Heading into summer, it looks like the temperature isn’t the only thing heating up. May was a stellar month at the CSE with eight new listings joining the Exchange for Entrepreneurs bringing the total number of listed securities on the Exchange to 288 as of May 31st.
The trend of companies from a diversity of backgrounds joining the Exchange continued in May with firms from natural resources, technology and life sciences coming aboard. Included in the new listings for May were seven equity listings and one debenture.
Companies listed on the CSE were also active in raising capital in May. There were 16 financing deals that closed in May totalling just shy of $10M and bringing the level of capital raised on the CSE for 2015 to $68M. On a year over year basis, this represents an increase of 13% in financing activity.
Of the 100 financing deals completed thus far in 2015, 71 have come from separate companies.
The focus on technology companies has been evident in 2015 with almost ¾ of the financing deals coming from the technology sector and the remainder split evenly between diversified industries and mining respectively.
CSE Trading Activity
CSE trading activity continued to trend downward heading into the summer months. A total of 12,478 trades were placed with a volume of 155M shares traded and a total value of almost $19M.
The top five most active issues on the CSE by volume for May were:
Nutritional High International Inc.
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Hi Ho Silver Resources Inc.
Umbral Energy Corp.
Matica Enterprises Inc.
The top five most actively traded issues on the CSE for May were:
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Cannabix Technologies Inc.
Aurora Cannabis Inc.
Nutritional High International Inc.
Supreme Pharmaceuticals Inc.
For full trading information for May, click here to access the monthly trading summary.
Convincing investors to forego beautiful Vancouver spring weather is no easy feat. Yet, the lure of dozens of exhibitors and 40 plus speakers touting everything from green technology to the frontiers of applied neuroscience was enough to attract investors into this year’s edition of the Canadian Investor Conference (aka Canvest) on May 31st and June 1st.
The combination of both publicly-listed and private companies afforded visitors the chance to interact with entrepreneurs of all stripes. In addition to the mining and natural resource focused companies, one of the major draws for investors was the PowerHaus Pavillion, a section of the conference floor that housed two dozen private companies from a diverse set of industries.
It was fitting that in a room full of entrepreneurs that the Exchange for Entrepreneurs also played a major role as a supporter of this year’s show.
In addition to being a major sponsor, the CSE also participated as an exhibitor and in a panel discussion. CSE representatives Natalie Kovacs, Mark Francis and James Black were on-hand to answer questions about the Exchange. CEO of the CSE, Richard Carleton, was also present on Sunday and Monday, meeting, greeting and even doling out the occasional hug.
Private vs Public: An Evolving Dialogue
One of the key events the CSE participated in was the panel discussion on public versus private investment. Moderated by Blake Corbet of PI Financial Corp., the panel featured Jason Paltrowitz (OTC Markets Group Inc.), Richard Carleton (CSE), Marcus New (InvestX Capital Ltd.) and John McCoach (TSX Venture Exchange).
The lively and spirited discussion touched on a number of issues important to investors and entrepreneurs alike.
For example, one key message was that investors need to do their due diligence when looking for investment opportunities in either the private or public spheres. Recent regulatory reforms in the US as well as the new channels that investors can tap into to participate in exciting growth stories, are all designed to make access to early-stage capital easier. That said, panelists recognized the inherent risks associated with growth-stage firms and encouraged investors to take a measured approach to assessing investment opportunities in this space.
Another interesting perspective raised in the panel, was the shift in focus of investment capital into the technology sector.
As pointed out by Richard Carleton, technology companies listed on the CSE have accounted for the vast majority of financing deals that have taken place this past year. In fact, it is interesting to note the parallel shift experienced by the Canadian Investor Conference which has also seen a significant transition away from being exclusively natural resource companies to now showcasing up-and-coming technology stories.
Around the Conference
Richard Carleton was also interviewed on site by the Investing News Network – check out the full interview in the video below.
Several CSE-listed firms were also exhibiting at Canvest, including:
Check out some of the highlights from the Canadian Investor Conference in the picture gallery at the end of this post.
Winds of Change
Despite the challenges faced by small-cap and junior companies, the 2015 Canadian Investor Conference offered entrepreneurial firms with an interest in telling their story to find an audience to tell it to.
