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Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement
ACCEPT
Offer
by
Goldway Capital Investment
Limited
CR No.
3294426
to
acquire all of your ordinary shares in
MC Mining Limited ACN 008 905
388
for
A$0.16 cash per MCM
Share
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|
TO ACCEPT THE OFFER YOU
MUST
Complete and sign
the Acceptance Form accompanying the Original Bidder's Statement
and return it to the address set out on the form before the Offer
closes.
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|
This is an important document and
requires your immediate attention.
If you are in any doubt about how to
deal with this document, you should contact your legal, financial,
tax or other professional advisor immediately.
Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement
1.
Introduction
This document is the third
supplementary bidder's statement (Third Supplementary Bidder's Statement) to
the bidder's statement dated and lodged with ASIC on 2 February
2024 (Original Bidder's
Statement) and to the first supplementary bidder's statement
dated and lodged with ASIC on 15 February 2024 (First Supplementary Bidder's Statement)
and second supplementary bidder's statement dated and lodged with
ASIC on 14 March 2024 (Second
Supplementary Bidder's Statement), issued by Goldway Capital
Investment Limited (company registration number 3294426)
(Goldway) in relation to
its off-market takeover bid for all of the ordinary shares in MC
Mining Limited ACN 008 905 388 (MCM).
This Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement is given pursuant to Division 4 of Part 6.5 of the
Corporations Act 2001
(Cth) (Corporations Act) in
compliance with the requirements of section 643 of the Corporations
Act.
This Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement supplements and should be read together with the Original
Bidder's Statement, the First Supplementary Bidder's Statement and
the Second Bidder's Statement. Unless the context otherwise
requires, terms defined in this Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement have the same meaning as in the Original Bidder's
Statement.
This Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement is dated 21 March 2024 and was lodged with ASIC and given
to ASX on that date. Neither ASIC, nor the ASX, nor any of their
respective officers takes any responsibility for the content of
this Third Supplementary Bidder's Statement.
This is an important document and requires your immediate
attention.
If
you are in any doubt about how to deal with this document, you
should contact
your legal, financial, tax or other professional advisor
immediately.
2.
Observations on
the Supplementary Target's Statement
Goldway has reviewed MCM's
supplementary target's statement dated 18 March 2024 (Supplementary Target's Statement) including the
independent expert's report (IER) issued by BDO Corporate Finance
(WA) Pty Ltd ACN 124 031 045 (BDO or Independent
Expert) and the independent
specialist's report (SRK
Report) issued by SRK Consulting (Australasia) Pty Ltd ACN
074 271 720 (SRK).
Goldway expresses its overall
disappointment that the MCM Independent Board Committee
(IBC) has decided not to
recommend that MCM Shareholders accept Goldway's Offer. Goldway
believes that the Offer represents an attractive, certain exit
price, which MCM Shareholders should consider against several key
points that call into question the Supplementary Target's Statement
view, as well as that of the Independent Expert and SRK, on the
value of MCM.
Goldway, having regard to the
Supplementary Target's Statement, IER and SRK Report, confirms that
the Offer is its best and final offer with no increase to the Offer
Price (of A$0.16 per MCM Share) or extension to the Offer Period in
the absence of a competing proposal.
Responses to specific statements in the Supplementary Target's
Statement, IER and SRK Report
To assist MCM Shareholders in
deciding whether to accept the Offer, Goldway wishes to outline the
further points set out below.
2.1. The IER has ignored
several key disadvantages for MCM Shareholders failing to accept
the Offer
The Independent Expert has failed to
address some key disadvantages or risks for shareholders not
accepting the Offer, including:
(a)
Solvency
- in the absence of accepting this Offer, MCM
Shareholders face the imminent risk of insolvency of MCM. As
announced on 15 March 2024 in the half yearly report for the period
ended 31 December 2023, MCM reported cash and cash equivalents of
$2.0 million compared to cash and cash equivalents of $7.5 million
at 30 June 2023. Assuming the same level of cash utilisation over
the next half year to 30 June 2024, MCM requires an immediate or
imminent injection of capital to remain solvent. The prospect of an
insolvency event should be a material consideration for MCM
Shareholders in deciding whether to accept the Offer and this was
not adequately highlighted in the IER. The IER acknowledged, on
page 14, that MCM's auditor
"highlighted a material uncertainty that may cast significant doubt
on [MCM's] ability to continue as a going concern, in its
audit reports for the years ended 30 June 2022 and 30 June 2023 and
its review report for the half-year ended 31 December 2023". In
addition, the IER noted that MCM's auditor outlined that the
ability of MCM to continue as a going concern is dependent on
"securing future debt and equity
funding at a level satisfactory to enable ongoing operations and
future developments to be completed". To date, the major
arrangers and underwriters of funding for MCM have been members of
the Consortium including their underwriting of the mentioned A$40
million rights issue announced in November 2022 which would
otherwise have not been successful without the intervention of the
Consortium members. On page 10 of the Supplementary Target's
Statement, MCM confirms that it is, once again, in discussions with
the "Consortium Members regarding the provision of interim
funding".
