Comstock Inc. (NYSE American: LODE) a leader in hard technology
developments enabling clean energy, today announced the execution
of an indicative term sheet for $325 million (about $315 million
net of transaction fees) in funding through SBC Commerce LLC
(“SBCC”), a U.S. based, globally positioned, private equity group.
The transaction is subject to final due diligence and applicable
regulatory approvals.
This significant series of milestones,
representing a combination of direct investments and certain asset
sales, recognizes significant valuations, nearly $500 million, for
the Company’s three businesses and secures timely and essential
growth capital to advance, elevate and accelerate the
commercialization of the Company’s fuels, metals and mining
businesses.
The transaction package includes $275 million
(about $267 million net of transaction fees) of direct investments
into Comstock’s three main operating subsidiaries, including a $3
million direct equity investment into common shares of Comstock
itself, as well as an agreement to sell the membership interests in
the entities that own Comstock’s directly owned Nevada real estate
and water rights for gross proceeds of $50 million ($47 million,
net of transaction expenses).
Transaction Details
Subsidiary Investments of $272 million
Comstock Fuels Corporation (“CFC”) will receive
a direct $200 million investment that will fund the development and
deployment of a commercial-scale demonstration facility to produce
advanced lignocellulosic fuels from waste woody biomass feedstocks.
SBCC will receive 40% of CFC and Comstock will retain the remaining
60%. This investment will also support ongoing research and
development for the continuous improvements of the already
industry-leading yields, lower costs, lower capital, and lower
carbon-intensity scores of Comstock’s proprietary low-carbon fuel
solutions.
Comstock Metals Corporation (“CMC”) will receive
a direct $22 million investment to accelerate the deployment of
three 100,000-ton-per-year solar panel recycling facilities in
Nevada. The solar panel recycling demonstration facility has
already moved to two operating shifts, and we are adding the third
shift during the third quarter and the teams are fully engaged on
both sides of the supply chain with active collaborations for
long-term supply and long-term offtake agreements for all residual
materials. SBCC will receive 20% of the entity and Comstock will
retain 60% on a fully diluted basis after vesting of Comstock
Metals existing equity incentives for its president, Dr. Fortunato
Villamagna.
Comstock’s Mining segment will receive a direct
$50 million investment to advance the development of the southern
part of the Comstock district, including the expansion of Dayton
resource, the development of a Dayton mine plans, with full
reclamation and sustainable, post productive land uses. The
production plan anticipates gold and silver extraction within three
or four years, depending, in part, on the magnitude of potential
resource expansion and breadth and complexity of community
development plans. SBCC will receive 40% of the entity and Comstock
will retain 60%.
Comstock Direct Equity Investment of $3
million
Comstock Inc. will receive a $3 million direct
investment in exchange for 7.5 million restricted shares of LODE at
$0.40 per share. This investment further invests and aligns SBCC
with the broader Comstock mission and shareholders.
“These transactions recognize the significant
opportunity we have positioned and the tremendous value that has
already been created for our shareholders, and should provide the
critical capital necessary for each of our three core businesses to
achieve profitability while simultaneously supporting many of the
prerequisites for our long-term growth plans,” said Corrado De
Gasperis, Executive Chairman and CEO of Comstock Inc. “We have
forged a well-aligned partnership with a capable capital partner
keen on enabling systemic decarbonization and rapid, globally
impacting growth. We have invested over a year into this construct,
and we are thrilled about what this means for Comstock and our
shareholders.”
Asset Sales of $50 million
SBCC agreed to acquire 100% of Comstock’s
directly owned industrial and commercial real estate and water
rights in Nevada. Comstock will receive gross proceeds of $50
million ($47 million, net of transaction expenses) which, upon
closing, will be used for the elimination of debt and other
obligations, continued development and growth of the Company’s
strategic portfolio of advanced technologies for the energy
transition and general corporate purposes.
“These transactions immediately recognize and
unlock over a half a billion in realized value, validate the
direction and sufficiency of our solution and the dedicated efforts
of our management team to deliver this shareholder value under
Corrado’s leadership,” said Mr. William Nance, Independent
Director. He added, “Our team exhibited tremendous focus and calm
in the face of remarkable technological, regulatory, and capital
market challenges, and they just delivered.”
The company will provide a detailed walkthrough
of these transactions during the Company’s Q2 2024 Earnings Release
conference call on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 4:30 pm ET. To
register to join the call, please use this link.
About Comstock Inc.
Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) commercializes
innovative technologies that contribute to global decarbonization
and the clean energy transition by efficiently converting
under-utilized natural resources, primarily, woody biomass into
low-carbon renewable fuels, end-of-life metal extraction and
renewal, and generative AI-enabled advanced materials synthesis and
mineral discovery for sustainable mining. To learn more, please
visit www.comstock.inc.
