Monthly Archives: August 2022

The second quarter of 2022 was a bright spot for Canadian energy, with solid cash-flow prints driven by oil prices hovering around US$100 per barrel. REUTERS/Todd Korol

Institutional investors loaded up on about $1.4 billion worth of small and mid-cap Canadian oil and gas stocks in the second quarter of 2022, one of the highest levels seen in years, according to new research from Raymond James.

Analyst Jeremy McCrae combed through the financial filings of about 5,800 investment funds that have owned at least one Canadian exploration and production (E&P) stock since 2018. The results show "generalist" funds, those with less than five per cent of assets in Canadian energy, accounted for $1.1 billion, or 70 per cent of all buying, in the three months ended Aug. 15.

"The sector is 'investable' again," McCrae tweeted on Monday. "Q2 was the moment where the 'generalist' investor has finally come back (and in size)."

The second quarter of 2022 was a bright spot for Canadian energy, with solid cash-flow prints driven by oil prices hovering around US$100 per barrel (CL=F). At the same time, many companies promised to return more cash flow to shareholders, and announced progress on debt targets.

According to Raymond James, Spartan Delta (SDE.TO)(+26 per cent), Tourmaline Oil (TOU.TO)(+16 per cent), Baytex Energy (BTE.TO)(+15 per cent), Enerplus (ERF.TO)(+7 per cent) and Birchcliff Energy (BIR.TO)(+5 per cent) were the best-performing names in the quarter.

Of the 5,800 funds analyzed, 77 benefited from holding these stocks since the first quarter of 2022. Obsidian Energy (OBE.TO), Birchcliff, Crescent Point Energy (CPG.TO), and Vermillion Energy (VET.TO) were the most popular new positions for these firms in the second quarter.

Obsidian, Spartan and Surge Energy (SGY.TO) saw the greatest uptick in number of new funds investing in its stock in Q2. Surge, for example, had had 32 new institutions come into its stock last quarter, increasing total institutional fund holders by more than double.

"That said, it was not broad-based [buying] throughout, with many fund types still selling during that same time period," McCrae wrote in the report.

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He notes much of the share price volatility seen in June as oil prices fell from recent highs was caused by high-turnover funds exiting positions.

"We can see much of this selling was actually picked up by low-turnover funds," he wrote. "If commodity prices were to weaken further, the new 'low-turnover' investors in these E&P names have a much longer-term horizon, which should limit further price depreciation."

Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist.

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How the smart money bought oil and gas stocks in Q2 - Yahoo Canada Finance

The New York Jets have already had a rough training camp and preseason.

They lost right tackle Mekhi Becton to a season-ending knee injury. Then quarterback Zach Wilson went down with a knee injury in the preseason opener, and his status for Week 1 is up in the air.

It makes sense why Jets coach Robert Saleh doesn't really know if he'll play starters on Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons.

Im torn on it, Saleh said, via AP. I wake up one day and say, OK, theyre going to play. I wake up the next day and theyre not going to play.

That's why the Atlanta Falcons are a 2.5-point road favorite against the Jets at BetMGM for Monday night's game.

The Falcons have to make decisions, too. The teams had joint practices this week and the latest trend is to hold starters out of the preseason game after joint practices during the week. Falcons coach Arthur Smith hasn't said if or how much starters will play Monday, but he has said he wants to see more of his starters this preseason and the expectation is they'll play. Marcus Mariota should get some time, then be followed by intriguing rookie Desmond Ridder. But we might not know that until just before kickoff.

The Jets and Falcons aren't expected to be very good this season, and Monday night isn't exactly a great showcase of football. But it is NFL football, and at least there's a point spread on it.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota (1) could see some playing time on Monday against the Jets. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Here's a first look at the sports betting slate for Monday:

Two of the marquee teams in the English Premier League meet on Monday afternoon. Man U isn't exactly playing like one of the EPL's top teams, though. Manchester United has dropped its first two matches in embarrassing fashion. Liverpool isn't off to a great start with two draws already, but they had the second-best odds to win the EPL title before the season started and should turn things around soon. Liverpool is a -150 favorite on the three-way line (draw is +320 and a Man U win is +350).

