Vancouver, BC – Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (“Teck”) reported profit attributable to shareholders of $572 million ($0.99 per share) compared with $94 million ($0.16 per share) a year ago. Adjusted profit attributable to shareholders was $671 million, or $1.16 per share, compared with $18 million, or $0.03 per share in 2016.
“Substantially higher commodity prices had a significant positive effect on our financial results compared with the first quarter of 2016,” said Don Lindsay, President and CEO. “We set a monthly sales record in steelmaking coal in March, as we saw an increase in demand following a slow start to the quarter. We are now through the difficult winter weather and are seeing improvements in service levels from our logistics providers putting us in a strong position for the remainder of the year.”
Highlights and Significant Items
- Profit attributable to shareholders was $572 million and EBITDA was $1.3 billion in the first quarter. Adjusted profit and adjusted EBTIDA were $671 million and $1.5 billion, respectively.
- Gross profit was $1.2 billion in the first quarter compared with $155 million a year ago. Gross profit before depreciation and amortization was $1.5 billion in the first quarter compared with $464 million in the first quarter of 2016.
- Cash flow from operations was $1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2017 compared with $373 million a year ago.
- The quarterly benchmark price for steelmaking coal for the second quarter of 2017 has yet to be agreed upon due to the impact of Cyclone Debbie on Australian supply. Deliveries to our quarterly priced customers are continuing per contractual commitments. We expect total sales in the second quarter, including spot sales, to be at least 6.8 million tonnes of steelmaking coal.
- Construction progress on the Fort Hills oil sands project has surpassed 83%, with three of the six major project areas turned over to operations; mining, major site infrastructure and ore preparation. On April 15, 2017, primary extraction became the fourth major area turned over to operations. The project remains on track to produce first oil in late 2017.
- It has been reported that annual zinc concentrate treatment charges have been agreed to at US$172 per tonne without any price participation, a reduction of approximately US$100 per tonne from 2016 contract terms and represents the lowest treatment charges in history at current prices.
- In March 2017, we repurchased US$1.0 billion principal amount of our outstanding notes by way of cash tender offer, reducing the balance of our outstanding notes to US$5.1 billion. We recorded a CAD$178 million pre-tax loss on this transaction, including CAD$61 million related to the value of the call option on the 2021 notes.
- Our liquidity remains strong at over $4.7 billion inclusive of $625 million in cash at April 24, 2017 and US$3.0 billion of undrawn, committed credit facilities. As a result of our recent debt repurchase, we now only have US$122 million of debt due before 2021.
Download/view Q1 2017 Report for the full text of this release.
Cautionary Statement on Foroward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to in this news release as “forward-looking statements”). All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Teck to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, including under the headings “Outlook,” that appear in this release, include estimates, forecasts, and statements as to management’s expectations with respect to, among other things, anticipated cost and production forecasts at our business units and individual operations and expectation that we will meet our production guidance, sales volume and selling prices for our products (including settlement of steelmaking coal contracts with customers), our expectation of improved coal logistics chain performance and demand and coal per unit costs, capital expenditure guidance, plans and expectations for our development projects, the targeted capital cost and mine life of Quebrada Blanca Phase 2, expected production, production capacity of Quebrada Blanca Phase 2, and the estimated key project operating parameters and project economics of that project, expectation that grades at Highland Valley Copper will improve, the potential to extend the Pend Oreille mine life beyond early 2018, the expected amount that PILT payments would increase by if the Borough approves the arrangement with Teck Alaska, the impact of currency exchange rates, the expected timing and amount of production at the Fort Hills oil sands project, total Fort Hills project capital costs, the expected amount and timing of Teck’s share of costs, the timing of completion and commissioning of the secondary extraction units, the expected average production rate and timing of achieving 90% of the expected production rate and demand and market outlook for commodities. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties and actual results may vary materially.
These statements are based on a number of assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, the supply and demand for, deliveries of, and the level and volatility of prices of, zinc, copper and steelmaking coal and other primary metals and minerals as well as oil, and related products, the timing of the receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals for our development projects and other operations, our costs of production and production and productivity levels, as well as those of our competitors, power prices, continuing availability of water and power resources for our operations, market competition, the accuracy of our reserve estimates (including with respect to size, grade and recoverability) and the geological, operational and price assumptions on which these are based, conditions in financial markets, the future financial performance of the company, our ability to attract and retain skilled staff, our ability to procure equipment and operating supplies, positive results from the studies on our expansion projects, our steelmaking coal and other product inventories, our ability to secure adequate transportation for our products, our ability to obtain permits for our operations and expansions, our ongoing relations with our employees and business partners and joint venturers. Assumptions regarding Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 are based on current project assumptions and the final feasibility study. Assumptions regarding Fort Hills are based on the approved project development plan, as revised including by the updated schedule and project cost projections and the assumption that the project will be developed and operated in accordance with that plan, assumptions regarding the performance of the plant and other facilities at Fort Hills and the operation of the project. Assumptions regarding the impact of foreign exchange are based on current commodity prices. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Events or circumstances could cause actual results to vary materially.
Factors that may cause actual results to vary materially include, but are not limited to, changes in commodity and power prices, changes in market demand for our products, changes in interest and currency exchange rates, acts of foreign governments and the outcome of legal proceedings, inaccurate geological and metallurgical assumptions (including with respect to the size, grade and recoverability of mineral reserves and resources), unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, adverse weather conditions and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters), union labour disputes, political risk, social unrest, failure of customers or counterparties (including logistics suppliers) to perform their contractual obligations, changes in our credit ratings, unanticipated increases in costs to construct our development projects, difficulty in obtaining permits, inability to address concerns regarding permits of environmental impact assessments, and changes or further deterioration in general economic conditions. Our Fort Hills project is not controlled by us and construction and production schedules and costs may be adjusted by our partners.
Statements concerning future production costs or volumes are based on numerous assumptions of management regarding operating matters and on assumptions that demand for products develops as anticipated, that customers and other counterparties perform their contractual obligations, that operating and capital plans will not be disrupted by issues such as mechanical failure, unavailability of parts and supplies, labour disturbances, interruption in transportation or utilities, adverse weather conditions, and that there are no material unanticipated variations in the cost of energy or supplies. Statements regarding anticipated steelmaking coal sales volumes and average steelmaking coal prices for the second quarter depend on timely arrival of vessels and performance of our steelmaking coal-loading facilities, as well as the level of spot pricing sales.
We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required under securities laws. Further information concerning risks and uncertainties associated with these forward-looking statements and our business can be found in our Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed under our profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on EDGAR (www.sec.gov) under cover of Form 40-F.
WEBCAST
Teck will host an Investor Conference Call to discuss its Q1/2017 financial results at 11:00 AM Eastern time, 8:00 AM Pacific time, on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. A live audio webcast of the conference call, together with supporting presentation slides, will be available at our website at www.teck.com. The webcast will be archived at www.teck.com
Download/view Q1 2017 Report for the full text of this release.
Investor Contact:
Greg Waller
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategic Analysis
604.699.4014
greg.waller@teck.com
Media Contact:
Marcia Smith
Senior Vice President, Sustainability and External Affairs
604.699.4616
marcia.smith@teck.com
17-18-TR
