Agnico Eagle Reports First Quarter 2024 Results – Strong Quarterly Gold Production and Cost Performance Drive Record Quarterly Free Cash Flow; 2023 Sustainability Report Released
Press Release
TORONTO,April 25, 2024- Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) (TSX:AEM) (“Agnico Eagle” or the “Company”) today reported financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2024.
“Building on a very strong close to 2023, we are reporting our second consecutive quarter of record operating margins and record free cash flow, on the back of solid operational and cost performance. With this strong start to the year, we are well positioned to achieve our production and cost guidance for 2024,” said Ammar Al-Joundi, Agnico Eagle’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “During the quarter, we continued to advance our key value drivers and project pipeline, and our exploration program yielded significant results at Hope Bay, Canadian Malartic and Detour Lake. We strengthened our balance sheet in the quarter and our focus remains on capital discipline and cost control, while investing in our projects pipeline and providing returns to shareholders,” added Mr. Al-Joundi.
First quarter 2024 highlights:
- Strong quarterly gold production – Payable gold production1 in the first quarter of 2024 was 878,652 ounces at production costs per ounce of $892, total cash costs per ounce2 of $901 and all-in sustaining costs (“AISC”) per ounce3 of $1,190. Gold production in the first quarter of 2024 was led by record quarterly production at Canadian Malartic and strong production from Macassa and the Company’s Nunavut operations
- Record quarterly cash provided by operating activities and free cash flow – The Company reported quarterly net income of $347.2 million or $0.70 per share and adjusted net income4 of $377.5 million or $0.76 per share for the first quarter of 2024. Cash provided by operating activities was $1.57 per share ($1.56 per share before changes in non-cash working capital balances5) and free cash flow5 was $0.79 per share ($0.78 per share before changes in non-cash working capital balances5)
- Strengthening investment grade balance sheet – In the first quarter of 2024, the Company increased its cash position by $186 million and reduced net debt. In addition, in March 2024, Moody’s upgraded the Company’s long-term issuer rating to Baa1 from Baa2
- 2024 gold production, cost and capital expenditure guidance reiterated – Expected payable gold production remains unchanged at approximately 3.35 to 3.55 million ounces in 2024, with total cash costs per ounce and AISC per ounce in 2024 unchanged at $875 to $925 and $1,200 to $1,250, respectively. Total capital expenditures (excluding capitalized exploration) for 2024 are still estimated to be between $1.6 billion to $1.7 billion
- Update on key value drivers and pipeline projects
- Construction of Odyssey mine at the Canadian Malartic complex progressing well – In the first quarter of 2024, ramp development continued to exceed target, reaching the first production level of East Gouldie in February 2024 and a depth of 765 metres as at March 31, 2024. Shaft sinking improved during the quarter, with an average sinking rate of 2.4 metres per day (including pre-sinking). The temporary loading pocket, previously planned at level 102, will now be built at Level 64, which is expected to provide hoisting capacity by mid-2025, six months earlier than previously planned and will provide added development and production flexibility. Surface construction is progressing as planned, with a focus on the main hoist building, phase two of the paste plant and the operational complex
- Positive exploration results at Odyssey mine – Exploration drilling continues to return positive results to the east of the East Gouldie mineral resources, including 4.5 g/t gold over 30.0 metres at 1,162 metres depth and 1,060 metres east of current mineral reserves; and 3.1 g/t gold over 32.8 metres at 1,556 metres depth and 420 metres east of the lower portion of the East Gouldie mineral reserves
- Detour Lake – The mill delivered a solid performance with a throughput rate of 71,451 tonnes per day (“tpd”), which was the highest for a first quarter period, demonstrating continued mill improvement year-over-year. The Company continues to evaluate underground mining scenarios at Detour Lake and expects to provide an update on the project, mill optimization efforts and ongoing exploration results in the second quarter of 2024. Exploration during the first quarter included infill drilling in the shallow portion of the West Pit Extension, with highlight intercepts of 3.9 g/t gold over 25.4 metres at 369 metres depth and 5.4 g/t gold over 16.6 metres at 307 metres depth, both at underground depths near the proposed exploration ramp
- Hope Bay – Exploration drilling during the first quarter totalled 30,600 metres and returned strong results in the Patch 7 area of the Madrid deposit, including 20.8 g/t gold over 17.7 metres at 461 metres depth and 14.1 g/t gold over 16.4 metres at 480 metres depth in a cluster of high-grade intersections approximately 200 metres north of Patch 7 mineral resources
- 2023 Sustainability Report published – The Company continues to demonstrate its commitment to ESG performance. In 2023, the Company recorded its best safety performance in its 66-year history and maintained or improved performance across other key ESG indicators, including efficient management of water resources and increased local employment. In addition, efforts continued in 2023 to maintain a climate resilient business and meet our interim reduction target of 30% of absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030
- Continued focus on shareholder returns – In the first quarter of 2024, a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share has been declared and the Company repurchased 375,000 common shares for $19.9 million through its normal course issuer bid (“NCIB”)
1
Payable production of a mineral means the quantity of a mineral produced during a period contained in products that have been or will be sold by the Company whether such products are shipped during the period or held as inventory at the end of the period.
