Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

HK Type 4 license through Ballingal Investment Advisors Ltd. 

I'm a highly experienced sell-side analyst with in excess of 22 years of covering Asia Pacific equities, the past 19 years immersed in event strategies encompassing M&A risk arbitrage, directional long/short, stub trades and restructuring.  

My background also includes accountancy (liquidation/bankruptcy/receivership) earlier in my career and as a chief financial officer of a global commodity company based in the US and Mexico.

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Allkem/Livent (AKE AU | LTHM US) Merger Of Lithium Equals Has Index Surprises

Quiddity Leaderboard ASX Dec 23: InvoCare, Origin Energy, New Crest, Allkem, and More

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

In a cyclical and volatile commodity sector, such as lithium, profitability is key during lean times.
Brisbane-based <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/orocobre-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3572:1" rel="noopener">Orocobre Ltd (ORE AU)</a> and Perth-based <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/galaxy-resources-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13914:1" rel="noopener">Galaxy Resources (GXY AU)</a> are in effect, the poster children for Aussie-listed lithium producers.  Orocobre extracts the commodity from Argentinian brine ponds, and Galaxy from Western Australian rock. Two different lithium products in two different jurisdictions.
Amid a downturn in the price of the battery commodity and a reduction in tonnes exported, both Galaxy and Orocobre splashed red ink in <a href="https://cdn-api.markitdigital.com/apiman-gateway/ASX/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02205130-6A969035?access_token=83ff96335c2d45a094df02a206a39ff4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FY19</a> (Dec-end) and <a href="https://cdn-api.markitdigital.com/apiman-gateway/ASX/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02273544-2A1246100?access_token=83ff96335c2d45a094df02a206a39ff4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FY20</a> (June-end) respectively.
The downturn resulted in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alita-resources-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16331:1" rel="noopener">Alita Resources (AMS SP)</a> - in which Galaxy is a shareholder - going into administration, a situation that is still working its way through the <a href="https://www.miningweekly.com/article/galaxy-joins-the-fight-for-bald-hill-2021-02-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sale of asset process</a>. In addition, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pilbara-minerals-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7460:1" rel="noopener">Pilbara Minerals (PLS AU)</a> acquired <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/altura-mining-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13385:1" rel="noopener">Altura Mining (AJM AU)</a> late last year after the latter entered receivership in November as the raw battery materials market nose-dived.
A reversal of fortunes has seen increased demand, and price, for Galaxy's spodumene concentrate, and Orocobre's Argentinian lithium bicarbonate. In its quarterly update on the <a href="https://cdn-api.markitdigital.com/apiman-gateway/ASX/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02362944-2A1292351?access_token=83ff96335c2d45a094df02a206a39ff4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13 April</a>, Orocobre said pricing was up more than 50% since the Dec-20 quarter, and nearly 90% in the last six months. 
<h3>The NEW News</h3>
After circling each other for a couple of years, Galaxy and Orocobre entered into a <a href="https://cdn-api.markitdigital.com/apiman-gateway/ASX/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02364542-2A1293132?access_token=83ff96335c2d45a094df02a206a39ff4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">binding agreement</a> earlier this week under which the two companies will merge via a Galaxy Scheme, following which, Orocobre will hold 100% in Galaxy.
Galaxy shareholders will receive 0.569 Orocobre shares for each Galaxy share. Upon implementation, Orocobre shareholders will own 54.2% of the enlarged entity, and Galaxy shareholders will own the remaining 45.8%.
The A$4bn combined entity will be the fifth-largest lithium producer - and third-largest outside of China - boasting a diversified product base via four producing assets.
The two companies classify this as a merger of equals, and in many respects it is. Each company will appoint four directors to the new nine-person board, and the chairman and deputy chairman’s jobs for the coming 12 months will be split down the middle until replacements are found.
This is an intelligent merger. Not only does it establish a foothold in South American brines and Western Australian/North American spodumene, something the world’s largest lithium producers seek to achieve, the new entity will be better positioned to weather a material correction in lithium prices.
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/201/665/original/image_29076439221618885833728.png?1618885835" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="201665"></figure>

In a cyclical and volatile commodity sector, such as lithium, profitability is key during lean times.
Brisbane-based Orocobre Ltd (ORE AU) and Perth-based Galaxy Resources (GXY AU) are in effect, the poster children for Aussie-listed lithium producers.  Orocobre extracts the commodity from Argentinian brine ponds, and Galaxy from Western Australian rock. Two different lithium products in two different jurisdictions.
Amid a downturn in the price of the battery commodity and a reduction in tonnes exported, both Galaxy and Orocobre splashed red ink in FY19 (Dec-end) and FY20 (June-end) respectively.
The downturn resulted in Alita Resources (AMS SP) - in which Galaxy is a shareholder - going into administration, a situation that is still working its way through the sale of asset process. In addition, Pilbara Minerals (PLS AU) acquired Altura Mining (AJM AU) late last year after the latter entered receivership in November as the raw battery materials market nose-dived.
A reversal of fortunes has seen increased demand, and price, for Galaxy's spodumene concentrate, and Orocobre's Argentinian lithium bicarbonate. In its quarterly update on the 13 April, Orocobre said pricing was up more than 50% since the Dec-20 quarter, and nearly 90% in the last six months. 
The NEW News
After circling each other for a couple of years, Galaxy and Orocobre entered into a binding agreement earlier this week under which the two companies will merge via a Galaxy Scheme, following which, Orocobre will hold 100% in Galaxy.
Galaxy shareholders will receive 0.569 Orocobre shares for each Galaxy share. Upon implementation, Orocobre shareholders will own 54.2% of the enlarged entity, and Galaxy shareholders will own the remaining 45.8%.
The A$4bn combined entity will be the fifth-largest lithium producer - and third-largest outside of China - boasting a diversified product base via four producing assets.
The two companies classify this as a merger of equals, and in many respects it is. Each company will appoint four directors to the new nine-person board, and the chairman and deputy chairman’s jobs for the coming 12 months will be split down the middle until replacements are found.
This is an intelligent merger. Not only does it establish a foothold in South American brines and Western Australian/North American spodumene, something the world’s largest lithium producers seek to achieve, the new entity will be better positioned to weather a material correction in lithium prices.


Sociedad Quimica y Minera de C (SQM/B CI)

Galaxy Resources

Orocobre/Galaxy Resources: On A Charge