Almonty Announces Positive $16,440,000 Annual EBITDA from Mining Operations Before Non-Cash Impairment Charge (1)
Almonty Industries Inc. (“Almonty” or the “Company”) (TSX: AII / OTCQX: ALMTF / Frankfurt: 1MR) today announced the filing of its audited annual consolidated financial statements, management’s discussion & analysis and AIF for the fifteen months ended December 31, 2019. Unless otherwise indicated, all currency amounts contained in this news release are expressed in Canadian dollars.
During the fifteen months ended December 31, 2019, the Company, pursuant to Section 4.8(2) of National Instrument 51-102, provided notice that it changed its financial year end from September 30 to December 31 and, accordingly, the financial information presented below is as at and for the fifteen months ended December 31, 2019 with comparatives as at and for the twelve months ended September 30, 2018.
The following financial information is for the three months and fifteen months ended December 31, 2019, the three months ended December 31, 2018, and year ended September 30, 2018:
Three Months | Three Months | 15 Months | 12 Months | ||||
Ended | Ended | Ended | Ended | ||||
31-Dec-19 | 31-Dec-18 | 31-Dec-19 | 30-Sep-18 | ||||
$'000 | $'000 | $'000 | $'000 | ||||
Gross Revenue | 6,602 | 16,412 | 54,634 | 65,171 | |||
Mine production costs | 9,360 | 8,845 | 38,194 | 36,699 | |||
Impairment loss | 10,112 | - | 10,112 | 15,604 | |||
Impairment reversal | 4,150 | (4,150) | - | - | |||
Depreciation and amortization | 77 | 1,474 | 4,487 | 11,155 | |||
Earnings (loss) from mining operations | (17,097) | 10,243 | 1,841 | 1,713 | |||
General and administrative costs | 2,959 | 1,834 | 10,124 | 8,426 | |||
Non-cash compensation costs | - | - | 68 | 897 | |||
Earnings (loss) before the under noted items | (20,056) | 8,409 | (8,351) | (7,610) | |||
Interest expense | 485 | 648 | 3,049 | 2,459 | |||
(Gain) Loss on debt settlement | 826 | (1,015) | (401) | - | |||
Gain on deconsolidation | (4,150) | - | (4,150) | - | |||
Foreign exchange (gain) loss | (2,492) | 1,411 | (1,785) | (95) | |||
Tax provision | (429) | 108 | 169 | 715 | |||
Net income (loss) for the period | (14,296) | 7,257 | (5,233) | (10,689) | |||
Income (loss) per share basic | ($0.08) | $0.04 | ($0.03) | ($0.06) | |||
Income (loss) per share diluted | ($0.08) | $0.04 | ($0.03) | ($0.06) | |||
Dividends | - | - | - | - | |||
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities | 5,343 | 1,630 | 4,210 | 10,940 | |||
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities | (3,211) | (1,587) | (7,798) | (6,023) | |||
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities | (3,495) | 386 | (3,556) | (540) |
The following financial information is as at December 31, 2019 and September 30, 2018:
31-Dec-19 | 30-Sep-18 | |||
$'000 | $'000 | |||
Cash | 1,496 | 8,721 | ||
Restricted cash | - | 1,245 | ||
Total assets | 133,646 | 147,302 | ||
Long-term debt | 49,499 | 50,331 | ||
Shareholders’ equity | 33,816 | 40,863 | ||
Other | ||||
Outstanding shares (‘000) | 182,717 | 181,442 | ||
Weighted average outstanding shares (‘000) | ||||
Basic | 181,493 | 178,587 | ||
Fully diluted | 181,493 | 178,587 | ||
Closing share price | $0.42 | $0.81 |
Lewis Black, Chief Executive Officer of Almonty commented: “The Company’s outlook for the 2020 year remains positive, even with the moderate 14% decline in tungsten prices during 2019. During the fifteen months ended December 31, 2019, we accomplished the reduction of accounts payables and accrued liabilities by a further $8.75M or 34.1% and recorded a positive EBITDA from mining operations of $16,440,000. I am extremely proud of the entire Almonty operational team who pulled together again in 2019 and delivered another profitable year despite market price pressure and the switch at Los Santos from fresh ore to tailings. Naturally its disappointing that non-cash write downs have been imposed upon the Company given the current global pandemic crisis, but 2020 will be the major turning point for the Company. Our operations in Portugal and Korea have continued uninterrupted and the pace of the financial closure at Sangdong will continue to accelerate. With the recent public announcement of the full engagement of the Korean governments toward the development of the project and the near to completion of the definitive documents with KFW-IPEX bank this will be a pivotal moment for the Company and we expect to break ground early summer 2020. This is when the Almonty operational team will be able to demonstrate why institutions such as KFW-IPEX bank have placed so much confidence in them as the premier global Tungsten operators with over 200 years of Tungsten experience just amongst the senior management. The current year of 2020 will be a moment in the Company’s history where we will cement and solidify our position for generations as the largest Tungsten producer in the free world.”