ACCEPTING the Offer is advantageous
to MCM Shareholders in light of the potential solvency risk of
MCM.
(b)
Dilution
risk - it is highly likely that MCM
will require equity financing in the near term to remain solvent.
It will additionally require considerable future equity financing
to develop its projects. The last announced Life of Mine plan of
the "shovel ready" Makhado Project, issued on 30 June 2023,
indicated peak funding requirements for that asset alone of US$96
million,[1] approximately 2.2 times the current market capitalisation of
MCM. In such event, MCM Shareholders would need to invest more
capital into MCM to avoid being diluted and face further price
uncertainty depending on the outcome of the long-planned
commissioning of the Makhado mine.
ACCEPTING the Offer is advantageous
to MCM Shareholders who wish to avoid the risk of dilution and
continued company performance risk.
(c)
Financing Risk
- the IER highlighted that MCM
shareholders may "forego the opportunity to participate in any
potential upside of MC Mining's mineral assets" by accepting the
Offer. Any future upside is predicated on MCM financing its assets
into production. MCM's flagship project and largest contributor to
the theoretical value proposed in the IER, Makhado, has been unable
to attract project finance capable of being drawn to commence
operations for over a decade. The second most valuable asset in the
portfolio (in terms of the IER), the Vele Aluwani Colliery
(Vele), has failed to
operate profitably, ostensibly due to logistics and operating
challenges that have not been overcome for over a
decade.
ACCEPTING the Offer is advantageous
to MCM Shareholders who wish to avoid exposure to MCM's financing
risk.
(d)
Liquidity
risk - MCM is an illiquid security
which is subject to minimal trading volumes. The IER, on page 36,
has noted that 1.23% of MCM's current issued capital has been
traded in the twelve month period to 3 February 2024. There is no
guarantee that MCM Shareholders will have the opportunity to access
another liquidity event where they can exit for a certain price and
for cash.
ACCEPTING the Offer provides
certain liquidity at no cost to MCM Shareholders.
2.2.
An investment in
MCM remains subject to a number of significant risks and
uncertainties
The Independent Expert notes that a
disadvantage of accepting the Offer is that MCM Shareholders will
"forego the opportunity to participate in any potential upside of
MC Mining's mineral assets". Nonetheless, an investment in MCM
remains subject to a number of significant risks and
uncertainties.
Most importantly, despite several
capital raising rounds over an extended period of time in excess of
a decade, there is no certainty of MCM, in its current form, being
in a position to deliver on the upside potential referred
to.
Additionally, MCM is a high-cost
coal producer that faces coal price volatility. Operational
challenges are compounded by power, rail and logistical
issues.[2] MCM's
undeveloped coal reserves and resources face the same challenges
and are reliant on the same infrastructure as the South African
coal market. There are considerable risks relating to MCM's
ambition to economically produce coal.
In addition, as highlighted in the
Second Supplementary Bidder's Statement, Goldway reiterates
that:
(a)
Due to its underperformance, Vele has been under
care and maintenance since January 2024. It was only recommissioned
in December 2022 after having been put under care and maintenance
previously in 2013.
(b)
The Makhado Project has been in definitive
feasibility study (DFS)
status and "shovel ready" for over a decade and has never produced
any coal.
(c)
The Uitkomst Colliery has been unable to
consistently produce positive cash flow for MCM. When cashflow
positive, the cash generated from Uitkomst is immaterial and
insufficient to cover the excessive administrative and corporates
costs of MCM.
(d)
Since acquiring the Greater Soutpansberg Project
(GSP) in 2012, the assets
have remained dormant and subject to on-going impairments by
MCM.
2.3.
The methodology
in the SRK Report does not take into account the level of coal
production by MCM
SRK has relied upon previous
transaction values of ZAR/t gross in situ resource in South Africa
(per Appendix A of the SRK Report). The vast majority of these
previous transactions involve productive and profitable mines. The
SRK Report, at page 92, acknowledges that their valuation does "not
attempt to estimate or reflect the coal likely to be recovered as
required under the JORC Code (2012)". Accordingly, the methodology
used by SRK does not reflect the fact that MCM's coal mines have
been uneconomic and undeveloped despite multiple attempts to
commercially produce coal.
For example, Vele's valuation of
approximately ZAR584 million (approximately A$47.1 million) in the
SRK Report is based on its existing coal resources. Due to its poor
financial performance, Vele was put on care and maintenance in 2013
and recommissioned in December 2022. Notwithstanding the stated
vast resource base and return potential that underpins the
valuation of Vele, the asset only managed to produce 119,799 tonnes
of saleable thermal coal in H12024[3] before being
forced to return on care and maintenance in January 2024 after
being recommissioned in December 2022. For over 10 years, Vele has
incurred considerable losses and will remain a cost centre as MCM
retains the asset on care and maintenance for the foreseeable
future.
The Uitkomst Colliery has been
unable to consistently produce positive cashflow for
MCM.
