GCL MONTHLY FACT SHEET MARCH 2024

Geiger Counter Ltd

26 April 2024

 

 

Geiger Counter Limited Plc 

Monthly Investor Report - March

The full monthly factsheet is now available on the Company's website and a summary can be found below. 

NCIM - Geiger Counter Ltd - Fund Page for Geiger Counter Ltd

Enquiries: 

For the Investment Manager 

CQS (UK) LLP 

Craig Cleland 

0207 201 5368 

For the Company Secretary and Administrator 

BNP Paribas S.A., Jersey Branch 

Dean Plowman/Ann-Marie Pereira 

01534 813 967/ 01534 709198 

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Fund Description 

The objective of the Geiger Counter Fund is to provide investors with the potential for capital growth through investment primarily in the securities of companies involved in the exploration, development and production of energy, predominantly within the uranium industry. Up to 30% of the value of the Company's investment portfolio may be invested in other resource-related companies from outside the energy sector.

Portfolio Managers 

Keith Watson and Robert Crayfourd 

Key Advantages for the Investor 

·      Access to mining assets in the uranium sector

·      May benefit from embedded subscription share

·      Low correlation to major asset classes

Key Fund Facts¹ 

Total Gross Assets	£105.6m
Reference Currency	GBP
Ordinary Shares:
Net Asset Value	71.30p
Mid-Market Price	50.0p
Net gearing4	15.97%
Discount	(29.87%)

Ordinary Share and NAV Performance² 

	One Month	Three Months	One Year	Three Years	Five Years
	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)
NAV	4.30	6.31	70.74	106.79	278.05
Share Price	(6.02)	(7.41)	35.14	31.58	162.12

Commentary³ 

After its strong run into mid-February, the U3O8 (Uranium) price consolidated during March with the spot price ending the month 6.6% lower at $88.25/lb. However, uranium-related equities proved resilient and the Fund NAV increased 4.3%, compared to a 3.3% sterling return registered by the Solactive Uranium Pure Play Index. Since March month-end, more widespread reporting of flooding in Kazakhstan has raised concerns of supply disruption from the largest Uranium producing country. However, melt waters have primarily affected river systems in the north of the country rather than the primary uranium producing operations located in the south. As such, potential disruption may be more administrative, though we believe this nevertheless highlights supply risks resulting from a such concentrated number of producers.

Sector news remains supportive. Notably, countries attending the Nuclear Power Summit,

organised by the International Atomic Anergy Association, all backed plans for a wider adoption of nuclear power as a key source of base load power. Positive comments on the sector from the CEO of US nuclear power operator, Constellation, formerly part of Exelon, typifies sentiment towards Nuclear energy. The industry appears to benefit from bipartisan political support, helpful state and federal policies, and increased customer demand for reliable and clean energy. We believe this provides confidence to underpin the industry's growth via existing reactor life extensions and incremental reactor development. Encouragingly, European producer Urenco also announced it had commenced construction work as part of its previously announced enrichment supply expansion plans.

Calls for a relaxation on the uranium mining ban in Western Australia by Australia's Chamber of Commerce could be a precursor to some progress on economic projects that are currently prevented from being developed. Such efforts could also be adopted by other nations, such as the US, that are seeking to encourage much needed domestic U3O8 production and to reduce nuclear fuel supply chain risks. This could benefit investments, such as Laramide and IsoEnergy, which have assets in states which currently prevent uranium mining.

The largest contributors to performance were Canadian mine developer Nexgen and ASX-listed Paladin, whose share prices both rose over 10% in sterling terms over the month. Both companies provided positive updates on their projects. IsoEnergy also announced plans to reopen its small, and already permitted, Tony M mine in Utah during 2025. Ur-Energy announced its first shipment of uranium from its restarted Lost Creek project and also indicated that it would expand its fully permitted and licensed Shirley Basin Project in Wyoming. This helped drive a recovery in the position that had weakened mid-month.

We believe the Fund is well placed to grow with the up-coming issuance of embedded 1 for 5 rights, at an issue price of 37.74p, due towards the end of April.

	Gross Leverage6 (%)	Commitment Leverage7 (%)
Geiger Counter Ltd	116	116

CQS (UK) LLP

4th Floor, One Strand, London WC2N 5HR, United Kingdom

T: [phone] | F: [phone]

CQS (US), LLC

152 West 57th Street, 40th Floor, New York, NY 10019, US

T: [phone] | F: [phone]

Tavistock Communications

18 St. Swithin's Lane, London EC4N 8AD

T: [phone] | [e-mail]

Sources: ¹R&H Fund Services (Jersey) Limited, as at the last business day of the month indicated at the top of this report. ²R&H Fund Services Limited/DataStream, as at the last business day of the month indicated at the top of this report, total return performance net of fees and expenses based on bid prices. These include historic returns and past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The value of investments can go down as well as up. Please read the important legal notice at the end of this document. ³Market data sourced from Bloomberg unless otherwise stated. The Fund may since have exited some or all of the positions detailed in the commentary. ⁴ BMO, UxC, Company data September 2023. ⁵ www.eia.gov. ⁶CQS, as at the last business day of the month indicated at the top of this report. For methodology details see Article 4(3) of Directive 2011/61/EU (AIFMD) and Articles 6, 7, 9 and 10 of Delegated Regulation 231/2013. ⁷CQS, as at the last business day of the month indicated at the top of this report. For methodology details see Article 4(3) of Directive 2011/61/EU (AIFMD) and Articles 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of Delegated Regulation 231/2013.

 

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