PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA--(Marketwired - February 29, 2016) -
Paladin Energy Ltd (Paladin or the Company)
(
HIGHLIGHTS
Repayment of the LHM Syndicated Facility
Paladin has resolved to repay the entire US$56.4M remaining drawn under the LHM Syndicated Facility and terminate it. The process of providing notice to its lenders under the terms of the facility is underway. Cash expenditure for the termination is expected to be approximately US$57.1M, which includes the principal outstanding plus accrued interest up to the date of termination. The LHM Syndicated Facility currently has an interest rate of approximately 5.08%. Terminating the LHM Syndicated Facility has a number of benefits for the Company, including: (i) release of US$28.2M of cash which has been restricted and been held in a debt service reserve account in support of the LHM Syndicated Facility; (ii) elimination of a relatively expensive and inflexible source of funding; and (iii) release of the security arrangements so that such security can be applied to the new working capital facility.
CB Repurchase
The Company has repurchased an additional US$25.0M of the 2017 Convertible Bonds. Cash expenditure for the repurchase is approximately US$23.5M (including interest to the repurchase date) as the bonds were bought back at an average price of 92.00 per cent. The repurchase results in approximately US$3.7M of cash savings to Paladin in the form of avoided principal and coupon repayments over the period to maturity in April 2017.
This repurchase of US$25.0M together with earlier repurchases of US$37.0M (i.e., combined total of US$62.0M), has reduced the principal amount outstanding of the 2017 Convertible Bonds from US$274.0M to US$212.0M. Combined cash savings net of the purchase outlay resulting from Paladin's repurchase activities now amount to approximately US$10.7M in the form of avoided principal and coupon payments.
LHM revolving working capital facility and reassignment of Kayelekera environmental performance bond
Subject to approval of final terms and key consents, Paladin intends to put a US$25.0M 12-month revolving working capital facility in place at LHM. The purpose will be to provide a buffer facility that can be drawn in periods where LHM-level working capital requirements are in deficit, mainly due to the timing of sales receipts. The provider of the revolving working capital facility is one of the Company's existing lenders under the LHM Syndicated Facility. The same lender would take over the Kayelekera environmental performance bond on an exclusive basis.
Impact on Paladin
The CB Repurchase together with the early repayment of the LHM Syndicated Facility generate cash savings to the Company in the form of avoided future interest and, in the case of the CB Repurchase, reduced principal repayment. The combined cash savings over the period to 30 June 2017 amount to US$7.0M. The avoided interest on both loans and the elimination of the LHM Syndicated Facility mandatory principal amortisations have the effect of reducing Paladin's guidance for 'all in' cash expenditure excluding one-off initiatives for the second half of FY2016 to a range of US$33/lb to US$35/lb (previously guided to be US$35/lb to US$37/lb).
On completion of the debt reduction and LHM refinancing, the net increase in financial flexibility to Paladin results in a reduction in the external capital required to refinance the remainder of the 2017 Convertible Bonds (i.e., 'funding gap') by approximately US$25M to US$35M.
Yours faithfully
Paladin Energy Ltd
ALEXANDER MOLYNEUX
CEO
PALADIN ENERGY LTD
ACN 061 681 098
Contact Information:
For additional information, please contact:
Andrew Mirco
Investor Relations Contact (Perth)
Tel: +61-8-9423-8162 or Mobile: +61-409-087-171
andrew.mirco@paladinenergy.com.au