To: Peter Bourgeois who wrote (1723 ) 7/3/1998 3:39:00 PM From: VAUGHN Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 7235
Hello Peter You may prefer the realism of what is here and now. If so, your buddy David sent the following based on his attendance at the AGM last week: At the Annual Meeting of Southernera shareholders on June 25th, the following information was presented. You can draw your own conclusion about probable earnings per share and projected share price. Consider only the Klipspringer/Marsfontein projects. (Angolan river production and sales are increasing but let's ignore those projections.) Since the plant began operating at Klipspringer mine four months ago, over US$ 5 million in diamonds has been sold and 15,700 carats are on hand (see News Release of 25 June). The last lot sold for US$121.75 per carat so assuming the same price we can expect US$ 1.9 million when these are sold, for a total of approximately US$ 7 million (C$ 10.5 million)from Klipspringer (100% owned by SUF) up to July. The terms of the recently announced joint venture between De Beers and Southernera gives Southernera 40% of the Marsfontein project and mining of M1 is expected to begin in July. It was reported that we can expect the joint venture's production at M1 to increase rapidly as follows: July 14,000 carats August 45,000 " September 67,000 " October 90,000 " November 112,000 " December 112,000 " and continuing at this rate for two years. This comes to about 440,000 carats in 1998 for the joint venture so, ignoring costs, SUF's 40% share should be about 176,000 carats. Assuming a value of US$ 140 per carat, SUF's share from M1 should be worth about US$ 24 million (or C$ 36 million) in 1998. At current conversion rates, SUF's gross income from all sources could be over C$ 40 million in 1998. What about 1999? In 1999 it seems that SUF should receive at least US$ 75 million (i.e. C$ 110 million) from its share of M1. SUF probably will have a 35 tonnes/hour plant operating at Klipspringer as well as increasing revenue from Angola so 1999 cash flow should be well over C$100 million. Note that output from Klipspringer in 1999 is ignored and proven and probable reserves also are ignored. (Note that at the annual meeting it was announced that the Leopard fissure reserves are now double what was known and a new diamondiferous pipe was found recently at Klipspringer.) With estimated income of this order of magnitude and some 30 millions shares in circulation, how long will it be before the investment community puts a higher -- much higher -- price on SUF? If the cash flow per share is over C$ 1 in 1998 and around $3 next year, what should a share be worth? Any suggestions? ************* One last thought on my earlier post. I left out the Canadian buck's depreciation: $273.42 per share US x 1.38 = $377.32 Canadian Regards