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A few MLB teams have off on Monday but there are nine games on the schedule including one afternoon game. This afternoon the Chicago White Sox face the Kansas City Royals, with the White Sox as a healthy -155 road favorite.

The marquee game is the New York Mets at the New York Yankees. The Yankees' struggles since the all-star break are well known by now, though they did get a nice win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. It won't get easier for the Yankees on Monday as they face Max Scherzer. The Mets are -165 favorites and it's hard to bet against them.

I do think the Falcons want to use the preseason to get better for the regular season. While I might disagree with the methodology, we could see Atlanta facing a Jets team that seems worried about getting to the regular season without any injuries, and that leads me to a bet on the Falcons at less than a field goal. Meaningful football will be here very soon.

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The Daily Sweat: Falcons and Jets wrap up the second week of the preseason - Yahoo Sports

CALGARY, AB and KELOWNA, BC, Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - SNDL Inc. (Nasdaq: SNDL) ("SNDL") and The Valens Company Inc. (TSX: VLNS) (Nasdaq: VLNS) ("Valens") are pleased to announce today that they have entered into an arrangement agreement (the "Agreement") to combine their businesses and create a leading vertically integrated cannabis platform. Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, SNDL will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Valens ("Valens Shares"), other than those owned by SNDL and its subsidiaries, by way of a statutory plan of arrangement (the "Transaction"). All financial information in this press release is reported in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

SNDL Inc. logo (CNW Group/SNDL Inc.)

Under the terms of the Agreement, Valens' shareholders will receive, for each Valens Share, 0.3334 of a common share of SNDL (the "Offer Exchange Ratio"). Based on the August 19, 2022 close of the SNDL shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market exchange (the "Nasdaq"), the consideration represents an implied value of $1.26 per Valens Share (the "Implied Offer Price"), for total consideration of approximately $138 million. The Implied Offer Price represents a premium of 10% based on a trailing 30-day volume-weighted average price ("VWAP") of the Valens Shares, on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") up to August 19, 2022.For more information on the announcement, an investor presentation can be found at http://www.sndl.com and http://www.thevalenscompany.com.

With 555,500 square feet of cultivation and manufacturing space and 185 cannabis stores under the Spiritleaf and Value Buds banners, the combined company will offer a complete portfolio of branded products to consumers in Canada through its own supply and distribution channels. With approximately $314 million1 in net cash and no debt, SNDL will continue to have one of the strongest balance sheets in the North American regulated cannabis industry. SNDL will also have the highest pro forma Canadian cannabis revenue on a last fiscal quarter annualized basis. The combined company will operate as SNDL Inc., and Valens shareholders will own approximately 9.5% of the pro forma entity.

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1 Inclusive of SNDL and Valens cash, net of debt retirement from the Transaction and estimated transaction costs as at August 19, 2022.

Key Transaction Highlights

Creates a dominant vertically integrated entity in Canada: Through the combination of diverse portfolio of brands, an extensive retail footprint, low-cost biomass sourcing, premium indoor cultivation and low-cost manufacturing facilities, SNDL will become one of the largest adult-use cannabis manufacturers and retailers. With its retail insight and financial strength, SNDL will be able to adapt quickly to emerging consumer trends.

Enhances branded product offering with low-cost in-house manufacturing capabilities: By integrating Valens' product suite into its portfolio, SNDL will increase its overall cannabis market share to 4.5% and its 2.0 product formats market share to 5.2%, becoming a top 10 player in both categories. As a result of Valens' low-cost platform, SNDL will enhance its own product line while offering pricing flexibility to retail partners.

