Grant Samuel Valuations of $500m - $600m for Telfer Hav
SCENARIO 1
Scenario 1 assumes that Newcrest successfully develops the Havieron project and identifies new mining fronts to extend the operating life of Telfer. The production case includes the following assumptions:
total ore production of 59Mt over the project life, including:
• 37Mt from Telfer’s existing open pit and mining fronts through to FY26. Head grades decline to
less than 0.5 g/t gold and 0.1% copper as the ore reserves in these areas are depleted;
• 8Mt from new higher grade underground mining fronts in Telfer at slightly lower production rates than the historical underground operations (at around 0.9Mtpa). Production from these areas are assumed to commence in FY28 and run through FY35; and
• 14Mt from Havieron from FY27 to FY35, which ramps up to 2Mtpa in the second year of operations. Head grades are substantially higher than at the legacy mining operations at Telfer (averaging around 3.7 g/t gold and 0.5% copper);
total ore milled broadly equals ore production in each year (with the exception of the wind-down of ore stockpiles in the first years of operations). Following the conclusion of open pit mining operations, recovery rates are expected to jump from around 75% to 87-91%.
As a result, gold production over the project life is approximately 2.4Moz and can be broadly categorised into two distinct phases:
• between FY24 and FY26, a sharp decline from around 400koz of gold in FY24 (consistent with historical periods) to just 120koz in FY25 and 90koz in FY26 (and zero in FY27); and
• between FY28 and FY32, approximately 250-290koz gold per annum as higher grade ore from the new mining areas is processed before ramping down in the final three years of operations. Havieron accounts for around 75-80% of gold production in each year.
Approximately 490koz of gold sales are assumed to be hedged at fixed Australian dollar contracts through FY26 (representing approximately 77% of total sales over that period). The balance is sold at spot prices.
Total copper production over the project life is approximately 100kt and produced at 9kt per annum over the project life (higher production rate in the second phase due to improved copper head grades and recovery rates);
cash operating costs of approximately $53/t of milled ore over the project life, reflecting the step- change in cost profile
• from FY24 to FY26, as the lower cost open-pit mining operation winds down; and
• from FY27 onwards, as operating costs step up due to the transition to underground-only
operations at both Telfer and Havieron;
other costs including state royalties (approximately 2.5% of gold revenue and 5.0% of copper revenue), treatment and refinery charges, tolling recoveries (for Havieron), penalties and cash rehabilitation costs (assumed to be approximately $160 million for Telfer and $105 million for Havieron);
total capital expenditure comprises:
• upfront development costs in relation to Havieron (primarily incurred between FY24 and FY27). The capital expenditure is based on the initial estimates contemplated in the 2021 pre-feasibility study and escalated for cost inflation, scope changes and new geotechnical information;
• other growth capital expenditure of approximately $35 million (most of which is incurred between FY28 and FY32) to develop new Telfer underground mining extensions; and
• sustaining capital expenditure of approximately $30 million per annum (total at both Telfer and Havieron); and
income tax rate of 30% (the Australian corporate tax rate).
SCENARIO 2
Scenario 2 incorporates the development of:
19Mt in incremental ore inventory from Havieron (33Mt total) as a result of successful resource-to- reserve conversion, including the inferred resource zone at the high grade Southeast Crescent Zone and Breccia Zone. Mining rates improve to 3Mtpa and extend the mine life to FY39; and
14Mt in incremental ore inventory at Telfer underground (22Mt total). Mining rates ramp up to as high as 3.5Mtpa and extend the mine life to by an additional year to FY36.
Total ore milled increases to nearly 100Mt over the project life (representing over 55% of total mineral resource at Telfer’s operating deposits and Havieron). As higher grade areas are included in Scenario 2, total gold and copper production over the mine life increase by a greater proportion to 4.3Moz gold and 184kt copper over the life of mine.
Cash operating costs are slightly higher (approximately $55/t of milled ore over the project life) as more production is weighted towards the higher cost underground operations than in Scenario 1. Capital expenditure is expected to be approximately $320 million higher than in Scenario 1 due to the investments associated with developing new underground mining fronts (of which approximately 85% of the incremental spend is incurred in Havieron).
Rehabilitation costs are expected to be unchanged.
The following chart shows the ore volumes assumed to be produced from Telfer (inclusive of Havieron) (on a 100% basis) as well as the expected gold and copper in each year (incremental volumes from Scenario 2 are represented by dotted lines):
Grant Samuel’s valuation range of $500-600 million takes into account a number of subjective judgements, particularly the:
future resource-to-reserve conversion from Telfer underground; and
valuation upside from the development of Havieron.
