Ero Copper Corp. (TSX: ERO) (NYSE: ERO) is pleased to announce its financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2021. Management will host a conference call tomorrow, Thursday, August 5, 2021, at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time to discuss the results. Dial-in details for the call can be found near the end of this press release.
HIGHLIGHTS
Commenting on the results, David Strang, CEO, stated, “We have built strong momentum on all fronts throughout our organization as we enter the second half of 2021. Our operating results were highlighted by a continuation of higher-than-forecasted grades in the Pilar Mine, aided during the second quarter by an ongoing value engineering program allowing us to access and mine high-grade stopes previously believed to be sterilized within the upper levels of the Pilar Mine. These efforts allowed us to maintain strong copper production while successfully completing the first of two phases of scheduled mill maintenance at the MCSA Mining Complex, and as a result, we generated record quarterly operating cash flows and are well-positioned to achieve full-year production and cost guidance.
“On the exploration front, we recently released our most significant results to date, highlighted by several of the best drill results in the history of our operations including a 67 meter intercept grading over 9% copper from a new open zone of ‘Superpod’ style mineralization at depth in the Pilar Mine and a nine meter intercept grading over 22 grams per tonne gold at depth within the NX Gold Mine – the best intercept in the history of the mine. We expect both areas, which extend known mineralization beyond the limits of our current mineral resources, along with ongoing exploration efforts, to contribute to Ero’s growth in the years to come.
“Our core focus on generating industry-leading ROIC and unlocking value for shareholders was demonstrated during the quarter with the announcement of a $110 million streaming transaction on the NX Gold Mine. The transaction unlocks value from the NX Gold Mine while forming a strategic partnership highly aligned with our vision to further develop and grow gold production from the mine. The NX Gold Stream, combined with our record cash position and strong cash flow from operations, provides balance sheet strength and flexibility to continue to execute our organic growth initiatives, including the development of the Boa Esperança Project.”
*Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company, Adjusted net income per share attributable to owners of the Company, C1 cash cost per pound of copper produced, C1 cash cost per ounce of gold produced and All-in Sustaining Costs per ounce of gold produced are non-IFRS measures – see the Notes section of this press release for additional information. C1 cash cost per pound of copper produced are net of by-product credits from metal produced at the MCSA Mining Complex. AISC per ounce of gold produced are net of by-product credits from metal produced at the NX Gold Mine.
OPERATIONS & EXPLORATION HIGHLIGHTS
OPERATING AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
3 months ended June 30, 2021 |
3 months ended March 31, 2021 |
6 months ended June 30, 2021 |
3 months ended June 30, 2020 |
6 months ended June 30, 2020 |
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Operating Highlights | ||||||||||||||||||
Copper (MCSA Operations) | ||||||||||||||||||
Ore Processed (tonnes) | 553,992 | 597,594 | 1,151,586 | 627,071 | 1,235,030 | |||||||||||||
Grade (% Cu) | 2.13 | 2.30 | 2.22 | 1.98 | 1.97 | |||||||||||||
Cu Production (tonnes) | 10,898 | 12,638 | 23,536 | 11,178 | 21,835 | |||||||||||||
Cu Production (000 lbs) | 24,026 | 27,863 | 51,889 | 24,643 | 48,138 | |||||||||||||
Cu Sold in Concentrate (tonnes) | 10,094 | 12,469 | 22,562 | 10,586 | 21,018 | |||||||||||||
Cu Sold in Concentrate (000 lbs) | 22,253 | 27,488 | 49,741 | 23,339 | 46,338 | |||||||||||||
