Glencore 2013 final dividend falls in Sterling terms

DividendMax Ltd.

Glencore 2013 final dividend falls in Sterling terms

Adjusted pro forma EBITDA of $13.1bn consistent with 2012, reflecting:

- Strong marketing results, with Adjusted EBITDA up 17% to $2.6 billion (Adjusted EBIT up 11% to $2.4 billion).

- Industrial Adjusted EBITDA lower by a respectable 4% to $10.5 billion, as increased production and improved cost management, aided by some merger related synergies, substantially mitigated the impact of the weaker commodity price environment.

• Strong year for production growth:

- Copper up 26% to 1.5 million tonnes, including African copper, up 43%, with Mutanda and Katanga each reaching 200,000 tonnes p.a. capacity at year-end and 58% production growth at Collahuasi.

- Ferrochrome up 32% to 1.2 million tonnes based on higher utilisation of the smelters and furnaces and the successful commissioning of the Tswelopele pelletizing plant.

- Coal up 4% to 138.1 million tonnes, driven by expansions at Prodeco and in Australian thermal coal.

- Start-up of production at the Alen (Equatorial Guinea) and Badila (Chad) oil fields.

• Successful integration of Xstrata, with sustainable annual synergies of $2.4 billion identified and substantially delivered. The full benefit is expected to be realised in 2014, with implementation costs of some $0.3 billion, mostly incurred in 2013.

• Net debt increased to $35.8 billion as the Group nears completion of many of its large development projects, including McArthur River, African copper and the pre-commissioning of Koniambo, the benefits of which should start to accrue in the near term. Capital expenditure is now on steeply declining trajectory.

• Operating cash flow generation in the form of pro forma FFO was solid at $10.4 billion, slightly ahead of 2012.

• Overall balance sheet remains strong and flexible with $13 billion of committed available liquidity at year-end.

• Active balance sheet / portfolio management continued:

- Las Bambas sale process ongoing.

- Successful sale of the pasta and malt businesses during 2013, acquired as part of Viterra.

- Repayment of $1.2 billion of Russneft loans received during the year.

• Secondary listing on the JSE, deepening our relationship with South Africa and highlighting our confidence in Africa as an investment destination.

• Statutory Day One goodwill impairment of $7.5 billion was recorded in relation to the Xstrata acquisition, reflecting the broader negative mining industry environment / sentiment which prevailed during 2013 and the heightened risks associated with greenfield and large scale expansion projects.

• Board has recommended a final distribution of $11.1 cents per share, or $16.5 cents for the full year, some 4.8% higher than 2012, reflecting our continued confidence in the strength and prospects for the group.

Glencore's Chief Executive Officer, Ivan Glasenberg, commented:

"Our marketing division once again delivered a strong overall performance, while the modest year on year decline in our industrial asset performance inevitably reflected the weaker commodity price environment in 2013.

Glencore remains the only genuinely diversified natural resources company in respect of business activity, commodity and geography. Our financial performance in 2013 reflects this, with a consistent pro forma EBITDA and operational cash flow performance compared to 2012.

As we look ahead to 2014, we continue to see healthy demand growth in all our key commodities, underpinned by the long term trend of urbanisation in emerging markets and parts of the developed world returning to trend growth."

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