FireFly Metals Ltd (ASX: FFM) shares are in focus on Tuesday.
At the time of writing, the copper and gold developer's shares are trading at $2.02, down 5.16%.
The company has had a busy end to the year, raising fresh funds and strengthening its balance sheet as it prepares for further work at its Canadian project.
With copper sentiment improving and funding remaining tight across the sector, FireFly's recent progress has caught investors' attention.
Here's what the company has been working on.
Retail demand comes in well above expectations
According to the release, FireFly has doubled the size of its Share Purchase Plan (SPP) to $10 million after receiving far more interest than expected.
The SPP was originally capped at $5 million. However, applications came in at around $31 million, which is more than 6 times that amount.
Because of this, the company decided to lift the cap while still using scale-back rules to limit dilution.
In total, 1,558 eligible shareholders took part. That represents about 27% of those eligible. The average investment was just under $20,000, showing support came from a wide range of retail investors.
The SPP closed on 19 December. New shares were issued on 30 December and are expected to start trading on 31 December, subject to normal ASX processes.
More funding secured
The expanded SPP follows a much larger capital raising completed earlier in December.
FireFly raised $139 million before costs through a mix of institutional and Canadian placements. This included an $85 million placement at $1.70 per share, alongside two Canadian raisings.
Following completion of the raisings, FireFly reported a pro forma cash balance of around $246.9 million before costs. That leaves the company with a strong cash position heading into the new year.
Importantly, the SPP was priced at the same level as the institutional placement. This allowed retail investors to participate on the same terms as larger investors.
What the money will be used for
FireFly plans to use the funds to move its Green Bay Copper-Gold Project in Newfoundland forward.
Work will include underground development, early construction activities, mining and economic studies, and more drilling. The goal is to grow and improve the project's resource base and prepare it for future development.
Management has said 2026 will be a busy year, with several parts of the project progressing at the same time.
What investors should watch next
FireFly shares have had a strong run over the past year, helped by better sentiment around copper and steady progress at Green Bay.
While raising new money increases the number of shares on issue, this funding reduces financial risk and gives the company time to focus on getting work done.
From here, investors will be watching how FireFly uses its strong cash position to deliver progress on the ground over the next 12 months.
