Research from Water Tower Research, Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research

Research from Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research is a leading equity research firm that provides research on micro, small and mid cap companies.

Water Tower Research was founded by Wall Street veterans after witnessing a fundamental shift in the investment research industry with the result being a declining knowledge base among investors, a lack of awareness and a shrinking pool of fundamental research being conducted on companies across the small-cap and micro-cap spectrum. The same issues are now increasingly occurring in the mid-cap space. This sea change within the investment community is impacting not only the companies themselves but also current shareholders and potential investors. With significantly less active sell-side sponsorship by Wall Street, a substantial information gap has developed between companies and various constituents in the financial community. The net result is fewer channels for insight and information to flow between companies and investors.

Equity Research Firm

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>WTR-CMI last week. Driven by the recovery in lithium stocks, our WTR-CMI index of 30 specialty chemicals and materials technology stocks rose 1.7% for the week, handily outperforming mostly flattish performance of large cap tech-heavy S&amp;P 500 as well as the broader Russell 2000 indices.</li><li>YTD the WTR-CMI continues to outperform the Russell 2000 (13.6% vs. 9.8%) and on YoY basis our index nearly kept up with S&amp;P 500’s strong 33.8% rise by appreciating 31.1% compared to Russell 2000’s 24.6% improvement.</li><li>Hurricane season kicks into high gear. While the impact of hurricane Helena are still being assessed, Francine’s impact on oil and gas production and barge traffic are already being felt in the markets, with gulf coast oil production down nearly 40% and natural gas production down nearly 50%, with barge fleets staying away from the region until weather settles, which now looks to be delayed due to Helena’s destructive path.</li></ul>

WTR-CMI last week. Driven by the recovery in lithium stocks, our WTR-CMI index of 30 specialty chemicals and materials technology stocks rose 1.7% for the week, handily outperforming mostly flattish performance of large cap tech-heavy S&amp;P 500 as well as the broader Russell 2000 indices.YTD the WTR-CMI continues to outperform the Russell 2000 (13.6% vs. 9.8%) and on YoY basis our index nearly kept up with S&amp;P 500’s strong 33.8% rise by appreciating 31.1% compared to Russell 2000’s 24.6% improvement.Hurricane season kicks into high gear. While the impact of hurricane Helena are still being assessed, Francine’s impact on oil and gas production and barge traffic are already being felt in the markets, with gulf coast oil production down nearly 40% and natural gas production down nearly 50%, with barge fleets staying away from the region until weather settles, which now looks to be delayed due to Helena’s destructive path.

Mat-Chem Notes -  Hurricanes, Port Strikes, Geopolitics, and Crosscurrents in EVs

<ul><li>WTR-CMI last week. In a down week for the market, with both the S&amp;P 500 and Russell 2000 declining 4.2% and 5.7%, respectively, 29 of the 30 stocks in our WTR-CMI Index likewise saw their prices fall 4.0%, with AVD being the only exception, appreciating 9.1% for the week.</li><li>YTD, the S&amp;P 500, heavily weighted toward tech and internet stocks, has increased 13.4%, while our WTR-CMI Index has increased 7.2%, outperforming the broader Russell 2000’s 3.2% rise, despite lithium stocks’ 50%- plus declines.</li><li>Recycled plastics market gaining acceptance. LYB announced the acquisition of German APK AG, a mechanical plastics recycler to bolster its circular economy and low-carbon credentials, while AVTN launched a pigment additive for plastics used in automotive plications made from recycled tires, as an alternative to carbon black, again aiming at helping its customers reduce their carbon impact while improving its own circular economy efforts.</li></ul>

WTR-CMI last week. In a down week for the market, with both the S&amp;P 500 and Russell 2000 declining 4.2% and 5.7%, respectively, 29 of the 30 stocks in our WTR-CMI Index likewise saw their prices fall 4.0%, with AVD being the only exception, appreciating 9.1% for the week.YTD, the S&amp;P 500, heavily weighted toward tech and internet stocks, has increased 13.4%, while our WTR-CMI Index has increased 7.2%, outperforming the broader Russell 2000’s 3.2% rise, despite lithium stocks’ 50%- plus declines.Recycled plastics market gaining acceptance. LYB announced the acquisition of German APK AG, a mechanical plastics recycler to bolster its circular economy and low-carbon credentials, while AVTN launched a pigment additive for plastics used in automotive plications made from recycled tires, as an alternative to carbon black, again aiming at helping its customers reduce their carbon impact while improving its own circular economy efforts.

Mat-Chem Notes - Weakness of Industrial, Ag, and EV Markets Leaves Few Options

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/core-lithium-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14712:1" rel="noopener">Core Lithium Ltd (CXO AU)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/piedmont-lithium-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:37086:1" rel="noopener">Piedmont Lithium (PLL US)</a> will be deleted from the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vaneck-rare-earth-strategic-me" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32320:1" rel="noopener">VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Me (REMX US)</a> at the close on 21 June.</li>
<li>Constituent changes, float changes and capping changes result in an estimated one-way turnover of 6.4% and in a one-way trade of US$28m.</li>
<li>The largest inflows will be in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sociedad-quimica-y-minera-de-chile-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27977:1" rel="noopener">Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (SQM US)</a>, <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>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/arcadium-lithium-plc-2f9bfa3a-65a7-41f9-a157-e59603846420" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40439:1" rel="noopener">Arcadium Lithium (ALTM US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lithium-americas-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23860:1" rel="noopener">Lithium Americas (LAC US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sigma-lithium-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36776:1" rel="noopener">Sigma Lithium (SGML)</a>.</li>
</ul>



Core Lithium Ltd (CXO AU) and Piedmont Lithium (PLL US) will be deleted from the VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Me (REMX US) at the close on 21 June.
Constituent changes, float changes and capping changes result in an estimated one-way turnover of 6.4% and in a one-way trade of US$28m.
The largest inflows will be in Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (SQM US), Pilbara Minerals (PLS AU), Arcadium Lithium (ALTM US), Lithium Americas (LAC US) and Sigma Lithium (SGML).


