Petra Diamonds Regulatory News (PDL)

Petra Diamonds Ltd - Trading Update

PR Newswire

London, July 20

Petra Diamonds Limited("Petra" or the "Company" or the “Group”)

FY 2021 Trading Update

Petra Diamonds Limited is pleased to provide the following unaudited trading update for the year ended 30 June 2021 (the “Year”, the “Period” or “FY 2021”).

FY 2021 Results & Outlook:

FY 2021 Production, Sales and Capex – Summary

FY 2022 Production, Opex and Capex – Guidance

Notes:

Richard Duffy, Chief Executive of Petra Diamonds, commented:

“The Petra team has navigated a difficult FY2021 by delivering credible results whilst addressing numerous challenges around COVID-19 and the completion of our capital restructuring. This makes Cullinan’s record performance, driven by Project 2022, all the more noteworthy. We enter FY 2022 with a considerably strengthened balance sheet and a more supportive diamond market than we have seen for some time.”

Conference Calls

Petra’s Chief Executive, Richard Duffy, and Finance Director, Jacques Breytenbach, will host a conference call at 9:30am and at 4pm BST today to discuss the Trading Update with investors and analysts. Please see below for dial in details.

Trading Update

Health and safety 

The Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) for FY 2021 increased to 0.44 (FY 2020: 0.29). The LTIs during the Period were mostly behavioural in nature and of low severity but are nevertheless concerning. A number of remedial actions have been taken, and various behaviour-based intervention programmes launched, which resulted in an improving trend during the Year. The total number of injuries during FY 2021, which includes LTIs, decreased to 42 (FY 2020: 45). Petra continues to target a zero-harm working environment.

COVID-19 continues to pose a significant risk to the health and safety of the Group’s workforce. Petra has implemented systems and strategies across all its operations aimed at preventing and/or containing the spread of the virus. To date, there have been 589 confirmed cases amongst the Company’s workforce. More information on the Company’s response to the pandemic is available on its website: https://www.petradiamonds.com/sustainability/health-and-safety/our-response-to-covid-19/.

Production and Operations

FY2021 production decreased 10% to 3,240,312 carats (FY 2020: 3,589,176 carats), notwithstanding record annual production from Cullinan, of 1.94Mcts. As previously announced, production at Finsch was impacted by unexpected levels of waste ingress during Q2 FY 2021, with subsequent mitigating measures reducing throughput during the second half of the Year. In addition, production at both Finsch and Koffiefontein was impacted by the high level of rainfall during the third quarter. These factors, combined with the Williamson mine remaining on care and maintenance throughout FY 2021, resulted in the Group’s ROM tonnages for the Year decreasing by 33% to 7.7Mt (FY2020: 11.5Mt).

Diamond market

Positive demand for rough diamonds continued in Q4 FY 2021 driven by strong consumer demand in the key retail markets, notably the US and China, coupled with low inventories and the return of capacity in the midstream in India. Demand was also supported by upstream supply discipline and shortages in some areas.

Demand for rough diamonds is expected to remain robust in the second half of CY2021, with retailers anticipating continued strong consumer demand. The Company continues to closely monitor the impact of COVID-19 on its clients’ ability to attend tenders and will continue its flexible approach in planning its upcoming sales events.

Diamond Sales

FY 2021 revenue increased 38% to US$406.9m (FY 2020: US$295.8m) driven by sales from Exceptional Stones contributing US$60.2m during the Year (FY 2020: US$14.9m); the highest annual contribution to revenues from the sale of Exceptional Stones. On a like for like basis, realised diamond prices in Q4 FY 2021 increased ca. 5.7% from those achieved in Q3 FY 2021.

The Company managed to make use of improving market conditions towards the end of the Period to dispose of low value stock built up in previous periods; this resulted in additional sales of US$3.1m, releasing ca. 141,000 carats, which caused some dilution in average prices achieved in Q4 FY 2021. The table below reflects average prices achieved for normal ROM sales in Q4 FY2021 and FY 2021, and the impact of the low value stock sold in Q4 FY 2021 on the average prices for the respective periods. In addition to the sale of low value stock, the ROM average price for Koffiefontein in Q4 FY2021 was impacted by low volumes and poor product quality.

1 Prices include Exceptional stones

In April 2021 the Company announced the recovery of an exceptional 39.34ct blue stone from the Cullinan mine. The diamond was sold via a special tender post Period end to a partnership between De Beers and Diacore for US$40.2m, or US$1,021,357 per carat. This is the highest price Petra has ever achieved for a single stone.

Project 2022 Update

The implementation of throughput ideas remains the largest contributor to improving operational cash flow, led by Cullinan’s record recovery of 1.94Mcts in FY 2021. Due to reduced throughput at Finsch, Koffiefontein and Williamson, expectations on the annualised contribution from throughput initiatives were reduced to around US$50m in the Company’s previous Trading Update. The Company remains confident that it will achieve the annualised contribution of US$50m, supported by measures taken to curtail the waste ingress at Finsch.

Initiatives undertaken to drive cost efficiencies are expected to contribute an annualised US$20m going into FY 2022 and remains unchanged from previous guidance.

The Project 2022 Organisational Design Review was completed during FY 2021 and will result in updated role descriptions providing for clearer line of site and improved accountability.

Corporate and Financial

Consolidated net debt reduced further to US$241.2m as at 30 June 2021 from US$290.7m at the end of March 2021, and US$693.2m as at 30 June 2020.

