Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ: ACB) rockets over 70% intraday as it announced some significant news during after hours trading Friday September 8th, 2023. This news comes amongst strong times for the cannabis market, so it no doubt came with the rising tide of the macro backdrop. Here’s a quick synopsis of the press release.

The Release:
Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NASDAQ: ACB) the Canadian company opening the world to cannabis, announced they recently bought back about $12.3 million worth of its own convertible senior notes in a series of transactions between August 16 and September 8, 2023. This move cost them a total of around $12.3 million, which includes interest accrued. They paid for this repurchase by issuing approximately 20.1 million common shares of Aurora. After these transactions, Aurora will have around $53 million in outstanding notes.
The goal behind these moves is to reduce the company’s debt and cut down on the interest they pay annually, supporting their target of achieving positive free cash flow by the end of 2024. These actions are expected to save Aurora approximately $0.66 million in yearly interest payments. In total, since December 2021, Aurora has repurchased roughly $419 million in convertible senior notes, leading to significant cash interest savings of about $31.7 million.
Subscribe to Microcapdaily.com Right Now by entering your Email in the box below.
Aurora’s CEO, Miguel Martin, pointed out that they’ve substantially reduced their convertible debt from $345 million to less than $39 million. He emphasized Aurora’s strong financial position, with a healthy balance sheet and a commitment to responsible financial management. This positions them well to achieve their goal of positive free cash flow by the end of 2024.
Please note that this announcement isn’t an offer to buy or sell securities and should not be considered as such in places where such offers would be against the law.
Thoughts from Retail:
If you haven’t had the chance to read our previous articles that provide a broader overview of the industry, please refer to previously authored articles on Flora Growth (NASDAQ:FLG) or WM Technology’s (NASDAQ: MAPS).

As per a Twitter user named Sammy J, it’s argued that Aurora, being a Canadian LP, may not directly profit from the prospective alterations happening in the United States. For those who have stayed up to date with the industry, you might be aware that the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) is considering the rescheduling of Cannabis from a Schedule 1 drug to a Schedule 3 drug.

Aurora continues to attract significant attention from tens of thousands of users, even though the Canadian LP may not experience direct benefits from the changes in the US.
From our standpoint, the entire sector is experiencing growth, and while companies such as Aurora Cannabis (ACB) may not experience immediate direct advantages from the regulatory change in the US, they’ve issued a release that would establish stronger fundamentals in an industry that’s thriving.
The more critical question revolves around whether Aurora can achieve profitability within the timeframe they’ve set. If they do, it would certainly make them a more attractive prospect for investors. Additionally, there is a growing focus on numerous smaller cannabis companies, like High Tide Inc (NASDAQ: HITI), many of which are already profitable or approaching profitability, and these are gaining increased attention in recent times.
Schedule I vs Schedule III:
Cannabis is currently listed as a schedule I controlled substance under the CSA (i.e., deemed to have no medical value), and accordingly, the manufacture, sale, or possession of cannabis is federally illegal, even for personal medical purposes (unless pursuant to DEA registration for very limited purposes). Whereas schedule I substances are reserved for those substances with no accepted medical use, the abuse rate is the determinate factor in the scheduling of a substance in schedules II-V.
Schedule III findings:
A) The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II;
B) the drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; and
C) abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
Effects of Rescheduling:
If cannabis were to be rescheduled to Schedule III, it would have profound implications for state-legal cannabis enterprises. While it wouldn’t lead to federal legalization of these programs, it would alleviate the 280E tax burden currently borne by such businesses. Additionally, we anticipate a substantial surge in research into and accessibility of cannabis-based medicines.
We will update you on ACB when more details emerge, subscribe to Microcapdaily to follow along!
Disclosure: We have not been compensated for this article/video. MicroCap Daily is not an investment advisor; this article/video does not provide investment advice. Always do your research, make your own investment decisions, or consult with your nearest financial advisor. This article/video is not a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell, or hold securities. This article/video is our opinion, is meant for informational and educational purposes only, and does not provide investment advice. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.
Picture by sergeitokmakov from Pixabay