VP Listings Development, James Black, noted “Once again, we were happy with the outcome of this conference and always come away with new intelligence on how our marketplace is evolving. For instance, it’s clear that investment interest is starting to shift decidedly in favour of non-resource stories, even in Vancouver where mineral exploration deals been the bread-and-butter of the street. Our own stats further support this viewpoint as we are seeing a growing trend of IT, Biotech, and Cleantech companies attracting financing, specifically those based in BC.
As the last several years have shown, regardless of market conditions, innovators always find a way to thrive.
With the diversity and number of firms joining the CSE continuing to increase, it seems the market is also telling a story of its own: making capital easier to access and more affordable to raise is something entrepreneurs want and need in order to stay competitive.
As every entrepreneur knows, having a great story to tell and being able to tell it can spell the difference between an uncomfortable elevator ride and a lucrative one. Of course, it helps tremendously if the right people are in the elevator to hear that story in the first place.
As the Exchange for Entrepreneurs, the CSE has been supporting its listed issuers with a series of recent events geared towards building great pitches and bringing together the right audience to hear them.
These sessions, known as “The CSE Day”, were held in Vancouver and Toronto, and provided listed companies the opportunity to work with leading communications experts, network with fellow entrepreneurs and of course, connect with the CSE team.
The CSE Day Vancouver, which took place in April, was a classic West Coast experience. Co-sponsored by Equities.com, Clark Wilson LLP and Davidson & Company LLP, it started early with a power breakfast and delivered plenty of food for thought. Attendees were provided with a wealth of insight on upcoming regulatory changes to raising capital in Canada and the US as well as on key issues in the tax landscape for public companies to be aware of.
The Toronto edition of The CSE Day, by comparison, took place in the heart of the concrete jungle in the exquisitely designed Trump International Hotel on the Exchange (for Entrepreneurs) Floor. The CSE Day Toronto was co-sponsored by chartered accounting firm Collins-Barrow, Equities.com and information distributor Newsfile Corp. and featured presentations from Richard Carleton, CEO of the CSE, as well as pitch workshops and an incredibly lively networking mixer.
Continuing to Shine
In both sessions, the CSE provided updates on the continued strong performance of the CSE for the first several months of 2015. From listings, to trading activity to connectivity to financing deals, the CSE maintained positive momentum as Canada’s fastest growing securities exchange.
Some of the major milestones achieved by the CSE as of mid-May 2015 included:
Completing 93 financing deals worth over $67M and 22 new listings.
Hints were also dropped of bigger and bolder moves on the horizon.
Additional connectivity of online brokerages as well as bringing a major online financial portal aboard as a market data provider are around the corner. Also, on the heels of a very productive trip to Europe late last year and interest from partners in the US and further afield, the CSE is looking to widen its global footprint this upcoming year.
Pitch Perfect
To help firms listed on the CSE improve the ability to tell their company stories, a cornerstone of the The CSE Days were free hands-on pitch training sessions with communications professionals.
In Vancouver, Julie Durant of Market Motion Media led a workshop on how to provide an effective pitch; in Toronto, Marc Gordon shared his formula for creating a powerful and compelling talk to a full house.
Of course, with any skill, it’s practice that makes perfect.
After the workshop sessions, participating firms were given the chance to show off their pitches during the networking session that followed.
In total, a dozen CSE-listed companies took part in providing their pitches for fellow attendees. To view the full slate of company pitches, check out the video below or visit our YouTube channel here.
Regardless of which side of the Rockies attendees participated in, the feedback from The CSE Day was overwhelmingly positive.
Attendees, presenting companies and sponsors shared in their assessment that The CSE Days demonstrate that the Exchange for Entrepreneurs continues to hit the right notes with junior firms.
According to James Black, VP, Listings Development, “as the Exchange for Entrepreneurs we are proud of the fact that much of our success has been based on providing real value for our listed issuers. Events like The CSE Day are great for learning as well as for bringing entrepreneurs together to interact with one another. We’re genuinely excited to continue holding these sessions throughout the year.”
By all accounts, The CSE Day Vancouver and Toronto were incredibly successful. With insightful presentations on raising capital, hands-on pitch workshops and the chance to network with key members of the capital raising community, the CSE is continuing to help entrepreneurs make the elevator to the top much more enjoyable experience.
