US GOLD CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
| | March 31, | | December 31, | |
| | 2007 | | 2006 | |
| | (Unaudited) | | | |
ASSETS | | | | | |
Current assets: | | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents | | $ | 48,590,717 | | $ | 50,921,877 | |
Other current assets | | 932,860 | | 285,103 | |
Total current assets | | 49,523,577 | | 51,206,980 | |
Property and equipment, net | | 10,639,031 | | 742,238 | |
Mineral property interests | | 327,113,212 | | — | |
Restrictive time deposits for reclamation bonding | | 3,458,784 | | 3,102,317 | |
Goodwill | | 24,112,001 | | — | |
| | | | | |
Other assets: | | | | | |
Inactive milling equipment | | 777,819 | | 777,819 | |
Long-lived asset-asset retirement | | 3,300,216 | | 3,300,216 | |
Other assets | | 427,338 | | 269,767 | |
Total other assets | | 4,505,373 | | 4,347,802 | |
TOTAL ASSETS | | $ | 419,351,978 | | $ | 59,399,337 | |
| | | | | |
LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | | | | | |
Current liabilities: | | | | | |
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | | $ | 9,023,861 | | $ | 3,178,357 | |
Retirement obligation (reclamation activities) | | 138,801 | | 225,257 | |
Total current liabilities | | 9,162,662 | | 3,403,614 | |
Retirement obligation | | 5,409,924 | | 3,380,195 | |
Deferred income tax liability | | 114,101,166 | | — | |
Other liabilities | | 203,998 | | 130,871 | |
Total liabilities | | 128,877,750 | | 6,914,680 | |
Minority interest in subsidiaries | | 1,467,704 | | — | |
| | | | | |
Shareholders’ equity: | | | | | |
Common stock, no par value, 250,000,000 shares authorized; 50,058,755 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2007 and 50,046,755 issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2006 | | 163,869,055 | | 163,404,798 | |
Canadian Acquisition exchangeable shares, no par value, unlimited shares authorized; 38,027,674 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2007, none issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2006 | | 244,782,045 | | — | |
Accumulated (deficit) | | (119,644,576 | ) | (110,920,141 | ) |
Total shareholders’ equity | | 289,006,524 | | 52,484,657 | |
TOTAL LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | | $ | 419,351,978 | | $ | 59,399,337 | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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US GOLD CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED UNAUDITED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
For the Three Months Ended March 31,
| | 2007 | | 2006 | |
| | | | (Restated) | |
REVENUE: | | | | | |
Revenue | | $ | — | | $ | — | |
Total revenue | | — | | — | |
| | | | | |
COSTS AND EXPENSES: | | | | | |
General and administrative | | 892,724 | | 543,140 | |
Acquisition costs | | 451,422 | | 526,382 | |
Property holding costs | | 569,140 | | 416,942 | |
Exploration costs | | 6,689,216 | | 74,771 | |
Stock option expense | | 438,818 | | 268,000 | |
Accretion of asset retirement obligation | | 194,839 | | 65,927 | |
Change in value of derivatives | | — | | 67,016,259 | |
Depreciation | | 47,416 | | 5,561 | |
Total costs and expenses | | 9,283,575 | | 68,916,982 | |
| | | | | |
Operating (loss) | | (9,283,575 | ) | (68,916,982 | ) |
| | | | | |
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSES): | | | | | |
Interest income | | 559,473 | | 154,819 | |
Interest expense | | (256 | ) | (1,803 | ) |
Total other income | | 559,217 | | 153,016 | |
| | | | | |
(Loss) before income taxes | | (8,724,358 | ) | (68,763,966 | ) |
Provision for income taxes | | — | | — | |
Net (loss) | | $ | (8,724,358 | ) | $ | (68,763,966 | ) |
| | | | | |
Basic and diluted per share data: | | | | | |
Net (loss) - basic and diluted | | $ | (0.17 | ) | $ | (2.07 | ) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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US GOLD CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED UNAUDITED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
For the Three Months Ended March 31,
| | 2007 | | 2006 | |
| | | | (Restated) | |
Cash flows from operating activities: | | | | | |
Cash paid to suppliers and employees | | $ | (7,652,173 | ) | $ | (705,927 | ) |
Interest received | | 563,929 | | 26,255 | |
Interest paid | | (256 | ) | (1,803 | ) |
Income taxes paid | | — | | — | |
Cash (used in) operating activities | | (7,088,500 | ) | (681,475 | ) |
Cash flows from investing activities: | | | | | |
Cash from acquisitions | | 6,636,343 | | — | |
Capital expenditures | | (211,928 | ) | (6,389 | ) |
Increase to restricted investments securing reclamation | | (16,784 | ) | — | |
Acquisition costs for mineral property interests | | (1,846,597 | ) | — | |
Decrease in other assets | | 172,782 | | — | |
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities | | 4,733,816 | | (6,389 | ) |
Cash flows from financing activities: | | | | | |
Sale of subscription receipts for cash, net of issuance costs | | — | | 34,355,250 | |
Exercise of stock options | | 25,440 | | — | |
(Payments on) installment purchase contracts | | (1,916 | ) | (1,805 | ) |
Cash provided by financing activities | | 23,524 | | 34,353,445 | |
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | | (2,331,160 | ) | 33,665,581 | |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | | 50,921,877 | | 677,518 | |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | | $ | 48,590,717 | | $ | 34,343,099 | |
Reconciliation of net (loss) to cash (used in) operating activities: | | | | | |
Net (loss) | | $ | (8,724,358 | ) | $ | (68,763,966 | ) |
Items not providing/requiring cash: | | | | | |
Change in interest receivable | | 4,456 | | (145,911 | ) |
Stock option expense | | 438,818 | | 268,000 | |
Accretion of asset retirement obligation | | 194,839 | | 65,927 | |
