Bow Energy
Investor Relations

The Challenge:

In a bid to ramp up its exploration and evaluation program, and to expedite commercialisation of its prime Coal Seam Gas (CSG) projects, Bow needed to raise a relatively significant amount of capital in 2009. As part of this capital raising strategy and to reposition the company as a rapidly emerging, mid-tier player in the highly prospective CSG sector, in early 2009 Bow commissioned BWH to develop and implement a targeted investor relations program to heighten the market’s awareness of its growth prospects and intrinsic value.

Communication Initiatives:

• From March 2009 a structured media relations program was initiated. BWH compiled a media list highlighting key journalists to be targeted initially with background briefing information, followed up with one-on-one briefings with Bow’s CEO to key resource writers and selected stockbrokers in the Sydney and Melbourne markets. With the rapid consolidation of the CSG sector over this period, BWH effectively positioned Bow as an emerging and independent mid-tier player in a sector increasingly being dominated by large listed Australian and international resource conglomerates.
• BWH developed a major restructure of Bow’s web site which contained significantly more relevant information for shareholders and financial markets. Key features of the web site were a more contemporary and professional design layout, an ability to update information easily and quickly and a subscription capability which enabled users to regularly receive company announcements and updates.
• Presentation tools used by Bow were also upgraded by BWH’s designers to a more professional quality, while the 2009 Annual Report was also restructured to more clearly convey key growth messages and the company’s underlying prospects. At our instigation, a common design theme linking the 2009 Annual Report and web site was adopted.

Outcome:

• In the 2009 calendar year Bow successfully raised over $95 million through a Share Purchase Plan, Share Placement and Rights Issue, successfully funding an acceleration of the company’s exploration and evaluation program.
• Since late 2008 to the end of 2009, Bow’s share price increased over sevenfold and its market capitalisation had risen by 1200%.
• Bow obtained analyst coverage from leading stockbrokers Wilson HTM and RBS Morgans, further enhancing its ability to raise capital and attract institutional investors.
• Media coverage obtained by BWH included leading dailies such as the Australian Financial Review, Australian and Courier Mail, newswires Dow Jones and Reuters, industry publications such as PetroleumNews.net and Oil & Gas Gazette, business TV coverage on Bloomberg TV and Sky News Business and local ABC radio.