AEON Credit Service (Asia) Company Limited (“AEON Credit” or the “Group”; Stock Code: 00900) today announced its results for the three months ended 31 May 2023 (“Q12023” or the “Reporting Period”).
In Q12023, the Group’s revenue climbed by 36.2% year-on-year to HK$380.0 million, and operating profit before impairment losses and impairment allowances surged by 39.4% to HK$177.0 million. Meanwhile, profit after tax was up 17.3% to HK$97.0 million, with earnings per share increasing to 23.16 HK cents (Q12022: 19.74 HK cents).
During the Reporting Period, the Group continued to use targeted marketing and successful marketing promotions to boost sales and receivables growth momentum, with overall sales increasing by 39.4% compared with the first quarter of last year (“1Q2022”, or the “Previous Period”), and the gross advances and receivables balance up by 5.5% from the end of February 2023. With the continued increase in the revolving credit card receivables and personal loan receivables balances, together with the increase in interest rates on card credit purchases, the Group recorded a 35.8% or HK$83.7 million rise in interest income year-on-year, and accordingly a notable growth in the Group’s overall revenue. Handling and late charges meanwhile also recorded a significant rise of HK$14.3 million in the Reporting Period as a result of higher demand for cash advances and increase in customers making minimum due payments. Besides, the Group recorded an increase of HK$2.9 million in fees and commissions, largely driven by the card acquiring business that has undergone significant expansion in terms of merchant network and transaction size.
Among its business development initiatives, the Group’s new card and loan system project, AEON Netmember service and “AEON HK” Mobile App with enhanced cybersecurity protection were successfully rolled out in early March 2023 to accelerate digital transformation. The project facilities more flexible creation and delivery of new payment solutions and product benefits, as well as easy access to better data analytics tools and services in the near future. The Group has also continued to revamp and expand its branch network to meet a growing demand for face-to-face advisory services from customers.
Looking forward, with strong government support to boost post-Pandemic recovery, economic activity in Hong Kong is expected to continue to rebound in the second quarter of 2023/24. Following successful marketing and brand building efforts, the Group will place greater emphasis on making the best use of both digital and traditional marketing channels to promote its credit card and personal loan products and to roll out unique mass marketing programs to enrich the customer experience and capture increasing demand of consumer finance products.
In terms of technology development, the Group will deploy the new card and loan system for enhancing its digital marketing and offering new payment solutions to its customers. In addition, data analytics tools are ready to further help improve the effectiveness of the Group’s marketing, credit assessment and credit management activities.
For the Mainland China businesses, the microfinance subsidiary in Shenzhen will continue to focus on exploring business opportunities in the Greater Bay Area to grow its receivables with sound asset quality and abundant financial resources.
Mr. Tomoharu Fukayama, Managing Director of AEON Credit, said, “The strong first quarter performance demonstrates our capabilities in capturing opportunities from the recovering market. With a strong capital position, we will continue to devote resources to enhancing our branch services, providing higher quality customer experiences, accelerating digitalization and exploring new investment opportunities to expand and diversify our businesses. We look forward to continuing to deliver strong results and creating greater value for all our stakeholders.”
About AEON Credit Service (Asia) Company Limited (Stock Code: 00900) AEON Credit Service (Asia) Company Limited, a subsidiary of AEON Financial Service Co., Ltd. (TSE: 8570) and a member of the AEON Group, was set up in 1987 and listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited in 1995. The Group is principally engaged in the consumer finance business, which includes the issuance of credit cards and the provision of personal loan financing, card payment processing services, insurance agency and brokerage business in Hong Kong and microfinance business in Mainland China.
For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.aeon.com.hk.
Pacific Green Technologies, Inc. (“Pacific Green”), (OTCQB:PGTK) announces that it has completed the sale of 100% of the shares in Pacific Green Battery Energy Parks 1 Limited (“PGBEP1”) to Sosteneo Fund 1 HoldCo S.a.r.l, an energy transition focused fund for GBP74 million (US$93 million).
PGBEP1 is the holding company for 100% subsidiary, Richborough Energy Park Limited, Pacific Green’s 99MW battery energy storage system (“BESS”) at Richborough Energy Park (“REP”) which begins operations later this summer.