Additionally, the GPS and Makhado
Projects remain undeveloped and subject to considerable financing
and development risks. The SRK methodology only takes into account
an assumed confidence level of the coal resource and not its
earnings potential as a profitable operation. For over 10 years,
the Makhado Project has been at DFS status and has failed to
produce any coal. Since 2012, the GSP asset has been dormant and
subject to on-going impairments by MCM. Like the Makhado Project
and Vele, the GSP is a considerable distance from the nearest port
and its future viability is adversely impacted by persistent power
and rail issues.
2.4.
The Independent
Expert's Valuation Methodology does not take into account the
considerable administrative overhead costs of
MCM
The approach taken by the
Independent Expert was to adopt the flawed sum of the parts
valuation methodology (as discussed more fully in section
2.3) in relation to the in
situ, largely non-operational, assets of the Makhado Project and
simply deduct the current net liabilities as at 31 December 2023
(please refer to paragraph 10.1 of the Independent Expert's
Report). THIS IS MISLEADING AND IGNORES THE CONSIDERABLE IMMEDIATE
CONTINUED OVERHEAD CASH COSTS OF MCM AS AN ENTITY LISTED ON THREE
MAJOR EXCHANGES WITH AN ATTENDANT LARGE HEAD OFFICE INFRASTRUCTURE.
This cash cost is evidenced by the extremely rapid reduction of
MCM's cash and cash equivalents as mentioned in section
2.1(a) above. It is common
market practice in undertaking such a valuation that appropriate
deductions are made for the head office overhead in addition to the
net liabilities.
2.5.
The Basis of the
Independent Expert's opinion that the Offer is Unreasonable is
Perplexing and Difficult to Comprehend Given the Weight of Evidence
in the Valuation Report
The Independent Expert only
provides two disadvantages that they have considered in arriving at
their conclusion that the Offer is "unreasonable". In relation to
the point regarding "Shareholders will forego the opportunity to
participate in any potential upside of MC Mining's mineral assets"
- The overwhelming challenges of the high operational risks and
significant capital required in realising the "potential upside"
referred to by MCM is discussed in detail in the Bidder's
Statement, Supplementary Bidder's Statement, Second Supplementary
Bidder's Statement and summarised in section
2.2.
The Independent Expert goes on to
mention the announced Vulcan Resources non-binding, indicative
offer which was withdrawn and by their own admission they state
they are "unaware of any other
alternative proposal that might offer Shareholders a premium over
the value resulting from the Offer". In their analysis of
the share price trends from trading, they conclude that they
"consider it possible that there
may be a decline in MC Mining's share price if the minimum
subscription level of the Offer is not reached", it being
accepted that the Share price has only recently seen recovery as a
result of the premium offered by the Goldway Offer. Finally MCM
also concedes that "as detailed in
Section 13.1.2 of our Report, we consider the Offer Consideration
to provide certainty of value to Shareholders". The opinion of unreasonableness was therefore
based on a flawed valuation reflecting an unrealistic transaction
price that Vulcan Resources was ostensibly not willing to pursue
with no material disadvantages capable of being
identified.
3.
Proposal for
conditional extension of the Offer Period
The Offer contains a condition
(which cannot be waived) that Goldway needs to have received
acceptances for at least 50.1% or more of the MCM Shares that it
does not have a relevant interest at the commencement date of the
Offer (Minimum Acceptance
Condition).
If the Minimum Acceptance Condition
is satisfied by 5 April 2024, Goldway's present intention is to
declare the Offer unconditional on the date that Goldway notifies
the market that the Minimum Acceptance Condition has been satisfied
(Unconditional Date). Upon
the Offer being declared unconditional, Goldway intends to extend
the Offer for 10 Business Days from the Unconditional
Date.
If the Minimum Acceptance Condition
is not satisfied by 5 April 2024, then the Offer will not be
extended and will lapse on close of the Offer Period.
4.
Consents and
approval of the Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement
This Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement includes statements which are made in or based on
statements made in, documents lodged with ASIC or given to ASX.
Under the terms of ASIC
Corporations (Takeover Bids) Instrument 2023/683, the
parties making those statements are not required to consent to, and
have not consented to, inclusion of those statements in this Third
Supplementary Bidder's Statement. If you would like to receive a
copy of any of those documents, or the relevant parts of the
documents containing the statements (free of charge), during the
Offer Period, please call the relevant Goldway Offer Information
Line. Goldway will provide these within 2 Business Days of the
request.
A copy of this document was lodged
with ASIC on 21 March 2024. This Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement prevails to the extent of any inconsistency with the
Original Bidder's Statement, the First Supplementary Bidder's
Statement or the Second Supplementary Bidder's Statement.
Neither ASIC nor any of its officers takes any responsibility for
the contents of this Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement.
Authorisation
This Third Supplementary Bidder's
Statement has been approved by a resolution passed by the sole
director of Goldway.
Signed for on behalf of
Goldway Capital Investment Limited
Mr
Jun Liu
Sole Director
Date: 21 March 2024