17:12:20 EDT Tue 30 Apr 2024
Enter Symbol
or Name
USA
CA



SSR Mining Inc
Symbol SSRM
Shares Issued 206,519,830
Close 2023-05-04 C$ 22.79
Market Cap C$ 4,706,586,926
Recent Sedar Documents

SSR Mining earns $29-million (U.S.) in Q1 2023

2023-05-04 09:56 ET - News Release

Mr. Rod Antal reports

SSR MINING REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2023 RESULTS

SSR Mining Inc. has released consolidated financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023. In addition, the board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of seven cents per common share payable on June 12, 2023, to holders of record at the close of business on May 15, 2023. This dividend qualifies as an eligible dividend for Canadian tax purposes. All figures are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

Rod Antal, president and chief executive officer of SSR Mining, said: "Our operating results for the first quarter of 2023 were well aligned to our expectations and have the company on track for full-year consolidated production and cost guidance. We continue to expect a second-half weighted production and free cash flow profile with sustaining capital spending across the portfolio progressively tapering off in the second half of the year.

"During the quarter, we updated our three-year rolling guidance affirming a 700,000-gold-equivalent-ounce production platform, a level that we expect to maintain over the remainder of the decade through modest mineral reserve conversion and growth within our existing portfolio. These expected production levels were supported by multiple initiatives during the quarter, including the commencement of stripping activities at Cakmaktepe extension as we prepare for first production later this year and the purchase of new haul trucks at Marigold to support initial waste stripping at Red Dot. In addition, the positive exploration update from Puna provided yet another example of the robust global exploration pipeline that we expect will further support our long-term growth targets.

"Over all, SSR Mining remains in a very strong position, supported by a robust balance sheet, significant capital returns, a number of valuation catalysts on the horizon as we further define Copler's C2 expansion project and Marigold's New Millennium target, and the expectation of improving production and free cash flow in the coming quarters."

First quarter 2023 highlights:

  • Operating performance in line with expectations: The company reported first quarter 2023 production of 146,894 gold equivalent ounces at cost of sales of $1,289 per gold equivalent ounce and all-in sustaining costs (AISC) of $1,693 per gold equivalent ounce. As previously guided, the first quarter is expected to represent the lowest quarter of production for 2023. AISC in Q1 reflects the expected increased sustaining capital spend associated with the Seabee winter road and haul truck purchases at Marigold.
  • On track for full-year 2023 consolidated guidance: During the first quarter of 2023, the company announced 2023 production guidance of 700,000 to 780,000 gold equivalent ounces at consolidated cost of sales of $1,055 to $1,115 per gold equivalent ounce and AISC of $1,365 to $1,425 per gold equivalent ounce. In addition, SSR Mining's three-year outlook highlighted a strong and stable production base of approximately 700,000 gold equivalent ounces through 2025 without requiring significant capital investment. Full-year projected production and cost expectations remain aligned with the existing consolidated guidance ranges.
  • Financial results: Attributable net income in the first quarter of 2023 was $29.8-million, or 14 cents per diluted share, and adjusted attributable net income was $21.3-million, or 10 cents per diluted share. For the three months ended March 31, 2023, operating cash flow was $3-million, or $90.9-million before working capital adjustments. Free cash flow was $(56.3-million), or $31.6-million before working capital adjustments. First quarter free cash flow reflects the aforementioned sustaining capital weighting, and as per initial guidance, free cash flow remains strongly weighted to the second half of 2023.
  • Robust capital returns program continues: During the first quarter, SSR Mining returned $19.6-million to shareholders, consisting of $14.4-million in dividends and $5.2-million in share repurchases. As of April 30, 2023, the company had completed an additional $27.1-million in share repurchases, bringing the total shares repurchased in 2023 to $32.3-million at an average price of $15.06 per share. Since announcing the normal course issuer bid (NCIB) on June 20, 2022, the company has purchased a total of 8.2 million shares for total returns of approximately $132.3-million, with capacity remaining to repurchase approximately 2.4 million additional shares ahead of the NCIB's expiry on June 19, 2023. Since the start of 2021, the company has returned approximately $400-million to shareholders through base dividends and the repurchase of approximately 17 million shares.
  • Resilient balance sheet: As of March 31, 2023, SSR Mining had a cash and cash equivalents balance of $561.8-million. Non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) net cash totals $312.4-million as of March 31, 2023, and SSR Mining had total available liquidity of nearly $900-million.
  • Copler delivers steady operational performance; Cakmaktepe extension on track for first production: Gold production was 55,074 ounces in the first quarter of 2023 at cost of sales of $1,287 per ounce and AISC of $1,420 per ounce. The sulphide plant delivered its second consecutive quarter at an average throughput rate of more than 8,000 tonnes per day. The Cakmaktepe extension project remains on track to deliver first gold production in 2023, with initial waste stripping activity now under way.
  • Marigold production and costs in line with plan: Gold production was 51,979 ounces in the first quarter of 2023 at a cost of sales of $1,063 per ounce and AISC of $1,663 per ounce, reflecting $29-million in sustaining capital purchases, partially associated with haul truck purchases, in the quarter. Marigold remains on track for its full-year sustaining capital budget of $81-million in 2023, with the majority of that spend expected in the first half of the year.
  • Successful winter road season at Seabee: Gold production was 15,768 ounces in the first quarter of 2023 at cost of sales of $1,385 per ounce and AISC of $2,207 per ounce. Plant throughput in the first quarter averaged approximately 1,250 tonnes per day, highlighting the continuing success of continuous improvement initiatives at the site. However, underground mining was impacted by now-resolved equipment downtime that altered the mine sequencing schedule. Seabee incurred $13.1-million in sustaining capital in the first quarter, in line with plan and reflecting the first-half weighted capital profile due to winter road deliveries.
  • Puna continues to deliver strong performance: Silver production was two million ounces in the first quarter of 2023 at cost of sales of $19.67 per ounce of silver and AISC of $16.40 per ounce of silver. Throughput averaged more than 4,600 tonnes per day during the quarter.
  • Near-mine exploration results highlight potential mineral reserve growth at Puna: SSR Mining continued to showcase its global exploration platform with a positive update from Puna during the first quarter. The 2022 Puna exploration program focused on resource expansion, discovery and reconciliation drilling at Chinchillas and was the first exploration drilling completed at the property since 2016. The positive results highlight the potential for extensions to Puna's current mineral reserve life.
  • 2022 ESG (environmental, social, governance) and sustainability report: On April 14, 2023, the company published its fifth annual ESG and sustainability report. The report provides a comprehensive overview of how SSR Mining manages sustainability across its business, and also details specific achievements in 2022 as well as the commitments the company has made for 2023.