Change in value of derivative | | — | | 67,016,259 | |
Depreciation and amortization | | 47,416 | | 5,561 | |
(Increase) in other assets related to operations | | — | | (33 | ) |
Increase in liabilities related to operations | | 950,329 | | 872,688 | |
Cash (used in) operating activities | | $ | (7,088,500 | ) | $ | (681,475 | ) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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US GOLD CORPORATION
NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
March 31, 2007
1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation. US Gold Corporation (the “Company”) was organized under the laws of the State of Colorado on July 24, 1979. Since its inception, the Company has been engaged in the exploration for, development of, and production and sale of gold and silver. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by the Company, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although the Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading.
In management’s opinion, the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2007 (unaudited) and December 31, 2006, and the condensed unaudited statements of operations and statements of cash flows for the three month periods ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, contained herein, reflect all adjustments, consisting solely of normal recurring items, which are necessary for the fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows on a basis consistent with that of our prior audited consolidated financial statements. However, the results of operations for the interim period may not be indicative of results to be expected for the full fiscal year. It is suggested that these financial statements be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2006. Certain reclassifications have been made in the financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2006 to conform to accounting and financial statement presentations for the period ended March 31, 2007. The changes had no effect on Net (loss) for the three months ended March 31, 2006.
Basis of Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries as well as the accounts of the majority owned interest of three exploration companies acquired effective March 28, 2007, as more fully disclosed in Note 2. Significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Per Share Amounts. SFAS 128, “Earnings Per Share,” provides for the calculation of “Basic” and “Diluted” earnings per share. Basic earnings per share includes no dilution and is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the period (51,748,474 and 33,296,755 for the three month periods ended March 31, 2007 and 2006). Diluted earnings per share reflect the potential dilution of securities that could share in the earnings of the Company, similar to fully diluted earnings per share. For the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, subscription receipts, brokers options, warrants and stock options are not considered in the computation of diluted earnings per share as their inclusion would be antidilutive.
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2. Business Acquisitions
On February 12, 2007, the Company commenced formal offers to acquire, in stock transactions, all of the outstanding common shares of Nevada Pacific Gold Ltd. (“Nevada Pacific”), Tone Resources Limited (“Tone Resources”) and White Knight Resources Ltd. (“White Knight”). The offers to purchase the shares were conducted by way of take-over bids pursuant to securities legislation in the United States and Canada.
On March 23, 2007, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, US Gold Canadian Acquisition Corporation (“Canadian Exchange Co.”), took up and accepted the shares tendered by the shareholders of each of Nevada Pacific, Tone Resources and White Knight (the “Targets” or “Target Companies”). Subsequent to March 23, 2007, the Company completed several key steps necessary to achieve full control over the assets and operations of the acquired companies, including the appointment of its nominees to the respective boards. On March 28, 2007, payment for the common shares tendered to the offers and not withdrawn, was made through issuance of exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co.
The Company plans to acquire any common shares of each of the Target Companies not purchased pursuant to the offers through a statutory plan of arrangement (comparable to a merger in the United States) or similar transaction under Canadian law providing for a mandatory exchange of all remaining outstanding common shares of the Target Companies for additional exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co., which we expect we will structure so that warrants to purchase the Target Company’s common shares would be exchanged for warrants to purchase exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co. at the same exchange rate offered in the offers and we or Canadian Exchange Co. would assume or adopt the Target Company stock option plans.
In consideration for the acquisition of Nevada Pacific, Canadian Exchange Co issued 0.23 exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co. for each share of Nevada Pacific tendered and accepted by us, totaling approximately 13,634,004 shares. The shares tendered represented approximately 83.5% of the outstanding shares of Nevada Pacific as of March 23, 2007.
In consideration for the acquisition of Tone Resources, Canadian Exchange Co issued 0.26 exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co. for each share of Tone Resources tendered and accepted by us, totaling approximately 4,886,110 shares. The shares tendered represented approximately 89.4% of the outstanding shares of Tone Resources as of March 23, 2007.
