To view the PDF file, sign up for a MySharenet subscription.

IMPALA PLATINUM HOLDINGS LIMITED - Annual results for the full year ended 30 June 2019

Release Date: 05/09/2019 07:05
Code(s): IMP IMCB22     PDF:  
Wrap Text
Annual results for the full year ended 30 June 2019

IMPALA PLATINUM HOLDINGS LIMITED
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number 1957/001979/06)
JSE Share code: IMP 
ISIN: ZAE000083648
ADR code: IMPUY
JSE alpha code: IMPCB
("Implats")

ANNUAL RESULTS FOR THE FULL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2019

Key features 

Safety 
- A 28% improvement in FIFR to 0.047 per million man hours worked
- A 12% improvement in LTIFR to 5.30 per million man hours worked

Operational 
- Stable mine-to-market platinum in concentrate production of 1.31Moz
- 5% increase in refined PGM production of 3.10Moz, including:
  - 4% increase in refined platinum of 1.53Moz, and
  - 7% increase in refined palladium of 0.91Moz 
- Industry leading cash cost performance:
  - Group unit costs per platinum ounce on a stock-adjusted basis, up 4% to R23 942
- Consolidated Group capital expenditure of R3.8bn

Financial 
- Net cash from operating activities of R10.7bn
- Free cash flow of R7.7bn generated 
- R2.2bn in debt repayments and a closing net cash position of R1.1bn
- Group liquidity headroom improved to R12.2bn
- Gross profit of R6.8bn and headline earnings of R3.0bn
- Incentivised US$ bond conversion post year end 

Market 
- Increased catalyst loadings have tightened the market for palladium and rhodium
- Progress in R&D for the reintroduction of platinum in gasoline catalyst formulations
- Growing recognition of the potential of hydrogen to address decarbonisation
- Dollar revenue per platinum ounce sold up 11% to US$2 237
- Rand weakness resulted in revenue per platinum ounce sold increasing by 22% to R31 765

Commentary
Implats achieved stellar results in FY2019.  A strong operational performance in key areas allowed the Group
to harness the benefit of improving market conditions and rising rand PGM pricing during the year and deliver
a substantially improved financial result with healthy free cash flow generation and a return to a closing
net cash position at year-end. 

Safety remains a key business imperative for the Group.  The 28% improvement in the achieved fatal injury
frequency rate and a 12% improvement in the lost time injury frequency rate are a testament to the step-change
in safety performance during the year.  Despite this, Implats mourns the loss of five employees at managed
operations.  The Board and management team extend their sincere condolences to the families and friends of our
late colleagues.  The loss of life is extremely disappointing, especially considering the noteworthy safety
improvements over the past two years.

The Group's strategic imperative to re-position the business as a high-value, profitable and competitive PGM
producer was meaningfully advanced through an operational and financial turnaround at Impala Rustenburg. 
Gains in productivity, safety and efficiency at the Impala Rustenburg complex significantly boosted Implats'
financial performance, clearly demonstrating the considerable value still to be derived from this operation.   

The Group delivered stable mine-to-market platinum concentrate volumes of 1.31 million ounces, despite a
challenging operating environment which included community disruptions at Marula, the impact of split-reef mining
at Two Rivers, intermittent load shedding by Eskom and continued political and economic uncertainty in
Zimbabwe.  Mined volumes were further bolstered by a partial processing pipeline reduction and Group refined PGM
production increased by 5% to 3.10 million ounces - refined platinum and palladium production increased by 4% and
7% to 1.53 million ounces and 0.91 million ounces respectively. 

Costs were well controlled with unit costs increasing by 4% on a stock-adjusted basis to R23 942 per
platinum ounce.  Volume gains helped offset persistent inflationary pressures from rising labour and utility 
costs and the translation impact of a weaker rand on costs from the Zimbabwean subsidiaries. 

Higher sales volumes were delivered into stronger rand PGM pricing and resulted in a significantly improved
Group financial performance.  Revenue improved by 36% to R48.6 billion, gross profit increased five-fold to
R6.8 billion and headline earnings of R3.0 billion or 423 cents per share compared to losses of R1.2 billion 
or 171 cents per share in the prior year.

Net cash generated from operating activities improved to R10.7 billion, yielding R7.7 billion in positive
free cash flow after capital investments of R3.9 billion.  Implats made debt repayments of R2.2 billion 
during the year and ended the reporting period with gross cash of R8.2 billion, a net cash position of some 
R1.1 billion and liquidity headroom of R12.2 billion. 

Strong cash generation during the year, together with the outperformance of Implats equity, allowed the
Group to successfully induce early conversion of its US$250 million convertible bonds in July 2019, further
strengthening the balance sheet in line with guided capital allocation priorities. 

Given an uncertain and volatile local and global economic outlook and the ongoing restructuring underway at
Impala Rustenburg, the board resolved not to declare a dividend for the full year ended 30 June 2019.

