ASX small cap wrap: who had a great week and who didn’t
News
HIV drug developer Biotron (ASX:BIT) was the week’s big winner after announcing positive results for its most recent drug trial.
The stock soared 128 per cent to 4.1c for the week — it’s highest point in almost two years.
Biotron has for many years been developing a small-molecule therapy, BIT225, to treat viral infections including HIV-1 and hepatitis C.
HIV-1 is the most common and infectious variety of HIV.
On Friday the biotech announced the drug was “having a unique effect in patients, over and above viral suppression seen with current antiretroviral drugs” in phase 2 trials.
Biotron boss Dr Michelle Miller said the test results were “a major step to the ultimate goal of curing HIV-1 infection”.
Takeover talk had Capricorn Metals (ASX:CMM) shares riding high this week.
The stock closed up 37 per cent at 8.1c afte confirming speculation in Mining News that it had received an offer from $2 billion miner Regis Resources (ASX:RRL).
The bid is for a scrip acquisition of Capricorn at 11.4c valuing the company at $85.2 million.
“While discussions are continuing, there is no certainty that an agreement will be reached at any future time which may be capable of being put to shareholders for consideration,” the group said.
Lithium producer Tawana Resources (ASX:TAW) moved ahead 32 per cent to 33c after securing the $40 million it needs to pursue an ASX listing with Singapore-listed merger partner Alliance Mineral Assets.
Tawana holds a 50 per cent interest in a lithium and tantalum mine in the eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, which started commercial production in July.
Its shares dived earlier this month when investors were told a proposed merger with Alliance would not meet the ASX’s requirements for a listing.
Lithium hopeful Lepidico (ASX:LPD) jumped ahead — and attracted an ASX query followed by news that a share placement had closed oversubscribed.
The $7.9 million placement — priced at 1.9c — will go towards developing a pilot plant that will produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from non-conventional sources, including mine waste.
The stock finished the week up 47 per cent at 2.8c.
Underwater drone maker UUV Aquabotix (ASX:UUV) steamed ahead 43 per cent to 7c this week despite reporting lower revenue and a bigger loss for the June half.
Revenue fell 80 per cent to $60,000 and losses widened 43 per cent to $3.3 million after the group downsized and refocused on the defence market.
But investors liked the news this wek that UUV — which develops armed underwater drones that operate in a swarm — had been invoted to join something called the Information Warfare Research Project consortium.
The consortium focuses on “advancing information warfare capabilities to enhance United States Navy and United States Marine Corps mission effectiveness”.
UUV hopes membership of the group will bring sales leads and faster product development.
Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks for Sep 21-28:
Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort
ASX code | Company | One-week price change | Price Sep 28 | Market Cap |
---|---|---|---|---|
NIU | NIUMINCO GROUP L | 2 | 0.003 | 8.0M |
BIT | BIOTRON | 1.27777777778 | 0.041 | 10.0M |
AMT | ALLEGRA ORTHOPAE | 0.75 | 0.21 | 14.9M |
RMG | RMG | 0.666666666667 | 0.02 | 10.8M |
SKN | SKIN ELEMENTS | 0.592592592593 | 0.043 | 5.2M |
AXT | ARGO EXPLORATION | 0.583333333333 | 0.019 | 3.3M |
RES | RESOURCE GENERAT | 0.566037735849 | 0.083 | 44.8M |
FIG | FREEDOM INSURANC | 0.551724137931 | 0.135 | 26.4M |
T3D | 333D | 0.5 | 0.003 | 2.6M |
BSX | BLACKSTONE MINER | 0.5 | 0.18 | 13.5M |
LPD | LEPIDICO | 0.473684210526 | 0.028 | 82.3M |
UUV | UUV | 0.428571428571 | 0.07 | 10.9M |
VRX | VENTNOR RESOURCE | 0.421052631579 | 0.135 | 49.2M |
ACB | A-CAP RESOURCES | 0.414634146341 | 0.058 | 35.7M |
ICU | ISENTRIC | 0.409090909091 | 0.031 | 4.0M |
IS3 | I SYNERGY GROUP | 0.4 | 0.21 | 33.4M |
OIL | OPTISCAN IMA | 0.377777777778 | 0.062 | 25.1M |
AXE | ARCHER EXPLORATI | 0.375 | 0.11 | 19.8M |
CMM | CAPRICORN METALS | 0.372881355932 | 0.081 | 63.6M |
MIL | MILLENNIUM SERVI | 0.354545454545 | 0.745 | 32.6M |
SXX | SOUTHERN CROSS | 0.333333333333 | 0.008 | 8.6M |
SUR | SUN RESOURCES NL | 0.333333333333 | 0.004 | 2.6M |
S3R | SERPENTINE TECHN | 0.333333333333 | 0.004 | 2.2M |
OEX | OILEX | 0.333333333333 | 0.004 | 9.1M |
MRV | MORETON RESOURCE | 0.333333333333 | 0.008 | 24.8M |
IKW | IKWEZI MINING | 0.333333333333 | 0.004 | 3.0M |
IBX | IMAGION BIOSYSTE | 0.333333333333 | 0.06 | 12.9M |
HCO | HYLEA METALS | 0.333333333333 | 0.004 | 8.4M |
EER | EAST ENERGY RESO | 0.333333333333 | 0.004 | 12.8M |
CGM | COUGAR METALS NL | 0.333333333333 | 0.004 | 3.7M |
TAW | TAWANA RESOURCES | 0.32 | 0.33 | 173.4M |
CNL | CELAMIN HOLDINGS | 0.24 | 0.031 | 2.0M |
After months of speculation, Pancontinental (ASX:PCL) hit a dry hole in its first much-hyped Cormorant exploration well — and hence became the loser of the week.
