Great Panther Silver Reports Annual Net Profit of $5 Million
posted on
Mar 16, 2011 09:26AM
Fastest growing primary silver producer in Mexico.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - March 16, 2011) - GREAT PANTHER SILVER LIMITED (TSX:GPR)(NYSE Amex:GPL) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the audited financial results for the Company's year ending December 31, 2010. The full version of the financial statements and the management discussion and analysis can be viewed on the Company's web site at www.greatpanther.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. To view the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F which includes the Company's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010, please click on the following link http://sec.gov/edgar.shtml.
"Great Panther continued to achieve record revenue and earnings from mining operations in the fourth quarter of 2010, up 40% and 60% respectively, over 2009," said Kaare Foy, Executive Chairman. "In addition, 2010 marks a significant milestone for the Company as we report our first year of net income."
2010 ANNUAL AND FOURTH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
Change from | Change from | |||||
Fourth | Fourth | Full Year | Full Year | |||
Highlights | Quarter 2010 | Quarter 2009 | 2010 | 2009 | ||
Revenue | $ | 13.8 million | Up 40% | $ | 42.2 million | Up 33% |
Earnings from mining operations (1) | $ | 6.8 million | Up 60% | $ | 18.7 million | Up 63% |
Net income | $ | 0.8 million | Dow n 25% | $ | 5.0 million | Up 673% |
Earnings per share - basic and diluted | $ | 0.01 | no change | $ | 0.04 | Up 500% |
Silver ounces produced (excluding equivalent | 385,022 | Dow n 1% | 1,534,958 | Up 5% | ||
ounces of gold, zinc and lead) | ||||||
Silver equivalent produced (2) | 565,660 | Dow n 9% | 2,255,801 | Up 2% | ||
Silver payable ounces | 369,940 | Up 2% | 1,428,758 | Up 4% | ||
Total cash cost per silver ounce (3) | $ | 8.41 | Up 75% | $ | 7.43 | Up 33% |
Average revenue per silver ounce sold | $ | 28.01 | Up 59% | $ | 21.26 | Up 42% |
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
2011 OUTLOOK
Great Panther's three-year strategy to accelerate production to 3.8 million Ag eq oz by 2012 is now commencing its second year. New equipment has been delivered to the mines, new production areas are being added, plant performance continues to excel, plant capacity is being increased, resources have been increased and reserves defined, and exploration drill programs have made significant new discoveries of high grade mineralization.
The combined production target for 2011 has been set at 2.87 million Ag eq oz, consisting of 1.94 million oz silver, 11,200 oz gold, 1,170 tonnes lead and 1,430 tonnes zinc. Silver equivalents for 2011 have been established using prices of US$1,200/oz Au, US$20/oz Ag, US$0.90/lb Pb and Zn.
Production from Guanajuato is planned to increase steadily throughout 2011 as output from the Los Pozos and Santa Margarita areas reach full capacity, Cata production returns to previous levels, and new production is added from the Guanajuatito area. Plant throughput is estimated to be 200,000 tonnes at grades of 240g/t silver and 1.80g/t gold for metal production of 1.38 million oz silver and 10,400 oz gold, equivalent to 2.0 million Ag eq oz.
Output from Topia is estimated to increase as new mine production is added as a result of development on existing and new veins and plant capacity is increased. Plant throughput is estimated to be 40,000 tonnes with metal production of 0.56 million oz silver, 800 oz gold, 1,170 tonnes lead and 1,430 tonnes zinc, equivalent to 0.87 million Ag eq oz.
No production from the new discoveries at the San Ignacio property is included in the 2011 target. However, as resources are estimated and mine plans are developed, it is anticipated that this project will positively impact the plans for 2012. Due to the proximity of San Ignacio to the Company's main operations at Guanajuato, any ore extracted during the development phase can be trucked to the plant for processing.
Diamond drilling in 2010, from both surface and underground, totaled 30,730 metres at Guanajuato, San Ignacio and Topia. Due to the success of this program in delineating new resources and making new discoveries, the drilling budget for 2011 has been more than doubled to over 60,000 metres, including at least 24,000 metres at San Ignacio, and 30,000 metres from underground at Guanajuato. This compares favourably with the 65,000 metres of diamond drilling originally proposed for the Company's overall three-year growth strategy.
Some highlights from the 2011 plan include:
Guanajuato | Topia | Consolidated | |
Tonnes milled | 201,000 | 39,750 | 240,750 |
Silver ounces | 1,376,000 | 562,700 | 1,938,700 |
Gold ounces | 10,400 | 800 | 11,200 |
Lead tonnes | - | 1,170 | 1,170 |
Zinc tonnes | - | 1,430 | 1,430 |
Silver equivalent ounces | 1,997,000 | 873,000 | 2,870,000 |
Silver head grades (grams/tonne) | 240 | 490 | |
Silver recoveries | 88% | 90% | |
Production costs per ounce | US$5.00 - US$6.00 | US$10.00 - US$12.50 | US$6.50 - US$8.00 |
Operations produced 1,534,957 silver ounces and sold 1,428,758 ounces at a cash operating cost of US$7.43 per oz of silver, net of by-product credits, for the year 2010. As production increases over the next two years, unit costs will generally reduce due to efficiencies and the positive influence from higher gold production. Ranges in production costs are shown to allow for costs such as power, fuel and materials which are outside of our control and rising faster than average inflation. In addition, other costs, such as a portion of the smelting and refining costs, vary according to metal prices.
