Volatile lithium prices add risk

Article Excerpt

LITHIUM ROYALTY CORP. $16 is a hold. The company (Toronto symbol LIRC; Resources sector; 55.3 million; Market cap: $884.8 million; No dividend paid; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.lithiumroyaltycorp.com) receives royalties from 28 lithium properties—two of which are currently in operation, four are under construction and 22 are under development. These mines are in Canada, the U.S., Australia, Serbia, Finland, Argentina and Brazil. Under these deals, the company makes an upfront cash payment to a mine operator. In exchange, it receives a percentage of the revenues. On March 15, 2023, Lithium Royalty completed an initial public offering of 8.8 million shares at $17.00 a share. It plans to use the net proceeds of $141.4 million to add more lithium projects to its portfolio. The outlook for lithium is bright, as it’s a key material in the manufacture of electric vehicle batteries. However, lithium prices remain volatile, particularly as China continues to expand its lithium production by over 200% in the next three years. Lithium Royalty is a hold. hold…