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Good point. LQMT perhaps sold 20M shares for $4M & not the entire 100M. Either way it's dilution...not as much to chew thru at once.
Partial sales might be the prudent thing to do if mgmnt. believes our PPS will rise. So will the adjusted formula PPS for the sale of common stock.
How will LQMT spend it and what can we expect in return for the dilution investment?
***Reputable Institutional firms can't really buy below $5 PPS...there are a couple OTBB & micro-cap specializing investment funds though, so there is that.***
I'd like to know what the big boys holding MTRN think LQMT will add to their sales revenue.
MTRN individual shareholders + ENGEL associated companies and officers could read the PR's and "read between the lines" deciding LQMT's a diamond in the rough and buy a gambler's stake on their own
At these prices, why not ?
MTRN closed ^.12 as high as $28.69. A small LQMT effect or a non-event ?
I believe MTRN institutional investors holding 91% of their common share float will look at LQMT and decide how this news event will be accretive to the MTRN bottom line....or not.
If their PPS improves then it's a decided plus.
That's the bottom line for me.
LEVEL 2 Covered calls were taken out on Friday & early today. No one buying or selling much. Lots of playing chicken and building suspense. Could go either way.
One thing for sure: The MTRN news won't factor much either way today.
92K shares bid vs 190K offered in .28 -32 range.
There is reasonable accumulation.
Per "ANAX" NEW MTRN & LQMT Spec sheets on the Materion website.
NOTE: "Vit" and "LM" correlation. If the "tweaking" variation was unsubstantial then I'm at a loss to explain why the differing acronyms equating each to the other. Bottom line is MTRN got it figured out and approved for production in medical devices.
Win win.
http://materion.com/~/media/Files/PDFs/Beryllium/Materion%20Bulk%20Metallic%20Glass%20Data%20Sheet.pdf
IF MTRN wants to propose industry utilize Vacuum Induction Melting Furnaces for customer mfg. of products, fine by me.
IMO the ENGEL machines (provided that they REALLY WORK) make more sense @ $250K each + / -. Less $$ capital and labor.
http://www.consarc.com/brochures/vim.pdf
The "old" formulas needed help. Enter MTRN $$$ and knowhow and two years later - voila` !! They give us a "Be" free miracle material, tested, proven, available in commercial qty.
http://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Liquidmetal+Technologies+%28LQMT%29+Expands+Materion+Brush+Collaboration/7701056.html
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/materion-corporation-unit-introduces-new-line-of-bulk-metallic-glass-alloys-2014-02-17
QUOTE:
"The amorphous surface has an appealing but rugged finish that is attractive for a variety of consumer product applications. In addition, amorphous alloys will often enable lower production costs because they require fewer steps than other metal-forming processes."
*CLICK* on the "Picture of the Week" and look at the ENGEL machine MIM-made "medical anvil" photo on LQMT's website and tell me that isn't the definition of an "appealing but rugged finish".
http://liquidmetal.com/our-products/product-parts/
I sense a disturbance in the force.
http://info.liquidmetal.com/blog/bid/369523/Top-4-Advantages-Liquidmetal-Alloys-Provide-Medical-Anvils
ENGEL Medical Days Calendar links. There are limited presentations over one morning 9 - 12:00. LIVE technology Demonstrations and Partner Fair 1 - 4:00. Will the ENGEL machine for LQMT tech be shown there?
Mr. Steipp better be prepared and bring other sales & engineering staff along to answer "networking" one-on-one off-line Q & A from prospective clients. It is a short window to impress.
I wonder if a LQMT & ENGEL medical anvils success story will be presented?
http://www.adamsengineers.com/tinybrowser/files/medical_day_save_the_date_e-card_corona.jpg
http://www.adamsengineers.com/tinybrowser/files/medical_day_save_the_date_e-card_-_york.jpg
ENGEL is committed to the MULTIPLE MARKETS (not only medical devices) and exhibits and markets INTERNATIONALLY.
Their "quickie" medical symposiums are the tip of the iceberg for potential LQMT advertising.