Scott Poulter, Pacific Green’s CEO, commented: “The sale of Richborough Energy Park creates the platform for Pacific Green to now scale its Battery Park division internationally. This is a very exciting time for the business and we are proud to be part of the drive to net-zero.”
Pacific Green were advised by JLL Energy and Infrastructure and Gowling WLG.
About Pacific Green Technologies, Inc.:
Pacific Green is focused on addressing the world’s need for cleaner and more sustainable energy. The Company offers Battery Energy Storage Systems and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) to complement its marine environmental technologies and emissions control divisions. Pacific Green has offices in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Saudi Arabia and China. For more information, visit Pacific Green’s website: www.pacificgreentechnologies.com
About Sosteneo Energy Transition Fund:
Sosteneo Energy Transition Fund is a Luxembourg Sca Sicav-Raif collective investment vehicle managed by Generali Investments Luxembourg S.A.
Generali Investments Luxembourg S.A, is a Luxembourg based Management Company that sets up and operates a wide range of investment fund structures on behalf of Generali Group asset management companies and third-party clients.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
This news release contains “forward-looking statements,” as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the continued development of Richborough Energy Park, any potential business developments and future interest in the Company’s battery, solar and emissions control technologies.
Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the continuation of the development of Richborough Energy Park, general economic and political conditions, and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact: Scott Poulter, Chairman & CEO Pacific Green Technologies, Inc. T: +1 (302) 601-4659
Civil engineering specialist Sarawak Consolidated Industries Berhad (SCIB) today announced that the Group’s wholly-owned subsidiary, SCIB Industrialised Building System Sdn. Bhd., has secured an engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) contract from Jabatan Kerja Raya Sarawak (JKR) valued at RM20.65 million for the rebuilding of Sekolah Daif in Tebedu, Serian.
En. Rosland bin Othman, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SCIB
The contract has a duration of 24 months and comes under the third phase of the Sarawak government’s RM1 billion allocation for dilapidated schools.
Rosland bin Othman, Group MD and CEO of SCIB (Link) Group Managing Director of SCIB, Encik Rosland bin Othman said, “This project from JKR is part of the nationwide programme to rebuild or renovate dilapidated schools, especially in rural areas where children already face challenges from lack of infrastructure. The Group’s construction arm has lots of experience in operating EPCC projects while our background as a specialist in small-to-mid-sized rural infrastructure works covering roads to schools and hospitals ensures that we are well-versed in projects of this nature.”
“The Group will continue to seek projects where we can leverage our expertise as the leading precast concrete and IBS manufacturer in East Malaysia. There are opportunities for us under the recently re-tabled Budget 2023, in which Sarawak was allocated RM5.6 billion and Sabah allocated RM6.5 billion. We also note with interest the RM920 million set aside for dilapidated schools in both states.”
Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) (ASX: LLO) (“Lion One” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a facility agreement with Nebari Gold Fund 1, LP, Nebari Natural Resources Credit Fund I, LP and Nebari Natural Resources Credit Fund II, LP (each as Lender and collectively, “Nebari”), with Nebari Collateral Agent, LLC as collateral agent and certain Lion One subsidiaries as guarantors, for a Financing Facility of up to US$37M (the “Financing Facility”). Proceeds from the Financing Facility will accelerate project construction and development at the Company’s 100% owned and fully permitted high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. Lion One expects first production to be achieved by December 2023.
Financing Facility (All figures in USD): The Financing Facility consists of a US$35 million senior secured first lien term loan (the “Loan Facility”) and a US$2 million (CAD$2.7 million) equity investment (“the Equity Investment”) in common shares of Lion One.
Loan Facility: The total amount of the Loan Facility will be funded in up to three tranches, with US$23M to be funded at Closing (Tranche 1), and an additional US$12M available at Lion One’s option in up to two further tranches (Tranches 2 and 3) within 18 months of closing. Interest on Tranche 1 is 8% (plus three-month SOFR), and amortization is on the Maturity Date 42 months from the Closing Date, with no closing fees payable. Tranches 2 and 3 funding is subsequent to an 8% original issue discount and interest is 10% plus SOFR, with progressive amortization over 42 months from the Tranche 2 funding date, with closing fees equal to 2% of the amounts funded.
