UPDATE on TVI

Finding a gem in the Philippines


After reviewing Q1 results from TVI Pacific (tsx: TVI), the AGM webcast and the Q&A session, many things are exceptional about this small but so profitable mining company.

Sure copper did take a beating recently as did zinc.

Sure TVI Q2 results could be lower than Q1.

Sure that the new zinc circuit is still in the adjustment phase

Sure the daily share volume is not there actually as if nobody wanted to buy and nobody wanted to sell (not a bad thing by itself…)

Sure China seems to be lowering growth expectations

Sure that the many presentations around the globe has not given the expected results (it take some time to decide an investment in a mining company)

Sure that remaining mine life is about 3 years and 2 really profitable

BUT:

How many times have you been able to buy shares in a mining company for about the same as cash generated (using 4 X Q1 results) ?

Q1 net earnings results are not due to any 1 time event: no particular credits, no tax rebates etc. No, they have earned every penny by mining in their Canatuan property and keeping their cost per ton very very low.

How about also a company with only about 10M$ in debt: 4M$ in a high interest loan (should be repaid in Q2 or Q3 maximum) and near 6M$ with a bank loan with an interest close to 4%?

How about a company with over 16M$ in the bank (end of Q1 2010) ready to either pay everything off or do some acquisitions in the Philippines?

How about a company actually at the end of a 4 months drilling program to confirm gold presence in Balabag (100% owned by TVI) with results soon to be released?

How about a company that has signed an agreement with DCMI (one of the major Philippine Company operating in many areas) to develop near Canatuan property in a JV form agreement?

How about a company that has so many properties or mining right that they cannot drill them all right now by themselves?

How about a company that can move around from bankruptcy (or close to) and become, within 1 year, a very highly profitable corporation?

How about a company that has a facebook site and corporate web site so complete that nothing is hidden anywhere and any questions can be asked and answered at any time?

How about company making copper shipments almost months after months on a very regular basis?

How about a production cost per ton of close than 0,60 cents?

How about 0,10 cents per share and a market cap of 49M$ when revenues will be close to 80-100M$ ?

Is that possible at all? Yes it is and it is the story of TVI Pacific lead by Mr Clifford James.

This little (but very profitable) company was facing bankrupt in early 2009 when they were able to obtain the necessary credits to go ahead with their Canatuan copper circuit that was commissioned in march 2009 and shipments started in April of the same year. Since that time 15 shipments have been realized and profit is absolutely incredible. In early 2009 plan was to get about 3M$ in revenue per month but ramping up production and keeping cost down made TVI able to get revenues over 26M$ in the last quarter and a very profitable 3months with 8M$ in net profit even when amortization of loan was taken into account (paying off debt earlier than expected forced TVI to recalculate their original loan expenses on a yearly basis instead of a 5 year term). Without that recalculation net profit would have been over 10M$ IN ONLY 3 months. If this is not performance I am wondering what could be…

So what’s missing?

Mine life extension: How about the zinc circuit coming operational soon with a take-off agreement very profitable?

How about Canatuan expansion with Dacon? Are they not the experts in road, bridges, almost all kind of infrastructure so dearly needed to access those hard to reach areas?

How about Balabag where maybe close to 1M ounces of gold will be proven? Is this not close to 1B$ (1000 million dollar$ project)

How about jv ventures to explore the lands where mega budget are needed?

Why not partnerships with a company like Xstrada to join TVI in developing some areas?

It could be just plain speculation from my part but could you imagine the result on the share value?

Honk Kong Listing Why not? Do you really believe TVI has all the audience in Canada they deserve? Who care about a Canadian company operating in the Philippines? Do they know that Philippines are one of the biggest resources area and most of it NOT being mined? I would bet that the mentality in Asia is a lot more investment based than speculation…What would be an initial IPO in Hong Kong: 50M$, 100M$ or a regional listing for Canadian shares? Had you had a look recently on the way foreign company listed in Hong Kong have been received? Well a lot better than we do with our own companies. My impressions are they know more about finance than we do. Maybe it is also a difference in the mentality. Maybe they know where they want to go but also knows the time needed to get there.

It is fascinating to see many companies with share price based solely upon expectations and speculation. They have neither revenues nor profit but they still manage to have sometimes their share valued higher than a company like TVI. They climb really high really fast then the drop like a rock when they find out nothing was to be drilled out there. They sometimes look like some gas and oil drilling companies promising to drill so many barrels per day that they will all become billionaires and end up finally with not even oil enough to fill a lighter…(I can name a few but will restraint myself..)

Maybe our way to evaluate a company is more from a speculative view than financial reviews…Maybe it is time to even evaluate our own analysts…Maybe it’s time to evaluate our own way of investing (or the radical definition of investment).

But in the stock market business you always like to find a great company before everybody else ear about them and in my humble opinion, that is the case for TVI Pacific. A perfect company for an investment in Asia where the money is, where the resources are and where the people have the ‘know-how’ to be profitable.

To me TVI was, is and will still be one of my favourite pick for 2010 and unless something dramatic happen, it will also be for 2011 as I think their future is a lot brighter than their past and with all projects underway, one will someday catches a lot more attention and guess what: share value will sky rocket.

So this deal on share is ‘WHILE QUANTITY LAST. SORRY NO RAINCHECKS…’