NAP Q2 earnings unchanged from 2001

Higher production in the second quarter translated into more revenue for North American Palladium (PDL-T), but earnings stayed put when compared with the corresponding period of 2001.

NAP pocketed $7.5 million (or 15 per share) in the three months ended June 30 as revenue soared to nearly $42 million. Higher operating, interest and accounting charges related to the mill expansion at the Lac des Iles mine are what kept the company’s bottom line unchanged from the second quarter of last year, when revenue was half as much.

Situated in Thunder Bay, Ontario, the Lac des Iles mine can now handle 15,000 tonnes of ore daily, or five times more than the original one, reflecting an expansion of reserves in 1999. The expansion was completed at a cost of $220 million.

The expansion saw 207% more palladium produced in the recent quarter than in the same period last year. Although direct mining expenses were obviously higher, cash costs fell by 15% to US$223 per oz., net of byproduct credits.

Unlike the earnings picture, cash flow brightened by $1 million, to just over $10 million. After changes to working capital, cash provided by operations was $14.7 million — nearly $4 million more than a year ago.

For the six months ended June 30, NAP showed a profit of $13.8 million (27 per share) and revenue of $86.3 million, which compares with about $9 million (18 per share) and $41 million in the first half of 2001. Cash provided by operations would have shown a similarly robust increase if not for a drop in palladium prices and corresponding increase in the Canadian dollar.

NAP drained almost $8 million on financing and investment activities, leaving it with about $7.6 million going into the second half of the year. This compares with about $4.5 million a year ago, when $37 million was won from financings and $58 million spent on investments.

On June 30, NAP had $68 million in working capital, mostly reflecting unpaid concentrate contracts. The company continues to reduce its debt, having repaid $6.7 million in the second quarter to now owe about $117 m