C1 cash cost of copper produced (per lb)(1) | $ | 0.72 | $ | 0.49 | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.65 | $ | 0.68 | ||||||||
Gold (NX Gold Operations) | ||||||||||||||||||
Au Production (oz) | 10,377 | 9,451 | 19,828 | 8,739 | 16,605 | |||||||||||||
C1 cash cost of gold produced (per ounce)(1) | $ | 499 | $ | 487 | $ | 494 | $ | 437 | $ | 511 | ||||||||
AISC of gold produced (per ounce)(1) | $ | 660 | $ | 643 | $ | 652 | $ | 593 | $ | 668 | ||||||||
Financial Highlights ($millions, except per share amounts) | ||||||||||||||||||
Revenues | $ | 120.7 | $ | 122.5 | $ | 243.2 | $ | 70.8 | $ | 138.5 | ||||||||
Gross Profit | $ | 83.7 | $ | 82.8 | $ | 166.5 | $ | 39.5 | $ | 70.2 | ||||||||
EBITDA(1) | $ | 112.0 | $ | 55.2 | $ | 167.2 | $ | 23.4 | $ | (27.2 | ) | |||||||
Adjusted EBITDA(1) | $ | 85.5 | $ | 86.7 | $ | 172.2 | $ | 42.4 | $ | 75.9 | ||||||||
Cash Flow from Operations | $ | 85.1 | $ | 62.1 | $ | 147.2 | $ | 42.5 | $ | 79.8 | ||||||||
Net Income (loss) | $ | 84.0 | $ | 32.1 | $ | 116.0 | $ | 7.7 | $ | (45.3 | ) | |||||||
Net income (loss) attributable to owners of the Company | $ | 83.4 | $ | 31.7 | $ | 115.2 | $ | 7.5 | $ | (45.2 | ) | |||||||
Per share (basic) | $ | 0.95 | $ | 0.36 | $ | 1.31 | $ | 0.09 | $ | (0.53 | ) | |||||||
Per share (diluted) | $ | 0.89 | $ | 0.34 | $ | 1.24 | $ | 0.08 | $ | (0.53 | ) | |||||||
Adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company(1) | $ | 53.7 | $ | 56.3 | $ | 110.0 | $ | 20.3 | $ | 41.1 | ||||||||
Per share (basic) | $ | 0.61 | $ | 0.64 | $ | 1.25 | $ | 0.24 | $ | 0.48 | ||||||||
Per share (diluted) | $ | 0.58 | $ | 0.61 | $ | 1.18 | $ | 0.22 | $ | 0.45 | ||||||||
Cash and Cash Equivalents | $ | 137.7 | $ | 84.6 | $ | 137.7 | $ | 51.6 | $ | 51.6 | ||||||||
Working Capital (Deficit)(1) | $ | 118.9 | $ | 63.5 | $ | 118.9 | $ | (25.7 | ) | $ | (25.7 | ) | ||||||
Net Debt(1) | $ | 19.2 | $ | 74.5 | $ | 19.2 | $ | 130.9 | $ | 130.9 |
Footnotes
(1) EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net income (loss) attributable to owners of the Company, Adjusted net income (loss) per share attributable to owners of the Company, Net Debt, Working Capital (Deficit), C1 cash cost of copper produced (per lb), C1 cash cost of gold produced (per ounce) and AISC of gold produced (per ounce) are non-IFRS measures – see the Notes section of this press release for a discussion on non-IFRS Measures.
ADJUSTED EBITDA & NET INCOME (LOSS) RECONCILIATION
($ in thousands) | 3 months ended June 30, 2021 |
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Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 85,529 | |||
Adjustments: | |||||
Unrealized foreign exchange gain on USD denominated debt in MCSA | 9,993 | ||||
Unrealized foreign exchange gain on derivative contracts | 29,934 | ||||
Realized foreign exchange loss on derivative contracts | (5,997 | ) | |||
Share based compensation and other | (5,692 | ) | |||
Incremental costs in response to COVID-19 pandemic | (1,749 | ) | |||
EBITDA | $ | 112,018 | |||
Adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company | $ | 53,672 | |||
Adjustments for non-cash items (attributable to owners of the Company): | |||||
Unrealized foreign exchange gain on USD denominated balances in MCSA | 8,712 | ||||
Unrealized foreign exchange gain on derivative contracts, net of tax | 25,256 | ||||
Unrealized loss on interest rate derivative | (6 | ) | |||
Share based compensation | (2,480 | ) | |||
Incremental costs in response to COVID-19 pandemic | (1,735 | ) | |||
Reported net income attributable to owners of the Company | $ | 83,419 |
NX GOLD STREAM
During the quarter, the Company entered into a definitive Precious Metals Purchase Agreement with RGLD Gold AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Gold Inc. (collectively, “Royal Gold”), in relation to gold production from the NX Gold Mine.
