(Alliance News) – Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) is speaking with advisers about funding options for its small nuclear reactor business, which could include an initial public offer of shares, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.
The London-based manufacturer of jet engines and power turbines is in exploratory talks with investment houses and banks about the funding requirements of the nuclear business, the newspaper said citing “two people familiar with the situation”. The fund needs follow Rolls-Royce’s selection in June by the UK government to build Britain’s first fleet of small modular reactors.
Comment: SNR’s may be the only bright idea the government’s crackpot and bankrupting Net Zero ideology has hit upon. And of course, the London market desperately needs all the IPOs it can get, especially from companies who do not mind being undervalued versus the US, the cost of listing and being tangled up in red tape.
hVIVO (HVO), a full-service Contract Research Organisation (CRO) and the world leader in human challenge clinical trials, confirms that, further to its announcement on 29 July 2025, Shaun Chilton has today joined the Board of Directors as Non-Executive Chair with immediate effect. HVO said “Shaun was previously Chief Executive Officer of Clinigen Group plc, a global pharmaceutical services group operating in more than 100 countries and has considerable board experience within UK public companies. He is currently Non-Executive Chair of HAMA, Avacta Group plc, Non-Executive Chair of Kintiga Limited, and Independent Supervisory Board Member of Product Life Group.”
Comment: HVO has been a painful watch over the past year, with the shares falling by two thirds, and the company not fully explaining why. Today’s announcement shows that with its new appointee, things are likely to change.
The Smarter Web Company (AQUIS: SWC), a London listed technology company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Albert Soleiman as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of the Board, with immediate effect. Andrew Webley, CEO of The Smarter Web Company said “Albert’s extensive experience with public markets will be valuable as we continue to execute our growth strategy and deliver value to shareholders. His recent experience as CFO for a successful FTSE 250, market leading financial services firm, will be extremely valuable as we make progress on executing our strategy.”
Comment: Given that SWC has seemingly been raising cash every other week, one might have been forgiven for assuming that a top flight CFO was already at hand to do the math, and keep score. At least Albert is here now.
Tern (TERN), the investment company specialising in supporting high growth, early-stage, disruptive Internet of Things (“IoT”) technology businesses, is pleased to announce that the Board of Tern has appointed Robert (Rob) Stevens as an adviser to the Company on shareholder relations.
Comment: As Bob Dylan once said, “You don’t need a weatherman to tell you which way the wind blows.” Once could substitute the words “advisor” and “shareholder relations” here. But at least TERN is trying.
Hamak Gold Limited (HAMA) announce its results for the six-month period ending 30 June 2025. HAMA said “We are pleased to announce our interim results for the six-months ending 30 June 2025. Alongside significant progress at Nimba, where drilling is now underway following our joint venture with FAU, we have also launched a Bitcoin Treasury strategy, designed to strengthen and diversity our balance sheet. These combined initiatives position the Company for accelerated growth through the remainder of 2025, with the dual focus of our gold assets and new Bitcoin Treasury strategy to deliver value to Hamak Gold and its shareholders.”
Comment: Now the stock market is in Back To School mode, we have to see who of the myriad BTC Treasury brigade will be able to fulfil their potential. This will most likely mean those companies with the best team and the most money.
Chill Brands Group (CHLL), the consumer packaged-goods distribution company announced that it has been appointed as Primary Distribution Partner in the UK for RELX International, a global leader in the vaping sector.
Comment: After all its trials and tribulations, CHLL has come back swinging with a mega name deal, something that explains last week’s share price jump which was not a leak at all. Perhaps Angela Rayner can be brand ambassador?
ActiveOps (AOM), a global leader in AI-driven Decision Intelligence for banking, insurance, BPOs and healthcare organisations is pleased to confirm that the partial termination by an EMEIA ControliQ customer, as announced in the Group’s FY25 H1 Results in November 2024, has now been fully reversed, following several temporary extensions of the contract.
Comment: The London market is always the first to punish companies when they slip up, and not so keen to reward them when they recover from such slings and arrows. At least in the case of AOM, we have an exception that proves the rule.
Great Southern Copper (GSCU), the company focused on copper-gold-silver exploration in Chile, announced the results of its scout diamond drilling programme at Viuda Negra which confirms the discovery by GSCU of a potentially large porphyry gold mineralised system. GSCU said “”Porphyry gold deposits are large low-grade disseminated gold systems with project economics typically determined by size, depth, location and grade. These scout drilling results, at shallow depths and close to infrastructure, are therefore very significant.”
Comment: We are normally spoiled as far as GSCU and announcements of high grades. However, this is a new system, and something which could successfully widen the company’s resource base. It also has a cool name, particularly if you are a spider.
Satsuma Technology (SATS), a public company pioneering the convergence of decentralised AI and Bitcoin treasury management, today announces unaudited interim financial statements for the period from 1 June 2025 to 8 August 2025. Restated interim financial statements for the three months ended 31 May 2025 are also included, which supersede the financial statements released on 10 July 2025. £168.9 million raised via Convertible Loan Notes during the period, providing significant capital to support the growth strategy and demonstrating institutional investor support. Treasury holdings include 1,148.647 BTC, valued at approximately £99.6 million as at 8 August 2025, plus cash and cash equivalents of approximately £54.0 million.
