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Improved resilience through capital deferrals

1 Nov 2023 07:00

RNS Number : 9491R
Petra Diamonds Limited
01 November 2023
 

01 November 2023

LSE: PDL

 

Petra Diamonds Limited

("Petra" or "the Company")

 

Improved resilience through capital deferrals and reduction in operating and group expenditure

 

Petra announces steps taken to provide further financial flexibility should prevailing market conditions continue if diamond prices remain weaker-for-longer.

 

Richard Duffy, Chief Executive Officer of Petra, commented:

 

"Actions announced today in response to the diamond market weakness are aimed at ensuring Petra remains resilient and able to withstand weaker-for-longer market conditions. While diamond inventories remain elevated in both rough and polished goods, we are confident that the discipline shown by diamond producers as well as the Indian diamond import moratorium to mid-December will lead to a recovery in pricing once demand strength returns. Through adapting our cost base and deferring two of our capital projects, we are targeting cash savings of up to US$75m by June 2024 whilst minimising the impact of these deferrals and aiming to deliver increased production into a stronger pricing environment. We will continue to maintain our flexibility to respond to market conditions safely and responsibly, through our enhanced operating model and flexible sales approach."

 

Petra believes the steps recently introduced by the diamond industry will curb declining diamond prices through rebalancing inventory levels across the pipeline. Notwithstanding this, the Company is taking immediate and prudent steps to provide further financial flexibility and preserve the Company's short to medium term liquidity as well as increase its headroom and flexibility until such time as the market has sufficiently stabilised. Through these actions, the Company expects to be able to continue to meet all its obligations should a weaker-for-longer diamond market scenario persist.

 

Amendments to capital spend

Certain amendments and deferrals to capital programmes have been approved for immediate implementation which are expected to reduce Petra's extension capex for FY 2024 by up to US$65 million. These include:

· At Cullinan Mine:

The deferral of the C-Cut extension project until the end of June 2024.

The partial deferral of the CC1E project until the end of June 2024, with approximately half of the development crews continuing to develop the 813 and 833 Levels of the Sub-Level Cave (SLC) to ensure higher-grade ore is brought into production from the end of June 2024 onwards.

· At Finsch:

The deferral of the 3-Level SLC extension project until the end of June 2024.

The 78-Level Phase II project will continue as planned to bring these production areas online during FY 2024 to supplement production from the existing SLC which is nearing its end of life.

· The deferral of US$3-5 million of sustaining capex against the FY 2024 guidance.

· Delaying delivery of equipment on order given the pause in execution of the development programmes outlined above.

· The deferral of feasibility studies related to future capital investment opportunities and trade-off studies at all operations.

 

During this period of reduced development activity, the Company will assess further value-engineering opportunities for its capital development programmes aimed at improving efficiencies and/or lowering overall costs, whilst undertaking re-planning work that looks to minimise the impact of these deferrals on the Company and its growth profile. Although the deferred programmes are currently expected to restart from July 2024, the Company retains the flexibility to restart the deferred programmes earlier should market conditions improve.

 

Reduction in operating and Group expenditure

Further to the capital deferrals outlined above, the Company has identified operating and group cost savings of US$7-10 million against the FY 2024 guidance.

 

 

Increasing headroom and flexibility

As previously announced, Management is in discussions with Absa Bank to increase the Company's existing ZAR1 billion Revolving Credit Facility by up to ZAR750 million (c. US$40 million) to provide additional operational and sales flexibility in the event of protracted market weakness. An in-principle decision is expected during November 2023.

 

Guidance

Production guidance for FY 2024 is maintained, although is now expected to be towards the lower end of the guidance range of 2.9 to 3.2 Mcts. The impact of the project deferrals on production and capex guidance for FY 2025 and FY 2026 will be provided on a mine-by-mine basis once the value-engineering and re-planning work has been completed. We expect there will be a reduction in current production guidance for these two years at a reduced cost base. We expect to communicate this, together with our Interim Results announcement, in February 2024 and will provide further information on the potential of Petra's assets at the Company's Capital Markets Day, now anticipated in Q4 FY 2024.

This announcement includes inside information as defined in Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation No. 596/2014 and is being released on behalf of Petra by the Company Secretary.

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Investor Relations, London Telephone: +44 20 7494 8203

Patrick Pittaway investorrelations@petradiamonds.com

Julia Stone

Kelsey Traynor

Financial PR (Camarco)

Gordon Poole Telephone: +44 20 3757 4980

Owen Roberts petradiamonds@camarco.co.uk

Elfie Kent

 

 

About Petra Diamonds Limited

Petra Diamonds is a leading independent diamond mining group and a supplier of gem quality rough diamonds to the international market. The Company's portfolio incorporates interests in three underground mines in South Africa (Finsch and Cullinan Mine) and one open pit mine in Tanzania (Williamson). The Koffiefontein mine is currently on care and maintenance in preparation for closure.