Increases optionality on biomass by pairing premium cultivation with low-cost procurement: Combining SNDL's high-quality cannabis cultivation operations with Valens' low-cost biomass procurement capabilities will enhance SNDL's ability to offer a wide range of customized innovative products to meet its customers and consumers desires.

Synergies through cost rationalization and operational efficiencies: The combination ofSNDL and Valensis expected to deliver more than $10 millionof annual cost synergies. Together with incremental revenues from greater distribution of Valens products, it is estimated that the Transaction will deliver upwards of $15 million of additional EBITDA on an annual run-rate basis through synergies and other strategic initiatives.

Valens shareholders to participate in and help create the future of SNDL: Valens shareholders are to receive SNDL common shares in an all-stock transaction. Beyond improved liquidity and better access to a large retail footprint, SNDL's balance sheet strength provides a unique opportunity for Valens shareholders to participate in the creation of a leading vertically integrated Canadian cannabis company.

"This powerful combination will result in the creation of a dominant vertically integrated company, exceptionally well-suited to weather the current cannabis environment and become a leader in the Canadian regulated products sector," said Zach George, Chief Executive Officer of SNDL. "SNDL's existing consumer packaged cannabis business will be transformed by Valens' high-quality extraction, processing, and manufacturing capabilities and aligns well with our strategic vision to delight consumers with a full range of quality cannabis products and experiences. Our companies have been commercial partners since Canadian legalization. I am excited by the strong cultural fit between our teams and humbled by the opportunity to work with Valens' passionate and innovative leadership."

"We are thrilled to bring together two best-in-class cannabis companies that have extremely complementary assets to create a true market leader. Valens is one of the fastest growing branded cannabis companies in Canada with a focus on innovation and investing in low-cost automated manufacturing assets," said Tyler Robson, Chief Executive Officer of The Valens Company. "With SNDL's exceptional balance sheet and largest cannabis retail network in Canada we look forward to taking Valens' brands to new heights and unlocking 2.0 products for the SNDL platform. We believe the pro forma company provides investors with attractive exposure not only to the highest revenue generating cannabis company in Canada trading well under its tangible book value but also a dominant platform that can become a global leader in cannabis."

Valens' secured non-revolving term loan (the "Term Loan") has been refinanced and upsized with an additional $14.3 million of incremental capital, thereby increasing the principal amount of the Term Loan to $60 million.

Transaction Details

The Transaction will be carried out by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act, pursuant to which SNDL will acquire all of the issued and outstanding Valens Shares, other than those owned by SNDL and its subsidiaries. The implementation of the Transaction will be subject to the approval of at least two thirds of the Valens Shares entitled to be voted by Valens shareholders and the approval of a simple majority of the Valens Shares entitled to be voted by Valens shareholders, other than Valens shareholders required to be excluded under applicable laws, at a special meeting expected to be convened by Valens by the end of November 2022 (the "Meeting"), and the receipt of applicable orders from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and applicable regulatory approvals, including under the Competition Act (Canada) and the applicable provincial liquor and cannabis regulators. The Agreement provides for, among other things, customary support and non-solicitation covenants from Valens, including customary "fiduciary out" provisions that allow Valens to accept a superior proposal in certain circumstances and a five-business day "right to match period" in favour of SNDL. The Agreement also provides for the payment of a termination fee of $8 million payable to SNDL by Valens in the event the Transaction is terminated in certain specified circumstances. The transaction is expected to close during January 2023.

All directors and executive officers of Valens have entered into voting support agreements with SNDL pursuant to which, among other things, the parties have agreed to vote their Valens Shares in favour of the Transaction.

A full description of the Transaction will be set forth in the management information circular of Valens, which will be mailed to Valens shareholders in connection with the Meeting, and filed on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) under Valens profile at http://www.sedar.comand the Company's Form 6-K, which will be furnished on EDGAR (www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml).

Valens Board Approval

Valens' board of directors has unanimously approved the Transaction after receiving the unanimous recommendation of a special committee of Valens directors (the "Special Committee"). Valens' board of directors has unanimously resolved to recommend that the shareholders of Valens vote in favour of the Transaction.