Cash flow generated from mining activities will be reinvested in operations for exploration and capital expenditures to increase resources and production. Surplus cash flow will be available for potential acquisitions as the Company continues to grow.
Both operations have demonstrated the ability to achieve higher silver production at a competitive cost per ounce and with a higher profit margin. The Company's emphasis will be on maintaining positive operating cash flow while developing and exploring to continually increase metal production. The Company's production strategy is to increase silver production by 20% year-on- year at continually decreasing unit costs.
"Great Panther delivered strong financial results during 2010, setting several new records," said Robert Archer, President & CEO. "As we move into the second year of our three-year growth strategy, we expect to achieve a significant increase in production to 2.9 million silver equivalent ounces which will allow us to capitalize on the current strong precious metals prices."
All shareholders have the ability to receive a hard copy of the Company's complete audited financial statements free of charge upon request. Should you wish to receive Great Panther Silver's Financial Statements or the Annual Report on Form 20-F in hard copy, please contact us at the Company toll free at 1-888-355-1766 or 604-608-1766, or e-mail info@greatpanther.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Robert A. Archer, President & CEO
Kaare G. Foy, Executive Chairman
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of the Securities Act (Ontario) (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to the Company's plans for production at its Guanajuato and Topia Mines in Mexico, exploring its other properties in Mexico, the overall economic potential of its properties, the availability of adequate financing and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to be materially different. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to potential political risks involving the Company's operations in a foreign jurisdiction, uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, physical risks inherent in mining operations, currency fluctuations, fluctuations in the price of silver, gold and base metals, completion of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the inability or failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis, and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2010 and reports on Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov and Material Change Reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedar.com.
(1) "Earnings from mining operations" is a non-GAAP measure and is defined as mineral sales less cost of sales and amortization and depletion.
(2) Silver equivalent ounces in 2010 were established using prices of US$1,000/oz Au, US$16/oz Ag, US$0.80/lb Pb and US$0.80/lb Zn.
(3) The non-GAAP measure of cash cost per ounce of silver is used by the Company to manage and evaluate operating performance at each of the Company's mines and is widely reported in the silver mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but does not have a standardized meaning.
GREAT PANTHER SILVER LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Expressed in thousands of Canadian Dollars)
December 31, 2010 and 2009
2010 | 2009 | ||||
Assets | |||||
Current assets: | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 13,967 | $ | 13,312 | |
Restricted cash | 151 | - | |||
Marketable securities | 200 | 23 | |||
Amounts receivable | 9,635 | 5,539 | |||
Income taxes recoverable | 239 | 342 | |||
Inventories | 2,615 | 1,438 | |||
Prepaid expenses, deposits and advances | 1,240 | 1,585 | |||
28,047 | 22,239 | ||||
Mineral properties, plant and equipment | 17,538 | 14,935 | |||
$ | 45,585 | $ | 37,174 | ||
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity | |||||
Current liabilities: | |||||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | $ | 4,724 | $ | 2,658 | |
Current portion of capital lease obligations | 369 | 801 | |||
Current portion of promissory notes | 373 | 122 | |||
Current portion of convertible loan notes | 3,792 | - | |||
Current portion of future income tax liability | - | 506 | |||
Liabilities under derivative instruments | 53 | - | |||
9,311 | 4,087 | ||||
Long-term liabilities: | |||||
Capital lease obligations | 128 | 63 | |||
Promissory notes | 77 | 118 | |||
Convertible loan notes | - | 3,356 | |||
Asset retirement obligations | 516 | 1,382 | |||
Future income tax liability | - | 1,312 | |||
10,032 | 10,318 | ||||
Shareholders' equity: | |||||
Share capital | 83,470 | 75,910 | |||
Contributed surplus | 9,470 | 10,268 | |||
Equity component of convertible loan notes | 1,563 | 1,563 | |||
Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (3,058) | (23) | |||
Deficit | (55,892) | (60,862) | |||
35,553 | 26,856 | ||||
Nature of operations | |||||
Commitments and contingencies | |||||
Subsequent events | |||||
$ | 45,585 | $ | 37,174 |
