Gary Brown
Analyst · CIBC. Please go ahead
Thank you, Randy, and good morning ladies and gentlemen. Prior to reviewing Silver Wheaton’s unaudited financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2015, I would like to remind everyone that all monetary figures discussed are denominated in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted. The company’s precious metal interests generated record attributable silver equivalent production of 11 million ounces in the third quarter of 2015, 24% higher than production from the comparable period of the prior year. Approximately 63% of this production related to silver with the remainder relating to gold. Silver equivalent sales volumes exceeded 10 million ounces in Q3 2015, representing a 17% increase from Q3 2014, and a new record for the company. As of September 30, 2015, approximately 6.3 million payable silver equivalent ounces had been produced by our partners, but not yet delivered to Silver Wheaton, a decrease of approximately 100,000 ounces from the balance at the end of the prior quarter. It is important to remember that we estimated normal level for ounces produced, but not delivered to equate to approximately two to three months worth of payable production. So this balance may grow over the remainder of 2015, as both Constancia and Salobo continue to ramp up production. Revenue for the third quarter of 2015 amounted to $153 million, representing an 8% decrease from the comparable period of the prior year with the 21% decreased in the average realized silver equivalent selling price, being partially offset by increased sales volumes. Earnings from operations for the third quarter of 2015 amounted to $61 million representing a 25% decrease relative to the third quarter of 2014 with operating margins decreasing by 9% to 40% in the third quarter of 2015 due to lower commodity prices. Cash-based G&A expenses amounted to $6 million in the third quarter of 2015, representing a decrease of 10% from Q3 2014 with such decrease being primarily attributable to lower compensation costs, which reflects the benefit of a weaker Canadian dollar. The company now estimates that non-stock based G&A expenses, which exclude expenses relating to the value of stock options granted and PSUs will be approximately $26 million to $28 million for 2015, slightly lower than previously estimated. Interest costs for the third quarter of 2015 amounted to $2.9 million resulting in an effective interest rate on outstanding debt of 1.7%. Of this interest, $2.5 million was capitalized to the Pascua Lama mineral interests resulting an $400,000 of interest being expensed in the calculation of net income. During the third quarter of 2015, the company recognized an impairment charge of $154 million relating to its silver and gold interest in the 777 mine as a result of the number of factors including a reduction in the estimate of future production due to lower metal prices and the lack of success in Hudbay’s exploration drilling program on the property. As of September 30, 2015, we now estimate the recoverable amount relative to 777 to be $147.5 million. Net earnings adjusted to neutralize the effect of the impairment charge amounted to $50 million in the third quarter of 2015 compared to $73 million in the comparable period of the prior year. With adjusted basic earnings per share decreasing by 40% to $0.12 per share in Q3 2015 from $0.20 per share in Q3 2014 with the decrease being primarily attributable to a combination of lower commodity prices and a 13% increase in the number of shares outstanding. Operating cash flow for the third quarter of 2015 amounted to $100 million, or $0.25 per share, compared to $120 million, or $0.34 per share, in the third quarter of the prior year. Based on the company’s dividend policy, the company’s board has declared a dividend of $0.05 per share payable to shareholders of record on November 18, 2015. Under the dividend reinvestment plan, the board has elected to offer shareholders the option of having their dividend reinvested in newly issued common shares of the company at a 3% discount to market. The operational highlights for the third quarter of 2015 included the following. Attributable production in relative to the San Dimas mine amounted to 1.4 million ounces, representing a 22% increase compared to the third quarter of 2014 partially offsets by the cessation of the supplemental silver deliveries from Goldcorp, which occurred in August of 2014. The increase in production is attributable primarily to higher grades partially offset by an increase in the amount of silver that Primero is entitled to retain above the 6 million ounce sharing threshold. Silver sales relative to San Dimas amounted to 2 million ounces, 56% higher than sales volumes for the comparable period of the prior year. The difference between production and sales for Q3 2015 was due primarily to the restatement of the Primero’s import and export licenses, which expedited the delivery of silver produced in the prior quarter. As of September 30, 2015, approximately 200,000 ounces of payable silver had been produced at San