The Company will receive upfront cash consideration of $100 million for the purchase of 25% of gold produced until 93,000 ounces of gold have been delivered, decreasing to 10% of gold produced over the remaining life of mine. Royal Gold will make ongoing payments equal to 20% of the prevailing spot gold price for each ounce of gold delivered until 49,000 ounces of gold have been received, after which it will pay 40% of the prevailing spot gold price for each ounce of gold delivered. Additional payment obligations of Royal Gold include:
Proceeds from the transaction, which is expected to close during the third quarter of 2021, will significantly enhance Ero’s balance sheet strength and flexibility, offering further support to execute upon the Company’s growth strategy including advancing the Boa Esperança Project.
Please refer to the Company’s press release dated June 30, 2021 for additional information on the NX Gold Stream. Closing of the transaction is subject to the completion of certain corporate matters and customary conditions.
2021 PRODUCTION OUTLOOK
The Company is reaffirming its 2021 production guidance ranges for both the MCSA Mining Complex and the NX Gold Mine and is well-positioned to achieve the high end of both ranges. Similar to Q2 2021, mill throughput volumes and copper production in Q3 2021 are expected to be impacted by the second phase of planned mill maintenance at the MCSA Mining Complex, scheduled to begin in August 2021 and be completed before the end of the third quarter. Copper grades are expected to revert to plan in H2 2021.
Gold production from the NX Gold Mine for 2021 is expected to come from ore mined from the Santo Antonio Vein. Lower gold grades are anticipated in H2 2021 due to scheduled mine sequencing, and recovery rates, which were elevated during H1 2021 due to gold contributions from mill and foundry scrap recycling efforts, are expected to normalize in Q3 2021.
2021 Guidance(1) | ||
MCSA Mining Complex | ||
Tonnes Processed | 2,700,000 | |
Copper Grade (% Cu) | 1.75 | % |
Copper Recovery (%) | 93.0 | % |
Cu Production Guidance (000 tonnes) | 42.0 – 45.0 | |
NX Gold Mine | ||
Tonnes Processed | 167,000 | |
Gold Grade (gpt) | 7.20 | |
Gold Recovery (%) | 92.0 | % |
Au Production Guidance (000 ounces) | 34.5 – 37.5 |
(1) Guidance is based on certain estimates and assumptions, including but not limited to, mineral reserve estimates, grade and continuity of interpreted geological formations and metallurgical performance. Please refer to the Company’s SEDAR filings, including the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2020 and dated March 16, 2021 (the “AIF”), for complete risk factors.
2021 COST GUIDANCE
The Company is tracking towards the low end of its reaffirmed 2021 cost guidance ranges, which assume a USD:BRL foreign exchange rate of 5.00, a gold price of $1,750 per ounce and a silver price of $20.00 per ounce.
2021 Guidance | |
MCSA Mining Complex C1 Cash Cost Guidance (US$/lb)(1) | $0.75 – $0.85 |
NX Gold Mine C1 Cash Cost Guidance (US$/oz)(1) | $500 – $600 |
NX Gold Mine All-in Sustaining Cost (AISC) Guidance (US$/oz)(1) | $875 – $975 |
(1) C1 cash costs and AISC are a non-IFRS measures – see the Notes section of this press release for additional information.
2021 CAPITAL EXPENDITURE GUIDANCE
The Company is reaffirming its 2021 capital expenditure guidance, which assumes a USD:BRL foreign exchange rate of 5.00 and has been presented below in USD millions.
MCSA Operations |
2021 Guidance | |
Pilar Mine and Caraíba Mill Complex (excluding Deepening Extension Project) | $45.0 – $50.0 | |
Deepening Extension Project | $12.5 – $15.0 | |
Vermelhos Mine & District(1) | $14.0 – $16.0 | |
Surubim Open Pit Mine | $10.0 – $12.0 | |
Boa Esperança Project | $1.0 – $1.5 | |
Capital Expenditure Guidance | $82.5 – $94.5 | |
Curaçá Valley Exploration | $30.0 – $35.0 | |
NX Gold Mine | 2021 Guidance | |
Capital Expenditure Guidance | $13.0 – $15.0 | |
Exploration | $8.0 – $10.0 | |
Total, NX Gold Mine | $21.0 – $25.0 |
(1) Vermelhos District includes open pit mining infrastructure expenditures of approximately US$6.0 million in 2021.