Warrants: On the Closing Date, the Lender will be issued 15,333,087 non-transferable purchase warrants in the Company (the “Warrants”), with each Warrant exercisable into common shares of Lion One at a price of CAD$1.49 for a period of 48 months from issuance. The warrants will be subject to an accelerator provision whereby the Borrower may accelerate the expiry date of up to 25% of the initial warrants in the event that the volume weighted average trading price of the common shares of the Company exceeds 100% over the strike price for a period of twenty consecutive days. Lion One has the option to accelerate the expiry of further 25% portions of the warrants at four-month intervals, up to a maximum of 75% of the warrants issued.
Royalty Payment: Following the first month in which the Tuvatu Project produces at least 2,000 ounces of gold, the Company shall pay to the Lender a royalty equal to 0.5% of the Net Smelter Returns on the first 400,000 ounces (equivalent to 2,000 ounces) of gold produced and sold from the Tuvatu Project.
Equity Investment: Concurrently with the Loan Facility, Nebari has entered into a subscription agreement to purchase 3,125,348 common shares of Lion One at a price of CAD$0.86 per share, representing an aggregate equity investment of US$2M (CAD$2.7M).
The Company’s right to drawdown Tranche 1 of the Loan Facility is subject to satisfaction of customary conditions precedent, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSX-V”), though these conditions precedent are expected to be satisfied in short order. Issuance of the Warrants and completion of the placement is also subject to TSX-V approval.
Lion One Chairman and CEO Walter Berukoff commented, “We are extremely pleased to have secured Nebari as a financial partner and major shareholder in the development and future success of Tuvatu. They are a vastly experienced group, are aligned with our key values and stakeholders, and have delivered a creative solution to bring the Tuvatu project to completion and enhance shareholder value tremendously.”
Andre Krol, Managing Partner with Nebari, commented: “We are extremely excited to partner with Lion One as a shareholder and lender as they complete construction of the Tuvatu Gold Project. The experience, professionalism and community engagement of their Fijian team was impressive and we look forward to first gold production later this year and further exploration success.”
About Tuvatu
The Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project is located on the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. The January 2018 mineral resource for Tuvatu as disclosed in the technical report “Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Tuvatu Gold Project, Republic of Fiji”, dated September 25, 2020, and prepared by Mining Associates Pty Ltd of Brisbane Qld, comprises 1,007,000 tonnes indicated at 8.50 g/t Au (274,600 oz. Au) and 1,325,000 tonnes inferred at 9.0 g/t Au (384,000 oz. Au) at a cut-off grade of 3.0 g/t Au. The technical report is available on the Lion One website at www.liononemetals.com and on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
About Nebari
Nebari is a US-based investment manager specializing in privately offered pooled investment vehicles including Nebari Gold Fund 1, LP, Nebari Natural Resources Credit Fund I, LP and Nebari Natural Resources Credit Fund II, LP which are funding the Financing Facility to Lion One. The Nebari leadership team has deep experience with leading global mining companies and financial institutions and is known for partnering with motivated and capable management teams focused on achieving clear plan targets.
About Lion One Metals Limited
Lion One’s flagship asset is 100% owned, fully permitted high grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project, located on the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. Lion One envisions a low-cost high-grade underground gold mining operation at Tuvatu coupled with exciting exploration upside inside its tenements covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, an underexplored yet highly prospective 7km diameter alkaline gold system. Lion One’s CEO Walter Berukoff leads an experienced team of explorers and mine builders and has owned or operated over 20 mines in 7 countries. As the founder and former CEO of Miramar Mines, Northern Orion, and La Mancha Resources, Walter is credited with building over $3 billion of value for shareholders.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Lion One Metals Limited “Walter Berukoff”, Chairman and CEO
Palladium One Mining Inc. (TSXV: PDM) (OTCQB: NKORF) (FSE: 7N11) (the “Company” or “Palladium One”) is pleased to announce that it has increased the previously announced brokered private placement from $3 million to $4.2 million.
