TOP NEWS: Anglo American performance strong; Kumba guidance in tact

(Alliance News) - Anglo American PLC said Friday it had maintained a strong performance during ...

Alliance News 10 December, 2021 | 8:59AM
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(Alliance News) - Anglo American PLC said Friday it had maintained a strong performance during its current financial year and expects further improvement next year.

In an operational and financial performance update, the mining giant confirmed its 2021 guidance and promised to deliver 35% growth over the next decade at an attractive 50% margin.

The 2021 production is up 7%, underpinned by strong performance from platinum group metals and higher rough diamond demand.

Finance Director Stephen Pearce commented: "Our balanced approach is supporting sequenced investment in value accretive growth and considerable long term business improvement, alongside attractive shareholder returns.

"We have delivered USD10.3 billion in cash returns to our shareholders since 2017 and USD4 billion in the second half 2021 alone. Our ongoing investment in the business also supports our emissions reduction objectives and we therefore expect our normal cycle of capital investment to continue to fund the majority of our operational decarbonisation projects."

Anglo American also increased its near term performance improvement target to USD3.5 billion and USD4.5 billion by 2023.

Chief Executive Mark Cutifani said the company had increased early copper production plans to create additional value at Quellaveco copper project in Peru, originally schedule to make first production in mid-2022.

Anglo American said its capital expenditure reduced to USD5.2 billion in 2021 due to Covid-19 delays and supply chain disruptions. Last year it projected capex of between USD5.3 billion and USD5.5 billion.

For next year, the group forecast capex to range from USD6.2 billion to USD6.7 billion, reflecting 2021 deferrals and increased investment in Woodsmith.

In a separate statement on Friday, Anglo American said it had upgraded the scope of Woodsmith project and expects to invest about USD700 million in 2022.

Anglo had paused most construction and development activity at Woodsmith in early 2020, which it purchased via the acquisition of London-listed Sirius Minerals PLC for just over GBP400 million.

It had largely completed a detailed technical review of the Woodsmith polyhalite project in the UK, which started in mid-2020.

Anglo American is making an executive change following its integration of the Woodsmith project into the group and ahead of the full project execution phase.

Tom McCulley, who has led the development of the Quellaveco copper project, will take over from Chris Fraser as chief executive of Crop Nutrients.

Anglo Chief Executive Mark Cutifani said: "We are very happy with the high quality and exciting potential of Woodsmith, with the scale and quality of the polyhalite orebody pointing to a first quarter operating cost position and strong margins. This is a very long-life asset and we are going to take the necessary time to get every aspect of the design right to match our long term vision and value aspirations."

Meanwhile, Kumba Iron Ore Ltd, in which Anglo American has a 65% stake, said on Friday production and sales are expected to remain in line with its full year guidance for the period ending December 31.

Export sales are expected to reach 39 million tonnes in 2021, whereas total production is estimated to hit 40 million tonnes.

"Our production performance in 2021 is expected to be 7% higher than that in 2020, demonstrating our operational resilience and ability to manage through external challenges. We continue to focus on cost performance and ensuring that we are well set up to deliver on our priorities for 2022," Kumba said.

Kumba revised down its production guidance to between 39 million tonnes and 41 million tonnes for the 2022 financial year, from 41.5 million tonnes and 42.5 million tonnes predicted previously.

For 2023, production guidance has also been lowered to 39 million tonnes and 41 million tonnes from a range of between 41.5 million tonnes and 42.5 million tonnes previously.

The iron ore miner made new guidance for 2024, projecting production of between 41 million tonnes and 43 million tonnes.

Shares in Anglo American were up 0.3% in London on Friday morning at 2,982.00 pence each, while they advanced 1.9% to ZAR630.28 in Johannesburg, where Kumba dropped 0.6% to ZAR450.53.

By Artwell Dlamini; artwelldlamini@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.

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Securities Mentioned in Article

Security Name Price Change (%) Morningstar
Rating
Anglo American PLC 2,179.00 GBX -0.14
Kumba Iron Ore Ltd 47,856.00 ZAC -0.77 -

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