Quality of Management Attracts PR

By: James Finch
Submitted: 2007-01-17 11:55:54
Print this article | For publisher |

Rating:

 

Late Friday afternoon, while watching Bart Jaworsky, associate mining analyst for Raymond James, discuss his three top uranium stocks on Canada’s ROB TV, it again became evident that the very best publicity is reserved for those with quality management. Readers will recognize Jaworsky echoing the very same themes, which have run through our commentary since June 2004, in every feature from ISL mining to U.S. uranium assets, and from the recent Wyoming series to the widely “How to Choose a Uranium Stock.” Jaworsky picked Energy Metals (TSX: EMC), UR-Energy (TSX: URE) and Strathmore Minerals (TSX: STM; Other OTC: STHJF) as his top three choices.

What attracts the big time publicity is the name behind the company. Often it is not the Chief Executive. If one were to speak to Gene Ramos, Reuter’s energy reporter based in New York, the first question he will fire back at you is: “Who is this person?” Translation: What has he accomplished? Bart Jaworsky astutely focused on “quality of management.” That is a lesson investors should learn.

For example, this past week, Strathmore Minerals was fortunate to have a triple play in publicity. On Tuesday, Lawrence Roulston, who writes Resource Opportunities, recommended Strathmore on ROB TV. On Wednesday, Bill Murphy’s Midas Report recommended Strathmore. On Friday, Jaworsky featured Strathmore on ROB TV. Who’s doing their public relations? In reality, the media attraction stems from the quality of management. When Spencer Jakab of Dow Jones (and Barron’s) wants a good quote about uranium, he turns to David Miller, president of Strathmore. Miller was chief geologist for Cogema’s ISL operations in the United States. Again, who are you and what have you done?

In the case of Energy Metals, when it comes to ISL mining, the engineer in charge of developing their U.S. assets is Dennis Stover. His claim to fame was designing the Smith Ranch ISL facility now owned by Cameco’s Power Resources. A review search of the ISL literature will inevitably turn up Dennis Stover’s name. Stover has proven himself, built a respectable reputation and inevitably will attract media attention at some point.

Finding a Wyoming geological textbook that omits the name of William Boberg, chief executive of UR-Energy, is easier said than done. His papers and presentations through the late 1970s and 1980s helped define the extent of Wyoming uranium geology. With previous experience at Conoco and Kennecott, as a uranium geologist, Boberg’s endeavors to bring his company’s Lost Soldier property into full production will, at some point, attract strong media attention.

What brings the media to a company’s door is not the tout by a self-serving, self-absorbed and megalomaniac newsletter writer, but all of the attributes we featured in “How to Choose a Uranium Stock.” Quality management, great (and proven) properties, hidden value in the company, and loads of cash help simplify an investor’s decision. Jaworsky warned about Kazakhstan, an area we’ve avoided coverage on because of the political climate (ditto for Mongolia). Focusing on North America reduces risk when it comes to uranium exploration and development.

In every uranium deal, there is a single individual who knows what is going on, as Bill Sheriff of Energy Metals advised us. If you want to know what is really happening at Smith Ranch, you talk to Patrick Drummond, the plant supervisor. He’s been in mining his entire life, having started off in the coal mines of Scotland. The Power Resources operation draws praise from Wyoming’s State Representative David Edwards and State Senator Robert Peck. The people who live in nearby Douglas, Wyoming speak highly of Power Resources.

At Uranerz Energy (OTC BB: URNZ), it is Glen Catchpole, who previously ran a Wyoming ISL operation, and helped develop Cameco’s ISL assets in Kazakhstan. Forum Development (TSX: FDC) has Dr. Boen Tan, who helped discover two of the Key Lake deposits in Canada’s Athabasca Basin. ESO Uranium (TSX: ESO) has precious metals geologist Tony Harvey advising the company. Perhaps it will be ESO’s Mikwam gold project in northern Ontario that puts this company on the map. With Forsys Metals (TSX: FSY), one turns to Graham Greenway, who previously compiled a resource estimate of FSY’s Valencia uranium property in Namibia for Rossing Uranium Ltd. Max Resources (TSX: MXR) has Clancy Wendt, who previously drilled the Utah property, and expects to again find uranium in the same place he found it more than 25 years ago. Mr. Anti-PR, Norman Burmeister of Kilgore Minerals (TSX: KAU), fails to boast about his stint as chief geologist for Silver Standard (NASDAQ NM: SSRI) or his former Bull Run gold mine. Yes, it is mentioned on his website. But, Norm is the kind of guy who quietly lines up a drill rig for his Idaho gold property, fairly certain he’s going to hit something big this summer. Then again, he doesn’t issue a wave of news releases to pump up his stock. These are the kinds of people the media just love to interview. They all have the “hidden” story that makes the reporter’s feature work for his readers, viewers or listeners.

These companies personify the qualities we investigate before writing about them in this column. Mainly, it is the quality of management that sets apart the possible winners from the likely losers. Everything flows out from that key point. If management really does know in which direction the company should be going, they’ll find the right properties. Fund managers will be eager to finance them. Investors will be less fearful about speculating on the company’s prospects. Eventually, even the most reluctant newsletter writer will be compelled to feature the company, or at the very least acknowledge the company has a shot. As long as the commodity price continues running higher, it becomes a win-win situation for those participating. Most of all, at some point, the mainstream media will stumble across such companies, or someone will bring the company to their attention. And then, you get the kind of rallies we’ve seen in Strathmore Minerals and some others.

James Finch contributes to StockInterview.com and other publications. His features on uranium stocks and the sector have been widely quoted across the world. His archived articles can be found exclusively on StockInterview.com at http://www.stockinterview.com James Finch welcomes feedback from you and can be contacted at jfinch@stockinterview.com

Article source: Expert Articles