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James B. Francis, CFA
Managing Director of Publicly Traded Securities Research, CRB Monitor

CRB Monitor tracks 1,250+ publicly-traded, Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) globally, which have 1,500+ traded securities. We categorize CRBs into our proprietary cannabis risk tier framework and cannabis-based sectors. CRB Monitor also unravels and maintains complex corporate structures, linking publicly-traded parent companies to their underlying operational plant-touching subsidiaries. Custodian banks, broker/dealers, and asset managers find our data essential for pre-trade compliance, risk management, index construction, and portfolio analytics.  

Securities Database Updates

Source: CRB Monitor

News Highlights 

On the heels of the November federal and state election results, it would be reasonable to assume that we would see a subsequent escalation in corporate activity in the cannabis space. In December, we witnessed an early start to that phenomenon.  

On December 16th, Tier 1B CRB Tilray (NAS: TLRY) announced its merger with Tier 1A CRB Aphria (TSX: APHA), in what would be the largest all-cannabis M&A deal in recent memory. With a combined market cap of $3.4 billion, the resulting entity (NAS: TLRY) would be the presumptive number one pure-play cannabis-related company in terms of revenue ($685 million). This is significant, not only for the future of TLRY, but for managers of cannabis-themed funds and ETFs given significant impact to diversification and breadth of the investable cannabis universe. We will be watching that closely.

Another major story that emerged in December of 2020 was the announcement by the largest Tier 1A CRB, Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED), that Canopy will be shutting down and ceasing operations at a number of its production facilities in Canada. Per the announcement, "The production sites impacted represent approximately 17% of the Company's enclosed Canadian footprint and 100% of its Canadian outdoor production footprint." 

CRB Monitor Securities Database Highlights

Of the thousands of announcements and filings reviewed during December 2020, our research resulted in a total of 336 updates to the CRB Monitor database (80 updates to issuers’ records, 272 news releases added). The complete list of securities and detail for these updates is available to CRB Monitor Securities database clients, but below are highlights.

Select M&A/Subsidiary Highlights 

Security/Exchange Highlights  

Risk Tier/Inclusion Updates in CRB Monitor

Select New Additions to CRB Monitor:

Cannabis-Linked Equity Performance

In an apparent “hangover” from the overwhelmingly cannabis-friendly election results on November 3rd, several large CRBs received a dose of reality from investors in December. Cannabis-linked equities generally gave back a portion of their stunning positive performance from the month of November. Aurora Cannabis (TSX: ACB)’s stock price took a big hit, falling more than 30% and finishing 2020 more than 67% lower. Facing headwinds as one of the leading cultivators in North America and less-than spectacular results from international sales, ACB stacked up earnings losses throughout 2020 and ended the year one of the worst performing companies in the space. 

Cronos Group (TSX: CRON)’s stock posted a negative 24.5% return in December. CRON’s strong balance sheet relative to its competitors in the cannabis theme — thanks to major investor and Tier 1B CRB Altria Group (NYSE: MO) — did not seem to provide much cover following three straight quarters of negative earnings. On a positive note, Green Thumb Industries, Inc. (CSE: GTII) continued its surge throughout December (+13%) following the news in mid-November that its earnings were up 147% year-on-year.  

We will watch closely over the coming weeks and months as cannabis companies respond to impact from significant forces — legalization/decriminalization, a prolonged economic recession, the ongoing pandemic, and the need for increased taxation at the state level, not to mention a persistent black market — that will affect their stock prices going forward.

Source: CRB Monitor, Sentieo

CRB Monitor “Top 10” Tier 1 Cannabis Companies

Source: CRB Monitor, Sentieo

CRBs In the News

December was an active month for news related to publicly-traded cannabis companies. The following is a sampling of highlights from the December 2020 cannabis news cycle as tracked by CRB Monitor. Included are CRB Monitor’s proprietary Risk Tiers. 

• CordovaCann Closes Acquisition of Cannabis Retail Operator in Manitoba and Opens First Store in Winnipeg (Tier 1B)
• GABY Inc. to Merge with Mankind Dispensary in a Transformational Transaction and Launches Equity Financing (Tier 1B)
• BC Craft Supply Announces Acquisition of Olympic View Botanicals (Tier 1B)
• Icanic Brands Announces LOI to Acquire THC Engineering, LLC (Tier 1B)
• Ayr Strategies Completes Acquisition of CannTech in Pennsylvania (Tier 1B)
• Item 9 Labs Finalizes Merger Agreement with U.S. Cannabis Franchisor (Tier 1B)
• Blueberries Medical Announces Closing of the Acquisition of BBV Labs - A Milestone in its Argentina Project (Tier 1B)
• Schultze Special Purpose Acquisition Corp. and Clever Leaves International Inc. Complete Business Combination (Tier 1B)
• Lobe Sciences Announces CAD$23,000,000 Sale of Cowlitz Cannabis Option to Ionic Brands Corp. (Tier 2)
• Terrace Global Announces Court Approval and Trading Halt in Connection with Arrangement with The Flowr Corporation (Tier 1A)
• Acreage Holdings Names Peter Caldini, Former President Pfizer North America Consumer Healthcare, as CEO (Tier 1B)
• MedMen Announces Tom Lynch Elected as Chairman of the Board (Tier 1B)
• BevCanna Advances to Final Stage of Health Canada Standard Processing Licence (Tier 1A)
• Willow Biosciences Advances its Commercialization Plan; First Commercial Production Expected in Early 2021 (Tier 1B)
• Cannassure and DanCann Pharma sign an exclusive distribution agreement for Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland (Tier 1A)
• AgraFlora Organics Receives Standard Processing Licence for its Winnipeg Edibles Manufacturing Facility (Tier 1B)
• Canopy Growth Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against GW Pharmaceuticals (Tier 1A)
• Organigram admits role in Moncton legionnaires' disease outbreak (Tier 1B)
• Hollister Biosciences Inc. Signs Exclusive Agreement with Easyriders to Design, Manufacture and Produce a National Cannabis Product Line (Tier 1B)
• Orchid Ventures Subsidiary Purtec Announces the Launch of a Significant Advancement in Vaporizer Technology (Tier 1B)

Wondering what a Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 CRB is?

See our seminal ACAMS Today white paper Defining "Marijuana-Related Business" and its update Defining "Cannabis-Related Business"

Interested in learning more about the CRB Monitor Securities Database? Visit our website to request more information and to  get in touch with our team.

The information provided herein presents general information and should not be relied on as legal advice. If you have specific questions regarding a fact, please consult with competent legal counsel about the facts and laws that apply.