MV Global Rare Earth/​​​​​Strategic Metals Index Rebalance: Two Deletions & Other Changes

Podcast by S&P analysing commodity market trends, Commodities Focus

Commodities Focus

Podcast by S&P analysing commodity market trends

S&P Global Commodity Insights analysis of key news and pricing issues from across the global shipping, natural gas, power, petrochemicals, agriculture, and coal markets.

<ul><li>Developers scrambled to advertise projects to potential investors in the US between 2021-2023</li><li>Prices for lithium reached all time highs due to impact of COVID on supply chains</li><li>Prices have since plunged nearing a three-year low, causing uncertainty for companies with viable projects and automakers scaling back EV production forecasts</li></ul>This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.

Developers scrambled to advertise projects to potential investors in the US between 2021-2023Prices for lithium reached all time highs due to impact of COVID on supply chainsPrices have since plunged nearing a three-year low, causing uncertainty for companies with viable projects and automakers scaling back EV production forecastsThis content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.

Lithium producers pump brakes on North American projects amid low prices

Providing investors with a balanced perspective, Massif Capital

Massif Capital Research

Providing investors with a balanced perspective

Massif Capital

Research focused on providing investors with a balanced perspective on the environmental and economic realities of achieving a carbon-neutral economy for businesses within the Energy, Basic Materials and Industrial industries.

The Massif Capital Real Asset Strategy is a global long/short equity strategy built around bottom-up stock picking. We are focused on creating a portfolio of businesses from within the Energy, Basic Materials and Industrial sectors that balance the environmental and economic realities of achieving a carbon-neutral economy.

Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>2023 was a challenging year, there was a lot of volatility in both long and short books.</li>
<li>We reserve the bulk of the letter for an extended discussion of our investments in lithium and the outlook for the sector in the coming years.</li>
<li>Despite dire headlines related to EVs, we remain optimistic about a lithium rebound and skeptical that supply can grow as robustly as projected.</li>
</ul>


2023 was a challenging year, there was a lot of volatility in both long and short books.
We reserve the bulk of the letter for an extended discussion of our investments in lithium and the outlook for the sector in the coming years.
Despite dire headlines related to EVs, we remain optimistic about a lithium rebound and skeptical that supply can grow as robustly as projected.


2023 4th Qtr Letter to Investors: A Deep Dive into Lithium

United States

Piedmont Lithium Inc operates as a mineral exploration company. The Company explores and develops lithium projects, as well as manages drill, land expansion, and sampling programs. Piedmont Lithium serves customers worldwide.

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Piedmont Lithium (PLL US)

Mat-Chem Notes - Hurricanes, Port Strikes, Geopolitics, and Crosscurrents in EVs

Driven by the recovery in lithium stocks, our WTR-CMI index of 30 specialty chemicals and materials technology stocks rose 1.7% for the week

Water Tower Research

Mat-Chem Notes - Weakness of Industrial, Ag, and EV Markets Leaves Few Options

YTD, the S&P 500, heavily weighted toward tech and internet stocks, has increased 13.4%, while our WTR-CMI Index has increased 7.2%, outperforming...

Water Tower Research

MV Global Rare Earth/Strategic Metals Index Rebalance: Two Deletions & Other Changes

Core Lithium and Piedmont Lithium will be deleted from the index in June. Estimated 1-way turnover is 6.4% resulting in a 1-way trade of US$28m....

Brian Freitas

Lithium producers pump brakes on North American projects amid low prices

Prices have since plunged nearing a three-year low, causing uncertainty for companies with viable projects and automakers scaling back EV...

Commodities Focus

2023 4th Qtr Letter to Investors: A Deep Dive into Lithium

2023 was a challenging year, there was a lot of volatility in both long and short books. We reserve the bulk of the letter for an extended...

Massif Capital Research

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Mat-Chem Notes - Hurricanes, Port Strikes, Geopolitics, and Crosscurrents in EVs

Driven by the recovery in lithium stocks, our WTR-CMI index of 30 specialty chemicals and materials technology stocks rose 1.7% for the week

Water Tower Research

Mat-Chem Notes - Weakness of Industrial, Ag, and EV Markets Leaves Few Options

YTD, the S&P 500, heavily weighted toward tech and internet stocks, has increased 13.4%, while our WTR-CMI Index has increased 7.2%, outperforming...

Water Tower Research

MV Global Rare Earth/​​​​​Strategic Metals Index Rebalance: Two Deletions & Other Changes

Core Lithium and Piedmont Lithium will be deleted from the index in June. Estimated 1-way turnover is 6.4% resulting in a 1-way trade of US$28m....

Brian Freitas

Lithium producers pump brakes on North American projects amid low prices

Prices have since plunged nearing a three-year low, causing uncertainty for companies with viable projects and automakers scaling back EV...

Commodities Focus

2023 4th Qtr Letter to Investors: A Deep Dive into Lithium

2023 was a challenging year, there was a lot of volatility in both long and short books. We reserve the bulk of the letter for an extended...

Massif Capital Research

MV Global Rare Earth/Strategic Metals Index Rebalance: Two Deletions & Other Changes