Banro Announces Q3 2016 Financial and Operating Results

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov 7, 2016) - Banro Corporation ("Banro" or the "Company") (NYSE MKT:BAA)(BAA.TO) today announced its financial and operating results for the third quarter of 2016.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Record revenues in Q3 2016 of $67 million, representing an increase of 75% over Q3 2015 revenues of $39 million. Year-to-date revenues are $174 million, compared to year-to-date revenues in 2015 of $122 million, an increase of 42%.

  • Q3 2016 EBITDA of $24 million, representing an increase in EBITDA of over 20% compared to approximately $19 million in each of Q3 2015 and Q2 2016. This improvement reflects Namoya's success in delivering steady-state production levels throughout the third quarter

  • Q3 2016 consolidated (combined Twangiza and Namoya) gold production of 53,377 ounces, an increase of 53% from Q3 2015, with a consolidated cash cost of $734 per ounce.

  • Namoya achieved record quarterly gold production of 28,190 ounces in Q3 2016 with a cash cost of $740 per ounce, as gold production rose to over 10,000 ounces in September.

  • YTD 2016 consolidated (combined Twangiza and Namoya) gold production of 147,242 ounces with a cash cost of $744 per ounce, combined mine site all-in sustaining cost of $876 per ounce, and total all-in sustaining cost of $963 per ounce, in-line with 2016 guidance.

All dollar amounts in this press release are expressed in thousands of dollars, except per share and per ounce amounts, and, unless otherwise specified, in United States dollars.

"With the third quarter results, we are beginning to see the positive impact of Namoya's steady state performance levels on lower consolidated cash costs and the Company's improving financial results," said Banro President and CEO John Clarke. "We look forward to both Twangiza and Namoya delivering strong contributions on an on-going basis to support Banro's future growth and success."

(I) FINANCIAL

Effective January 1, 2016, commercial production was declared at Namoya. As such, the financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, reflect the activity of both Twangiza and Namoya while the financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, reflect the activity of only Twangiza. The table below provides a summary of financial and operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 as well as the three months ended June 30, 2016:

Q3 2016

Q3 2015

Change %

Q2 2016

YTD 2016

YTD 2015

Change %

Selected Financial Data

Operating revenues

67,465

38,504

75%

59,649

173,654

122,104

42%

Total mine operating expenses1

(56,085)

(23,084)

143%

(52,042)

(152,535)

(75,433)

102%

Gross earnings from operations

11,380

15,420

(26%)

7,607

21,119

46,671

(55%)

Net loss

(4,658)

(12,211)

(62%)

(13,486)

(41,278)

(54,097)

(24%)

EBITDA

23,871

19,400

23%

18,571

52,434

56,346

(7%)

Basic net (loss)/earnings per share ($/share)

(0.02)

(0.05)

(60%)

(0.04)

(0.14)

(0.21)

(33%)

Key Operating Statistics

Average gold price received ($/oz)

1,266

1,117

13%

1,201

1,198

1,173

2%

Gold sales (oz)

53,284

34,467

55%

49,681

144,932

104,088

39%

Gold production (oz)

53,377

34,824

53%

49,673

147,242

105,092

40%

All-in sustaining cost per ounce ($/oz)

869

608

43%

901

876

631

39%

Cash cost per ounce ($/oz)

734

501

47%

735

744

539

38%

Gold margin ($/oz)

532

616

(14%)

466

454

634

(28%)

Financial Position

Cash including restricted cash

19,566

3,895

24,408

19,566

3,895

Gold bullion inventory at market value2

7,169

3,487

7,645

7,169

3,487

Total assets

898,754

869,806

899,191

898,754

869,806

Long term debt - current and non-current

204,543

166,859

192,464

204,543

166,859

(1) Includes depletion and depreciation.

(2) This represents 5,421 ounces of gold bullion inventory shown at September 30, 2016 closing market price of $1,323 per ounce of gold.

  • Operating revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 were $67,465 and $173,654, respectively, 75% and 42% higher compared to the corresponding prior year periods of $38,504 and $122,104, respectively. During the third quarter of 2016, ounces of gold sold increased by 55% to 53,284 ounces compared to sales of 34,467 ounces during the third quarter of 2015 due to the contribution of sales from Namoya partially offset by lower production at Twangiza. The average gold price per ounce sold during the third quarter of 2016 was $1,266 compared to an average price of $1,117 per ounce obtained during the third quarter of 2015. The average realized price for the third quarter of 2016 was lower than the average spot market price due to lower implied prices for stream revenues recognized.

  • Mine operating expenses, including depletion and depreciation, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 were $56,085 and $152,535, respectively, compared to the corresponding prior year periods of $23,084 and $75,433, respectively. The increase is a result of the operating expenses attributable to Namoya which were treated as capitalized development costs throughout 2015. With the contribution of two operating mines, the increase in mine operating expenses attributable to depletion and depreciation was $11,156 and $25,405 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively.

  • Gross earnings from operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 were $11,380 and $21,119, respectively, compared to $15,420 and $46,671, for the corresponding periods of 2015. The 75% and 42% increases in revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, were offset by 143% and 102% increases in mine operating expenses, respectively, as a result of the contribution from two mines.

  • Consolidated EBITDA for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $52,434 compared to $56,346 for the corresponding period of 2015, reflecting the lower production levels at Twangiza partially offset by the contribution from Namoya. Consolidated EBITDA for the three months ended September 30, 2016 was $23,871, the strongest quarter year-to-date 2016, representing a 29% increase over the second quarter of 2016 and a 139% increase compared to the first quarter of 2016 as a result of the increased contribution from Namoya delivering steady-state production levels.

  • Net loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 of $4,658 and $41,278, respectively, were driven by the combination of non-cash items totaling approximately $1,100 and $16,400, respectively, relating primarily to fair value losses on mark-to-market derivative liabilities such as the gold forward sale agreements and preferred shares, driven by improvements in the gold price environment, and warrants driven by the increase in the share price of the Company, that were outside the normal course of operating activities in the quarter.

  • Cash costs per ounce on a sales basis for the three months ended September 30, 2016 were $734 per ounce of gold, a 47% increase from $501 per ounce of gold for the corresponding period of 2015. Cash costs for the third quarter of 2016 were higher than the corresponding prior year period mainly due to the strong performance from Twangiza during 2015 when production levels exceeded expectations resulting in significant benefits in unit costs and Namoya being under development in 2015. With Namoya delivering steady state results, cash costs per ounce on a sales basis for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 were $744 per ounce of gold, in line with guidance of $700 to $800 per ounce of gold, representing a 38% increase from $539 per ounce of gold for the corresponding period of 2015.

  • Mine site all-in sustaining costs for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 were $876 per ounce (compared to $631 per ounce of gold for the nine months ended September 30, 2015) driven by higher cash costs and higher levels of sustaining capital expenditures per ounce. Mine site all-in sustaining costs for the third quarter of 2016 were $869 per ounce of gold (compared to $608 per ounce of gold in the third quarter of 2015) driven by higher cash costs and higher levels of sustaining capital expenditures per ounce.