 

Petra's strategy is to focus on value rather than volume production by optimising recoveries from its high-quality asset base in order to maximise their efficiency and profitability. The Group has a significant resource base which supports the potential for long-life operations.

 

Petra strives to conduct all operations according to the highest ethical standards and only operates in countries which are members of the Kimberley Process. The Company aims to generate tangible value for each of its stakeholders, thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of its host countries and supporting long-term sustainable operations to the benefit of its employees, partners and communities.

 

Petra is quoted with a premium listing on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker 'PDL'. The Company's loan notes due in 2026 are listed on the Irish Stock Exchange and admitted to trading on the Global Exchange Market. For more information, visit www.petradiamonds.com.

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MSCFDMEFFEDSEIS
Date   Source Headline
29th Nov 202411:55 amPRNHolding(s) in Company
29th Nov 202411:55 amPRNHolding(s) in Company
13th Nov 202410:33 amPRNResults of AGM
11th Nov 20247:00 amPRNDirectorate Changes
22nd Oct 20247:00 amPRNQ1 FY 2025 operating update and final sales results for Tenders 1 and 2 FY 2025
15th Oct 20247:00 amPRNNotification of Q1 FY2025 operating update and final sales results for Tenders 1 and 2 FY 2025
14th Oct 20247:00 amPRNPublication of Revised Notice of Annual General Meeting
7th Oct 20247:00 amPRNStrategy/Company/Operations Update
3rd Oct 20247:00 amPRNDirector/PDMR Shareholding
27th Sep 20244:33 pmPRNDirector/PDMR Shareholding
27th Sep 20244:30 pmPRNTR-1: Standard form for notification of major holdings
27th Sep 20247:01 amPRNDirector Share Vesting
27th Sep 20247:00 amPRNDirector Share Awards
24th Sep 20247:01 amPRNAudited Full Year 2024 results
24th Sep 20247:00 amPRNPublication of 2024 Annual Report and 2024 Sustainability Report and Notice of Annual General Meeting
17th Sep 20247:00 amPRNNotice of FY 2024 results (audited)
8th Aug 20247:49 amPRNDirector/PDMR Shareholding
6th Aug 20247:00 amPRNPostponement of Tender 1 FY25
16th Jul 20247:00 amPRNQ4 and FY 2024 Operating Update
9th Jul 20247:00 amPRNNotification of Q4 and FY 2024 Operating Update
4th Jul 20247:00 amPRNSales results for Tender 7 FY 2024
27th Jun 20247:00 amPRNCompany update and appointment of Chief Financial Officer
12th Jun 20247:00 amPRNNotification of Investor Day 2024
10th Jun 20247:00 amPRNConclusion of wage agreement with the NUM in South Africa
23rd May 20247:00 amPRNEntry into long-term Power Purchase Agreements for renewable energy procurement
20th May 20241:48 pmPRNDirector/PDMR Shareholding
17th May 20247:00 amPRNSales results for Tender 6 FY 2024
16th Apr 20247:00 amPRNQ3 FY 2024 Operating Update and Final Sales Results for Tender 5 FY 2024
9th Apr 20247:00 amPRNNotification of Q3 FY 2024 Operating Update
8th Apr 20247:00 amPRNCost savings target increased to more than US$30m per annum and entry into definitive transaction agreement for the sale of Koffiefontein.
8th Mar 20247:23 amPRNDirectorate Change
20th Feb 20247:00 amRNSH1 FY 2024 Interim Results
16th Feb 20247:00 amRNSFinal sales results for Tender 4 FY 2024
13th Feb 20247:00 amRNSNotification of H1 FY 2024 Interim Results
18th Jan 20247:00 amRNSDirector Share Awards
16th Jan 20247:00 amRNSH1 FY 2024 Operating Update
10th Jan 20247:00 amRNSNotification of H1 FY 2024 Operating Update
21st Dec 202310:40 amRNSDirectorate Change
20th Dec 20237:00 amRNSBoard Changes
14th Dec 20237:00 amRNSFinal sales results for Tender 3 FY 2024
13th Dec 202310:47 amRNSPotential Sale of Koffiefontein
8th Dec 20231:00 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
8th Dec 202311:23 amRNSListing Rule 9.6.14 (R) Disclosure
8th Dec 20237:00 amRNSApproval of increase in Revolving Credit Facility
8th Dec 20237:00 amRNSInitial sales results for Tender 3 FY 2024
6th Dec 202312:25 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
14th Nov 202311:06 amRNSResult of AGM
13th Nov 20232:45 pmRNSDirectorate Change
8th Nov 20234:03 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
1st Nov 20237:00 amRNSImproved resilience through capital deferrals

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