Comment: SATS has money and BTC coming out of its ears, and to the tune of many times its current market cap of £12m. Only on the London market can this kind of situation exist for any period of time.
Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd. (ECO), the oil and gas exploration company focused on the offshore Atlantic Margins, is pleased to announce its unaudited results for the three-month period ended 30 June 2025, and the appointment of Gadi Levin as Chief Financial Officer. ECO said “”Eco has continued to make progress across its portfolio and operations in the three months to 30 June 2025. During the period, the Company received the Governmental Title Award and the Exploration Right and Operatorship for Block 1, offshore South Africa, where Eco now holds a 75% interest. The Orange Basin remains one of the most exciting offshore postcodes in the world with Eco’s acreage strategically located at its heart. In Namibia, we continue to progress the license work programs and farm out discussions.”
Comment: The Orange Basin factor alone is enough to make ECO a very interesting prospect. However, the company seems determined to hide its light under a bushel. Hence the mention here today.
CRISM Therapeutics Corporation (CRTX), a UK clinical-stage drug delivery company focused on the localised and sustained delivery of chemotherapy drugs, today confirms that it has received both regulatory approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and favourable ethical opinion from a UK Research Ethics Committee (REC) to initiate its open label registration-grade Phase 2 clinical trial of irinotecan-ChemoSeed™ in patients with surgically resectable glioblastoma. This dual approval marks a significant operational milestone and clears the Company to commence the trial across selected UK clinical sites in Q1 2026, as planned.
Comment: An excellent RNS from what looks like a very promising company. Once again, it is a shame the market will not have heard of the company or what it is doing – yet.
Rainbow Rare Earths (RBW) announced successful results from the ongoing test work for the Phalaborwa project in South Africa. This unique project encompasses the recovery and separation of REE from phosphogypsum stacks, a waste product from phosphoric acid production, meaning that many of the costs, risks and long timescales associated with traditional mining projects are eliminated. RBW said “These results represent significant progress for the Phalaborwa project, confirming the potential to become a very low-cost producer of light and heavy REE, and one of the highest margin projects in development globally. They also validate our decision to finalise our flowsheet test work in-house and demonstrate that we have developed the expertise to address REE extraction and separation in a highly efficient manner.”
Comment: Although it has probably taken some degree of skill, RBW has so far managed to avoid the significant re-rate its REE brothers and sisters on the London stock market have managed so far this year. Let’s see if its skills can maintain this rather unfair state of affairs.
ValiRx (VAL), a life sciences company focusing on early-stage cancer therapeutics and women’s health, provided the following updates on its majority owned subsidiary Cytolytix Limited. Cytolytix has received a notice of allowance for the European Patent application “Nanoparticle for Anti-Cancer Peptides and Uses Thereof” (application No. 21798092.9), a key patent in the Cytolytix portfolio.
Comment: Even VAL’s number one fans (probably just members of the board) would admit that the company has been through tough times. Therefore, it is that much more pleasing to see the company making headway via the RNS today.
Predator Oil & Gas Holdings (PRD), the Jersey-based Oil and Gas Company with near-term hydrocarbon operations and production focussed on Morocco and Trinidad advised that the previously announced transaction for the purchase of the entirety of Challenger Energy Group Plc’s St. Lucia-domiciled subsidiary company, Columbus Energy (St. Lucia) Limited (“CEG Trinidad”) and its business and operations in Trinidad and Tobago has been completed, with an effective date of 29 August 2025, following the receipt of all regulatory consents.
Comment: Let’s see whether now this quite significant deal is over the line, PRD manages to get some positive market appreciation, over and above the management style of the company, and the share price being at the wrong end of the range.
Wildcat Petroleum (WCAT) a company targeting investment opportunities in businesses and assets within the upstream sector of the petroleum industry announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wildcat Gold & Mining Trading & Multi Activities Company Ltd (“WGMT”) which sets out in principle the key terms for the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of WGMT (the “Acquisition”). Once these terms are agreed and a legal binding sale and purchase agreement has been signed a further announcement will be made with the final terms in accordance with UKLR 13.4.22R and 13.4.23R.
Comment: WCAT has finally come up with the transformational deal that we have been waiting on for so long. We know it is that good because the shares have been suspended, so one cannot trade the news. Isn’t the London market a wonderful place?
Disclaimer & Declaration of Interest:
The information, investment views, and recommendations in this Zaks Traders Cafe interview are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing in this interview should be construed as a promotion or solicitation to buy or sell any financial product relating to any companies under discussion or referred to or to engage in or refrain from doing so or engage in any other transaction. Any opinions or comments are made to the best of the knowledge and belief of the commentator but no responsibility is accepted for actions based on such opinions or comments. The commentators may or may not hold investments in the companies under discussion.