Enjoy the pictures from The CSE Day Vancouver and The CSE Day Toronto!
The CSE Day Vancouver Spring 2015
The CSE Day Toronto Spring 2015
Special thanks to CSE staffers Barrington Miller, Rob Cook, Natalie Kovacs, and Kayla Matson for helping make these events a tremendous success.
The CSE was a proud sponsor and participant at the May 6th TakeStock! AB Conference in Calgary, Alberta.
In its largest and most successful event to date, the third Take Stock! Investor Forum hosted another productive day of company presentations, investor education and professional networking.
The event continues to grow in traffic as well as popularity and drew a diverse set of thought leaders highlighted by keynote speaker Fabrice Taylor, author of the popular President’s Club Investment Letter.
Companies presenting and exhibiting at the forum included a mix of early-stage, growth-oriented public companies alongside representatives from private companies. Several CSE-listed issuers also attended, including Aurora Cannabis Inc. (CSE:ACB), Glenbriar Technologies Inc. (CSE:GTI) and Robix Alternative Fuels Inc. (CSE:RZX).
TakeStock! AB is proud to present its next forum on November 6th, 2015 at the Ramada Downtown Calgary.
With the first calendar quarter of 2015 now in the books, the CSE is on pace to have another exceptional year. Through Q1 of 2015, the CSE has achieved a number of important milestones, implemented structural improvements and continued to attract interest from publicly listed companies looking to improve their cost of accessing capital.
The Q1 numbers also support the continued positive momentum: 20 listings, 62 financing deals and $42.3M raised. As good as they are, however, there’s more to story of Canada’s fastest growing securities exchange than just impressive numbers.
CEO Richard Carleton
Recently, the CEO of the CSE, Richard Carleton, sat down with Peter Murray from Kiyoi Communications to provide a deeper discussion of the exchange’s achievements as well as the opportunities on the horizon for 2015. The full interview will be available in the next issue of the CSE Quarterly however here are some of the highlights.
Improving Connectivity to the CSE
Alongside the rapid growth in listings on the CSE has been growing retail investor interest in accessing the companies trading on the exchange. Over the past year, the CSE has worked with several of Canada’s major independent and bank-owned online brokerages to help them meet strong client demand to provide direct trading access on the CSE.
In Q1 two major bank-owned online brokerages, TD Direct Investing and BMO InvestorLine, enabled direct trading for their clients bringing the total number of online brokerages with direct trading access on the CSE to 13. With the addition of these significant bank-owned brokerages, clients of all major Canadian bank-owned brokerages can now trade CSE-listed securities conveniently via their online platforms.
Tracking the Pulse of Innovation
Another significant milestone achieved by the CSE this past quarter was the launch of the CSE Composite Index. As the Exchange for Entrepreneurs, the CSE is uniquely positioned to attract innovators looking to grow via the public markets. The diversity of industries and sectors represented by securities listed on the CSE was, in part, a driving force behind creating the CSE Composite Index. According to Carleton, “The index is an excellent measure of the development and growth of a broad cross-section of Canadian small-cap public companies.”
Staying a Step Ahead
In addition to the successes in broadening connectivity to and tracking of the exchange, the CSE undertook important steps to preserve the sustainability and integrity of the Canadian public markets landscape. The interview also covers in-depth the context behind the guidance issued on plans of arrangement and firms choosing to list via this option. An important theme of that discussion was that creating confidence for investors ultimately serves to benefit all marketplace stakeholders.
As crucibles of innovation, publicly traded markets are constantly evolving. And, while staying on top of this change is challenging enough, getting ahead of the curve is simply the reality all public market stakeholders need to embrace. For the CSE, like many entrepreneurial firms, innovation, responsiveness and creativity are key to being able to keep pace with the speed of change.
Be sure to read the full interview to learn more about how the CSE views the current climate for small-cap stocks and listings, how the CSE is positioning itself to respond to the emerging trends in capital raising and why more and more companies are likely to continue joining the exchange.
To access the full interview, register for the CSE Quarterly mailing list here.
The Canadian Securities Exchange continued with strong momentum through Q1 of 2015. March was a particularly busy month at the CSE with the PDAC at the beginning of the month as well as the CSE Composite Index undergoing its initial rebalance. Operationally there was lots on the go. Listings on the CSE continued to grow with the total number of securities listed climbing to 280. Helping to propel the number of listings higher were the 10 new companies that joined the CSE.
