May | 2023 | Blue Gem Research

Share Code: ARA – Market Cap: R515m – Discount to NAV: 34%

Q1:23 Results: High Base Effect in Play

For the quarter ended March 2023, Astoria reported USD NAV of 75.60cps & ZAR NAV of 1340.75cps.
Compared to Q4:22, this is a -8.5% & -4.6% respective decline but against Q1:22 the year-on-year growth is still +6.4% & +29% respectively.

Quarterly Updates, Results Notes & Forex Volatility:

Astoria reports quarterly but its valuation policy is only to perform detailed valuations of its unlisted investments at major Q2 (i.e. H2) and Q4 (i.e. FY) period ends. For Q1 and Q3 results, unlisted valuations are kept unchanged, except in instances where developments require an immediate and material change in value (i.e. ‘no news is good news’ if unlisted valuations remain unchanged). Price changes for listed investments and currencies are reflected on an ongoing basis.
Due to this, we will publish one-page Q1 & Q3 results notes with fuller results notes for Q2/H2 and Q4/FY period ends.
As per our Initiation of Coverage, we have updated valuations in their respective economic currencies (e.g. OIH in Rands, Trans Hex in USD, etc) and converted either back to Rands or back to USD’s for respective NAVs. Given the weakening in the Rand against the US Dollar, this approach is creating some short-term volatility in our USD-based NAV while our ZAR-based NAV is more “stable”. This should smooth out over time.

Valuation, 12m TP & Implied Return: Discounted Share Price

Updating Astoria’s NAV to current prices, the share price is trading at a c.34% discount to current NAV (Previously: 36%).
If we take out our calculated “HoldCo discount” of c.14.0% (Previously: 14.6%; narrowed due to the spike in the domestic risk-free rate) from this NAV, we arrive at a fair value for Astoria’s shares of c.1192cps (Previously: 1170cps) or c.23% higher than the current share price (Previously: 25%).
Rolling this fair value forward at our Cost of Equity, we arrive at a 12m TP of c.1422cps (Previously: 1381cps) which implies a potential return of c.55% from the current share price.

Share Code: REN – Market Cap: R2.7bn – PE: -94.1x – DY: 0.0%

FY 23 Results: Producing Cash Flows from Phase One

With Phase One’s LNG production started ramping up during FY 23, Renergen produced its first Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) revenues of R12.7m (FY 22: R2.6) with R11.1m coming from LNG and the balance from the now closed CNH pilot plant (FY 22: zero from LNG & R2.6m from CNG).
Our FY 23 cost assumptions were too heavy, and we expected a full year loss of -22.3cps while the Group only actually lost -19.86cps (FY 22: -27.73cps).

Material Updates: A Coming Year of Big Events…

Phase One will spend FY 24E ramping up production, & it pivotally shifts Renergen from developer to producer status.
The Nasdaq listing process has started with management expecting its conclusion towards the end of this year. A circular to was released detailing the issuance of equity in two tranches; the first being 67.5m shares upon Nasdaq IPO raising c.$150m with the remaining tranche being raised towards the end of the Phase Two build. This is less implied dilution than we forecast & we have adjusted our view and SOTPs for this new data.
Management also published a revealing “Phase Two Guidance Note” forecasting FY 27E estimated EBITDA of between R5.7bn and R6.2bn per annum. Given that Renergen’s entire market cap is currently only R2.7bn, R5.7bn EBITDA is significant!

Valuation: SOTPs & Peer Relatives Higher Than Share Price

Updating and refining our forecasts, we see Renergen’s current fair value at c.6400cps (previously: 6233cps) and 12m TP as a little over 7500cps (previously: 7347cps).
Updating the crude listed helium peer relatives (market cap/helium), Renergen remains discounted against this measure. This remains true even if we take Phase Two’s future equity raises into account and despite Renergen being more advanced than its peers in both proving and starting to produce from its resource.

Blue Gem Research