The Company will issue up to 21,000,000 units on a charity flow-through basis (the “Charity FT Units”) at a price of $0.20 per Charity FT Unit (the “Charity FT Issue Price”) for gross proceeds of up to $4,200,000 (“Offering”). Each Charity FT Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a “Charity FT Share”) and one-half of one common share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole common share purchase warrant, a “Charity FT Warrant”), and each Charity FT Share and Charity FT Warrant will be issued as a “flow-through share” within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada). Each Charity FT Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one non flow-through Common Share (a “Warrant Share”) at an exercise price of $0.20 for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance thereof. The Charity FT Units will be offered for sale to purchasers in all the provinces and territories of Canada (other than Quebec) in reliance on the listed issuer financing exemption available in Part 5A.2 National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (“NI 45-106”) and will not be subject to any statutory hold periods.
The Offering will be led by Echelon Capital Markets (“Echelon”, the “Lead Agent”) and along with Sprott Capital Partners LP and Research Capital Corporation (collectively “Agents”). As compensation, the Agents will be entitled to a cash fee in an amount equal to 6% of the gross proceeds from the Offering. In addition, the Agents will receive non-transferable warrants (the “Broker Warrants”) exercisable at any time prior to the date that is 24 months from the Closing Date to acquire that number of units (each comprised of one common share and one-half of one warrant with an exercise price of $0.20 for a period of 36 months) which is equal to 6.0% of the number of Charity FT Units sold under the Offering at an exercise price equal to $0.14.
In addition, the Company’s non-brokered flow-through unit financing (“FT Units”) to be issued at unit price (“FT Unit Price”) remains unchanged.
There is an offering document related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com and on the Company’s website at www.palladiumoneinc.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.
An amount equal to the gross proceeds from the issuance of the FT Units and Charity FT Units will be used to incur, on the Company’s Canadian mineral exploration properties, Canadian exploration expenses that will qualify as “flow-through mining expenditures”, as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and that will also qualify as “eligible Ontario exploration expenditures” within the meaning of subsection 103(4) of the Taxation Act, 2007 (Ontario) (collectively, the “Qualifying Expenditures”). The Qualifying Expenditures will be incurred on or before December 31, 2023 and will be renounced by the Corporation to the subscribers with an effective date no later than December 31, 2022 to the initial purchasers of the FT Units and Charity FT Units in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the issue of the FT Units and Charity FT Units. In the event that the Corporation is unable to renounce the FT Issue Price and Charity FT Issue Price on or prior to December 31, 2022 for each FT Unit and Charity FT Unit purchased and/or if the Qualifying Expenditures are reduced by the Canada Revenue Agency, the Corporation will as sole recourse for such failure to renounce, indemnify each FT Unit and Charity FT Unit subscriber for the additional taxes payable by such subscriber to the extent permitted by the Income Tax Act (Canada) as a result of the Corporation’s failure to renounce the Qualifying Expenditures as agreed.
The Offering and the Non-Brokered Offering are expected to close on or about December 20, 2022, or such other date or dates as the Company and the Lead Underwriter may agree (the “Closing Date”) and are subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and the applicable securities regulatory authorities.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.
About Palladium One
Palladium One Mining Inc. (TSXV: PDM) is focused on discovering environmentally and socially conscious Metals for Green Transportation. A Canadian mineral exploration and development company, Palladium One is targeting district scale, platinum-group-element (PGE)-copper-nickel deposits in Canada and Finland. The Lantinen Koillismaa (LK) Project in north-central Finland, is a PGE-copper-nickel project that has existing NI43-101 Mineral Resources, while both the Tyko and Canalask high-grade nickel-copper projects are located in Ontario and the Yukon, Canada, respectively. Follow Palladium One on LinkedIn, Twitter, and at www.palladiumoneinc.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD “Derrick Weyrauch” President & CEO, Director
For further information contact: Derrick Weyrauch, President & CEO Email: info@palladiumoneinc.com
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States of America. The common shares of Palladium One Mining Inc. have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration.
Information set forth in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company’s expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “plan”, “estimate”, “expect”, and “intend”, statements that an action or event “may”, “might”, “could”, “should”, or “will” be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the timing and completion of the Offering, the satisfaction and timing of the receipt of required stock exchangeapprovals and other conditions to closing of the Offering and the intended use of the proceeds of the Offering. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in palladium and other commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume; and tax consequences to Canadian and U.S. Shareholders. Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.
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