The number of financing deals in March remained strong at 17 (vs 18 in February) with the value of those deals increasing slightly ($10.6M vs $9.6M) compared to the prior month. On a YTD basis, technology company financings have been dominant, representing 77% of the financing deals completed.
CSE Trading Activity
CSE trading activity also remained robust in March. 251M shares were traded (a 15% increase m/m) representing a total value of $35M and an average value per trade of $1,849.
The top five most active securities on the CSE by volume for March were:
Nutritional High International Inc.
Matica Enterprises Inc.
GeoNovus Minerals Corp.
Khan Resources Inc
Jagercor Energy Corp.
The top five most actively traded securities on the CSE for March were:
Nutritional High International Inc.
Cannabix Technologies Inc.
Matica Enterprises Inc.
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Supreme Pharmaceuticals Inc.
For full trading information for March, click here to access the monthly trading summary.
Other Updates
CSE Composite Index had its first rebalancing of 2015 take place. The index is normally expected to be rebalanced quarterly on the third Friday in each of March, June, September and December. Below are the most recent changes that were made to the CSE Composite Index.
To help get your day started right and also provide some food for thought, the Canadian Securities Exchange, along with sponsoring partners Clark Wilson, Davidson & Company LLP, and Equities.com, are holding a complimentary breakfast update session for public venture companies.
The breakfast information session is part of The CSE Day Vancouver, which takes place on Thursday April 23rd from 8:30am to 10am at the Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver in the Coal Harbour Room. Further details and RSVP information are provided below.
Attendees of this event will be treated to breakfast as well as to a number of informative presentations. First, CSE representatives will provide an update of the activities and milestones achieved by the CSE this year. In addition, the CSE will provide a brief overview of the listing requirements and process to join Canada’s fastest growing securities exchange. Pertinent topics for public venture companies will be covered by Clark Wilson LLP and Davidson & Company including:
Amendments to continuous disclosure and corporate governance obligations of venture issuers;
Update on Regulation A+ offering reforms;
Accounting hot-topics for public companies.
This inaugural “CSE Day” stands to be a popular session so be sure to RSVP online here as seating for this breakfast event is limited.
As with years past, there was a lot to see and do at the 2015 edition of the PDAC. Over 23,000 individuals including mining executives, resource & exploration professionals and enthusiasts from 116 different nations braved the March weather to attend this year’s conference and get a flavour for the current state of the mining industry around the world.
The team from the Canadian Securities Exchange was on hand at the CSE booth and to co-host a networking luncheon alongside MNP LLP, Newsfile and Peterson & Company LLP. In addition, the CSE initiated a sponsorship this year for Mining Matters, a youth program aimed at inspiring the next generation of mining and resource enthusiasts.
For the CSE, it was another great conference with steady traffic to the exhibition booth as well as a strong turnout to the networking luncheon, great speakers, great food and of course great company.
Click through the slideshow below to see pictures from the exhibition floor and the networking luncheon.
Although February is the shortest month of the year, for the CSE, there was still more than enough activity to make for a busy month. In addition to the exciting launch of the CSE Composite Index, there was a whole host of healthy listing, financing and trading activity.
New Listings
On the listings front, the CSE welcomed the following 6 new listings to the exchange bringing the grand total number of securities trading on the CSE to 273 as of February 28th.
Of those listings, Montego Resources came to the CSE as an IPO, raising $510,000 via their agent Canaccord Genuity Corp.
Financing Activity
February was also another strong month for financing activity at the CSE. There were 18 financing deals worth a total of $9.6 million dollars. In terms of sectors, there was a strong interest in technology deals followed by mining and diversified industries. Thus far for 2015, financing for technology listings on the CSE have been very healthy.
Trading Activity
CSE trading metrics for February continued to remain strong. The total volume of trades reached 217M (a 57% increase year over year) with a total value traded of $64M.
There were just over 19.5 thousand trades with an average volume per trade of 11,128 and an average value per trade of $3,281.
The top five most active issues on the CSE by volume for February were:
Manitoba Hydro Bds XII F/R 1.75% 15JUN18 (MHL.DB.B)