Comstock Social Media
Policy
Comstock Inc. has used, and intends to continue
using, its investor relations link and main website at
www.comstock.inc in addition to its Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
accounts, as means of disclosing material non-public information
and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation
FD.
CONTACTS:For investor
inquiries: RB Milestone Group LLCTel (203)
487-2759ir@comstockinc.com
For media inquiries or
questions: Comstock Inc., Zach SpencerTel (775)
847-7532questions@comstockinc.com
Forward Looking Statements
This press release and any related calls or
discussions may include forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are
forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “expect,”
“anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “should,” “intend,”
“may,” “will,” “would,” “potential” and similar expressions
identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means
of doing so. Forward-looking statements include statements about
matters such as: future market conditions; future explorations or
acquisitions; future changes in our research, development and
exploration activities; future financial, natural, and social
gains; future prices and sales of, and demand for, our products and
services; land entitlements and uses; permits; production capacity
and operations; operating and overhead costs; future capital
expenditures and their impact on us; operational and management
changes (including changes in the Board of Directors); changes in
business strategies, planning and tactics; future employment and
contributions of personnel, including consultants; future land and
asset sales; investments, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic
alliances, business combinations, operational, tax, financial and
restructuring initiatives, including the nature, timing and
accounting for restructuring charges, derivative assets and
liabilities and the impact thereof; contingencies; litigation,
administrative or arbitration proceedings; environmental compliance
and changes in the regulatory environment; offerings, limitations
on sales or offering of equity or debt securities, including asset
sales and associated costs; business opportunities, growth rates,
future working capital, needs, revenues, variable costs, throughput
rates, operating expenses, debt levels, cash flows, margins, taxes
and earnings. These statements are based on assumptions and
assessments made by our management in light of their experience and
their perception of historical and current trends, current
conditions, possible future developments and other factors they
believe to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not
guarantees, representations or warranties and are subject to risks
and uncertainties, many of which are unforeseeable and beyond our
control and could cause actual results, developments, and business
decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by such
forward-looking statements. Some of those risks and uncertainties
include the risk factors set forth in our filings with the SEC and
the following: adverse effects of climate changes or natural
disasters; adverse effects of global or regional pandemic disease
spread or other crises; global economic and capital market
uncertainties; the speculative nature of gold or mineral
exploration, and lithium, nickel and cobalt recycling, including
risks of diminishing quantities or grades of qualified resources;
operational or technical difficulties in connection with
exploration, metal recycling, processing or mining activities;
costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with precious and other
metal based activities, including environmentally friendly and
economically enhancing clean mining and processing technologies,
precious metal exploration, resource development, economic
feasibility assessment and cash generating mineral production;
costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with metal recycling,
processing or mining activities; contests over our title to
properties; potential dilution to our stockholders from our stock
issuances, recapitalization and balance sheet restructuring
activities; potential inability to comply with applicable
government regulations or law; adoption of or changes in
legislation or regulations adversely affecting our businesses;
permitting constraints or delays; challenges to, or potential
inability to, achieve the benefits of business opportunities that
may be presented to, or pursued by, us, including those involving
battery technology and efficacy, quantum computing and generative
artificial intelligence supported advanced materials development,
development of cellulosic technology in bio-fuels and related
material production; commercialization of cellulosic technology in
bio-fuels and generative artificial intelligence development
services; ability to successfully identify, finance, complete and
integrate acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances,
business combinations, asset sales, and investments that we may be
party to in the future; changes in the United States or other
monetary or fiscal policies or regulations; interruptions in our
production capabilities due to capital constraints; equipment
failures; fluctuation of prices for gold or certain other
commodities (such as silver, zinc, lithium, nickel, cobalt,
cyanide, water, diesel, gasoline and alternative fuels and
electricity); changes in generally accepted accounting principles;
adverse effects of war, mass shooting, terrorism and geopolitical
events; potential inability to implement our business strategies;
potential inability to grow revenues; potential inability to
attract and retain key personnel; interruptions in delivery of
critical supplies, equipment and raw materials due to credit or
other limitations imposed by vendors; assertion of claims, lawsuits
and proceedings against us; potential inability to satisfy debt and
lease obligations; potential inability to maintain an effective
system of internal controls over financial reporting; potential
inability or failure to timely file periodic reports with the
Securities and Exchange Commission; potential inability to list our
securities on any securities exchange or market or maintain the
listing of our securities; and work stoppages or other labor
difficulties. Occurrence of such events or circumstances could have
a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition,
results of operations or cash flows, or the market price of our
securities. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking
statements by or attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf
are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Except
as may be required by securities or other law, we undertake no
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events,
or otherwise. Neither this press release nor any related calls or
discussions constitutes an offer to sell, the solicitation of an
offer to buy or a recommendation with respect to any securities of
the Company, the fund, or any other issuer.
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