Cormark Securities Inc. has provided a fairness opinion to the Special Committee of Valens that, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set out in such fairness opinion, the consideration to be received by Valens shareholders pursuant to the Transaction is fair from a financial point of view to Valens' shareholders.

Advisors

ATB Capital Markets Inc. is acting as financial advisor to SNDL. McCarthy Ttrault LLP is acting as legal counsel to SNDL.

Cormark Securities Inc. is acting as financial advisor and Stikeman Elliott LLP is acting as legal counsel to Valens.

ABOUT SNDL INC.

SNDL is a public company whose shares are traded on Nasdaq under the symbol "SNDL."

SNDL is the largest private sector liquor and cannabis retailer in Canada with retail banners that include Ace Liquor, Wine and Beyond, Liquor Depot, Value Buds, and Spiritleaf. SNDL is a licensed cannabis producer that uses state-of-the-art indoor facilities to supply wholesale and retail customers under a cannabis brand portfolio that includes Top Leaf, Sundial Cannabis, Palmetto, Spiritleaf Selects, and Grasslands. SNDL's investment portfolio seeks to deploy strategic capital through direct and indirect investments and partnerships throughout the global cannabis industry.

For more information on SNDL, please go to http://www.sndl.com.

ABOUT THE VALENS COMPANY INC.

The Valens Company is a leading manufacturer of cannabis products with a mission to bring the benefits of cannabis to the world. The Company provides proprietary cannabis processing services, in addition to best-in-class product development, manufacturing, and commercialization of cannabis consumer packaged goods. The Valens Company's high-quality products are formulated for the medical, health and wellness, and recreational consumer segments, and are offered across all cannabis product categories with a focus on quality and innovation. The Company also manufactures, distributes, and sells a wide range of CBD products in the United States through its subsidiary Green Roads, and distributes medicinal cannabis products to Australia through its subsidiary Valens Australia. In partnership with brand houses, consumer packaged goods companies and licensed cannabis producers around the globe, the Company continues to grow its diverse product portfolio in alignment with evolving cannabis consumer preferences in key markets. Through Valens Labs, the Company is setting the standard in cannabis testing and research and development with Canada's only ISO17025 accredited analytical services lab, named The Centre of Excellence in Plant-Based Science by partner and scientific world leader Thermo Fisher Scientific. Discover more on The Valens Company at thevalenscompany.com.

AdditionalInformation

Further information regarding the Transaction will be contained in an information circular that Valens will prepare and mail to its shareholders in connection with the Meeting. Investors and securityholders are urged to read the information circular once it becomes available, as it will contain important information concerning the Transaction. Investors and securityholders may obtain a copy of the Agreement, information circular and other meeting materials when they become available at http://www.sedar.com .

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation ("forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information is typically, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "will", "expected", "projected", "to be" and similar words, including negatives thereof, or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding: the completion of the Transaction on the current terms thereof; the expected closing of the Transaction in the first quarter of 2023; the market value of the consideration to be received by Valens' shareholders; the combined company and its focus going forward; the anticipated benefits associated with the Transaction; the Meeting expected to take place in December 2022; and SNDL's capital base supporting Valens' expansion and opening up new market opportunities.

Such forward-looking information is based on various assumptions and factors that may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, factors and assumptions with respect to: the Transaction being completed on the timelines and on the terms currently anticipated; all necessary shareholder, court and regulatory approvals being obtained on the timelines and in the manner currently anticipated; the anticipated benefits of the Transaction; the business and operations of both SNDL and Valens, including that each business will continue to operate in a manner consistent with past practice and pursuant to certain industry and market conditions; the ability of Valens to successfully implement its strategic plans and initiatives and whether such strategic plans and initiatives will yield the expected benefits; and the receipt by Valens of necessary retail liquor and retail cannabis licences, approvals and authorizations (as applicable) from regulatory authorities, and the timing thereof.

