Gary Brown
Analyst · George Topping with Industrial Alliance. Please go ahead. Your line is now open
Thank you, Randy, and good morning ladies and gentlemen. The company’s precious metal interests produced 182,200 gold equivalent ounces in the first quarter of 2020 comprised of 94,700 ounces of gold, 6.7 million ounces of silver and 5,300 ounces of palladium. Relative to the first quarter and the prior year this represented an 8% increase in gold equivalent production with gold production being virtually unchanged while silver and palladium production increased by 19% and 12% respectively. Although gold production in Q1 2020 was consistent with the prior year, Salobo production increased by 3% despite the throughput being negatively affected by the rainy season and unscheduled maintenance. San Dimas produced 10% more gold with mill operating at over 2,200 tons per day during the quarter and Minto contributed over 2,000 ounces of gold production having been in care and maintenance during the comparable quarter of the prior year. These positive variances were offset by lower gold production from Sudbury and Constancia due to the mining of lower grade material and in the case of Constancia lower throughput. The increase in silver production was primarily the result of a significant increase in grades in recovery at Peñasquito, resulting in record attributable production. The increase in palladium production is reflective of the Blitz project ramping up and the Fill the Mill campaign at the East Boulder operation. Gold equivalent sales amounted to 166,100 ounces in the quarter, representing a 4% decrease from Q1, 2019 primarily due to the sale of a significantly large amount of gold produced in prior quarters occurring in the first quarter of 2019, relative to Salobo. This was partially offset by a 15% increase in silver sales volumes driven by the increased silver production in Q1, 2020. As of March 31, 2020 approximately 88,400 payable gold ounces, 5.3 million payable silver ounces and 4,900 payable palladium ounces have been produced but not yet delivered to company. We estimate the normal levels for payable ounces produced but not delivered to equate to approximately two to three months for gold, two months for silver and three months for palladium, with the balances at the end of Q1 being consistent with these levels. Revenue for the first quarter of 2020, amounted to $255 million, representing a 13% increase relative to Q1 2019 primarily due to an 18% increase in the realized selling price on a gold equivalent basis. With this price increase being partially offset by a 4% decrease in gold equivalent sales volumes. Of this revenue, 63% was attributable to gold, 33% was attributable to silver and 4% was attributable to palladium. Driven by this increase in sales prices, gross margin for the first quarter of 2020 increased 41% to $123 million highlighting the leverage our business model provides to increases in precious metal prices. Cash based G&A expenses, amounted to $12 million in the first quarter of 2020 representing a decrease of $4 million from Q1 2019, with the decrease being primarily related to lower accrued costs associated with the performance share units or PSUs. Interest costs for the first quarter of 2020 amounted to $6 million resulting in an effective interest rate and an outstanding debt of 3.03%, as compared to $13 million of interest costs and an effective interest rate at 4.28% incurred in Q1 2019. Net earning amounted to $95 million in the first quarter of 2020, compared to $57 million in Q1 2019. Basic earnings per share increased 62% to $0.21 compared to the $0.13 per share in the prior year. Operating cash flow for the first quarter of 2020 amounted to $178 million or $0.40 per share compared to $118 million or $0.27 per share on the prior year, representing a 48% increase on a per share basis. Based on the company’s dividend policy, the company's Board has declared a dividend of $0.10 a share payable to shareholders of record on May 22, 2020. Under the dividend reinvestment plan, the Board has elected to offer shareholders the option of having their dividends reinvested in newly issued common shares of the company at a 1% discount to market. For 2020, the company currently estimates that non-stock based G&A expenses, which exclude the expenses relating to the value of stock options and PSUs, will amount to approximately $40 million to $43 million. This represents a $2 million to $3 million increase from our previous guidance reflecting the recently announced $5 million community support and response fund designed to address the immediate needs of the communities in which Wheaton operates as well the communities around the mines in which the company has a precious metal interest During the first quarter of 2020, the company repaid $159 million on the revolving facility and received proceeds from exercise of stock option in the amount of $7 million. Overall, net cash increased by $23 million in Q1 2020, resulting in cash and cash equivalents at March 31 of $127 million. This combined with the $716 million outstanding under the $2 billion revolving credit facility, resulted in a net debt position as of March 31 of $589 million. As announced, the company established a $300 million at-the-market or ATM program on April 16, 2020, under which capital can be raised through the modest issuance of common shares, ensuring that the company has [sufficient] [ph] assets that this form of capital should it require itself to execute on its accretive growth strategy. That concludes the financial summary. With that, I turn the call back over to Randy.