A dry hole is when no oil or gas is found.
The stock fell 57 per cent for the week to 0.3c.
On Monday, chief John Begg described the result as “disappointing”.
“We’ve been years building to this point,” he told Stockhead. “We know there is a working oil source in the area, but the trap hasn’t worked, basically.” An oil trap is a pool of oil trapped underground.
“It’s the nature of exploration. This was a very well credentialed well and with companies with tremendous insights into exploration… but it hasn’t in this instance been successful.”
Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks for Sep 21-28:
Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort
ASX code | Company | One-week price change | Price Sep 28 | Market Cap |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCL | PANCONTINENTAL | -0.571428571429 | 0.003 | 16.2M |
LML | LINCOLN MINERALS | -0.5 | 0.008 | 5.2M |
AJC | ACACIA COAL | -0.5 | 0.001 | 2.0M |
TBR | TRIBUNE RES | -0.465714285714 | 5.61 | 250.5M |
AIY | AUTHORISED INVES | -0.458333333333 | 0.026 | 11.2M |
RND | RAND MINING | -0.439205955335 | 2.26 | 135.9M |
AQX | ALICE QUEEN | -0.407407407407 | 0.016 | 8.7M |
GBP | GLOBAL PETROLEUM | -0.345454545455 | 0.036 | 6.9M |
VMG | VDM GROUP | -0.333333333333 | 0.002 | 11.8M |
VAR | VARISCAN MINES | -0.333333333333 | 0.002 | 2.5M |
SHK | STONE RESOURCES | -0.333333333333 | 0.002 | 1.6M |
DHR | DARK HORSE RESOU | -0.333333333333 | 0.008 | 15.4M |
AHN | ATHENA RESOURCES | -0.333333333333 | 0.01 | 2.6M |
RAW | RAWSON OIL AND G | -0.289473684211 | 0.027 | 3.2M |
AIS | AERIS RESOURCES | -0.288256227758 | 0.2 | 98.0M |
AQS | AQUIS ENTERTAINM | -0.285714285714 | 0.02 | 3.7M |
CCE | CARNEGIE CLEAN E | -0.25 | 0.009 | 28.8M |
PGS | PLANET GAS | -0.25 | 0.003 | 1.6M |
LCY | LEGACY IRON ORE | -0.25 | 0.003 | 5.9M |
IVO | INVIGOR GROUP | -0.25 | 0.006 | 10.1M |
NC6 | NANOLLOSE | -0.230769230769 | 0.1 | 8.2M |
FYI | FYI RESOURCES | -0.224 | 0.097 | 18.6M |
GRV | GREENVALE ENERGY | -0.216216216216 | 0.029 | 2.7M |
GWR | GWR GROUP | -0.214285714286 | 0.11 | 27.8M |
AEB | AFFINITY ENERGY | -0.214285714286 | 0.011 | 11.2M |
POD | PODIUM MINERALS | -0.212121212121 | 0.052 | 6.4M |
VKA | VIKING MINES | -0.208333333333 | 0.019 | 7.5M |
BID | BIDENERGY | -0.205882352941 | 0.135 | 107.4M |
ACR | ACRUX | -0.2 | 0.22 | 37.5M |
LEX | LEFROY EXPLORATI | -0.2 | 0.16 | 13.0M |