In consideration for the acquisition of White Knight, Canadian Exchange Co issued 0.35 exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co. for each share of White Knight tendered and accepted by us, totaling approximately 19,507,560 shares. The shares tendered represented approximately 93.7% of the outstanding shares of White Knight as of March 23, 2007.
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The exchangeable shares, which are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under symbol UXE.TO, by virtue of the redemption and exchange rights attaching to them and the provisions of certain voting and support agreements, are intended to provide the holders with the economic and voting rights that are, as nearly as practicable, equivalent to those of a holder of a share of common stock of the Company. Accordingly, the exchangeable shares are included as part of the consolidated share capital of the Company.
Each warrant or stock option of the Target Companies which gives the holder the right to acquire common shares of each of the Targets, when presented for exercise, will be structured to be effectively exchanged for warrants to purchase exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co., at the same exchange rate offered in the offers, and we or Canadian Exchange Co. would assume or adopt the Target Company stock option plans. The options and warrants of the Targets to be exercised in exchange for the Company’s shares have been included as part of the purchase price consideration at their fair values based on the Black-Scholes pricing model.
| | Warrants | | Stock Options | |
Nevada Pacific | | $ | 12,365,070 | | $ | 2,252,353 | |
Tone Resources | | $ | 3,587,662 | | $ | 1,069,183 | |
White Knight | | $ | — | | $ | 1,144,500 | |
The principal assumptions used in applying the Black-Scholes option pricing model were as follows:
Risk-free interest rate | | 5% | |
Dividend yield | | N/A | |
Volatility factor | | 102% | |
Expected life – options | | 0.25-4 years | |
Remaining periods to expiration dates – warrants | | 9-14 months | |
The business combinations have been accounted for as a purchase transaction, with the Company being identified as the acquirer and each of Nevada Pacific, Tone Resources and White Knight as the acquirees pursuant to SFAS 141 Business Combinations.
The measurement of the purchase consideration is based on market prices of the Company’s common stock 2 days before and 2 days after the announcement date of March 5, 2006, which was $5.90 per share.
The preliminary allocation of the purchase price of the shares of Nevada Pacific, Tone Resources and White Knight is summarized in the following table and is subject to further refinement:
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| | White Knight | | Nevada | | Tone | | Total | |
Preliminary purchase price: | | | | | | | | | |
Exchangeable shares of US Gold Canadian Acquisition Corporation issued on acquisition | | $ | 115,094,604 | | $ | 80,440,624 | | $ | 28,828,049 | | $ | 224,363,277 | |
Stock options to be exchanged for options of US Gold Corporation | | 1,144,500 | | 2,252,353 | | 1,069,183 | | 4,466,036 | |
Share purchase warrants to be exchanged for warrants of US Gold Corporation | | — | | 12,365,070 | | 3,587,662 | | 15,952,732 | |
Acquisition costs | | 2,009,186 | | 1,643,073 | | 578,784 | | 4,231,043 | |
| | $ | 118,248,290 | | $ | 96,701,120 | | $ | 34,063,678 | | $ | 249,013,088 | |
| | | | | | | | | |
Net assets acquired: | | | | | | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents | | $ | 5,389,982 | | $ | 208,390 | | $ | 1,037,971 | | $ | 6,636,343 | |
Other current assets | | 156,535 | | 508,960 | | 16,066 | | 681,561 | |
Other assets (long term) | | — | | 283,976 | | 17,030 | | 301,006 | |
Property, plant and equipment, net | | 1,220,502 | | 8,511,779 | | — | | 9,732,281 | |
Mineral property interests | | 151,981,584 | | 127,076,604 | | 48,055,025 | | 327,113,213 | |
Reclamation bonds | | 221,855 | | 87,683 | | 30,145 | | 339,683 | |
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | | (217,540 | ) | (2,068,412 | ) | (138,127 | ) | (2,424,079 | ) |
Other liabilities | | — | | (75,161 | ) | — | | (75,161 | ) |
Retirement obligation | | (143,760 | ) | (1,691,130 | ) | — | | (1,834,890 | ) |
Future income tax liability | | (52,878,383 | ) | (44,423,633 | ) | (16,799,150 | ) | (114,101,166 | ) |
Minority interest | | (462,874 | ) | (904,548 | ) | (100,282 | ) | (1,467,704 | ) |
Net identifiable assets | | 105,267,901 | | 87,514,508 | | 32,118,678 | | 224,901,087 | |
Residual purchase price allocated to goodwill | | 12,980,389 | | 9,186,612 | | 1,945,000 | | 24,112,001 | |
| | $ | 118,248,290 | | $ | 96,701,120 | | $ | 34,063,678 | | $ | 249,013,088 | |
Minority interests have been assigned to the 16.5%, 10.6% and 6.3% interests in each of Nevada Pacific, Tone Resources and White Knight that the Company did not own as of March 28, 2007 or at March 31, 2007.
