Shares in Parkmead Group, the Aberdeen energy firm run by entrepreneur Tom Cross, skyrocketed by more than one-fifth after its latest annual results.
The soaring share price – the stock was up by 21% at 17.25p by market close – came despite the company posting losses.
Investor chat comments ranged from “a no news about anything announcement” and “more of the same” to “all on track, positive”.
One shareholder speculated the company’s stock was up after the UK Government raised its “strike” prices for future offshore wind energy contracts.
Others said the Alternative Investment Market-listed shares were undervalued.
£3.3m Mearns wind farm delivers
Parkmead’s highlights of the year to June 30 included its first full year of revenue – worth £700,000 – from its Kempstone Hill wind farm in Aberdeenshire.
The company said last year it had purchased the three-turbine scheme, near Stonehaven, from the family behind G & J Jack Seafoods, of Fraserburgh, for nearly £3.3 million in cash.
The bumper sum, nearly £1.1m per turbine, was in addition to the new owner taking on a loan worth about £990,000.
Kempstone Hill delivered 2,446 megawatt-hours of electricity for Parkmead in the year to June.
Parkmead’s other Aberdeenshire projects
Meanwhile, the firm said work was “progressing” on studies for a wind farm at Pitreadie, near Banchory, as part of a “major proposal” to create a 90-100 megawatt wind farm joint venture.
Mr Cross’s wife, Linda, and a business partner sold Pitreadie Farm to Parkmead a few years ago in a deal worth £4.9m.
Just over a year ago Parkmead revealed it was eying land in Aberdeenshire for a combined solar and wind farm development. It said it may also install a battery storage facility there.
The company, which has onshore and offshore oil and gas assets in the UK and Netherlands in addition to a growing renewables business, was carrying out “the necessary work required” as it mulled a planning application to Aberdeenshire Council.
At the time, Parkmead gave no details on the size of the proposed wind and solar farm, or the exact location.
Parkhead ‘actively pursuing’ wind and solar acquisitions
But in today’s results statement it said initial “screening” studies had been completed at Brachmont, near Drumoak.
And the firm also revealed it is “actively pursuing” wind and solar acquisitions “which would be immediately cash-flow enhancing”.
Among oil and gas assets, Parkhead said its Skerryvore exploration well in the central UK North Sea was “on track”. Parkmead is the operator on Skerryvore, with a 50% stake in the project alongside Serica Energy (20%) and CalEnergy (30%).
How big were Parkmead’s losses?
The company reported pre-tax losses of £35.3m for the year, compared with profits of nearly £4m in 2021-22.
Revenue rose to £14.8m in the latest period, from £12.1m previously.
Parkhead said its losses for 2022-23 were driven by £33m of exploration and evaluation asset write-offs and impairment charges totalling £13m.
‘Skerryvore exploration well on track’ : excerpt from today’s Parkmead Group RNS – Serica Energy 20% WI #SQZ pic.twitter.com/U1Kyh4qXwc
— SericaEnergy (@SericaEnergyUK) November 17, 2023
Mr Cross, who founded and led Aberdeen-based Dana Petroleum until just after its £1.67 billion buyout by South Korea’s national oil company in 2010, said: “We have achieved increased revenues and cash flow, whilst ensuring the company is forging ahead with new growth opportunities.”
Parkmead’s executive chairman added: “We remain committed to maximizing the opportunities within the company’s oil and gas portfolio on our pathway towards energy transition.
“Parkmead continues to maintain a strong balance sheet which aids the pursuit of value-adding acquisitions.”
In June, Parkmead announced it had axed its flagship Greater Perth Area (GPA) project, blaming higher taxes and growing opposition to new oil and gas developments.
The GPA is estimated to contain about 55 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent, making it one of the UK North Sea’s largest undeveloped areas. It includes the Perth and Dolphin discoveries in the central North Sea.
Conversation