Symposium 2014 in Austria is the one LQMT wants to present at:
***"No less impressive was the production of extremely thin-walled and at the same time highly decorated laptop covers in a clean room..***
http://www.machines-for-plastics.com/kug/en/24_06_2012
http://www.engel-injection.com/engel_web/global/en/22_3998.htm
MTRN Investment Firms looking at LQMT now. IMPRESSIVE names holding 91% of the float. Recognize any of these boys? Think they might be talking to MTRN CEO/CFO about LQMT potential? MTRN spent a boatload of R & D money reefing, testing and developing the formulations in commercial qtys. and sales training / marketing for a reason, so, hell yeah they're talking to the big guys wanting an explanation why they shelled out the big $$ and predictions for the market opportunities for LQMT alloys.
MTRN is our PR friend.
***You can't buy this kind of publicity***
Top Institutional Investors - Shares Owned of MTRN
Heartland Advisors Inc. 1,969,293
Opus Capital Group, LLC 1,559,686
Vanguard Group, Inc. (The) 1,229,843
Gamco Investors Inc 1,199,900
BlackRock Fund Advisors 1,094,961
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP 849,461
Northern Trust Corporation 732,743
Minneapolis Portfolio Management Group, LLC 717,908
BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. 588,058
Walthausen & Company LLC 587,931
Top Mutual Fund Holders
Heartland Value Plus Fund 1,900,000
American Beacon Small Cap Value Fd 699,050
EQ Advisors Trust-EQ/GAMCO Small Company Value Portfolio 489,000
Walthausen Small Cap Value Fd 393,761
iShares Core S&P Smallcap ETF 386,513
iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund 370,865
Gabelli Small Cap Growth Fund 348,000
Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund 313,590
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund 284,899
Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund 206,985
AWESOME ! It might be that simple LOL ! Negative ENGEL /LQMT Speculation could take a hike this week. I expected Steipp to have to tell the shareholders the "facts" during the FY CC next week or two anyways...seriously, thanks !
Sorry. I thought you were saying the PR's are just "artificial spin" and have no little or no factual basis. Timing-wise, not a problem to me. If the financers want to sell after they bought at .20 PPS fine by me. It's their "eventual" loss.
The opposite side: NEW investors now have access to more common shares and a stake in a potential buy-out company. Good for them because I'm not selling them mine. How about you?
It is what it is.
Meaning the PR's are all 'bout FACTUAL, EVENT DRIVEN timing and MATERIAL EVENTS not artificial "pump and dump" spin for some PIPE funders to take a 50% profit and head for the hills.
FACT: there's an ENGEL Trade show, LQMT FY CC and MTRN FY annual conference upcoming, so everyone in the partner chain benefits from the "coordinated releases".
So do their common share investors...ahem ahem..like us and the MTRN shareholders - see my prior posts on who they are. IMPRESSIVE..
i.e. It's business 101. Companies make positive announcements for the best effect all the time. Personally I'm happy they do coordinate FACT DRIVEN PR's.
Possibly true. RE: "...timing of the current news on Liquidmetal is contrived to drive up the stock price to maximize the dollars raised (or minimize the number of shares that have to be sold to raise X amount of funds). No news for almost 2 months...The timing of silence and then news lines up well with their need for more capital."
I only have one rebuttal and its' simple: The timing is the timing. aka it is what it is.
You're theory doesn't explain ENGEL or MATERION's upbeat PR's..unless they are in on the subterfuge? Likely?
They're PR's are the meat on the bones for my interpretation of the future possibility.
Again, a multi-year disappointment doesn't mean they'd NEVER get their act together.
Like I posted before, MTRN and ENGEL are the All-Star players on the team and will drag us over the goal line no matter how many times LQQMT mgmnt. fumbles.
MOMENTUM is on our side of the "story" finally.
P.S. good research and LQMT's a buyout candidate for sure - now more than ever.
Agreed. That is a strong resume and business ethic. If Steipp bought some open market LQMT stock I'd be MUCH happier....sure would be nice if more officers than one did.
One more question for the CC !