The purchase consideration for the mining assets exceeded the carrying value of the underlying assets for tax purposes by approximately $212,292,415. This amount has been applied to increase the carrying value of the mineral properties for accounting purposes. However, this did not increase the carrying value of the underlying assets for tax purposes and resulted in a temporary difference between accounting and tax value. The resulting estimated future income tax liability associated with this temporary difference of approximately $114,101,166 was also applied to increase the carrying value of the mineral properties.
For the purposes of these consolidated financial statements, the purchase consideration has been allocated on a preliminary basis to the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with goodwill assigned to specific reporting units, based on management’s best estimates and taking into account all available information at the time these consolidated financial statements were prepared. The Company will continue to review information relating to each of the Targets’ assets and intends to perform further analysis with respect to these assets, including an independent valuation, prior to finalizing the allocation of the purchase price. This process will be performed in accordance with EITF Abstracts, Issue No. 04-3, Mining Assets: Impairment and Business Combinations. Although the results of this review are presently unknown, it is anticipated that it will result in a change to the amount assigned to goodwill and a change to the value attributable to tangible assets.
9
SFAS 141 “Business Combinations” require supplemental information on a pro forma basis to disclose the results of operations for the interim period as though the business combination had been completed as of the beginning of the periods being reported on.
The following table sets forth on a pro forma basis, the results of US Gold, had the acquisition of the Targets been completed on January 1, 2007 and 2006:
| | U.S. Gold | | White Knight | | NevadaPacific | | Tone Resources | | | |
Three months ended March 31, 2007 | | Corporation | | Resources Ltd. | | Gold Ltd. | | Limited (a) | | Combined | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenue | | $ | — | | $ | — | | $ | — | | $ | — | | $ | — | |
Net (loss) for the period | | (8,724,358 | ) | (4,354,156 | ) | (2,435,298 | ) | (185,120 | ) | (15,698,932 | ) |
(Loss) per share | | | | | | | | | | $ | (0.18 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | U.S. Gold | | White Knight | | NevadaPacific | | Tone Resources | | | |
Three months ended March 31, 2006 | | Corporation | | Resources Ltd. | | Gold Ltd. | | Limited (a) | | Combined | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenue | | $ | — | | $ | — | | $ | 1,389,694 | | $ | — | | $ | 1,389,694 | |
Net (loss) for the period | | (68,763,966 | ) | (2,129,745 | ) | (1,222,450 | ) | (307,939 | ) | (72,424,100 | ) |
(Loss) per share | | | | | | | | | | $ | (1.02 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(a) Reflects Tone's results for the three months period ended February 28, 2007 and 2006
3. Mineral Properties and Retirement Obligations
The Company owns 100% of Tonkin Springs LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“TSLLC”) which, in turn, owns the Tonkin gold property located in Eureka County, Nevada. During 2006, the Company initiated an extensive multi-year, property-wide, integrated exploration program at Tonkin with drilling expected to continue into 2008. This program contemplates completing approximately 400,000 feet of drilling at a total cost of approximately $30 million. Of that amount, the Company spent approximately $9.2 million in 2006 and approximately $6.7 million during the three month period ended March 31, 2007.
The Company, through TSLLC, controls the approximate 46 square mile Tonkin project, located on the Cortez Trend. In addition to the Tonkin property, effective March 28, 2007, the Company acquired majority interests of the Target Companies. The following is a general description of each of the Target Companies’ mineral properties, based on initial property reviews:
Nevada Pacific holds an exploratory property portfolio covering approximately 890 square miles of mineral rights in Mexico, including the Magistral Gold Mine, as well as eleven properties in Nevada and one in Utah. The Nevada property portfolio covers approximately 85 square miles, including land packages in two significant gold producing regions: the Battle Mountain/Eureka Trend/Cortez Trend and the Carlin Trend.
White Knight controls a large land holding in Nevada, with most of the properties located in the Cortez Trend. Its portfolio includes 19 properties totaling over 115 square miles; 15 of the properties are located in the Cortez Trend. Four of these properties are joint ventured to various companies subject to earn-in agreements. Barrick Gold has earned in to 60% controlling interest in the Patty (Indian Ranch) Project, with White Knight retaining approximately 30%, and Chapleau retaining 10%. In the three remaining joint ventures White Knight holds 100% ownership with the joint ventures currently advancing.
Tone Resources controls substantially all mineral interests in seven properties totaling approximately 7 square miles, and located in Elko, Eureka, Lander, and Pershing counties in Nevada. Tone Resources’ mineral properties were acquired from KM Exploration Ltd., a private company with a former common director, or were staked by that former Tone director. The properties are subject to a royalty of 1% of net smelter returns, excepting the Red Ridge property, portions of which are subject to a royalty of 4% of net smelter returns.
