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Financial Review
Revenues
Revenue was $224 million in the third quarter of 2019, on sales volume of 94,800 ounces of gold, 4.5 million ounces of silver and 4,900 ounces of palladium. This represents a 20% increase from the $186 million of revenue generated in the third quarter of 2018 due primarily to (i) a 22% increase in the average realized gold price ($1,471 in Q3 2019 compared with $1,210 in Q3 2018); (ii) a 15% increase in the average realized silver price ($17.09 in Q3 2019 compared with $14.80 in Q3 2018); and (iii) a 6% increase in the number of gold ounces sold; partially offset by (iv) an 11% decrease in the number of silver ounces sold.
Costs and Expenses
Average cash costs¹ in the third quarter of 2019 were $424 per gold ounce sold, $5.16 per silver ounce sold and $271 per palladium ounce sold, as compared with $418 per gold ounce, $5.04 per silver ounce and $169 per palladium ounce during the comparable period of 2018. This resulted in a cash operating margin¹ of $1,047 per gold ounce sold, $11.93 per silver ounce sold and $1,264 per palladium ounce sold, an increase of 32%, 22% and 61%, respectively, as compared with Q3 2018. The increase in the cash operating margin was primarily due to a 22%, 15% and 61% increase in the average realized gold, silver and palladium price, respectively, during Q3 2019 compared with Q3 2018.
Adjusted Net Earnings and Operating Cash Flows
Adjusted net earnings¹ and cash flow from operations in the third quarter of 2019 were $73 million ($0.16 per share) and $142 million ($0.32 per share¹), compared with adjusted net earnings¹ of $35 million ($0.08 per share) and cash flow from operations of $108 million ($0.24 per share¹) for the same period in 2018, an increase of 107% and 31%, respectively.
Balance Sheet
At September 30, 2019, the Company had approximately $152 million of cash on hand and $1.0 billion outstanding under the Company’s $2 billion revolving term loan (the “Revolving Facility”). The Company uses excess cash to pay down the Revolving Facility, and during the three-month period ended September 30, 2019, the Company has repaid $82 million under the Revolving Facility. The average effective interest rate for the third quarter of 2019 was 4.02%.
Third Quarter Asset Highlights
Operational highlights for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, are as follows:
Salobo
In the third quarter of 2019, Salobo produced 73,600 ounces of attributable gold, virtually unchanged relative to the third quarter of 2018 as higher throughput was almost completely offset by lower grades and recovery. In Vale S.A.’s (“Vale”) Third Quarter 2019 Performance Report, Vale reports that in July, Salobo achievedall-time monthly production records for copper and gold. Vale also noted that physical completion of the expansion at Salobo is now 27%, including the completion of the concrete foundations for the mill and primary crusher bases and the arrival to site of the first loads related to the long-distance conveyor belt.
Peñasquito
In the third quarter of 2019, Peñasquito produced 2.0 million ounces of attributable silver, an increase of approximately 93% relative to the third quarter of 2018 primarily due to higher