I know that joke and subscribe to that business model LOL ! LQMT is (in my opinion) the silver bullet to a target rich environment of tight tolerance / high strength / partially price sensitive markets and MTRN knows it.
Now MTRN investors will too. I'd like to be a fly on the wall at their annual conference with an ear to LQMT prospects.
Good to know. I try to be 55% Optimistic vs 40% pessimistic and 5% don't give a crap.
***My peeve is I am perturbed about the level of secrecy around the profit motive for LQMT shareholders to buy and hold.***
Steipp should be pressed in the CC to be more open about how LQMT will go about making a profit someday and quit having to secure PIPE or other rescue funding every couple years.
Steipp should also be pressed on the VISSER arbitration. It would be good to know that's behind us and they didn't give away the farm.
Without question, there is a gamble here, but the odds are changing toward success...as long as they can make some damn $$$ LOL !
ummm...charging paying customers for MTRN alloys is not the same as charging the IP holding co-developers that hold partnership status. That's how I read it.
Of course I could be wrong and MTRN charges every one of their partners (especially LQMT that had already 90% developed a marketable game-changing alloy) for "last mile" MTRN engineering and production expertise before they consider marketing it.
If that's the case LQMT could that fact in the CC in ten days.
Ask Steipp if he's not upfront.
I read your posts....don't always agree but you have made some valid points that are worth kicking around.
...as a VERY recent LQMT investor I understand the skepticism a multi-year failed business plan can engender.
So, I don't want to get too far ahead of the "story" but:
I'm "thinking" the worst is behind LQMT and the publicity and associations will snow ball into an avalanche of "good will" in the interim until MTRN, ENGEL and LQMT (perhaps VISSER) perform.
My theory is that MTRN has been the driver of recent market opportunities. They wield a BIG STICK in advanced materials and when they speak people listen.
LQMT benefits from MTRN (155) INSTITUTIONAL ownership base and mutual funds ownership of tightly held shares etc.
**That is PR you just can't buy**
Don't doubt for a second that those MTRN share owner analysts haven't done a proctology exam on the MTRN CFO / CEO to determine if LQMT will help their bottom line in 2014.
Breakdown
% of Shares Held by All Insider and 5% Owners: 1%
% of Shares Held by Institutional & Mutual Fund Owners: 89%
% of Float Held by Institutional & Mutual Fund Owners: 91%
Number of Institutions Holding Shares: 155
MATERION’s P.R. means NEW EYES on LQMT from institutional investment analysts and companies. MTRN (NYSE)is heavily traded and trading at a 20% discount to it's 52 week high as of Friday.
Previously MTRN had projected a treadmill earnings for 2014 with a $50M stock buyback for starters. That was before they announced BMG alloys are available thru MTRN.
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20140114-705337.html
By purchasing a PR announcing LQMT alloys in commercial qty. they have helped our case IMMENSELY !
Further, MTRN passes on their start up costs to their customers. They're buried in the material costs and acknowledged by MTRN.
That's standard business practice 101.
READ the pending May 7, 2014 ANNUAL REPORT narrative synopsis:
http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140205-910896.html
Small excerpt below:
-- Changes in product mix and the financial condition of customers;
-- Our success in developing and introducing new products and new product
ramp-up rates;
-- Our success in passing through the costs of raw materials to customers or
otherwise mitigating fluctuating prices for those materials, including
the impact of fluctuating prices on inventory values;
-- Our success in integrating acquired businesses;
MATERION’s P.R. on LQMT means NEW INVESTORS tomorrow. LQMT alloy must be pre-tested and approved in ENGEL machines without question. e.g. The LQMT partners make up a turnkey mfg. process for industry...NOW.
http://investor.shareholder.com/materion/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=826045
FACT CHECK: MATERION (MTRN) would not launch new alloys in VOLUME QUANTITIES knowing in advance that a customer could not readily get up to speed & MAKE ANYTHING with their BMG alloy ingots relatively easily. Stands to reason.
This means industrial mfg. is NOT an impediment any longer. Good news.