Dimas, but not yet delivered to the company, representing a decrease of 600,000 ounces from the prior quarter. Silver production relative to Yauliyacu amounted to 700,000 ounces for Q3 2015, consistent with production from the prior quarter, but 20% lower than the comparable quarter of the prior year with such decrease being attributable to the mining of lower grade material. Silver sales amounted to 400,000 ounces in Q3 2015, compared to 1.4 million ounces in the third quarter of the prior year with the variance being due to changes in payable silver produced, but not yet delivered to Silver Wheaton. As of September 30, 2015, approximately 900,000 ounces of payable silver had been produced relative to Yauliyacu, but not yet delivered to Silver Wheaton. Penasquito generated attributable silver production of 2.1 million ounces representing a 28% increase from the comparable period of the prior year with such being attributable to the processing of higher-grade material. Silver sales volumes relative to Penasquito increased by 24% relative to Q3 2014, consistent with the increased production. As of September 30, 2015, approximately 700,000 ounces of payable silver had been produced relative to Penasquito, but not yet delivered to Silver Wheaton. The Barrick mines generated attributed silver production and sales volumes of over 500,000 ounces, representing a 27% increase in production and a 36% increase in sales relative to the third quarter of 2014. These increases are attributable to the processing of higher grade ores at Veladero combined with improved recoveries at the Lagunas Norte. Gold production from the 777 mine for the third quarter of 2015 amounted to 6,300 ounces or 476,000 silver equivalent ounces, which represented a 48% decrease from Q3 2014, with the decrease being primarily attributable to lower throughput. Gold sales relative to 777 amounted to 11,000 ounces or 793,000 silver equivalent ounces representing a 31% decrease from the comparable quarter of prior year due to lower production combined with the timing of concentrated shipments from the mine. The Sudbury mines produced 6,000 ounces of gold or 448,000 silver equivalent ounces in Q3 2015, representing a 51% decrease relative to the comparable quarter of the prior year, due primarily to lower throughput, which in term was attributable to planned maintenance shutdowns of the Sudbury surface plants. Combined with production in the comparable quarter to prior year being positively affected by the processing of a significant quantity of feedstock inventories. Gold sales relative to Sudbury amounted to 6,700 ounces or 501,000 silver equivalent ounces, representing a 20% increase relative to Q3 2014. With positive variances and payable gold ounces produced but not shipped more than offsetting a lower production. As at September 30, 2015 approximately 8,200 ounces of payable gold or 600,000 silver equivalent ounces had been produced relative to the Sudbury mines and not yet delivered to Silver Wheaton. Salobo produced a record 33,000 ounces of gold or 2.5 million silver equivalent ounces, an increase of 216% from the comparable quarter of the prior year, with such increase being attributable to the ramping up of the second line and the doubling of Silver Wheaton’s attributable percentage of gold from 25% to 50%, effective January 1, 2015. The two lines operated at an average rate of approximately 88% of capacity during the third quarter of 2015. Gold sales relating to Salobo amounted to 32,000 ounces or 1.7 million silver equivalent ounces, more than three times the sale of volume of the comparable quarter of the prior year, despite an estimated build-up of 9,400 payable ounces of gold produced but not delivered to Silver Wheaton during the most recent quarter. As of September 30, 2015, payable gold produced at Salobo but not yet delivered to Silver Wheaton amounted to approximately 24,000 ounces or 1.8 million silver equivalent ounces. During the third quarter of 2015, the company generated $100 million of cash flow from operations, repaid $68 million of debt under its revolving facility and dispersed $17 million in dividends. As of September 30, 2015, the company had $81 million of cash and cash equivalents on hand and $647 million of debt outstanding under its revolving facility, resulting in a net debt position of $566 million. In relation to the normal course issuer bid, that the Company implemented during Q3, 2015, the company has repurchased 764,789 common shares at an average price of $11.92 per share, or just under 4% the maximum allowed under the program. With respect to the reassessments of the company taxation years for 2005 to 2010 by the Canada Revenue Agency, the company has filed notices of objection to such. The company is required to make a deposit of 50% of the amount the CRA has claimed owing [ph] or CAD177 million in relation to those taxation years. And the company is in the process of seeking post security in the form of letters of credit for this amount as opposed to making a cash deposit. That concludes the financial summary. And with that, I turn the call back over to Randy.