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Trading Places: Fund managers are looking closely at eye-care hopefuls
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Want to know which stocks the fund managers have been putting their money in (and out) of? We’ve been keeping track so you don’t have to.
Trading Places is Stockhead’s recap of substantial holder movements among ASX small caps in the last fortnight.
Substantial shareholders are shareholders holding 5 per cent or more of a company’s shares and these can be directors, individual investors or institutional investors.
Shareholders are required to announce to the exchange when they cross above or below the 5 per cent threshold and any change in their holdings while they remain above 5 per cent.
Buyers
| Company | Code | Market Cap | Holder | Stake | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyckr | KYK | $24.4M | Regal Funds Management | 5.61% | Becoming |
| Sky Network Television | SKT | $215.2M | Accident Compensation Corporation | 9.39% | Increasing |
| Alliance Aviation | AQZ | $359.5M | Kopwa Twp Thpusand Corporate Trustee | 8.42% | Increasing |
| DXN | DXN | $23.1M | Kenneth Baker | 5.35% | Becoming |
| Infomedia | IFM | $621.6M | VicSuper | 5.01% | Becoming |
| Great Western Exploration | GTE | $144.1M | Seascape Capital | 19.60% | Becoming |
| Pearl Global | PG1 | $16.8M | VicSuper | 22.45% | Becoming |
| Great Western Exploration | GTE | $144.1M | Westgate Capital | 9.80% | Becoming |
| Aurelia Metals | AMI | $415.1M | Eley Griffiths | 5.24% | Becoming |
| Six Sigma Metals | SI6 | $1.9M | Patrick Volpe | 11.33% | Increasing |
| Mako Gold | MKG | $7.5M | Peter & Ann Ledwidge | 7.09% | Increasing |
| Mach7 Technology | M7T | $140.8M | JM Financial | 14.35% | Increasing |
| MCS Services | MSG | $4.7M | Capital H Management | 19.50% | Increasing |
| Valor Resources | VAL | $3.8M | Brian McMaster | 5.31% | Becoming |
| Visioneering Technologies | VTI | $12.5M | Thorney Opportunities | 28.93% | Increasing |
| Infomedia | IFM | $621.6M | Wilson Asset Management | 6.42% | Increasing |
| Gladiator Resources | GLA | $1.9M | J Moody Nominees | 6.40% | Becoming |
| Tymlez Group | TYM | $6.7M | 10 Bolivianos, Freedom Trade & Niv Dagan | 6.32% | Becoming |
| Field Solutions Holdings | FSG | $13.5M | Kestrel Growth Companies | 11.78% | Becoming |
| Field Solutions Holdings | FSG | $13.5M | Convergent Technology | 40.00% | Increasing |
| Surefire Resources | SRN | $1.9M | Kyle Haynes | 7.72% | Increasing |
| Zenith Energy | ZEN | $146.4M | Westoz Fund Management | 11.90% | Increasing |
| Alt Resources | ARS | $27.9M | Harvest Lane Asset Management | 6.45% | Increasing |
| Aspen Group | APZ | $99.7M | Cooper Investors | 6.02% | Becoming |
| Electro Optic Systems | EOS | $928.6M | Ben Greene | 5.38% | Becoming |
| Energy Action | EAX | $3.4M | Murray Bleack | 19.65% | Increasing |
| Creso Pharma | CPH | $14.5M | L1 Capital Global Opportunities Master Fund | 6.44% | Becoming |
| Tymlez Group | TYM | $15.0M | Peter Whitcombe | 16.51% | Becoming |
| Energy One | EOL | $92.2M | Vaughan Busby & Rearden Group | 16.15% | Increasing |
| Citadel Group | CGL | $271.4M | Wilson Asset Management | 6.05% | Becoming |
| Novatti Group | NOV | $43.5M | Corangamite - Peter Cook | 6.00% | Increasing |
| XCD Energy | XCD | $7.7M | 88 Energy | 22.95% | Increasing |
| MMA Offshore | MRM | $75.9M | Thorney Opportunities | 9.58% | Increasing |
| Adveritas | AV1 | $21.4M | Regal Funds Management | 7.66% | Becoming |
| iSelect | ISU | $55.7M | Thorney Opportunities | 9.10% | Increasing |
| Novonix | NVX | $277.8M | Regal Funds Management | 6.76% | Becoming |
| Cellnet Group | CLT | $7.0M | Galvez Investments | 10.10% | Becoming |
| Hammer Metals | HMX | $19.3M | Zbigniew Waldemar Lubieniecki | 10.06% | Increasing |
| Lucapa Diamond Company | LOM | $32.2M | Equigold | 6.57% | Increasing |
| Alt Resources | ARS | $26.7M | Harvest Lane Asset Management | 7.61% | Increasing |