Non-IFRS measures
Financial results of the Company are prepared in accordance with IFRS. The Company utilizes certain non-IFRS measures, including C1 cash cost of copper produced (per lb), C1 cash costs of gold produced (per ounce), AISC of gold produced (per ounce), EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company, Adjusted net income per share, net debt and working capital, which are not measures recognized under IFRS. The Company believes that these measures, together with measures determined in accordance with IFRS, provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. Non-IFRS measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore they may not be comparable to similar measures employed by other companies. The data is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.
C1 cash cost of copper produced (per lb.)
C1 cash cost of copper produced (per lb) is the sum of production costs, net of capital expenditure development costs and by-product credits, divided by the copper pounds produced. C1 cash costs reported by the Company include treatment, refining charges, offsite costs, and certain tax credits relating to sales invoiced to the Company’s Brazilian customer on sales. By-product credits are calculated based on actual precious metal sales (net of treatment costs) during the period divided by the total pounds of copper produced during the period. C1 cash cost of copper produced per pound is a non-IFRS measure used by the Company to manage and evaluate operating performance of the Company’s operating mining unit, and is widely reported in the mining industry as benchmarks for performance, but does not have a standardized meaning and is disclosed in addition to IFRS measures.
C1 cash cost of gold produced (per ounce)
C1 cash cost of gold produced (per ounce) is the sum of production costs, net of capital expenditure development costs and silver by-product credits, divided by the gold ounces produced. By-product credits are calculated based on actual precious metal sales during the period divided by the total ounces of gold produced during the period. C1 cash cost of gold produced per ounce is a non-IFRS measure used by the Company to manage and evaluate operating performance of the Company’s operating mining unit and is widely reported in the mining industry as benchmarks for performance but does not have a standardized meaning and is disclosed in addition to IFRS measures.
All-in Sustaining Cost of gold produced (per ounce)
All-in sustaining cost of gold produced (per ounce) is the sum of production costs, site general and administrative costs, accretion of mine closure and rehabilitation provision, sustaining capital expenditures, sustaining leases, and royalties and production taxes, net of silver by-product credits, divided by the gold ounces produced. By-product credits are calculated based on actual precious metal sales during the period divided by the total ounces of gold produced during the period. All-in sustaining cost of gold produced per ounce is a non-IFRS measure used by the Company to manage and evaluate operating performance of the Company’s operating mining unit and is widely reported in the mining industry as benchmarks for performance but does not have a standardized meaning and is disclosed in addition to IFRS measures.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and Adjusted EBITDA
EBITDA represents earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA includes further adjustments for non-recurring items and items not indicative to the future operating performance of the Company. The Company believes EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are appropriate supplemental measures of debt service capacity and performance of its operations.
Adjusted EBITDA is calculated by removing the following income statement items:
Adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company and Adjusted net income per share attributable to owners of the Company
The Company uses the financial measure “Adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company” and “Adjusted net income per share attributable to owners of the Company” to supplement information in its consolidated financial statements. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, the Company and certain investors and analysts use this information to evaluate the Company’s performance. The Company excludes non-cash and unusual items from net earnings to provide a measure which allows the Company and investors to evaluate the operating results of the underlying core operations.
During the period, the following non-cash or unusual adjustments to calculated adjusted net income (loss):
Net Debt
Net debt is determined based on cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and loans and borrowings as reported in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company uses net debt as a measure of the Company’s ability to pay down its debt.
Working capital
Working capital is determined based on current assets and current liabilities as reported in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company uses working capital as a measure of the Company’s short-term financial health and operating efficiency.
ABOUT ERO COPPER CORP
Ero Copper Corp, headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., is focused on copper production growth from the MCSA Mining Complex located in Bahia State, Brazil, with over 40 years of operating history in the region. The Company’s primary asset is a 99.6% interest in the Brazilian copper mining company, MCSA, 100% owner of the MCSA Mining Complex, which is comprised of operations located in the Curaçá Valley, Bahia State, Brazil, wherein the Company currently mines copper ore from the Pilar and Vermelhos underground mines, and the Boa Esperança development project, an IOCG-type copper project located in Pará, Brazil. The Company also owns 97.6% of the NX Gold Mine, an operating gold and silver mine located in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Additional information on the Company and its operations, including technical reports on the MCSA Mining Complex, Boa Esperança and NX Gold properties, can be found on the Company’s website (www.erocopper.com), on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), and on EDGAR (www.sec.gov).
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