About Us

Before a storm comes in, winds tend to pick up as skies turn from clear blue to dull gray. Dark clouds begin to gather, and thunder can be heard rumbling in the distance. As storm approaches, animal intuitions kick in as herds of wild animals begin to run away from the storm.

But not the bison.

Bison know that when the other animals run from the storm, they rarely outrun it. Winds travel faster than the other animals, and as the storm catches up, herds are likely to be stuck in the bad weather even longer as they run along with it.

The bison’s reaction during a storm is unique: instead of running away, they charge towards the storm head on. They know that by facing into storm they get through it faster, and minimize the amount of risk, time, and frustration other animals experience from trying to run away from the inevitable.

Like a bison, our fund faces head first into the storm. Bison’s portfolio is modeled after “old school” hedge funds:  we are concentrated and volatile with a focus on maximizing absolute returns. We invest in small-cap, public companies that meet our stringent criteria. Once a security is added to the portfolio, the position is held with conviction through periods of significant volatility.

We focus on dislocations in the energy market and identify areas where there is a disconnect between the share price of a company and its intrinsic value. Securities must have low debt, proven assets, and exceptional management teams to meet qualification standards. Our focus on value and pricing allows us to screen for securities with a price low enough to create a substantial margin of safety, over a variety of market conditions.

Portfolio companies must also have high quality assets: there must be recent positive operational and financial results that demonstrate management capabilities, resource quality, and asset economics in a challenging environment.  

We screen for proven management teams with a track record of success, and many portfolio companies are on their 3rd or 4th iterations.

Our portfolio holdings have substantial additional catalysts likely to galvanize a re-rate, such as “embedded” pipeline assets, “un-booked reserves” or are potential buyout candidates. Companies are often rapidly de-leveraging high-interest debt, cutting operating costs,  buying back back shares or close to issuing dividends.