2
Total cash costs per ounce is a non-GAAP ratio that is not a standardized financial measure under IFRS and in this news release, unless otherwise specified, is reported on (i) a per ounce of gold production basis, and (ii) a by-product basis. For a description of the composition and usefulness of this non-GAAP measure and a reconciliation of total cash costs to production costs on both a by-product and a co-product basis, see “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” and “Note Regarding Certain Measures of Performance”, respectively, below.
3
AISC per ounce is a non-GAAP ratio that is not a standardized financial measure under the IFRS and in this news release, unless otherwise specified, is reported on (i) a per ounce of gold production basis, and (ii) a by-product basis. For a description of the composition and usefulness of this non-GAAP measure and a reconciliation to production costs and for all-in sustaining costs on both a by-product and co-product basis, see “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” and “Note Regarding Certain Measures of Performance”, respectively, below.
4
Adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share are non-GAAP measures or ratios that are not standardized financial measures under IFRS. For a description of the composition and usefulness of these non-GAAP measures and a reconciliation to net income see “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” and “Note Regarding Certain Measures of Performance”, respectively, below.
5
Cash provided by operating activities before changes in non-cash working capital balances, free cash flow and free cash flow before changes in non-cash working capital balances are non-GAAP measures or ratios that are not standardized financial measures under IFRS. For a description of the composition and usefulness of these non-GAAP measures and a reconciliation to cash provided by operating activities see “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures” and “Note Regarding Certain Measures of Performance”, respectively, below.
First Quarter 2024 Results Conference Call and Webcast Tomorrow
Agnico Eagle’s senior management will host a conference call on Friday, April 26, 2024 at 8:30 AM (E.D.T.) to discuss the Company’s financial and operating results.
Via Webcast:
A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s website www.agnicoeagle.com.
Via URL Entry:
To join the conference call without operator assistance, you may register and enter your phone number at https://emportal.ink/3Rvps04 to receive an instant automated call back. You can also dial direct to be entered to the call by an Operator (see “Via Telephone” details below).
Via Telephone:
For those preferring to listen by telephone, please dial 416.764.8659 or toll-free 1.888.664.6392. To ensure your participation, please call approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call.
Replay Archive:
Please dial 416.764.8677 or toll-free 1.888.390.0541, access code 505445#. The conference call replay will expire on May 26, 2024.
The webcast, along with presentation slides, will be archived for 180 days on the Company’s website.
Annual Meeting
The Company will host its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders (the “AGM”) on Friday, April 26, 2024 at 11:00 AM (E.D.T). During the AGM, management will provide an overview of the Company’s activities.
The AGM will be held in person at the Arcadian Court, 401 Bay Street, Simpson Tower, 8th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2Y4 and online at: https://meetnow.global/MFJPVMP.
For details explaining how to attend, communicate and vote virtually at the AGM please see the Company’s Management Information Circular dated March 22, 2024, filed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Shareholders who have questions about voting their shares or attending the AGM may contact Investor Relations by phone at 416.947.1212, by toll-free phone at 1.888.822.6714 or by email at investor.relations@agnicoeagle.com or may contact the Company’s strategic shareholder advisor and proxy solicitation agent, Laurel Hill Advisory Group, by phone at 1.877.452.7184 (toll free in North America), at 1.416.304.0211 (for collect calls outside of North America) or by e-mail at assistance@laurelhill.com.
First Quarter 2024 Production and Costs
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Production and Cost Results Summary* |
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Three Months Ended |
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2024 |
2023 |
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Gold production (ounces) |
878,652 |
812,813 |
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Gold sales (ounces) |
879,063 |
787,558 |
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Production costs per ounce |
$ 892 |
$ 804 |
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Total cash costs per ounce |
$ 901 |
$ 832 |
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AISC per ounce |
$ 1,190 |
$ 1,125 |
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* Reflects Agnico Eagle’s 50% interest in the Canadian Malartic complex up to and including March 30, 2023 and 100% interest thereafter. |
Gold Production
Gold production increased in the first quarter of 2024 when compared to the prior-year period primarily due to additional production from the acquisition of the remaining 50% of the Canadian Malartic complex following the closing of the acquisition of the Canadian assets of Yamana Gold Inc. (the “Yamana Transaction”) and higher production from the Meadowbank complex, partially offset by lower production at the Fosterville mine.
IBF4