GREAT PANTHER SILVER LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(Expressed in thousands of Canadian Dollars, except shares data)
Years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||
Mineral sales | $ | 42,206 | $ | 31,732 | $ | 22,445 | |
Cost of sales | (21,161) | (16,768) | (18,144) | ||||
Amortization and depletion of mineral | |||||||
properties, plant and equipment | (2,362) | (3,494) | (4,183) | ||||
18,683 | 11,470 | 118 | |||||
Expenses: | |||||||
Amortization and depreciation | 52 | 83 | 102 | ||||
Accretion on asset retirement obligation | 206 | 277 | 282 | ||||
Mineral property exploration expenditures | 7,110 | 1,582 | 6,328 | ||||
General and administrative | 5,858 | 5,803 | 5,965 | ||||
Stock-based compensation | 869 | 2,378 | 1,608 | ||||
14,095 | 10,123 | 14,285 | |||||
4,588 | 1,347 | (14,167) | |||||
Income (expenses): | |||||||
Interest income | 116 | 59 | 241 | ||||
Interest expense | (934) | (1,169) | (1,155) | ||||
Debt settlement expense | - | (51) | - | ||||
Foreign exchange gain (loss) | (373) | (383) | 113 | ||||
Gain (loss) on disposal of capital assets | (16) | (2) | 31 | ||||
Loss on derivative instruments | (148) | - | - | ||||
(1,355) | (1,546) | (770) | |||||
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes | 3,233 | (199) | (14,937) | ||||
Recovery of (provision for) income taxes | 1,737 | (668) | 1,176 | ||||
Income (loss) for the year | 4,970 | (867) | (13,761) | ||||
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax: | |||||||
Cumulative translation adjustment | (3,025) | - | - | ||||
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities | (10) | 15 | (43) | ||||
Comprehensive income (loss) for the year | $ | 1,935 | $ | (852) | $ | (13,804) | |
Earnings (loss) per share | |||||||
Basic | $ | 0.04 | $ | (0.01) | $ | (0.17) | |
Diluted | $ | 0.04 | $ | (0.01) | $ | (0.17) | |
Weighted average number of common shares | |||||||
Basic | 114,422,226 | 90,210,438 | 81,321,733 | ||||
Diluted | 118,932,620 | 90,210,438 | 81,321,733 |
GREAT PANTHER SILVER LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Expressed in thousands of Canadian Dollars)
Years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | ||||||
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities: | ||||||||
Income (loss) for the year | $ | 4,970 | $ | (867) | $ | (13,761) | ||
Items not involving cash: | ||||||||
Amortization and depletion of mineral | ||||||||
properties, plant and equipment | 2,414 | 3,577 | 4,285 | |||||
Foreign exchange (gain) loss | 51 | (184) | 135 | |||||
Stock-based compensation | 869 | 2,378 | 1,608 | |||||
Shares issued for mineral exploration expenditures | - | - | 191 | |||||
Future income taxes | (1,853) | 603 | (1,045) | |||||
Interest accretion on convertible loan notes | 436 | 628 | 623 | |||||
Debt settlement expense | - | 51 | - | |||||
Accretion on asset retirement obligations | 206 | 277 | 282 | |||||
Write-down of inventory | - | - | 241 | |||||
Write-down of mineral properties | 68 | - | - | |||||
Loss on derivative instruments | 53 | - | - | |||||
Loss (gain) on disposal of capital assets | 16 | 2 | (31) | |||||
Other | - | (1) | 25 | |||||
7,230 | 6,464 | (7,447) | ||||||
Changes in non-cash operating working capital: | ||||||||
Amounts receivable | (4,286) | (1,801) | 2,278 | |||||
Inventories | (1,086) | (471) | (358) | |||||
Prepaid expenses, deposits and advances | 327 | (1,090) | 371 | |||||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 1,926 | (1,840) | 1,960 | |||||
Income taxes | 104 | 89 | (68) | |||||
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 4,215 | 1,351 | (3,264) | |||||
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities: | ||||||||
Mineral properties, plant and equipment | (8,036) | (1,762) | (1,928) | |||||
Proceeds from disposal of capital assets | 37 | 5 | 101 | |||||
Restricted cash | (151) | - | - | |||||
Net cash used in investing activities | (8,150) | (1,757) | (1,827) | |||||
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities: | ||||||||
Repayment of long-term debt | - | - | (105) | |||||
Repayment of capital lease obligations | (938) | (364) | (181) | |||||
Repayment of promissory note | (292) | (10) | - | |||||
Proceeds from advances on share subscriptions | - | - | 85 | |||||
Proceeds from exercise of warrants | 3,054 | 519 | 143 | |||||
Proceeds from exercise of options | 2,871 | 731 | 398 | |||||
Issuance of shares for cash, net of issue costs | (32) | 12,288 | - | |||||
Net cash provided by financing activities | 4,663 | 13,164 | 340 | |||||
728 | 12,758 | (4,751) | ||||||
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | (73) | (52) | (1) | |||||
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 655 | 12,706 | (4,752) | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year | 13,312 | 606 | 5,358 | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year | $ | 13,967 | $ | 13,312 | $ | 606 |
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
604 685 6465 B&D Capital 604 899 4303 (FAX) info@greatpanther.com www.greatpanther.com