On July 8, Bitfarms appointed Ben Gagnon as CEO, immediately following a three-month search to replace former CEO Geoff Morphy. Gagnon, who has been with Bitfarms for five years, brings extensive Bitcoin mining experience and a strategic vision to the role.
Gagnon was previously the Chief Mining Officer at Bitfarms. He played a pivotal role in shaping and implementing the company’s Bitcoin mining strategy and operations.
His leadership was key in crafting Bitfarms’ transformative growth strategy for 2024. The company aims to achieve a hash rate guidance of 21 EH/s by the end of the year.
In the press release, Bitfarms’ Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nicolas Bonta, stated that Gagnon will work towards expanding and diversifying into new areas such as energy generation, heat recycling, energy trading, and HPC for AI.
Gagnon’s appointment is expected to improve Bitfarms’ capital deployment and expansion into new synergistic growth opportunities.
“Ben Gagnon is the perfect fit for the role, as we see it,” said analysts at H.C. Wainwright, reiterating their ‘Buy’ rating on BITF’s stock.
The market responded optimistically to the announcement, with Bitfarms’ shares (BITF) trading modestly higher, outperforming Bitcoin, which saw a 1.8% decline on the same day.
Today, BITF is trading at $2.55 a share, down 4.3%.
BitFarms Confidence
Analysts at H.C. Wainwright seem confident that Gagnon’s appointment removes a significant overhang on the stock, aligning with Bitfarms’ future growth prospects.
Gagnon’s career at Bitfarms began in 2019 as Director of Business Development. He advanced to Director of Mining Operations in 2020 and Chief Mining Officer in 2021.
His comprehensive experience covers mining strategy, growth initiatives, and miner portfolio management.
Before joining Bitfarms, Gagnon founded and operated two Bitcoin mining companies, serving as CEO, Chief Mining Officer, and CTO.
He holds an M.Sc. in Internet Computing from Hong Kong University and a B.Sc. in Economic Consulting and International Business from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
H.C. Wainwright reiterated its Buy rating with a $4 price target, based on a 6.0x EV/Revenue multiple against a $221.5M 2024 revenue estimate. The company’s valuation reflects its competitive positioning within the BTC mining sector.
Analysts at H.C. Wainwright expressed confidence that Ben Gagnon’s appointment has alleviated a major concern regarding the stock.