Based on initial property reviews, the current consolidated Nevada land package for the consolidated group is close to 250 square miles, of which approximately 70%, or 170 square miles, is on the Cortez trend.
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The Company is responsible for reclamation of certain past and future disturbances at the Tonkin property. The Company maintains required bonding and at March 31, 2007 has cash bonding in place of $3,119,101. The Company completed an updated reclamation cost estimate during the first quarter of 2007 which has been submitted to the BLM for review. In connection with the acquisition of majority interest in the Target Companies effective March 28, 2007, the Company assumed and consolidated the respective asset retirement and reclamation obligations of those companies, as reflected in the table below, as well as $339,683 in restrictive deposits to secure those obligations.
Related to its obligations, the Company follows SFAS 143 “Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations.” The following is a reconciliation of the aggregate of asset retirement obligation projected for books since January 1, 2007:
Asset retirement and reclamation liability-January 1, 2007 | | $ | 3,605,452 | |
Retirement expenditures during three months ended March 31, 2007 | | (86,456 | ) |
Accretion of liability at 8.72% annual rate | | 194,839 | |
Retirement and reclamation liability of Target Companies | | 1,834,890 | |
Asset retirement and reclamation liability-March 31, 2007 | | $ | 5,548,725 | |
It is anticipated that the capitalized asset retirement costs will be charged to expense based on the units of production method commencing with gold or silver production of the various mineral properties, if any. There was no projected adjustment during 2007 for amortization expense of capitalized asset retirement cost required under SFAS 143 since none of these properties were in operation. Actual asset retirement and reclamation, generally, will be commenced upon the completion of operations at the property.
4. Property and Equipment
At March 31, 2007, property and equipment consisted of the following:
Trucks & trailers | | $ | 850,695 | |
Office furniture and equipment | | 444,619 | |
Drill Rigs | | 1,114,702 | |
Building | | 607,913 | |
Deferred mine costs | | 6,090,187 | |
Mining Equipment | | 1,686,962 | |
Subtotal | | 10,795,078 | |
Less: accumulated depreciation | | (156,047 | ) |
Total | | $ | 10,639,031 | |
Depreciation and amortization expense for the three month periods ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 were $47,416 and $5,561 respectively.
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5. Income Taxes
Beginning January 1, 2007, FIN 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, became effective and the Company adopted the provisions of FIN 48. FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes by prescribing a minimum recognition threshold that a tax position is required to meet before being recognized. An entity is required to recognize the best estimate of a tax position if that position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, based solely on the technical merits of the position. The Company has determined that the adoption of FIN 48 has had no impact on its consolidated financial statements, except as described below.
On March 28, 2007, the Company completed the acquisition of certain businesses, as more fully described in Note 2. The Company is currently in the process of completing its due diligence and independent valuations of the assets and liabilities assumed, including any potential items giving rise to a liability under FIN 48. Upon completion of the due diligence and valuation exercise the Company will record additional liabilities, if any, arising from the adoption of FIN 48 as part of its purchase price allocation.
6. Shareholders’ Equity
As explained further in Note 2, effective March 28, 2007, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Canadian Exchange Co., took up and accepted the shares tendered by the shareholders of the Target Companies and issued 38,027,674 exchangeable shares in payment for the tendered shares of the Targets. The exchangeable shares, by virtue of the redemption and exchange rights attaching to them and the provisions of certain voting and support agreements, are intended to provide the holders with the economic and voting rights that are, as nearly as practicable, equivalent to those of a holder of shares of common stock of the Company. Accordingly, the exchangeable shares are included as part of the consolidated share capital of the Company. As of May 11, 2007, 9,352,564 exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co. had been converted into an equivalent number of common shares of the company.
On February 22, 2006, the Company completed a private placement of 16,700,000 subscription receipts (“Subscription Receipts”) at $4.50 per Subscription Receipt, from which the Company received $75,150,000 in gross proceeds (the “Private Placement”). Of that total, $34,940,510 (net of issuance costs) were immediately received by the Company with the balance of $34,355,250 (net of issuance costs) received by the Company August 10, 2006 with release of escrowed funds for a total of $69,295,760 in net proceeds. Also effective August 10, 2006, each Subscription Receipt was converted, for no additional payment, into one share of the Company’s common stock and one-half of one common stock purchase warrant (“Warrant”). Each whole Warrant is exercisable until February 22, 2011 to acquire one additional share of common stock at an exercise price of $10.00.
Under applicable accounting rules, the Company accounted for the sale of the Subscription Receipts using derivative instrument accounting. When derivative accounting is required, the Company deducts the fair value of the derivative instrument from the proceeds of sales of the equity instrument. For derivative financial instruments that are accounted for as liabilities, the derivative instrument is re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported as charges or credits to income. The Company uses the Cox-Rabb-Rubinstein binomial option pricing model to value the Warrants and the embedded conversion right components of any bifurcated embedded derivative instruments that are recorded as derivative liabilities.
