its hostile takeover bids to acquire all of the outstanding units of Central GoldTrust for C$1B, and Silver Bullion Trust for C$62M.
Lastly, Mr. Sprott is a major shareholder for both Alexandria and Probe Metals. The announcement of the original JV deal with Probe Metals occurred about the same time ES became an investor with Alexandria. If this deal occurs, then he would have a significant control of some outstanding mining real estate.
The next question is how much control does ES have with AZX? This will be important considering what type of deal we could be potentially looking at.
NP