| Village Roadshow | VRL | $429.6M | Mittleman Brothers | 6.37% | Increasing |
| Lefroy Exploration | LEX | $20.1M | Noontide Investments | 8.20% | Increasing |
| Bigtincan | BTH | $278.2M | Australian Ethical Investment | 8.59% | Increasing |
| Novonix | NVX | $245.8M | Washington H Soul Pattinson | 7.74% | Increasing |
| Eclipx | ECX | $372.4M | Vinva Investment Management | 5.12% | Becoming |
| PKS Holdings | PKS | $33.6M | Paul O'Connor | 10.16% | Becoming |
| PKS Holdings | PKS | $33.6M | Celerity Investments | 5.21% | Becoming |
| Strategic Energy Resources | SER | $4.8M | Graeme Kirke | 11.79% | Increasing |
| Decmil Group | DCG | $45.5M | Thorney Opportunities | 19.59% | Increasing |
| Starpharma | SPL | $361.4M | Fidelity | 5.00% | Becoming |
| Beston Global Food Company | BFC | $42.4M | Allianz | 7.46% | Increasing |
| Alto Metals | AME | $22.0M | Harvest Lane Asset Management | 9.62% | Increasing |
| Ellex | ELX | $85.4M | Australian Ethical Investment | 11.06% | Increasing |
| Clean Seas Seafood | CSS | $64.7M | GCI CSS (Hofseth & Nevera) - Nichola Holderness | 9.44% | Becoming |
| Murray Cod Australia | MCA | $67.7M | One Funds Management | 6.21% | Increasing |
| BlueChiip | BCT | $31.4M | One Funds Management | 8.43% | Increasing |
| OneVue Holdings | OVH | $101.8M | Thorney Opportunities | 16.04% | Increasing |
| Cogstate | CGS | $64.7M | Australian Ethical Investment | 17.33% | Increasing |
| Aeris Resources | AEI | $134.5M | Tudor Court | 24.31% | Increasing |
| PYC Therapeutics | PYC | $290.2M | Australian Land | 30.11% | Increasing |
| Accelerate Resources | AX8 | $2.1M | GTT Global Opportunities | 15.85% | Increasing |
| Consolidated Operations Group | COG | $72.3M | Naos Asset Management | 25.66% | Increasing |
| Over the Wire | OTW | $170.5M | Naos Asset Management | 13.68% | Increasing |
| K-TIG | KTG | $22.4M | Alium Alpha Fund | 5.07% | Becoming |
| Predictive Discovery | PDI | $43.8M | Capital Di | 11.35% | Increasing |
| Duketon Mining | DKM | $21.3M | Seamus Cornelius | 6.05% | Becoming |
| Visioneering Technologies | VTI | $12.5M | Regal Funds Management | 10.11% | Increasing |
| CML Group | CGR | $55.5M | Copia Investment Partners | 5.88% | Becoming |
| Decmil Group | DCG | $45.5M | Industry Super Holdings | 10.26% | Becoming |
| The Reject Shop | TRS | $261.9M | Bennelong Australian Equity Partners | 6.86% | Becoming |
| Piedmont Lithium | PLL | $95.0M | AustralianSuper | 10.42% | Increasing |
| Marmota Energy | MEU | $48.2M | John Huizenga | 6.70% | Increasing |
| Nickel Mines | NIC | $1.1B | PT Karunia Bara Perkasa | 16.13% | Increasing |
| PSC Insurance Group | PSI | $709.0M | Melissa Dwyer | 23.40% | Increasing |
Biotech Opthea (ASX:OPT) has shown the financial power of eyecare, with its drug passing two clinical trials against vision-loss diseases and shares surging.
This has prompted investors to look more closely at other stocks in the optometry space.
Visioneering Techology (ASX:VTI), which is similarly looking to tackle blindness but specifically in children, saw Regal Funds Management take its stake to 10.11 per cent, while Alex Waislitz’s Thorney Opportunities took its interest to nearly 29 per cent.
Last Christmas, optometry device maker Ellex Medical Lasers (ASX:ELX) revealed European play Lumibird was interested in acquiring many of its assets, but the ACCC only gave its blessing last week.
Australian Ethical Investments topped up its holdings in the company to 11.06 per cent. The fund also bought more of neurology play Cogstate (ASX:CGS), upping its holdings to 17.33 per cent, and tech play Bigtincan (ASX:BTH), which it now owns nearly 8.6 per cent of.
As for Alex Waislitz, his buys also included beseiged construction stock Decmil Group (ASX:DCG), which was left with a massive financial loss and a need to raise capital as a result of two non-paying clients.
Capital Di previously turned its initial $150k investment in Predictive Discovery (ASX:PDI) into $2m and has now increased its stake to 11.35 per cent.