MATERION PR quotes re: additional projected market opportunities for LQMT via MTRN sales team (insert Fanfare here):
“According to Lawrence Ryczek, Vice-President and General Manager of Materion Beryllium and Composites, “Materion has a long heritage of selling high-quality, certified alloys into defense, aerospace, automotive and consumer markets. Our technology team has worked hard to scale production, while maintaining quality, to be the global leader in providing these exceptional alloys. We will continue to look for opportunities to expand this market and further develop metallic glass technology.”
“Introduced...a (BMG) alloy product line. These zirconium-based alloys, which are often known as Vitreloy, or Liquidmetal® alloys, – Vit1b, Vit105, Vit601, and Vit106a – are now available from Materion in volume quantities.”
Good read ~ Is this marketing? It kinda reads like marketing. Were these multiple canard units (for a statistically significant comparison to CNC) molded using an ENGEL machine? Is this marketing for ENGEL and MATERION by association, too? Kinda reads that way...to me.
Is it me or does that drawing kinda look like a canard? Is that a coincidence? Must be...
hmmm....thinking out loud here...If I'm in the tight tolerance, metal-based "gizmo" business (e.g. medical devices or canards), this LQMT-MIM Press Release / Blog post promoting proven, consistently REPEATABLE tolerances are commonplace using LQMT / MATERION alloy in conjunction with ENGEL machines, and we'd enjoy a labor and mfg. cost savings while simultaneously yielding a 2X stronger product than Ti ?
OK...then say I show up on behalf of my "tight tolerance gizmo" business at a hypothetical "Medical Days" presentation somewhere in PA in a month or so and have a meet-and greet with the team players and their equipment responsible for this game-changing engineering breakthrough....
I may have to possibly consider the option of investigating the preliminary conceptualization that in reality it would beneficial to...yada yada yada... *gasp* order a couple precision engineered molds and ENGEL / MATERION prototypes.
It MIGHT make good business sense...
Gee - I just have to wonder if APPLE is aware of any of this *new* information or if it's just now getting to their engineers thanks to your linking to this LQMT blog post?
I make myself laff sometimes
LOL !! Grimm's Fairy tales old boy. I, on the other hand, surmise LQMT will announce a SUBSTANTIAL recurring revenue contract next "Q" after the ENGEL presentation.
FURTHER, a molding company to be named will make and deliver precision molds, ENGEL will deliver MIM equipment for production and MATERION will deliver alloy rods / ingots and all will go perfectly well..as well timed as a SWATCH watch, LOL !!
Good points about durability of LQMT. I think the medical device mfg. and physician profession's reaction thus far has been out of an abundance of caution and avoiding "Be" at all costs. That roadblock is no longer there. Plus expense to mfg. is reduced and the LQMT devices last longer and perform as well or better. The material is commercially available, meaning the alloy production assembly line is done and a industrial qty. supply ramp up is on the pad ready to launch.
No more reasons to avoid LQMT.
Malpractice insurance is already egregious and the thought is, "Why risk it?"
e.g. Joint replacements have been known to erode and splinter under unusual or stressful circumstances.
**In fact, the medical market has likely been doing LQMT a favor. After all, it takes just one patient to have and adverse allergy or reaction and that's the end of LQMT.
I conditionally disagree. I can see another direction where LQMT does see some $$$ because of their partnerships with ENGEL, MATERION and VISSER if APPLE buys their products for their CE devices.
Also, the new molding partnerships LQMT is seeking & developing - which is upsetting VISSER - will likely have financial contribution arrangements to LQMT even if APPLE uses their services. I suspect that prospect is also upsetting to VISSER and is a point of contention that could be a bargaining chip.
I don't like the following prospect however:
APPLE could maintain near absolute Liquidmetal associated production control and FOXCONN could absolutely become APPLE's designated sole source for ALL LQMT alloys, (eliminating MATERION from the supply chain). Further, FOXCONN could certainly create in-house high tolerance CE molds, flat sheet Liquidmetal equipment and then adapt other mfg. MIM equipment to comport with the ENGEL machine add-ons.