Financial and operating highlights

A summary of the company's consolidated financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2023, and March 31, 2022, is presented herein.

Copler, Turkey

For the three months ended March 31, 2023, and 2022, Copler produced 55,074 and 70,641 ounces of gold, respectively. Lower production for the three months ended March 31, 2023, as compared with the prior year is mainly due to planned lower-grade sulphide ore milled. First quarter 2023 cost of sales of $1,287 per ounce and AISC of $1,420 per ounce were in line with expectations.

Copler is on track to meet 2023 production guidance of 240,000 to 270,000 ounces of gold at mine site cost of sales of $1,070 to $1,100 per payable ounce and AISC of $1,245 to $1,295 per payable ounce. Copler's production profile remains approximately 55 per cent weighted to the second half of 2023. The Cakmaktepe extension project remains on track to achieve first production within 2023, with initial waste stripping activities now under way. The C2 expansion project continues to progress toward a prefeasibility study, including maiden mineral reserves and updated mineral resources, anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Marigold, United States

For the three months ended March 31, 2023, and 2022, Marigold produced 51,979 and 33,788 ounces of gold, respectively. During the first quarter of 2023, Marigold reported cost of sales of $1,063 per ounce and AISC of $1,663 per ounce. First quarter AISC reflects the expected first-half weighted sustaining capital spend profile, with $29-million of Marigold's $81-million in 2023 sustaining capital guidance incurred during the quarter.

Marigold is on track for 2023 production guidance of 260,000 to 290,000 ounces of gold at mine site cost of sales of $1,000 to $1,030 per payable ounce and AISC of $1,315 to $1,365 per ounce. For the full year, production remains 60 to 70 per cent weighted to the second half of 2023, including a peak in the third quarter. Marigold's cost profile is expected to largely reflect the 2023 production profile, with first-half costs above the full-year guidance range and the lowest-cost periods in the third and fourth quarters. In the first quarter, Marigold stacked competent ore that is typical for the mine, helping support shorter leach cycles as compared with 2022.