New York-based investment manager Mittleman bought more of theme park operator Village Roadshow (ASX:VRL) and now owns 6.37 per cent.
Bennelong Australian Equity Partners became substantial holders of The Retail Shop (ASX:TRS), now owning over 6 per cent.
Sydney-based One Funds Management increased its holdings in tracking-tech play BlueChiip (ASX:BCT) and aquaculture stock Murray Cod Australia (ASX:MCA).
Sellers
| Company | Code | Market Cap | Holder | Current Stake | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onevue Holdings | OVH | $100.5M | Moelis | 3.79% | Ceasing |
| Novonix | NVX | $99.4M | Washington H Soul Pattinson | 11.49% | Decreasing |
| Agrimin | AMN | $82.6M | AustralianSuper | 15% | Increasing |
| Aspen Group | APZ | $119.0M | Resolution Capital | 5.29% | Becoming |
| Oilex | OEX | $7.3M | Republic Investment Management | 11.06% | Decreasing |
| Venture Minerals | VMS | $12.1M | Republic Investment Management | 10.59% | Decreasing |
| Emeco Holdings | EHL | $379.6M | Eley Griffiths | 4.23% | Ceasing |
| OFX | OFX | $337.0M | Pendal Group | 6.43% | Decreasing |
| Nitro Software | NTO | $306.5M | Regal Funds Management | 6.71% | Decreasing |
| Nick Scali | NCK | $498.2M | Ethical Partners Funds Management | 0.35% | Ceasing |
| Infigen Energy | IFN | $786.3M | Australian Ethical Investment | 0.00% | Ceasing |
| Pact Group | PGH | $805.0M | Investors Mutual | 8.68% | Decreasing |
| Datadot Technology | DDT | $4.4M | Thorney Technologies | 0.00% | Ceasing |
| Infomedia | IFM | $621.6M | Viburnum Funds | 10.93% | Decreasing |
| Energy Action | EAX | $3.4M | Microequities Asset Management | 0.00% | Ceasing |
| Southern Cross Media Group | SXL | $581.3M | Challenger | 6.27% | Ceasing |
| Smartgroup Corporation | SIQ | $846.4M | Ethical Partners Funds Management | 0.00% | Ceasing |
| Veris | VRS | $13.8M | Perennial Value Management | 0.75% | Ceasing |
| Global Energy Ventures | GEV | $19.7M | Regal Funds Management | 5.77% | Decreasing |
| Australian Finance Group | AFG | $447.1M | Brett McKeon Family Trust | 6% | Decreasing |
| Gage Roads Brewing | GRB | $60.5M | Spheria Asset Management | 5.05% | Decreasing |
| iSelect | ISU | $55.7M | Quest Asset Partners | 3.81% | Ceasing |
| Wisr | WZR | $205.6M | Adcock Private Equity | 21.20% | Decreasing |
| Eureka Group Holdings | EGH | $71.3M | Cooper Investors | 14.32% | Decreasing |
| Predictive Discovery | PDI | $43.8M | Aurora Minerals | 3.30% | Ceasing |
| Carnaby Resources | CNB | $7.9M | DiscovEx Resources | 0.00% | Ceasing |
| Ellex Medical Lasers | ELX | $86.9M | Investors Mutual | 0.00% | Ceasing |
| Musgrave Minerals | MGV | $199.1M | Westgold Resources | 3.50% | Ceasing |
| Xref | XF1 | $32.1M | AustralianSuper | 5.03% | Decreasing |
| Openpay | OPY | $296.6M | Chow Tai Fook Enterprises | 10.23% | Decreasing |
| Strategic Energy Resources | SER | $4.8M | Anthony Rechner | 8.17% | Decreasing |
| PYC Therapeutics | PYC | $290.2M | Bernard Hockings | 8.99% | Decreasing |
| Swick Mining Services | SWK | $39.5M | Vanshap Capital | 6.75% | Decreasing |
| Immuron | IMC | $55.8M | Authentics Australia | 4.84% | Ceasing |
| Identitii | ID8 | $10.2M | Regal Funds Management | 4.91% | Ceasing |
| Oneview Healthcare | ONE | $7.9M | Perennial Value Management | 7.63% | Decreasing |
A number of stocks with takeover bids saw shareholders sell now rather than wait several months for the deal to take effect.
Financial software firm Onevue Holdings (ASX:OVH) is all but certain to be acquired by IRESS (ASX:IRE) after the board called on shareholders to accept the offer. Moelis sold down its stake to 3.78 per cent.
Australian Ethical sold nearly all of its holdings in renewable energy stock Infigen Energy (ASX:IFN) after it got an offer from UAC.
Ellex Medical Lasers saw a sell down by fund manager Investors Mutual.
