Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, you know that Canada legalized recreational cannabis this past Wednesday. The move generated considerable buzz both inside and outside the country. Cannabis stocks have surged in anticipation, but the performance was muted on the same trading day legalization became official.
Last week I’d also covered two of the top three cannabis producers that investors will need to keep on their radar into next year. Today we are going to look at Aurora Cannabis (TSX: ACB), which could be poised for an upswing this week.
Why is Aurora the stock to watch this week? On October 17, Aurora received approval to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Aurora says that its shares will debut on the NYSE on Tuesday, October 23. Back in March I’d discussed the impending U.S. listing for Canopy Growth and explored why the boost in interest and volume could work to power the stock price in the spring and early summer.
Canopy’s NYSE listing was launched on May 24 and kicked off a considerable run for the stock. Shares shot up to an all-time high above $45 in mid-June and would not reach those heights again until August in the aftermath of the landmark Constellation Brands investment. No two cases are the same, but Canopy’s success after its U.S. listing is promising for Aurora.
This is an exciting development for Aurora, but the stock also offers nice value in the aftermath of legalization. Experts are predicting supply issues in the first months of legalization, and the top producers will be leaned on to close the gap in 2019. Aurora has poured record amounts of cash into its expansion and has been determined to boost its production capacity.
On October 17, Aurora announced that its Aurora Sky facility had been granted its sales license by Health Canada. The company reported that the facility is presently growing approximately 120,000 plants in its licensed flower rooms. At full capacity, Aurora Sky will be capable of producing over 100,000 kilograms of dried cannabis per annum. Aurora currently has funded capacity of over 500,000 kilograms per annum. It has established itself as a legitimate heavyweight among the top producers.
Shares of Aurora were up 43% in 2018 as of close on October 18. The company has managed to roll off all-time highs in October, but it still boasts an attractive price compared to its peers. The addition of MedReleaf propelled Aurora to post the highest revenue total of any other licensed producer in its fiscal 2018 fourth quarter and full-year results.
Aurora has the potential to pass $400 million in revenue in fiscal 2019, and could post over $1 billion in revenue by fiscal 2020, assuming its own rollout goes smoothly. Exposure south of the border should bolster Aurora’s volumes in late October and beyond and should also provide Aurora with ample opportunity to raise more cash and continue its aggressive expansion.