After all: They have access to the patents and peripheral "Bolt-on" accessories.
Thus, MATERION, ENGEL and VISSER and other LQMT primary supply chain partnership companies COULD be left ENTIRELY in the cold by APPLE...including LQMT.
Why not? Great business model for APPLE...sure is. Bad for the LQMT partners...sure.
Nobody said life is fair.
ANAX posted these Crucible patents - which are shared with APPLE -Question: The new formula - is it a variant of one of these patents? Only MATERION knows who pulled the plow - best of all is BE sensitive markets have no excuse now and LQMT cost savings w/out "Be" have become VERY deep at least according to ANAX.
"As LQMT may substitute Be with Sn, Nb and Al (which all have just prices ranging from $20-40 per kg or in the case of Al even less), the intrinsic value of the new 100g Liquidmetal ingots may have become less than 5$ per ingot!
Or to say, without Beryllium each new Liquidmetal ingot is $10-20 cheaper then the previous one! The Competitiveness of this Technology is now really insane!"
TIN-CONTAINING AMORPHOUS ALLOY
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2013/0133787.html
HIGH THERMAL STABILITY BULK METALLIC GLASS IN THE ZR-NB-CU-NI-AL SYSTEM
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/WO2014004152A1.html
http://www.infomine.com/investment/metal-prices/tin/
http://www.indexmundi.com/commodities/?commodity=aluminum
http://www.metal-pages.com/metalprices/ferroniobium/
By the way the Zircon sand prices have dropped drastically, from over $2000 to only $1000 per metric ton, last year!
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/iluka-prfit-sinks-as-mineral-sands-prices-fall/story-e6frg9df-1226701140113#
Stiepp's unreliable but LQMT has deep pocket partners willing to drag them kicking and screaming across the goal line no matter how often mgmnt. fumbles or misdirects priorities.
My theory has always been the partners were too powerful to let LQMT fail, ya know what I mean?
Before signing on these boys (APPLE, MATERION, VISSER, ENGEL) did their due diligence and KNEW something VERY valuable was in the offing with additional engineering expertise and collaborative trial and error R & D $$$.
The ball is on the tee...Liquidmetal golf clubs anyone LOL ?
Magic 8 Ball says: "All signs point to yes"...except...Visser is the one hurdle I still fear could derail sales.
Let's settle already! They don't want to cut off their nose to spite their face..there will be plenty of business to go 'round for mold mfg., right, Visser?
Sales and Profits is a powerful motivator. MATERION's sales force researched their customer base and saw the MULTIPLE "razor and razor blade" markets that are averse to using BE and said: "Let's fix LQMT - and on the 8th day it was made so."
ENGEL machines are upgraded and perform to specs (I hope)- now Materion - now let's see LQMT sell some long-term IP licenses and generate ACTUAL recurring revenue$ for shareholders.
The APPLE-GTAT PPS effect still to come is the BEST PART !!Exposure PR to other companies and CEO's plus their investors as more companies incorporate LQMT in their medical devices.
Depending upon all the "partner" jigsaw pieces truly working synergistically:
LQMT is still a 6-9 mo. out story to reach escape velocity so there is time below .40 to buy a ticket on the rocket ship.
MATERION quote: "Dr. Edgar Vidal, Manager, Market & Business Development, Materion Brush Beryllium & Composites, sees a bright future for the Liquidmetal alloy as it finds its market.
“Within five years, Materion can expect to be the world’s premier supplier of this alloy, at the lowest cost,” he says. “And we will identify additional methods of fabricating the material.”
Whoa !! ***Beryllium*** is in MATERION's company name yet they $pent the BIG buck$ to eliminate BE from the alloy formula ?
Now THAT is a partner !
http://materion.com/ResourceCenter/NewsAndAnnouncements/BrushBerylliumAndComposites/Shapeshiftingthemarketforamorphousmetals.aspx
"Wall Street Journal" Link:http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140214-911261.html
THIRTY CENTS !! LOL !!
