Paulson & Co Trims NovaCopper Position

John Paulson's hedge fund firm Paulson & Co has filed a Form 4 with the SEC regarding its stake in NovaCopper (NCQ).  Per the filing, Paulson sold 70,618 shares combined on May 27th and May 31st at prices of $0.5456 and $0.51.

After these transactions, Paulson now owns 11.73 million shares of NCQ.  Paulson had also previously done some other selling in late May.  The firm owned 11.82 million NCQ shares at the end of the first quarter this year.

Per Google Finance, NovaCopper is "a Canada-based company engaged in the exploration and development of its Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects located in the Ambler mining district in Northwest Alaska, the United States. The Company's segments are Alaska, USA; Antioquia, Colombia, and Corporate and other. Its Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects consist of Arctic Project, which contains a polymetallic volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit, and Bornite Project, which contains a carbonate-hosted copper deposit. The Company also owns interest in the Titiribi gold-copper exploration project located approximately 70 kilometers southwest of the city of Medellin, in Antioquia Department, Colombia. The Arctic Project is located in the Ambler mining district of the southern Brooks Range, in the Northwest Arctic Borough (NWAB) of Alaska. The Bornite Project is located in the Ambler mining district of the southern Brooks Range, in the NWAB of Alaska. The Bornite Project is located within the Arctic Alaska Terrane."

Paulson & Co Boosts NovaCopper & Cobalt International Energy Stakes

John Paulson's hedge fund firm Paulson & Co has filed two 13G's with the SEC.

NovaCopper (NCQ)

First, Paulson's amended 13G on Novacopper (NCQ) indicates that they now own 18.3% of the company with over 11.5 million shares. 

This marks an increase of over 5.59 million shares since the end of the first quarter.  The filing was made due to activity on July 31st.

Per Google Finance, Novacopper is "a base metals exploration company. The Company is engaged in the exploration and development of mineral properties, including the Arctic and Bornite Projects located in Northwest Alaska in the United States of America. Its exploration activities are focused on two deposits in the Ambler district: the Arctic VMS deposit and the Bornite carbonate replacement deposit."


Cobalt International Energy (CIE)

Second, Paulson & Co has filed a 13G regarding shares of Cobalt International Energy (CIE).  Per the filing, the hedge fund firm now owns 10.1% of the company with over 41.8 million shares.

This is an increase of over 14.6 million shares since the end of the first quarter.  The filing was made due to portfolio movement on July 31st.

Per Google Finance, Cobalt International Energy is "oil-focused exploration and production company with a salt prospect inventory in the deepwater of the United States Gulf of Mexico and offshore Angola and Gabon in West Africa. The Company operates its business in two geographic segments: the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and West Africa. The Company’s oil-focused exploration efforts target subsalt Miocene and Inboard Lower Tertiary horizons in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico."

You can view additional recent portfolio activity from Paulson & Co here.

Seth Klarman's Baupost Group Raises NovaCopper Stake

Seth Klarman's hedge fund firm Baupost Group filed a 13G with the SEC regarding shares of NovaCopper (NCQ).  Per the filing, Baupost now owns 10.73% of the company with 5,005,298 shares.

This filing was made due to portfolio activity on November 30th and marks almost a 9% increase in the number of shares they own since the end of the third quarter.

Our Hedge Fund Wisdom newsletter a few weeks ago pointed out how Baupost was buying in Q3 as well.  While they've added to the stake, it's still a small position relative to their other equity holdings and overall assets under management.

They originally received shares of NCQ in the spin-off from NovaGold Resources (NG), which they also own and have consistently been buying this year as it trades lower.

Per Google Finance, NovaCopper is "a base metals exploration company. The Company is focused on exploring and developing the Ambler mining district, which VMS deposits containing copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver and carbonate replacement deposits containing copper, cobalt and silver."

We recently posted up an old profile of Klarman for those interested as well.