Eldorado Gold Reports Q2 2019 Financial and Operational Results

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 01, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eldorado Gold Corporation (“Eldorado” or “the Company”) today reports the Company’s financial and operational results for the second quarter of 2019.

• Steady Q2 gold production and reiterating 2019 annual guidance: Gold production for the quarter totalled 91,803 ounces with 174,780 ounces produced year-to-date. Gold production included 33,140 ounces from Lamaque in its first quarter of commercial operations, of which 5,057 ounces were produced from stockpiles mined during the pre-commercial production period.
  
  
• Higher sales volumes in the quarter resulted in revenue of $173.7 million: Total gold sales for the second quarter were 113,685 ounces with 156,759 ounces sold year-to-date. Second quarter sales do not include sales of the remaining 11,705 ounces that were mined at Lamaque during the pre-commercial production period. Net proceeds of $7.6 million were realized in the quarter from these pre-commercial production sales.
   
• Net earnings per share: Net earnings to shareholders in the quarter totalled $12.2 million, or $0.08 per share. Adjusted net loss was $1.2 million, or $0.01 loss per share, after removing, among other things, the impact of one-time asset sales.
   
• EBITDA: Higher sales volumes in the quarter resulted in earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") of $74.5 million. Adjusted EBITDA of $66.8 million excludes the impact of one-time asset sales but includes net proceeds from pre-commercial production at Lamaque.
   
• Refinancing completed: The Company completed its offering of $300 million aggregate principal amount of 9.5% senior second lien notes due 2024 (the "Notes") and its $450 million amended and restated senior secured credit facility (the "Facility"). Eldorado used the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes and $200 million in term loan proceeds drawn under the Facility, together with $100 million cash on hand, to redeem its outstanding $600 million 6.125% senior notes due December 2020.
   
• Liquidity remains solid: The Company finished the quarter with approximately $300 million of available cash including $119.9 million in cash, cash equivalents and term deposits and approximately $179 million available under its $250 million line of credit, with $71 million of capacity on the line of credit allocated to secure certain obligations in connection with its operations.
   
• All-in sustaining costs lower due to increased sales volumes: All-in sustaining costs were $917 per ounce of gold sold in the quarter compared to $934 per ounce sold during the second quarter of 2018.
   
• Divestiture of non-core assets: The Company completed a sale of a net smelter royalty interest held on a property in Turkey for consideration of $8.1 million, of which $5.0 million will be settled through the transfer of an exploration license and the balance to be paid in cash. Subsequent to the quarter, the Company also executed a share purchase agreement for the sale of its Vila Nova iron ore mine for consideration of $9 million in cash, subject to the purchaser securing financing and other standard closing conditions.
  

Eldorado's President and CEO, George Burns, stated: "It was a steady operational quarter with production and costs on plan. Two key milestones were achieved. We completed the debt refinancing, which de-risked our balance sheet, and we had a fantastic first quarter of commercial production at Lamaque. We are encouraged by our initial discussions with the Greek government. Realizing the potential of Eldorado’s investments in Greece offers significant value for our investors, local communities and the Greek economy. We look forward to a strong second half of the year and are on track to meet our consolidated annual guidance of 390,000-420,000 ounces of gold at all-in sustaining costs of $900-1000 per ounce of gold sold."

Consolidated Financial and Operational Highlights

Gold sales of 113,685 ounces increased from 94,224 ounces in the second quarter of 2018 primarily due to the sale of 48,821 ounces from Efemcukuru, where concentrate shipments had been delayed in Q1 2019, and the sale of 24,330 ounces from Lamaque in its first quarter of commercial operations. These increases were partially offset by decreased sales from Kisladag of 26,072 ounces owing to lower production due to the suspension of mining and stacking of ore on the leach pad from April 2018 through March 2019.

Total revenues increased to $173.7 million from $153.2 million in the second quarter of 2018 as a result of higher sales volumes and a higher average realized gold price of $1,321 per ounce in the second quarter of 2019 compared to $1,287 per ounce in the second quarter of 2018.

An increase in average operating cash cost per ounce sold to $631 from $587 in the second quarter of 2018 reflected  lower production levels at Olympias combined with higher selling costs for Efemcukuru concentrate. Mine standby costs of $3.5 million decreased from $4.3 million in the second quarter of 2018 due to the resumption of mining, crushing and stacking activities at Kisladag in April 2019.

Net earnings attributable to shareholders of $12.2 million ($0.08 per share) improved from a net loss attributable to shareholders in the second quarter of 2018 of $24.4 million ($0.15 loss per share). The increase was primarily a result of higher sales volumes and lower income tax expense in the second quarter, partially offset by an increase in finance costs reflecting interest no longer being capitalized following the commencement of commercial operations at Lamaque. Net earnings also included an $11.7 million impairment reversal relating to Vila Nova.

Higher sales volumes in the quarter resulted in EBITDA of $74.5 million. Adjusted EBITDA of $66.8 million excludes the impact of one-time asset sales but includes $7.6 million proceeds from pre-commercial production at Lamaque.