Operating statistics
                                                                       Year ended        Year ended     
                                                                     30 June 2019      30 June 2018    
Gross refined production                                                                               
Platinum                                                (000 oz)          1 526.2           1 468.1    
Palladium                                               (000 oz)            909.6             849.3    
Rhodium                                                 (000 oz)            205.9             198.5    
Nickel                                                       (t)           16 049            16 227    
                                                                                                       
IRS metal returned (toll refined)                                                                      
Platinum                                                (000 oz)              0.7             140.2    
Palladium                                               (000 oz)              2.9              67.0    
Rhodium                                                 (000 oz)              0.0              23.4    
Nickel                                                       (t)            3 516             3 557    
                                                                                                       
Sales volumes                                                                                          
Platinum                                                (000 oz)          1 515.2           1 354.7    
Palladium                                               (000 oz)            928.8             769.9    
Rhodium                                                 (000 oz)            205.5             196.1    
Nickel                                                       (t)           12 954            12 648    
                                                                                                       
Prices achieved                                                                                        
Platinum                                                  ($/oz)              827               943    
Palladium                                                 ($/oz)            1 185               975    
Rhodium                                                   ($/oz)            2 568             1 501    
Nickel                                                     ($/t)           12 649            11 488    
                                                                                                       
Consolidated statistics                                                                                
Average rate achieved                                      (R/$)            14.20             12.82    
Closing rate for the period                                (R/$)            14.09             13.73    
Revenue per platinum ounce sold                           ($/oz)            2 237             2 023    
                                                          (R/oz)           31 765            25 935    
Tonnes milled ex mine                                    (000 t)           19 469            19 355    
PGM refined production                                  (000 oz)          3 073.5           2 924.6    
Capital expenditure                                         (Rm)            3 786             4 606    
                                                                                                       
Group unit cost per platinum ounce refined                (R/oz)           22 673            24 660    
Group unit cost per platinum ounce stock adjusted         (R/oz)           23 942            22 931    


Key financial performance
                                                                        June 2019         June 2018    
Revenue                                                       Rm           48 629            35 854    
Gross profit                                                  Rm            6 838             1 137    
Profit/(loss) for the period                                  Rm            1 179           (10 793)   
Headline earnings                                             Rm            3 038            (1 228)   
Dividends                                                    cps                -                 -    
Gross profit margin                                            %             14.1               3.2    
Capital expenditure                                           Rm            3 786             4 606    
Cash net of debt/(Net debt) excluding leases                  Rm            1 075            (5 327)   
Net asset value                                               Rm           41 080            39 593    
                                                                                                       
Share performance                                                                                      
Earnings per share                                           cps              205            (1 486)   
Headline earning per share                                   cps              423              (171)   

Short form announcement approval
This announcement is a summarised version of the Group's full announcement and, as such, it does not contain
full or complete details pertaining to the Group's results.  Investment decisions should be made after taking
into consideration the full announcement.

Implats' results were released on the JSE Stock Exchange News Service (SENS) on 5 September 2019 and are
available on the Group's website www.implats.co.za and
https://senspdf.jse.co.za/documents/2019/jse/isse/impe/ye2019.pdf.  They are available for inspection, at 
no charge, at our registered office (2 Fricker Road, Illovo) and the office of our sponsor (Nedbank 
Corporate and Investment Banking, 135 Rivonia Road, Sandton) from 09:00 to 16:00 weekdays.
This summarised announcement is the responsibility of the board of directors.  A copy of the full
announcement may be requested from the company secretary.

Transfer secretaries
South Africa: Computershare Investor Services Proprietary Limited, Rosebank Towers, 15 Bierman Ave,
Rosebank, Johannesburg, 2196, (PO Box 61051, Marshalltown, 2107)
United Kingdom: Computershare Investor Services plc, The Pavilions, Bridgwater Road, Bristol, BS13 8AE

Sponsor: Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking
Directors: MSV Gantsho (Chairman), NJ Muller (Chief Executive Officer), M Kerber (Chief Financial Officer),
PW Davey*, D Earp, BT Koshane, AS Macfarlane*, FS Mufamadi, B Ngonyama, MEK Nkeli, LN Samuel, PE Speckmann, 
ZB Swanepoel
(*British)

Queries:
Johan Theron
E-mail: johan.theron@implats.co.za
T: +27 (0) 11 731 9013/43
M: +27 (0) 82 809 0166

Emma Townshend
E-mail : emma.townshend@implats.co.za
T : +27 (0) 21 794 8345
M : +27 (0) 82 415 3770

Alice Lourens
E-mail: alice.lourens@implats.co.za
T:  +27 (0) 11 731 9033/43
M: +27 (0) 82 498 3608

5 September 2019
Johannesburg

Sponsor to Implats
Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking
Date: 05/09/2019 07:05:00
Produced by the JSE SENS Department. The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the JSE Limited ('JSE'). 
The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or completeness of
 the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers, employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct, 
indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature, howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on,
 information disseminated through SENS.

Share This Story