VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Eldorado Gold Corporation, (“Eldorado” or “the Company”) today reports the Company’s financial and operational results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2019. For further information please see the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company’s profile.
Year-End Financial and Operating Results Overview2019 Production on plan, highest total production in three years: Annual gold production of 395,331 ounces of gold (2018: 349,147 ounces), including pre-commercial production.Steady operating costs: Cash operating costs were $608 per ounce of gold sold for 2019 and All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) were $1,034 per ounce of gold sold, compared to $625 per ounce of gold sold and $994 per ounce of gold sold for 2018.2020 production guidance increased year-on-year: 2020 guidance is 520,000-550,000 ounces of gold, an increase over the 390,000-420,000 ounces of gold forecast for 2019.Kisladag mine life extended to 15 years: Results from the ongoing testwork indicate that extended leach cycles and the addition of a high pressure grinding roll circuit should increase the expected recovery at Kisladag to approximately 56%, resulting in the mine life at Kisladag now projected through 2034 at an average production of 160,000 ounces of gold per year. Further details on Kisladag are included in Eldorado’s February 20, 2020 press release.Successful first year of operations at Lamaque: Eldorado declared commercial production at Lamaque on March 31, 2019. Lamaque produced 113,940 ounces of gold (including pre-commercial production) in 2019. Recent drilling results at Triangle and Ormaque will be incorporated into the mine plan by the Company as it evaluates its next steps in expanding production at Lamaque.Refinancing completed: In June 2019 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.Permits for Skouries and Olympias received: Permits allow for, among other things, installation of electrical and mechanical equipment at Skouries and Olympias, the installation of the Skouries mill building, and consent from the Central Archaeological Council to relocate an ancient mining furnace from the Skouries open pit area.Significant increased cash flow provided from operations: Net cash provided by operating activities was $165.8 million in 2019 (2018: $67.5 million).Net earnings attributable to shareholders: 2019 net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Company were $80.6 million or $0.51 per share, mainly attributable to net impairment reversals of $96.9 million ($79.9 million net of deferred income tax) for Kisladag and Vila Nova. Net loss attributable to shareholders of the Company was $361.9 million or $2.28 loss per share in 2018, mainly attributable to impairment charges of $447.8 million ($328.4 million net of deferred income tax), of which $117.6 million ($94.1 million net of deferred income tax) related to Kisladag.  Adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Company in 2019 was $5.6 million, or $0.04 per share (2018: Adjusted net loss attributed to shareholders of the Company of $28.6 million, or $0.17 loss per share).Increased EBITDA: EBITDA for the year was $311.3 million ($361.8 million loss in 2018) and adjusted EBITDA for the year was $235.6 million ($99.6 million in 2018).  Adjustments in both years included, among other things, removal of the non-cash impact of impairments and impairment reversals.Liquidity strengthened: The Company finished the year with approximately $366 million of liquidity including $181 million in cash, cash equivalents and term deposits and approximately $185 million available under the remaining $250 million of the Facility, with $65 million of the capacity on the Facility allocated to secure certain reclamation obligations in connection with its operations. Fourth Quarter 2019 HighlightsIncreased production: Eldorado produced 118,955 ounces of gold in Q4, the highest quarterly gold production in nearly four years.Operating costs decreasing: Q4 2019 cash operating costs of $621 per ounce sold and all-in sustaining costs of $1,110 per ounce sold were lower than Q4 2018 ($626 per ounce sold and $1,200 per ounce sold, respectively, for 2018).Kisladag impairment reversal: As a result of the mine life extension and continuation of heap leaching, a net impairment reversal of $85.2 million ($68.2 million, net of deferred income tax) was recorded in Q4 2019.   Net earnings attributable to shareholders: Q4 2019 net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Company was $91.2 million or $0.57 per share, mainly attributable to a net impairment reversal of $85.2 million ($68.2 million net of deferred income tax) for Kisladag. Net loss attributable to shareholders of the Company in Q4 2018 was $218.2 million or $1.38 loss per share. Adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Company in Q4 2019 was $20.3 million, or $0.13 per share (Q4 2018: adjusted net loss attributable to shareholders of the Company of $18.9 million, or $0.11 loss per share).Increased EBITDA: Q4 2019 EBITDA was $158.7 million ($327.9 million loss in Q4 2018) and Q4 2019 adjusted EBITDA was $80.3 million ($9.0 million in Q4 2018).  Adjustments in both years included, among other things, removal of the non-cash impact of impairments and impairment reversals.  Updated reserves: As of September 30, 2019, total proven and probable reserves of 384 million tonnes at 1.32 grams per tonne gold containing 16.4 million ounces were reported.Eldorado’s President and CEO, George Burns, said: “2019 was a pivotal year for the Company, as we achieved multiple, significant milestones. Production in the year was strong as we delivered our highest annual production in three years – over 394,000 ounces of gold – while maintaining steady discipline with operating costs. Importantly, in 2020 we expect production to grow again to between 520,000 and 550,000 ounces of gold. We are very pleased to have positive momentum behind our production profile and expect that the resulting increased cash flow will allow the Company to both invest in its growth opportunities and pay down its debt.”