Although SNDL and Valens believe that the assumptions and factors on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because SNDL and Valens can give no assurance that it will prove to be correct or that any of the events anticipated by such forward-looking information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits Valens and/or SNDLwill derive therefrom. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including, but not limited to: the risk that the Transaction is not completed as anticipated or at all, including the timing thereof, and if completed, that the benefits thereof will not be as anticipated; the risk that necessary shareholder, court or regulatory approvals are not obtained as anticipated or at all, and the timing thereof; the risk that the conditions to closing of the Transaction are not satisfied or waived; risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative, tax and regulatory developments, including developments that may impact the closing of the Transaction as anticipated or at all; conditions in the liquor and cannabis industries; the risk that Valens does not receive the necessary retail liquor or cannabis approvals and/or authorizations or that they are not able to open additional retail liquor or cannabis stores, directly or indirectly, as anticipated or at all; the ability of management to execute its business strategy, objectives and plans; the availability of capital to fund the build-out and opening of additional retail liquor or cannabis stores; and the impact of general economic conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties relating to Valens' business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in Valens' annual information form for the financial year ended November 30, 2021 dated February 28, 2022. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties relating to SNDL's business are contained under "Item 3D Risk Factors" in SNDL's Annual Report on Form 20-F, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2022. The forward-looking information included in this news release is made as of the date of this news release. Valens and SNDL do not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Cision

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SOURCE SNDL Inc.

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SNDL Announces Agreement to Acquire The Valens Company to Create Leading Vertically Integrated Cannabis Platform - Yahoo Finance

Later today at the White House, President Joe Biden will put the final touches on a major win for his administration, signing the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law.

Within the $700 billion package are huge investments in new climate initiatives, such as rebate programs for energy efficient appliances and retrofits, production tax credits, and provisions for battery and solar cell manufacturers, and most importantly for the automakers, tax credits for new and used electric vehicles.

Now that we have $370 billion coming from the Inflation Reduction Act, we expect that to continue to accelerate the growth of electric vehicles and really help companies along the value chain from car manufacturers to battery manufacturers to lithium suppliers to parts all involved in electric vehicles to benefit from this bill, said Jay Jacobs, BlackRock U.S. head of thematic and active equity ETFs in an interview with Yahoo Finance Live. We believe we're going to see a really rising tide for the entire electric vehicle industry.

Electric car in charging

Jacobs manages a number of ETFs under the iShares umbrella, which BlackRock owns. Among those is the iShares Self-Driving Ev and Tech ETF (IDRV), which invest in the entire value chain of electric and autonomous vehicles. Jacobs believes ETF offerings in the space are the best way for investors to get exposure to the industry because there are a number of smaller companies and foreign firms that are going to benefit from the IRA beyond big names like Ford (F), GM (GM) and Tesla (TSLA).

Well, I think it's really going to be felt across the entire value chain. I mean, this is the birth of a new industry. This is a revolution in transportation, Jacobs says. It's not going to be one winner, we think there's going to be many winners in this space and it's going to expand beyond just passenger vehicles. We're going to get into trucks, we're going to get into alternative forms of transport.

Looking past transportation, Jacobs noted the global clean energy chain at large will benefit tremendously from implementation of the IRA.

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In this space Jacobs said clients are interested in the iShares Clean Energy ETF (ICLN) because companies held by the ETF will benefit from the IRAs focus on providing production tax credits to manufacture items like solar panels and wind turbines. The ETF also owns utilities, who will be implementing new clean technologies and produce electricity using solar and wind, as well as hydrogen and other forms of clean energy that the IRA is incentivizing.

Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.

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Inflation Reduction Act is a rising tide for the entire electric vehicle industry: Analyst - Yahoo Finance

We like to buy the narrative of a team slowly climbing the hill, inching forward and using past playoff losses to finally reach a Super Bowl.

Sometimes, it happens without warning.