Good product development news, ENGEL coordinated trade show and tell plus momentum is a great combination for shareholders...and businesses in the medical device industry.
the "Wall Street Journal" press release doesn't hurt either.
"Non-beryllium-containing components are preferred...in medical applications, such as in-body surgical devices. LM105 which provides identical performance advantages opens potential new markets."
ENGEL had to have been working with MATERION to test the alloy in their proprietary MIM machines. LQMT and partners must be "ready to go".
Great FIND-Thank you ! I hadn't seen MATERION news...and now WSJ has a blurb too?
Whoa ! How many speculative investors read their alerts? Think anyone else will find the story more compelling now?
IMO - HOLD on (or nibble a little).
ENGEL/MATERION/APPLE all see LQMT benefits. Why else would they spend so much $$$ MONEY to realize the potential?
IMO- ENGEL and MATERION (and yes, even APPLE) have really come thru for LQMT !
This is outstanding news for medical devices....
Steipp said LQMT costs reduced factor 10X's last "Q". Funny, I caught CRAP for repeating his statement here.
Blame urselves that no one asked him on the CC how they (MATERION) did it. Now we know, 3 months later.
Sure you will...IMO that's stinkin' thinkin'.
The $20M LOC looks BRILLIANT..Congrats to all ! The "Seeking Alpha" article had a strong POV and only a few read into the LOC security correctly.
The 2/26/14 FY Conference Call w/ Steipp and crew might have a little more RED MEAT for you LQMT long term animals than usual....
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1966901-the-long-case-for-liquidmetal-technologies
"In November Liquidmetal lined up a $20 million dollar equity line of credit. They are not obligated to use this line of capital, but can access the line if needed. When a penny stock is able to line up $20 million in credit from institutional investors I view this as a positive development even if there would be some stock dilution. It could point to something coming to market soon."
WOW ! Wish I'd loaded up at .21 now.
Last time..LQMT stock funds operations w/licensing patents for production royalties or percentage of sales.
Business 101 for LQMT. It's struggling now but that's the bet isn't it?
You missed this: LQMT filed w/SEC the 100M share stock sale to raise $20M. That is part of the dilution we see this week. Money has been generated as a result to fund overhead, travel, employees, bldg. lease, R & D etc.
Get it?
***You still hold to your story that you sold because "they have no money"? You can't be serious ! You sold out of ignorance then my friend...there are many other MUCH more valid excuses to sell.
Besides - why you're still here complaining is beyond me - you made a tidy profit on LQMT, right? So invest it on more GTAT.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1966901-the-long-case-for-liquidmetal-technologies
"In November Liquidmetal lined up a $20 million dollar equity line of credit. They are not obligated to use this line of capital, but can access the line if needed. When a penny stock is able to line up $20 million in credit from institutional investors I view this as a positive development even if there would be some stock dilution. It could point to something coming to market soon."
You may not be a novice but you barely scratched the surface of the LQMT story.
APPLE & LQMT engineers didn't think of that !! Amateurs ! You have it all figured out. They could use your genius. Call Tom Steipp tomorrow and help him rescue us from APPLE's invalid & misleading patents.
Thanks.
Nice trade - congrats. Prove Hansen resigned willingly without a 'lil push or golden parachute to jump ship and I'll buy that theory. Until then...
Me ? I "think" there's a $20M line of credit (LOC) that has strings attached - like a board seat.
Can I prove it?
No.
But I'm not the type to speculate as quickly that everything I see has the most negative interpretation - like some people do at every possible chance.
Look up PIPE financing for LQMT. $20M is good enough for another 18 mos. PLUS at the current burn rate.
Maybe the rookies at FOXCONN & APPLE will figure out that LQMT oxygen problem by then.
umm...Your homework should include the APPLE /FOXCONN Adv. Materials Div. relationship and the FOXCONN Liquid Metal patent and MIM capabilities. They don't disclose everything - in fact I'll bet you did not know they still haven't disclosed they made ejector tools out of LQMT wa-a-a-y before they signed on as a partner, then set up LQMT with ENGEL and invested mucho dinero in LQMT processes. Sound copasetic?