“Other milestones achieved in the year include successfully putting Lamaque into commercial operation, completing the refinancing of our balance sheet, and clarifying a strong path forward for Kisladag as a core, producing asset. We also received long-awaited permits at Olympias and Skouries, as we continue engaging with the Greek government to set a path forward for Skouries, a world-class project that stands to create jobs, tax and export revenues, and economic opportunities for local communities. Together and individually, these achievements represent significant catalysts for Eldorado’s long-term, sustainable growth.”Consolidated Financial and Operational HighlightsSummarized Annual Financial ResultsExcludes sales of inventory mined at Lamaque and Olympias during the pre-commercial production periods.    Includes pre-commercial production at Lamaque (2018, Q1 2019) and at Olympias (2017, Q1 2018).By-product revenues are off-set against cash operating costs.   Attributable to shareholders of the Company. Net earnings (loss) includes a $79.9 million impairment reversal (net of deferred income tax) in 2019 for Kisladag and Vila Nova and a $328.4 million impairment charge (net of deferred income tax) in 2018 for Olympias and Kisladag.See reconciliation of net earnings (loss) to adjusted net earnings (loss) in the MD&A section ‘Non-IFRS Measures’.These measures are non-IFRS measures. See the MD&A section ‘Non-IFRS Measures’ for explanations and discussion of these non-IFRS measures.2018 and 2017 amounts have been adjusted to reflect reclassifications in cash flow from operating activities in the current period.Summarized Quarterly Financial ResultsExcludes sales of inventory mined at Lamaque and Olympias during the pre-commercial production periods.    Includes pre-commercial production at Lamaque (2018, Q1 2019) and at Olympias (Q1 2018 only).By-product revenues are off-set against cash operating costs.   Attributable to shareholders of the Company.See reconciliation of net earnings (loss) to adjusted net earnings (loss) in the MD&A section ‘Non-IFRS Measures’. Q2 2019 amounts have been updated for the inventory write-down adjustment in that period.  These measures are non-IFRS measures. See the MD&A section ‘Non-IFRS Measures’ for explanations and discussion of these non-IFRS measures.   2018 and Q1 2019 amounts have been adjusted to reflect reclassifications in cash flow from operating activities in later periods.Gold sales of 374,902 ounces in 2019 increased from 304,256 ounces in 2018 primarily due to the sale of 86,745 ounces from Lamaque in its first year of commercial operations. Lamaque declared commercial production on March 31, 2019.Total revenues increased to $617.8 million in 2019 from $459.0 million in 2018 as a result of higher sales volumes and a higher average realized gold price of $1,416 per ounce compared to $1,269 per ounce in 2018.Cash operating costs per ounce sold decreased to $608 in 2019 from $625 in 2018, primarily due to the ramp-up of mining, crushing and placement of ore on the Kisladag heap leach pad beginning in April 2019, and the partial allocation of processing costs to gold inventory in the heap leach pad. This was partially offset by higher cash operating costs per ounce sold at Olympias as a result of lower production levels and at both Olympias and Efemcukuru as a result of increased concentrate transportation costs and treatment charges.Net earnings attributable to shareholders in 2019 of $80.6 million ($0.51 per share) improved from a net loss attributable to shareholders of $361.9 million ($2.28 loss per share) in 2018. The improvement was primarily a result of higher sales volumes in 2019 and net impairment reversals of $96.9 million ($79.9 million net of deferred income tax) for Kisladag and Vila Nova, compared to impairment of $447.8 million ($328.4 million net of deferred income tax) in 2018 relating to Olympias and Kisladag. Net earnings attributable to shareholders in Q4 2019 was $91.2 million or $0.57 per share, mainly attributable to a net impairment reversal of $85.2 million ($68.2 million net of deferred income tax) for Kisladag in the fourth quarter.Higher sales volumes in 2019 resulted in EBITDA of $311.3 million, including $158.7 million in Q4 2019. Adjusted EBITDA of $235.6 million in 2019 and $80.3 million in Q4 2019 exclude, among other things, the impact of the net impairment reversal.Adjusted net earnings in 2019 were $5.6 million ($0.04 per share) compared to adjusted net loss of $28.6 million ($0.17 loss per share) in 2018. Higher sales volumes in Q4 2019 resulted in adjusted net earnings in Q4 2019 of $20.3 million ($0.13 per share) compared to adjusted net loss in Q4 2018 of $18.9 million ($0.11 loss per share). Adjustments in all periods primarily remove the impact of impairment and impairment reversals.Operations Update and OutlookGold OperationsIncludes pre-commercial production at Lamaque (2018, Q1 2019) and at Olympias (Q1 2018 only).Excludes sales of inventory produced at Lamaque (2018, Q1 2019) and at Olympias (Q1 2018 only) during the pre-commercial production period. During the year ended December 31, 2019, 27,627 ounces were sold from inventory produced during the pre-commercial production period at Lamaque.   Kisladag resumed mining, crushing and placing ore on the heap leach pad on April 1, 2019. This activity had been suspended since April 2018. These measures are non-IFRS measures. See the MD&A section ‘Non-IFRS Measures’ for explanations and discussion of these non-IFRS measures.   Gold production of 395,331 ounces in 2019 increased from 349,147 ounces in 2018, primarily due to 113,940  ounces produced at Lamaque in its first year of commercial operations. This was partially offset by decreases in production at Kisladag as a result of the suspension of mining in the first quarter of 2019 and at Olympias as a result of reduced tonnage fed to the processing plant.For further information on the Company’s operating results for the year-end and fourth quarter of 2019, please see the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company’s profile.Conference CallA conference call to discuss the details of the Company’s Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2019 Results will be held by senior management on Friday, February 21, 2020 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/eldoradogold20200221.html
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