Seabee, Canada

For the three months ended March 31, 2023, and 2022, Seabee produced 15,768 and 52,582 ounces of gold, respectively, with lower production in the first quarter of 2023 primarily a result of lower-grade ore milled. Processed grades during the first quarter of 2023 were impacted by now-resolved equipment downtime that altered the mine sequencing schedule. Processing plant throughput in the first quarter averaged approximately 1,250 tonnes per day, demonstrating the continuing success of continuous improvement initiatives in the Seabee processing plant.

During the first quarter of 2023, Seabee reported cost of sales of $1,385 per ounce and AISC of $2,207 per ounce. As guided, sustaining capital spend at Seabee is concentrated in the first half of the year as a result of the winter road season. Seabee's production remains 55 per cent weighted to the second half of the year, as processed grades are expected to trend back in line with Seabee's mineral reserve grade over the full year.

Puna, Argentina

For the three months ended March 31, 2023, and 2022, Puna produced two million and 1.3 million ounces of silver, respectively. The year-over-year increase is primarily driven by improved ore grades and tonnes processed in the first quarter of 2023. During the first quarter of 2023, Puna reported cost of sales of $19.67 per ounce of silver sold and AISC of $16.40 per ounce of silver sold.

Puna remains on track to meet 2023 production guidance of eight million to nine million ounces of silver at mine site cost of sales of $18 to $19.50 per payable ounce and AISC of $16.25 to $17.75 per payable ounce. Production remains 50 to 55 per cent weighted to the second half of 2023, driven largely by grades that peak in the third quarter. Cost of sales and AISC are expected to be highest in the first half of 2023, including a peak in the second quarter, reflecting the site-level capital spend profile.

Conference call information

This news release should be read in conjunction with the company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and available on the SEC website or SSR Mining website.

Conference call and webcast: Thursday, May 4, 2023, at 5 p.m. EDT.

Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: 1-800-319-4610

All other callers: 1-604-638-5340

Webcast: SSR Mining website

The conference call will be archived and available on the company's website. Audio replay will be available for two weeks by calling:

Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: 1-855-669-9658, replay code 9958

All other callers: 1-412-317-0088, replay code 9958

Dividend declaration

On May 4, 2023, the board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of seven cents per common share, payable on June 12, 2023, to holders of record at the close of business on May 15, 2023. This dividend qualifies as an eligible dividend for Canadian income tax purposes.

The dividend payment applies to holders of SSR Mining's common shares, which trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq under the symbol SSRM, and to holders of its CHESS Depositary Interests (CDIs), which trade on the Australian Securities Exchange under the symbol SSR. Each CDI confers a beneficial interest in one common share. Therefore, CDI holders are entitled to a dividend calculated on the same basis as the holders of SSR Mining's common shares.

SSR Mining has sought and been granted a temporary waiver of certain of the ASX settlement operating rules. Under the authority of the waiver, the processing of conversions of common shares to CDIs, or CDIs to common shares, lodged on or after or after May 12, 2023, will be deferred until after the record date of May 15, 2023. The key dates with respect to the dividend are as follows:

  • Last date for processing requests to convert CDIs into common shares and to convert common shares into CDIs before the record date for the dividend: May 11, 2023;
  • CDIs trade on the ASX on an ex dividend basis: May 12, 2023;
  • Common shares trade on the TSX and Nasdaq on an ex dividend basis: May 12, 2023;
  • Record date for the dividend: May 15, 2023;
  • Processing recommences for requests to convert CDIs into common shares and to convert common shares into CDIs: May 16, 2023;
  • Common share dividend payment date (in Canada and the United States): June 12, 2023;
  • Payment of dividend to CDI holders (in Australia): June 13, 2023.

Payments to Canadian shareholders will be made in Canadian dollars based on the exchange rate on the record date as reported by the Bank of Canada. Payments to other shareholders will be made in U.S. dollars. For CDI holders, payments will be made in Australian dollars, and it is expected to be based on the prevailing exchange rate sourced from the wholesale foreign exchange market on or around five business days after the record date.

About SSR Mining Inc.

SSR Mining is a leading, free-cash-flow-focused gold company with four producing operations located in the U.S., Turkey, Canada and Argentina, combined with a global pipeline of high-quality development and exploration assets. Over the past three years, the four operating assets combined have produced on average more than 700,000 gold equivalent ounces annually. SSR Mining is listed under the ticker symbol SSRM on the Nasdaq and the TSX, and SSR on the ASX.

We seek Safe Harbor.

© 2024 Canjex Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.