Petra Diamonds had unrestricted cash of US$156.9m (30 June 2020: US$67.6m), available undrawn banking facilities of US$7.7m (30 June 2020: US$ nil), diamond debtors of US$38.3m (30 June 2020: US$4.8m) with the June 2021 tender closing at Period-end, and debtors settling shortly thereafter, and diamond inventory valued at US$54.3m as at 30 June 2021 (30 June 2020: US$84.1m). Both Diamond Debtors and Diamond Inventory for FY 2020 were significantly impacted by the inability to host tenders during Q4 FY 2020 following the initial COVID-19 outbreak.

Update on community and remedial programmes at the Williamson Mine

On 12 May 2021, the Company announced that it had reached a settlement, on a no admission of liability basis, in relation to claims brought in London by the UK law firm Leigh Day, on behalf of a number of anonymous claimants. These related to alleged breaches of human rights, associated with third-party security operations, within the Special Mining Licence area of the Williamson Diamond Mine. 

The agreed total settlement figure included significant funds which Petra has committed to invest in restorative projects dedicated to providing long-term sustainable support to the communities living around the mine. In addition, both the Company and Williamson Diamonds Limited have taken a number of actions, which are detailed in the announcement published on 12 May 2021 titled ‘Findings of the independent Board Sub-Committee’. The announcement can be accessed on the Company’s website: 

https://www.petradiamonds.com/our-operations/our-mines/williamson/allegations-of-human-rights-abuses-at-the-williamson-mine/ 

Having already established the Operational Grievance Mechanism for complaints and grievances related to operational impacts, the Company has continued with the process of the design and implementation of a non-judicial, Independent Grievance Mechanism to address allegations of severe human rights impacts. A series of engagements with Government Ministries and Agencies, Civil Society and NGOs were conducted in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam, seeking feedback and support on the proposed design of the Independent Grievance Mechanism. The company has specialist external support from Synergy Global Consulting in the development of this process. Synergy is a specialist international consultancy with over twenty years’ experience working with companies, governments and community-based organisations.

Shortly after Period end, Petra Diamonds Limited paid in excess of £1m into an escrow account to fund the restorative programmes, which will benefit the communities surrounding the mine. Synergy has been formally appointed to manage these funds, and they will work closely with the communities and local NGOs on the formulation and implementation of these programmes.

The programmes are intended to provide long term sustainable benefits to local communities through income generating projects. These include:

During the period from 1 April to the end of June 2021, there were a total of 109 incidents of illegal incursions onto the Williamson mine lease area, resulting in three illegal diggers suffering minor injuries and being provided with treatment at the Mwadui hospital and another local medical facility before being discharged. We believe the contracted security teams and Tanzanian police acted in accordance with the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. There was some damage caused to police and contracted security provider vehicles in 5 of the incidents. A total of 18 arrests were made over this three-month period.

In addition to the local community projects mentioned above, the Company is also continuing its engagement with communities around the mine to highlight the dangers of illegal mining, seeking to reduce illegal incursions onto the Williamson mine lease area.

The Company will continue to monitor the effects of the actions taken to date and is committed to the programmes and initiatives detailed in its 12 May announcement referenced above.

Board

Following completion of the capital restructuring, the appointment of Mr. Matthew Glowasky as a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company became effective; his prospective appointment was initially announced on 22 December 2020.

On 1 July 2021 the Company announced the appointment of Deborah Gudgeon as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Chair-designate of the Audit and Risk Committee. In addition, on 1 July 2021 Alexandra Watson and Johannes Bhatt were both appointed as Non-Independent Non-Executive Directors, having been nominated by Franklin Templeton, and Monarch Master Funding 2 (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l. respectively. The Company welcomes the new Directors to the Board; together they bring a wealth of experience, complementing that of our existing Directors, and their appointments leave the Board well placed to take the Company forward.

~ Ends ~

Conference Calls:

Participants may join the 9:30am BST call by dialling one of the following numbers shortly before the call:

First Call - 9:30am BST

From the UK: 0330 606 1118

From South Africa (toll free): 80 006 4559

From the rest of the world: +44 330 606 1118

Room Number: 501857 

Participant passcode: 9758

A replay of the conference call will be available on the following numbers:

From the UK: 0330 606 1118

From the US (toll free): (877) 890-2416

From South Africa (toll free): 80 006 4559

From the rest of the world: +44 330 606 1118

Playback passcode: 400872 

Second Call – 4:00pm BST

An additional conference call to cater for North American and other international investors will be held at 4:00pm BST today. Participants are advised to listen to the replay of the first conference call in advance of this call.

From the United States (toll free): (877) 890-2416

From the UK: 0330 606 1118

From South Africa (toll free): 80 006 4559

From the rest of the world: +44 330 606 1118

Room Number: 501857 

Participant passcode: 9578

For further information, please contact:

Petra Diamonds, London Telephone: +44 20 7494 8203Marianna Bowes investorrelations@petradiamonds.comDes Kilalea Julia Stone

Notes:

About Petra Diamonds Limited

Petra Diamonds is a leading independent diamond mining group and a consistent supplier of gem quality rough diamonds to the international market. The Company has a diversified portfolio incorporating interests in three underground producing mines in South Africa (Finsch, Cullinan and Koffiefontein) and one open pit mine in Tanzania (Williamson).

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 of ca. 243 million carats, which supports the potential for long-life operations.

Petra strives to conduct all operations according to the highest ethical standards and will only operate 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 US$337m loan notes due in 2026 will be listed on the Global Exchange market of the Irish Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.petradiamonds.com.

APPENDIX – CORPORATE & FINANCIAL AND PRODUCTION, SALES & CAPEX TABLES

Notes:

Group Production, Sales and Capex – Summary

Notes:

Cullinan – South Africa

Notes:

Finsch – South Africa

Note:

Koffiefontein – South Africa

Williamson – Tanzania

Note:

CAPEX RECONCILIATION

Notes: