Banro Announces Record Q1 2015 Production and Revenue Results

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 13, 2015) - Banro Corporation ("Banro" or the "Company") (NYSE MKT:BAA)(BAA.TO) today announced its financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2015.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Record Q1 2015 revenue of $41 million, a 35% increase over Q1 2014 ($30 million); 39% increase in gold ounces sold

  • Gross earnings from operations of $17 million, a 177% increase over Q1 2014 ($6 million)

  • EBITDA of $19 million vs Q1 2014 of $7 million for a 176% improvement

  • $90 million financing closings in February and April 2015 allow for extinguishment of backstop facility in April 2015

OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Production increase by 22% to 35,943 ounces of gold in Q1 2015 compared to 29,445 ounces in Q4 2014 and an increase of 78% compared to 20,137 ounces in Q1 2014

  • Q1 2015 cash costs per ounce at Twangiza decreased 11% to $527 per ounce from $592 per ounce in Q4 2014, as continued production achievements build on consistent financial performance

  • AISC of $581 per ounce for Q1 2015

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

  • Namoya's commissioned agglomeration drum contributes to improvements in stacked material

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

''With the completion of Q1 2015, the Twangiza mine has achieved three quarters of consistent and improving gold production. Twangiza's improving production profile indicates that Twangiza is maturing into a stable low-cost mine. We are also very pleased with the progress at Namoya, where the commissioning of the agglomeration drum has led to improvements in the quality of stacked material, which in turn is supporting the ramp-up towards commercial operations," commented Banro CEO and President John Clarke.

The table below provides the summary of financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2015 and 2014 as well as the fourth quarter of 2014.

(I) FINANCIAL

Q1 2015

Q1 2014

Q4 2014

Selected Financial Data

Revenues

41,003

30,439

35,178

Total mine operating expenses(1)

(24,281

)

(24,398

)

(24,782

)

Gross earnings from operations

16,722

6,041

10,396

Net income/(loss)

6,780

(704

)

272

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

0.03

(0.00

)

0.00

Key Operating Statistics

Average gold price received ($/oz)

1,208

1,246

1,202

Gold sales (oz)

33,956

24,427

29,264

Gold production (oz)

35,943

20,137

29,445

All-in sustaining cost per ounce ($/oz)(2)

581

865

689

Cash cost per ounce ($/oz)(2)

527

819

592

Gold margin ($/oz)(3)

681

427

610

Financial Position

Cash and cash equivalents

3,024

17,433

1,002

Gold bullion inventory at market value(3)

4,922

1,231

2,834

Total assets

903,489

852,574

887,482

Long term debt

204,055

159,713

200,921

(1)

Includes depletion and depreciation.

(2)

All-in sustaining cost per ounce, cash cost per ounce and gold margin are non-IFRS measures. Refer to the non-IFRS measures section of this press release for additional information.

(3)

This represents 4,147 ounces of gold bullion inventory, with a total cost of $770 per ounce, shown at the March 31, 2015 closing market price of $1,187 per ounce of gold.

  • Revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2015 were $41,003, a 35% increase compared to the prior year's quarter of $30,439. During the first quarter of 2015, ounces of gold sold increased by 39% to 33,956 ounces compared to sales of 24,427 ounces during the first quarter of 2014. The average gold price per ounce sold in the period was $1,208 compared to an average price of $1,246 per ounce obtained during the corresponding prior year period.

  • Mine operating expenses, including depletion and depreciation, for the three months ended March 31, 2015 were $24,281 compared to the prior year of $24,398. The decrease in costs was due to increased milling throughput of 70%, for a total of 428,844 tonnes, representing an annualized rate of 101% of the 1.7 million tonnes per annum ("Mtpa") design capacity. Improved mining and processing productivity resulted in significant year over year unit cost reductions as gross spending was contained.

  • Gross earnings from operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 was $16,722 compared to $6,041 in 2014. The 35% higher gold sales with a corresponding 0.5% decrease in mine operating expenses translated into improving gross margins to 41%. The gross earnings increase was partially offset by the decrease in revenue per ounce, resulting in a gold margin per ounce increase from $427 per ounce in Q1 2014 to $681 per ounce in Q1 2015.

  • Cash costs per ounce on a sales basis for the first quarter of 2015 were $527 per ounce of gold (compared to $819 per ounce of gold for Q1 2014). Cash costs for first quarter of 2015 were lower than the prior year quarter as a result of increased mine and plant productivity as Twangiza achieved steady state production levels and normalized production costs in line with life of mine expectations. Refer to the non-International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") measures section of this press release for additional information.

  • All-in sustaining costs declined in the current quarter to $581 per ounce (compared to $865 per ounce of gold in Q1 2014) driven by lower cash costs in the period.

  • In February 2015, the Company signed definitive agreements for financing transactions of $90 million and closed the first tranche of $20 million (refer to corporate development below). The $70 million remainder of the financing transactions were closed in April 2015 (refer to subsequent events below). With the completion of these transactions in April 2015, the Company has extinguished certain debt instruments and improved its financial leverage.