On July 24, 2006, the Company entered into agreements that modified the terms of the indentures executed in connection with the Private Placement. The execution of the Supplemental Indentures terminated derivative financial instrument accounting treatment for the Warrants and the Subscription
12
Receipts effective July 24, 2006, and the derivative liability balance determined at that date was reclassified into common stock within shareholders’ equity.
Stock Options. During January 2007, the Company issued 12,000 shares upon exercise of stock option agreements at an exercise price of $2.12 per share for proceeds of $25,440.
Effective January 1, 2006, the Company implemented the rules of SFAS 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” which requires the Company to expense as compensation the value of grants and options under the Company’s stock option plan as determined in accordance with the fair value based method prescribed in SFAS 123.
The Company estimates the fair value of each stock option at the grant date by using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Related to this implementation, the Company recorded an increase in Capital Stock of $337,476 and a corresponding charge to Accumulated (deficit) to reflect the prior year’s effect of this implementation, and during the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2007, expensed $268,000 and $438,818 of similar costs related to the service period. Related to the acquisitions of the Target Companies, at March 31, 2007, there remains $1,470,704 of future expense related to existing stock option grants which will be expensed: $803,983 during the remainder of 2007, $483,021 during 2008 and $183,021 during 2009.
7. Related Party Transactions
Robert R. McEwen. On February 12, 2007, we commenced formal offers to acquire all the outstanding shares of the Target Companies. These offers expired on March 23, 2007 and we took up and paid for all of the common shares of the Target Companies that were validly tendered and not withdrawn shortly thereafter. Prior to the commencement of the tender offers, Robert McEwen, our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and the owner of more than 10% of our common stock, held securities of each of the three Target Companies. He also served on the boards of directors of Nevada Pacific and Tone Resources prior to resigning in May 2006. Mr. McEwen owned 9,552,427 common shares of White Knight, 12,500,000 common shares of Nevada Pacific and warrants exercisable to acquire 12,500,000 common shares of Nevada Pacific and 2,500,000 common shares of Tone Resources and warrants to acquire 2,500,000 common shares of Tone Resources.
In connection with our offers, Mr. McEwen tendered all of his shares in the Target Companies and received exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co., which are exchangeable on a one-for-one basis with our common stock. Mr. McEwen received exchangeable shares on the same basis as the other shareholders of the Target Companies, for a total of 6,868,350 exchangeable shares.
Effective January 1, 2007, we entered into a management services agreement (“Services Agreement”) with 2083089 Ontario Inc. (“208”) pursuant to which 208 agreed to provide us with services including public and investor relations, market analysis and research, property evaluation, sales and marketing and other administrative support during the term of the Services Agreement. The Services Agreement extends until December 31, 2007 and provided for total payments of approximately $366,500. This Service Agreement is substantially similar to the Services Agreement with 208 which terminated December 31, 2006. During the three months ended March 31, 2007, the Company accrued and paid 208 $83,895 under the 2007 Services Agreement. Since the 2006 agreement was not entered into until June 1, 2006, no similar expense was recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2006. A company owned by Robert McEwen is the owner of 208, and Mr. McEwen is the chief executive officer and sole director of 208.
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Ann S. Carpenter. Prior to the commencement of the tender offers, Ms. Carpenter, our President and Chief Operating Officer, held securities of two of the three Target Companies. Ms. Carpenter owned 4,000 common shares of White Knight and 5,000 common shares of Nevada Pacific. Ms. Carpenter tendered all of her shares in the Target Companies and received exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co., which are exchangeable on a one-for-one basis with our common stock. Ms. Carpenter received exchangeable shares on the same terms as the other shareholders of the Target Companies, for a total of 2,550 exchangeable shares.
8. Restatement
The consolidated unaudited statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2006 has been restated to reverse the amortization expense related to offering costs related to the financing completed February 22, 2006 (see Note 7). The Company initially amortized the offering costs until the subscription receipts were converted into common stock and warrants, effective August 10, 2006, when the balance of offering costs were charged against the gross proceeds of the offering. As specific costs directly attributable to a proposed or actual offering of securities are to be deferred and charged against the gross proceeds of the offering, the total of offering costs should have been deferred without amortization and charged to capital stock with the conversion of the subscription receipts. These restatements had the impact of decreasing the net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2006 by $67,078.
