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Anglo Pacific Group PLC Announces Q4 21 Trading Update

$38.1m portfolio contribution in final quarter, a new record

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / January 27, 2022 / Anglo Pacific Group PLC ("Anglo Pacific", the "Company" or the "Group") (LSE:APF)(TSX:APY), issues the following trading update for the period 1 October 2021 to 27 January 2022, which includes certain information for the year ended 31 December 2021. The Company expects to release its full year results on 30 March 2022. Unless otherwise stated, all unaudited financial information is for the quarter or year ended 31 December 2021.

Buoyed by continued strength in coking coal and cobalt prices, both trading at recent historical highs, the Company's portfolio generated $38.1m in the fourth quarter alone, bringing the total contribution for the year to $85.6m. This represents both a record individual quarter and a record year for the Group and will result in a significant acceleration of the Group's deleveraging and provides enhanced financing flexibility for further acquisitions.

Importantly, both coking coal and cobalt prices have remained at recent record levels thus far in 2022 and so the outlook for short-term earnings looks encouraging. The royalty model provides exposure to this commodity price upside while offering greater protection against operating cost increases and capex over-runs being seen across the mining sector as a result of the current inflationary pressures.

Portfolio contribution - Unaudited*

Q4 2021

Q3 2021

2021

2020

$m

QoQ%

$m

$m

YoY%

$m

Kestrel

26.00

122%

11.70

48.06

107%

23.25

Voisey's Bay

6.59

(3%)

6.81

16.52

-

Narrabri

1.74

234%

0.52

3.45

(12%)

3.91

Mantos Blancos

1.35

(14%)

1.57

5.67

55%

3.66

Maracás Menchen

0.87

(3%)

0.90

3.20

357%

0.70

Four Mile

0.06

(40%)

0.10

0.27

(53%)

0.58

Royalty and stream income

36.61

69%

21.60

77.17

140%

32.10

Dividends - LIORC & Flowstream

0.94

(48%)

1.80

5.61

(39%)

9.23

Interest - McClean Lake

0.60

(2%)

0.61

2.43

7%

2.28

Royalty and stream related revenue

38.15

59%

24.01

85.21

95%

43.61

EVBC**

0.78

5%

0.74

3.11

5%

2.97

Principal repayment - McClean Lake

0.75

47%

0.51

1.26

42%

0.89

Less:

Metal streams cost of sales

(1.60)

(3%)

(1.65)

(4.01)

-

Total portfolio contribution

38.08

61%

23.61

85.57

80%

47.47

* The portfolio contribution above is unaudited and based on narrow midpoint range, therefore, the actual number reported in the forthcoming annual report may be slightly higher or lower.

** Following the application of IFRS 9, the royalties received from EVBC are reflected in the fair value movement of the underlying royalty rather than recorded as royalty income.

Highlights:

  • $38.1m of portfolio contribution in Q4 21, a second consecutive quarterly record - 61% more than the previous record of $23.6m in Q3 21 and more than double the $15.0m in Q4 20

  • Total portfolio contribution for FY 21 increased to around $85.6m, an 80% uplift on FY 20

  • Cobalt prices currently 70% higher than at the time of the Voisey's Bay acquisition

  • Sales volumes at Kestrel were down ~6% in Q4 21, which should benefit revenue in H1 22 at higher prices as these deferred volumes are recovered

  • Voisey's Bay generated a net contribution of $12.5m during nine months of post-acquisition ownership, with a further $1.6m generated from two lots shipped in December 2021 and delivered in January 2022

  • Cobalt prices in H2 21 trigger, subject to threshold production volumes being achieved, contingent consideration of up to $1.5m being payable at 31 December 2021, the payment of which is self-funded through the higher stream income

  • Current coking coal and cobalt prices of $400/t and $34/lb respectively, are higher than the prices achieved during the record Q4 21

  • Leverage ratio expected to decrease significantly, comfortably under 1.5x at 31 December 2021

  • The Nomination Committee and Board are in the advanced stages of finalising the CEO succession, with an announcement expected to be made shortly