Cerrado Gold Recognized as Top 50 TSX Venture Exchange Company

TSX Venture 50 Badge

• 329% share price appreciation in 2025
• Company expects strong shareholder value drivers in 2026

TORONTO, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cerrado Gold Inc. [TSX.V: CERT][OTCQX: CRDOF] (“Cerrado” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has been recognized as one of the 2026 top 50 performers on the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”), based on an outstanding 329% (C$1.61) share price appreciation and 460% (C$183mm) market capitalization growth for the period of January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. The company ranked 22^nd out of the top 50 performing companies, including 1,600 TSXV issuers, according to the TSX/TSXV Market Intelligence Group.

The TSX Venture 50 is an annual ranking of the top-performing companies on the TSXV over the past year, based on three equally weighted criteria: market capitalization growth, share price appreciation, and trading value. The TSX Venture 50 showcases the top 50 performers of over 1,600 TSXV issuers.

Mark Brennan, CEO and Chairman of Cerrado Gold, commented: “We are very pleased to be named to the TSX Venture 50. Our share price appreciation and market cap growth underscore the strength of our operational execution, growth strategy, and investor confidence in our ability to execute. We remain committed to driving shareholder value, improving cash flow, and delivering on new milestones while continuing to build on our successes.”

Market and Investor Awareness Programs

The Company announces that it has engaged the services of Marcus Brummell, 20218 49th Ave, Langely, BC, V3A 6W9 (the “Consultant”) to conduct a 38-day market awareness program, aimed at enhancing the Company’s market visibility and engagement. Services will include the production and publication of investor bulletins, distribution of investor bulletins to the Consultant’s e-mail lists, and posts via the Consultant’s electronic and social media accounts.

The Consultant will be paid a one-time fee of C$15,000. There is no performance factors contained in the engagement, and no stock options or other compensation will be paid to the Consultant. The Consultant is at arm’s length to the Company, and their clients may acquire an interest in the securities of the Company in the future. The engagement with the Consultant is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Company has also engaged the services of KPG Capital & Co. 450 Lexington Ave, 4^th Floor, New York, NY 10017 (“KPG”) to issue a Buy-Side analysis of the Company and engage in the setup of meetings with institutional fund managers, family offices, and investment advisors for a one-year term.

KPG will be paid a one-time fee of US$10,000. There is no performance factors contained in the engagement, and no stock options or other compensation will be paid to KPG. KPG is arm’s length to the Company, and their clients may acquire an interest in the securities of the Company in the future. The engagement with KPG is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Cerrado

Cerrado Gold is a Toronto-based gold production, development, and exploration company. The Company is the 100% owner of the producing Minera Don Nicolás and Las Calandrias mine in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. In Portugal, the Company holds an 80% interest in the highly prospective Lagoa Salgada VMS project through its position in Redcorp – Empreendimentos Mineiros, Lda. In Canada, Cerrado Gold is developing its 100% owned Mont Sorcier Iron project located in the city of Chibougamau, Quebec.

In Argentina, Cerrado is maximizing asset value at its Minera Don Nicolas (“MDN”) operation through continued operational optimization and is growing production through its operations at the Las Calandrias heap leach project. An extensive campaign of exploration is ongoing to further unlock potential resources in our highly prospective land package in the heart of the Deseado Masiff.

In Portugal, Cerrado is focused on the development and exploration of the highly prospective Lagoa Salgada VMS project located on the prolific Iberian Pyrite Belt in Portugal. The Lagoa Salgada project is a high-grade polymetallic project, demonstrating a typical mineralization endowment of zinc, copper, lead, tin, silver, and gold. Extensive exploration upside potential lies both near deposit and at prospective step-out targets across the large 7,209-hectare property concession. Located just 80km from Lisbon and surrounded by exceptional infrastructure, Lagoa Salgada offers a low-cost entry to a significant development and exploration opportunity, already showing its mineable scale and cashflow generation potential.

In Canada, Cerrado is developing its 100% owned Mont Sorcier high-purity, high-grade, Direct Reduced Iron project, located on the traditional Cree territory of Eeyou Istchee James Bay in the municipality of Chibougamau. The Mont Sorcier high purity, high grade DRI Iron project, which has the potential to produce a premium iron concentrate over a long mine life at low operating costs and low capital intensity. Furthermore, its high grade and high purity product facilitates the migration of steel producers from blast furnaces to electric arc furnaces, contributing to the decarbonization of the industry and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

For more information about Cerrado please visit our website at: www.cerradogold.com.

Mark Brennan
CEO and Chairman

Mike McAllister
Vice President, Investor Relations
Tel: +1-647-805-5662
mmcallister@cerradogold.com

Disclaimer

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking information” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the business and operations of Cerrado, and the potential impact of the the Consultant and KPG in raising investor awareness of the Company. In making the forward- looking statements contained in this press release, Cerrado has made certain assumptions. Although Cerrado believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Cerrado disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

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