The following table of summarized unaudited consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2006, reconciles the reported amounts to the restated amounts:
Summarized Consolidated Statement of | | | | | | | |
Operations-Three months ended March 31, | | | | | | | |
2006, Unaudited | | As Reported | | Adjustments | | As Restated | |
Amortization of offering costs | | $ | 67,078 | | $ | (67,078 | ) | $ | — | |
Total costs and expenses | | 68,985,863 | | (67,078 | ) | 68,916,982 | |
(Loss) before income taxes | | (68,831,044 | ) | 67,078 | | (68,763,966 | ) |
Net (loss) | | (68,831,044 | ) | 67,078 | | (68,763,966 | ) |
Basic and diluted net (loss) per share data: | | | | | | | |
Basic and diluted | | $ | (2.07 | ) | $ | — | | $ | (2.07 | ) |
Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OR PLAN OF OPERATION
Overview
The following discussion updates our plan of operation for the foreseeable future. It also analyzes our financial condition at March 31, 2007 and compares it to our financial condition at December 31, 2006. Finally, the discussion summarizes the results of our operations for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and compares those results to the three month period ended March 31, 2006. We suggest that you read this discussion in connection with the MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OR PLAN OF OPERATION contained in our annual report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2006.
On March 5, 2006, the Company announced its intention to acquire, in stock transactions, all of the outstanding common shares of Nevada Pacific Gold Ltd. (“Nevada Pacific”), Tone Resources Limited (“Tone Resources”), White Knight Resources Ltd. (“White Knight”) and Coral Gold Resources Ltd. (“Coral Gold”). In December 2006, the Company decided not to pursue the proposal to acquire Coral Gold. The offers to purchase the shares of the other target companies were commenced on February 12,
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2007 and were conducted by way of take-over bids pursuant to securities legislation in the United States and Canada.
On March 23, 2007 the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, US Gold Canadian Acquisition Corporation (“Canadian Exchange Co.”), took up and accepted the shares tendered by the shareholders of each of Nevada Pacific, Tone Resources and White Knight (the “Targets” or “Target Companies”). Subsequent to March 23, 2007, the Company completed several key steps necessary to achieve full control over the assets and operations of the acquired companies, including the appointment of its nominees to the respective boards. On March 28, 2007, payment for the common shares of the target companies tendered to the offers and not withdrawn was made and we issued 38,027,674 exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co. Through May 11, 2007, 9,352,564 exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co had been converted into an equivalent number of common shares of the Company.
We plan to acquire any common shares of each of the Target Companies not purchased pursuant to the offers through a statutory plan of arrangement (similar to a merger in the United States) or similar transaction under Canadian law providing for a mandatory exchange of all remaining outstanding common shares of the Target Companies for additional exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co., which we expect we will structure so that warrants to purchase the Target Company’s common shares would be exchanged for warrants to purchase exchangeable shares of Canadian Exchange Co. at the same exchange rate offered in the offers and we or Canadian Exchange Co. would assume or adopt the Target Company stock option plans.
The following is a general description of the mineral properties of the Target Companies and US Gold:
Nevada Pacific holds an exploratory property portfolio covering approximately 890 square miles of mineral rights in Mexico, including the Magistral Gold Mine, as well as eleven properties in Nevada and one in Utah. The Nevada property portfolio covers approximately 85 square miles, including land packages in two significant gold producing regions: the Battle Mountain/Eureka Trend/Cortez Trend and the Carlin Trend.
White Knight controls a large land holding in Nevada, with most of the properties located in the Cortez Trend. Its portfolio includes 19 properties totaling over 115 square miles; 15 of the properties are located in the Cortez Trend. Four of these properties are joint ventured to various companies subject to earn-in agreements. Barrick Gold has earned in to 60% controlling interest in the Patty (Indian Ranch) Project, with White Knight retaining approximately 30%, and Chapleau retaining 10%. In the three remaining joint ventures White Knight holds 100% ownership with the joint ventures currently advancing.
Tone Resources controls substantially all mineral interests in seven properties totaling approximately 7 square miles, and located in Elko, Eureka, Lander, and Pershing counties in Nevada. Tone Resources’ mineral properties were acquired from KM Exploration Ltd., a private company with a former common director, or were staked by that former Tone director. The properties are subject to a royalty of 1% of net smelter returns, excepting the Red Ridge property, portions of which are subject to a royalty of 4% of net smelter returns.
The Company, through TSLLC, controls the approximately 46 square mile Tonkin project, located on the Cortez Trend. Based on initial property reviews, the current consolidated Nevada land package for the four companies is close to 250 square miles, of which approximately 70%, or 170 square miles, is on the Cortez trend.
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Plan of Operation
Our plan of operation for 2007 is to continue an extensive multi-year exploration and evaluation program at the Tonkin property, and to evaluate and integrate, if possible, exploration on the mineral properties acquired with the Target Company acquisitions. The company-wide exploration budget for 2007 is approximately $20 million, of which approximately $6.7 million has been spent at the Tonkin project during the three months ended March 31, 2007.
We have incurred significant fees and expenses in connection with the acquisitions of the Target Companies with $6.8 million expensed during the year ended December 31, 2006, including investment banking, legal and accounting fees, and expect to incur additional fees and expenses in the future. For the 2007 period and through March 31, we have incurred or accrued approximately $4.6 million of such costs of which $.4 million were expensed prior to the acquisitions being deemed probable, and $4.2 million capitalized in the costs of the acquisitions. Moreover, we are likely to incur additional expenses in future periods in connection with the integration of the Target Companies’ businesses with our business.
