RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:Exploration stage
Big mining companies are producing and selling gold. Investors in these companies are concerned first and foremost with number of ounces produced, revenues, profit margins, earnings per share, cash flow, D/E ratio, interest coverage, current and quick ratios, cash flow, ROE, and other standard metrics presented in quarterly financial statements, quarterly MD&As, and Annual Reports. Assay results of exploration activity takes a back seat in terms of what shareholders want ot hear.
Conversely, the life-blood of junior explorers as far as shareholders go are press releases, be they assay results, acquisitions or dispositions of claims, number of drills in operation, zones being sampled, etc. Junior explorers have no revenue, they are not in the midst of building a mine, they have little debt - there is really nothing else to go on in terms of assessing the company's progress.
Outsiders call the shots in terms of NFG share price movements, short activity, etc. since the Sprott / Kettell / Palisades shares are likely not traded. NFG currently has approximately 166M shares outstanding (source: TMX Money). Thus, outsiders own roughly 66M shares. I don't think it's wise to take those shareholders for granted.