Adjusted net loss was $1.2 million ($0.01 loss per share) in the quarter, compared to adjusted net loss of $1.8 million ($0.01 loss per share) in Q2 2018. The adjusted net loss removes, among other things, an $8.1 million gain on the sale of the net smelter royalty interest, the $11.7 million impairment reversal relating to Vila Nova and a $3.6 million write-off of unamortized transaction costs relating to the debt that was redeemed in the quarter.

Gold Operations

Gold production of 91,803 ounces was below last year’s second quarter production of 99,105 ounces primarily due to the suspension of new ore placement on the Kisladag heap leach pad from April 2018 through March 2019. Production also decreased as a result of reduced tonnage fed to the processing plant at Olympias due to limited headings underground resulting from slower than anticipated capital development and a backlog of stopes to be filled. These decreases were partially offset by 33,140 ounces produced at Lamaque in its first quarter of commercial operations.

Conference Call

A conference call to discuss the details of the Company’s Q2 2019 results will be held by senior management on Friday, August 2, 2019 at 8:30 AM PT (11:30 AM ET). The call will be webcast and can be accessed at Eldorado Gold’s website: www.eldoradogold.com and via this link: http://services.choruscall.ca/links/eldoradogold20190802.html.

About Eldorado Gold

Eldorado is a gold and base metals producer with mining, development and exploration operations in Turkey, Canada, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Brazil. The Company has a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, safe and responsible operations, a portfolio of high-quality assets, and long-term partnerships with local communities. Eldorado's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: ELD) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: EGO).

Contacts

Investor Relations

Peter Lekich, Manager Investor Relations
604.687.4018 or 1.888.353.8166   peter.lekich@eldoradogold.com

Media

Louise Burgess, Director Communications & Government Relations
604.687.4018 or 1.888.353.8166   louise.burgess@eldoradogold.com

Non-IFRS Measures

Certain non-IFRS measures are included in this press release, including average realized gold price per ounce sold, cash operating costs and cash operating costs per ounce sold, total cash costs and total cash costs per ounce sold, all-in sustaining costs ("AISC") and AISC per ounce sold, adjusted net earnings/(loss), adjusted net earnings/(loss) per share, working capital, cash flow from operations before changes in non-cash working capital and sustaining capital. Please see the June 30, 2019 MD&A for explanations and discussion of these non-IFRS measures. The Company believes that these measures, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), provide investors an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. The non-IFRS measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore may not be comparable to other issuers.

Cautionary Note about Forward-looking Statements and Information

Certain of the statements made and information provided in this press release are forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Often, these forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", “continue”, “projected”, "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking statements or information contained in this release include, but are not limited to, statements or information with respect to: our guidance and outlook, including expected production, cost guidance and recoveries of gold, planned capital and exploration expenditures; our expectation as to our future financial and operating performance, expected metallurgical recoveries, gold price and global concentrate outlook; and our strategy, plans and goals, including our proposed exploration, development, construction, permitting and operating plans and priorities and related timelines and schedules and results of litigation and arbitration proceedings.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, market uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information.

We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking statements and information, including assumptions about the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in; the future price of gold and other commodities; the global concentrate market; exchange rates; anticipated costs and expenses; production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries, the impact of acquisitions, dispositions, suspensions or delays on our business and the ability to achieve our goals. In particular, except where otherwise stated, we have assumed a continuation of existing business operations on substantially the same basis as exists at the time of this release.

Even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Many assumptions may be difficult to predict and are beyond our control.

Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the following: results of further testwork, recoveries of gold and other metals; geopolitical and economic climate (global and local), risks related to mineral tenure and permits; gold and other commodity price volatility; continued softening of the global concentrate market; risks regarding potential and pending litigation and arbitration proceedings relating to the Company’s, business, properties and operations; expected impact on reserves and the carrying value; the updating of the reserve and resource models and life of mine plans; mining operational and development risk; financing risks, foreign country operational risks; risks of sovereign investment; regulatory risks and liabilities including, environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical testing and recoveries; additional funding requirements; currency fluctuations; community and non-governmental organization actions; speculative nature of gold exploration; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; and defective title to mineral claims or properties, as well as those risk factors discussed in the sections titled “Forward-Looking Statements” and "Risk factors in our business" in the Company's  most recent Annual Information Form & Form 40-F. The reader is directed to carefully review the detailed risk discussion in our most recent Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR under our Company name, which discussion is incorporated by reference in this release, for a fuller understanding of the risks and uncertainties that affect the Company’s business and operations.

Forward-looking statements and information is designed to help you understand management’s current views of our near and longer term prospects, and it may not be appropriate for other purposes.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward-looking statements and information continually as conditions change.

Financial Information and condensed statements contained herein or attached hereto may not be suitable for readers that are unfamiliar with the Company and is not a substitute for reading the Company’s financial statements and related MD&A available on our website and on SEDAR under our Company name. The reader is directed to carefully review such document for a full understanding of the financial information summarized herein.

Except as otherwise noted, scientific and technical information contained in this press release was reviewed and approved by Paul Skayman, FAusIMM, Chief Operating Officer for Eldorado Gold Corporation, and a "qualified person" under NI 43-101.

Please see the Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements dated June 30, 2019 for notes to the accounts.