About Almonty
The principal business of Toronto, Canada-based Almonty Industries Inc. is the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten concentrate from its Los Santos Mine in western Spain and its Panasqueira mine in Portugal as well as the development of its Sangdong tungsten mine in Gangwon Province, South Korea and the development of the Valtreixal tin/tungsten project in north western Spain. The Los Santos Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2011 and is located approximately 50 kilometres from Salamanca in western Spain and produces tungsten concentrate. The Panasqueira mine, which has been in production since 1896, is located approximately 260 kilometres northeast of Lisbon, Portugal, was acquired in January 2016 and produces tungsten concentrate. The Sangdong mine, which was historically one of the largest tungsten mines in the world and one of the few long-life, high-grade tungsten deposits outside of China, was acquired in September 2015 through the acquisition of a 100% interest in Woulfe Mining Corp. Almonty owns 100% of the Valtreixal tin-tungsten project in north-western Spain. Further information about Almonty’s activities may be found at www.almonty.com and under Almonty’s profile at www.sedar.com.
Legal Notice
The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.
Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
When used in this press release, the words “estimate”, “project”, “belief”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “plan”, “predict”, “may” or “should” and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. These statements and information are based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and reflect Almonty’s current expectations.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Almonty to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: any specific risks relating to fluctuations in the price of ammonium para tungstate (“APT”) from which the sale price of Almonty’s tungsten concentrate is derived, actual results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdictions in which Almonty’s operations are located and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, forecasts and assessments relating to Almonty’s business, credit and liquidity risks, hedging risk, competition in the mining industry, risks related to the market price of Almonty’s shares, the ability of Almonty to retain key management employees or procure the services of skilled and experienced personnel, risks related to claims and legal proceedings against Almonty and any of its operating mines, risks relating to unknown defects and impairments, risks related to the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, risks related to governmental regulations, including environmental regulations, risks related to international operations of Almonty, risks relating to exploration, development and operations at Almonty’s tungsten mines, the ability of Almonty to obtain and maintain necessary permits, the ability of Almonty to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements, lack of suitable infrastructure and employees to support Almonty’s mining operations, uncertainty in the accuracy of mineral reserves and mineral resources estimates, production estimates from Almonty’s mining operations, inability to replace and expand mineral reserves, uncertainties related to title and indigenous rights with respect to mineral properties owned directly or indirectly by Almonty, the ability of Almonty to obtain adequate financing, the ability of Almonty to complete permitting, construction, development and expansion, challenges related to global financial conditions, risks related to future sales or issuance of equity securities, differences in the interpretation or application of tax laws and regulations or accounting policies and rules and acceptance of the TSX of the listing of Almonty shares on the TSX.
Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to, no material adverse change in the market price of ammonium para tungstate (APT), the continuing ability to fund or obtain funding for outstanding commitments, expectations regarding the resolution of legal and tax matters, no negative change to applicable laws, the ability to secure local contractors, employees and assistance as and when required and on reasonable terms, and such other assumptions and factors as are set out herein. Although Almonty has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and even if events or results described in the forward-looking statements are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Almonty. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and are cautioned that actual outcomes may vary.
Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Almonty cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on Almonty’s forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events.
Almonty has also assumed that material factors will not cause any forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.
THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF ALMONTY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE ALMONTY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.
(1) Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release makes reference to certain non-GAAP financial measures. These measures are not recognized measures under IFRS, do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement IFRS financial measures by providing further understanding of Almonty’s results of operations from management’s perspective. Almonty’s definitions of non-GAAP measures used in this press release may not be the same as the definitions for such measures used by other companies in their reporting. Non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of Almonty’s financial information reported under IFRS. Almonty uses non-GAAP financial measures, including “EBITDA”, to provide investors with supplemental measures of its operating performance and to eliminate items that have less bearing on operating performance or operating conditions, and thus highlight trends in its core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS financial measures. Almonty defines “EBITDA from mining operations” as gross revenue less mine production costs.
Almonty believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties frequently use non-GAAP financial measures in the evaluation of issuers. Almonty’s management also uses non-GAAP financial measures in order to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period.
Contact
Lewis Black, Chairman, President and CEO
Telephone: +1 647 438-9766
Email: info@almonty.com