NEX Exchange New Year Message from Patrick Birley, Chief Executive
“As we move into our second year as NEX Exchange, I would like to briefly reflect on the past year as we look forward to an exciting 2018.
Since our rebranding in January 2017, we have demonstrated an ever-increasing presence in the Small Cap market and welcomed some great new additions to the NEX Exchange platform. We saw some significant secondary fund raising by existing companies, including the impressive £18.5m raised by Chapel Down in early December. NEX Exchange has seen a significant increase in the liquidity of our stocks, particularly led by the keen retail interest in our two-major blockchain investment companies, Coinsilium and Kryptonite1. Secondary trading volumes in our stocks have grown by 300% over the last couple of years and as more retail stockbrokers get connected, we hope to see this trend continue in the year ahead. Despite fewer new listings than we would have liked, secondary fund raising outperformed 2016, NEX welcomed 5 new Corporate Advisors and 5 new Broker members providing our Issuers and Investors with greater opportunity.
We look forward to a successful 2018 and are working hard to bring new exciting companies onto the market, as well as continuing to support our existing community. Having a year without a major election, referendum or other macro –political event should be good news and facilitate stable fund-raising conditions. We will be evolving our services during the year and hope that all users will be pleased as we further develop. As ever, we would welcome input from all directions on how to improve our facilities to better serve your needs and wish you all the best for the year ahead.”
Upcoming Events at NEX Exchange:
Stuartup Grind Edinburgh – Thursday 25th January
NEX Exchange is delighted to have partnered with Startup Grind to host an evening helping Entrepreneurs understand how their businesses can benefit from a Public Market listing. The panel will include our CEO, Patrick Birley and one of our Issuers Chairman, Coinsilium’s Malcom Palle to give you a clear insight.
COMPANY NEWS
Commercial property investor Ace Liberty and Stone (ALSP) has launched an open offer of convertible notes and warrants to raise up to £4.85m. The conversion price is 25p a share, while the warrants are exercisable at 80p a share. The closing date is 22 January. There are already commitments for £3.01m. Additional cash is required to make more property purchases.
Good Energy (GOOD) has sold two operational 5MW solar farms in Devon and south Wales, plus further development rights, for £5.83m and £5.6m respectively. This should yield a profit of £750,000 on each solar farm. The south Wales site has additional land and development or sale of this land could yield an additional payment. Good will still acquire the energy from both sites.
BWA Group (BWAP) expects to be granted mining licences for the extraction of rutile sands in Cameroon. It would then enter an agreement with investee company Mineralfields Group, which would operate the mining concessions. BWA would increase its stake from 12% to 25%. BWA and its directors would own the majority of the shares. BWA has issued 8.37 million shares at 0.5p each in order to pay creditors of Mineralfields. BWA is also issuing £300,000 of 14% convertible unsecured loan stock 2020. The cash interest payment is 4% and the rest will be rolled up and the total loan converted into 36 million shares at 0.5p each.
EPE Special Opportunities (ESO) has invested in David Phillips Holdings, which supplies furniture and furnishing services to the UK property sector. The business is benefiting from the growth of the private rental sector.
Black Sea Property (BSP) has raised €3.53m at €0.01 a share. This will help to finance the acquisition of a property on the Black Sea coast. Via Developments (VIA1) has issued a further £70,000 of debenture stock.
Coinsilium Group Ltd (COIN) raised £720,000 at 9p a share and this will be used to invest in blockchain companies and expand the company’s own advisory business. Last June, £250,000 was raised at 2.2p a share. Coinsilium has been appointed as an adviser to token generation event of Hdac Technology AG, which is developing payment platforms for connected devices.
First Sentinel (FSEN) has bought a 80% stake in Perennial Enterprises in Australia in an all share deal. Perennial is a profitable debtor finance business and it is purchasing A$5m of invoices each month. Shane Perry of Perennial will join the First Sentinel board.