We expect to devote substantial efforts during 2007 to the integration of these acquisitions. This process will involve significant executive time, considerable expenditures related to professional fees and other related costs. These efforts are not expected to directly impact our exploration and evaluation of the Tonkin property or the acquired properties of the Target Companies.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of March 31, 2007, we had working capital of $40,360,915 comprised of current assets of $49,523,577 and current liabilities of $9,162,662. This represents a decrease of approximately $7,442,451 from the working capital of $47,803,366 from fiscal year end December 31, 2006.
Net cash used in operations increased to $7,088,500 for the three months ended March 31, 2007 from $681,475 for the corresponding period in 2006. Cash paid to suppliers, consultants and employees increased to $7,652,173 during the 2007 period from $705,927 during the 2006 period, primarily reflecting increased payments to consultants in connection with exploration, property holding costs and fees and expenses in connection with the proposed acquisitions.
Our exploration program at Tonkin Springs as discussed above is budgeted for approximately $20 million for years 2007 and possibly into 2008, for which we believe we have enough cash on hand to fund. In addition, costs and expenses related to integration of the Target Companies are anticipated to involve substantial expenses, currently estimated at approximately $1 million. Our only source of capital at present is from equity financing since we have no revenue. We anticipate that we will be able to attract additional equity funding as a result of the Target Companies.
Cash provided by investing activities was $4,733,816 for the first quarter of 2007, primarily reflecting approximately $6.6 million of cash acquired with the Target acquisitions, compared to cash used of $(6,389) in the comparable period of 2006. Cash flow provided by financing activities decreased to $23,524 in the first quarter of 2007 compared to $34,353,445 in the comparable period of 2006, primarily reflecting the financing completed February 22, 2006 of $34,355,250 net of issuance cost.
2006 Financing. On February 22, 2006, the Company completed a private placement of 16,700,000 subscription receipts (“Subscription Receipts”) at $4.50 per Subscription Receipt, from which the Company received $75,150,000 in gross proceeds (the “Private Placement”). Of
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that total, $34,940,510 (net of issuance costs) were immediately received by the Company with the balance of $34,355,250 (net of issuance costs) received by the Company August 10, 2006 with release of escrowed funds for a total of $69,295,760 in net proceeds. Also effective August 10, 2006, each Subscription Receipt was converted, for no additional payment, into one share of the Company’s common stock and one-half of one common stock purchase warrant (“Warrant”). Each whole Warrant is exercisable until February 22, 2011 to acquire one additional share of common stock at an exercise price of $10.00. As noted below, the 2006 financing required the Company to employ Derivative Instrument accounting at the issuance date and March 31, 2006, due to certain provisions included in that financing.
Results of Operations
Three month period ended March 31, 2007 compared to 2006
For the three months ended March 31, 2007, we recorded a net loss of $(8,724,358), or $(0.17) per share, compared to a loss for the corresponding period of 2006 of $(68,763,966) or $(2.07) per share. The substantial decrease in net loss from 2006 was primarily the result of the absence of Derivative Instrument expense of $67,016,259 in the 2007 period. In July 2006, the Company entered into agreements that modified the terms of the indentures related to the February 2006 financing, and the derivative liability balance determined at that date was reclassified into common stock within shareholders’ equity during the third quarter ended September 30, 2006.
General and administrative expense increased $354,118 in the three months ended March 31, 2007 compared to the same period of 2006, primarily due to increase in shareholder communication costs and salaries. Acquisition costs for the 2007 period until the date the acquisitions were considered probable, which was approximately January 31, 2007, were $451,422 while during the corresponding period of 2006, $526,382 was recorded. Property holding costs related to the Tonkin project increased slightly to $569,140 during the 2007 period compared to $416,942 in 2006. Exploration costs in 2007 were $6,689,216, reflecting an active drilling program, while during the same period of 2006, the exploration program was primarily in the planning and evaluation phase with costs of $74,771. Stock option expense increase to $438,818 in the 2007 period compared to $268,000 for the same three months of 2006 reflecting the effect of additional stock options granted during 2006. Accretion of asset retirement obligation at Tonkin increased to $194,839 for the three months ended March 31, 2007, compared to $65,927 in the same period of 2006, reflecting the updated reclamation cost estimate developed in late 2006. Interest income increased to $559,473 in the 2007 period compared to $154,819 in 2006, reflecting higher average levels of interest bearing deposits during the 2007 period.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Form 10-Q contains or incorporates by reference “forward-looking statements,” as that term is used in federal securities laws, about our financial condition, results of operations and business. These statements include, among others:
· statements concerning the benefits that we expect will result from our business activities and certain transactions that we contemplate or have completed, such as increased revenues, decreased expenses and avoided expenses and expenditures; and
· statements of our expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies, anticipated developments and other matters that are not historical facts.
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