The Cincinnati Bengals were 4-11-1 in 2020. Their head coach Zac Taylor was probably on the hot seat. They started last season 7-6. Then they caught fire and made the Super Bowl. They might have won a championship if not for a questionable third-and-goal holding call that led to the Los Angeles Rams' game-winning touchdown. It was a magical run, practically out of nowhere.

Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals had a shocking run to the Super Bowl last season. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

It's the NFL and fortunes can change fast. Which team could be this season's Bengals and go from not making the playoffs last season to playing in Super Bowl LVII? Let's take a look at the top five candidates:

The Baltimore Ravens don't fit on this list. They missed the playoffs last season due to an incredible streak of injuries. They can make a Super Bowl. It shouldn't surprise anyone, considering the Ravens' track record. I'm going to put the Indianapolis Colts in the same bin. They should be better and make the playoffs, but they've been pretty steady under Frank Reich. Nobody should be surprised if they're pretty good with new quarterback Matt Ryan.

The Detroit Lions are an interesting case. They came on late last season. Everyone seems optimistic about them. I just can't get them all the way to a Super Bowl. Then again, nobody thought the Bengals would do it at this point last year.

Maybe all the Vikings needed was a new voice. Mike Zimmer had a fine record as Vikings head coach but there was some disconnect between his staff and a roster that was underachieving. We have no idea what Kevin O'Connell will be as a head coach, but maybe the ideas he brings from his time as a Los Angeles Rams assistant will spark something. There is a lot of high-end talent on the offense, just like last season's Bengals. Maybe this is the season it all comes together.

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The Saints had a surprising offseason. They seemed to be stuck finally having to face their habit of kicking salary-cap hits down the road as they entered the offseason more than $70 million over the cap. Then they just kicked more salary-cap hits down the road and were mostly fine. What was left was a defense that could be one of the best in the NFL, an offense that has Michael Thomas back and apparently won't lose Alvin Kamara to a suspension, and an NFC South that is pretty weak other than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who look vulnerable. It would be a different approach than the Bengals, relying on defense instead of offense, but nobody has the Saints on their list of Super Bowl contenders.

Just like the 2021 Bengals, the Jaguars have a No. 1 overall pick entering his second season with a lot of questions. With Joe Burrow at this time last year, it was his knee. With Trevor Lawrence, it was a bad rookie season that may or may not be attributable to having Urban Meyer as his coach. If we blame Meyer, the worst coach in recent NFL history, then Lawrence should start living up to his uber-prospect status. The Jaguars spent a lot of money in the offseason, overspending at just about every turn, but the roster is better. The AFC South is the weakest of the four divisions in the conference. It seems hard to project the Jaguars for a really big jump, but the 2021 Bengals were coming off a 4-11-1 season and they did it.

The last playoff game for the Broncos was Super Bowl 50. Peyton Manning was their quarterback. Manning has been in the Hall of Fame for more than a year. Denver has been desperate to find a quarterback since Manning retired, and Russell Wilson has been added. It has been said countless times that the Broncos were a good team that simply needed a quarterback to bring it all together. We're about to find out.

No, this isn't a Bengals-level jump. The Chargers would have made the playoffs last season had the Las Vegas Raiders settled for a tie in overtime of Week 18, which they didn't. But the commonality between the two situations is a star quarterback from the 2020 draft. Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow have played at a superstar level since breaking into the league. Burrow got his playoff run last season and it's easy to project Herbert to get his this season. The Chargers, like last year's Bengals, have a lot of exciting talent around the quarterback. And even though the Chargers have been competitive in recent seasons, they have not won a playoff game beyond the wild-card round since January of 2008. While it wouldn't be a total shock if the Chargers made a Super Bowl, the story of a franchise that has never won a Super Bowl and has had little playoff success finally breaking through with a talented roster around a phenomenal young quarterback ... well, that would be pretty familiar.

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Which team could be this season's Bengals and make a surprising Super Bowl run? - Yahoo Sports