The value of existing mining operations at Telfer is constrained by its remaining reserve life and is further capped by its declining free cash flow profile over that period as a result of naturally declining grades and cutback investments. While Telfer has consistently generated EBITDA in excess of $100 million per annum in recent years, free cash flows have been substantially lower.
Extensions will be required to sustain ongoing operations at Telfer beyond FY26 and defer its rehabilitation obligations.
Studies to extend the open pit mining operations remain at very early stages and have not been included in the valuation. On the other hand, studies for additional underground mining fronts are more advanced but collectively would still mean a substantial reduction in scale at Telfer (as the open pit mine historically comprised over 75% of ore production at Telfer). The DCF analysis indicates that the Telfer mine extensions contemplated in either Scenario 1 and Scenario 2 are expected to be subscale and marginal contributors to value.
Accordingly, the p
ositive value hinges on the value of Newcrest’s interest in the Havieron project. The discount to the Scenario 2 NPV reflects Havieron’s status as a development project that is still subject to a feasibility study (and subsequent FID).
The recent negotiations between Newcrest and Greatland Gold plc (“Greatland”), which owns 30% of Havieron, can also provide some (albeit limited) evidence to value. These include announcements in:
March 2022, that Greatland made a non-binding offer to acquire a 5% interest for $85 million (implied value of $1.7 billion for 100% of Havieron) which was not progressed; and
August 2022, that an independent valuer determined that the option exercise price for a
5% interest to be $60 million (implied value of $1.2 billion for 100% of Havieron). The valuation was based on information (including geological data) available at 15 December 2021.
Newcrest declined to exercise the option, stating that the price “
did not meet Newcrest’s investment hurdles”.
The
implied values resulting from these discussions are contradictory (
the value of Havieron cannot be both less than $1.2 billion and greater than $1.7 billion). On the other end, the value ascribed by the independent valuer r
eflects the prescriptive process and principles outlined for the in the joint venture agreement. In most instances, Newcrest’s decision not to exercise the option (particularly given its knowledge of the asset) would suggest that
$1.2 billion is a notional “ceiling” to the value of Havieron. However, there are several factors to suggest that the project value may have changed since then:
over 1.9Moz of gold and 0.05Mt of copper have been added to mineral resource
(approximately a 50% increase over previous estimates); and
exploration studies and drilling continue to progress and the feasibility study is currently being undertaken.
On the other hand,
upfront capital expenditure estimates are expected to increase materially due to the expanded scope and increased geotechnical and hydrogeological understanding of the deposit.
While it is difficult to make any definitive conclusions from these two datapoints, it is clear that the implied values resulting from these discussions are materially higher than the NPV outcome in the pre-feasibility study that was completed in October 2021 ($228 million). The significant uplift is due to the nature of the study, which calculated NPVs based on long term gold and copper prices of $1,500/oz and around $7,250/t, respectively. Valuation parameters in the
current market environment would involve assumptions that would result in materially higher NPVs.
Another valuation benchmark is the recent share price performance and capital raisings undertaken by Greatland. Havieron is Greatland’s flagship asset and comprises most, if not all, of the company’s value (as its other exploration projects and joint ventures are less advanced and do not have any mineral resource). The analysis is set out below:
The analysis broadly points to a value for 100% of Havieron of around $1.4 billion. However, the valuation evidence from Greatland’s share price must be considered in light of its share price and its volatility. It has very limited broker coverage (only three analysts).
Wyloo Metals is a sophisticated investor that is familiar with the mining industry (albeit with no other investments in the gold sector). However, while its investment in Greatland represents a useful third party, arms’ length value for the project, it is necessary to recognise the emerging picture of materially higher development costs subsequent to the investment.
Taking these factors into consideration,
Grant Samuel considers the valuation range for Telfer (including 70% of Havieron) of $500-600 million (inclusive of the value of remnant mineral resources) to be a reasonable balancing of these issues.
Now here's the Machiavellian part
Grant Samuel considers the materially higher minimum independent valuation of $ 1.7bn and dismisses it. They then contemplate the 1.2bn valuation which implies $840m for Newcrest 70% but then dismisses this and arrives at $500m-600m which arguably ascribes -ve $240+m to Telfer assuming $550m achieved. How nice...?
So here's a valuation thats a whole $240m
lower than an independently adjudicated book value and at a discount, conveniently blamed on NCM's spurious "expected increased costs, due to the increasing the scope of the project" (ie 2mt to 3mt?
) So let me get that straight the project has the capacity to get bigger and be more profitable and Samuel marks the price lower. Hmmm ? - go figure.
Right,
now for the really interesting BIT ;
Grant Samuel it turns out is also old mates with Fortescue Metals and i mean best mates really - long term clients and close advisors of 25 years. So long term and very close advisor... and most probably lucrative $$$ contractual friend.
NOW it's hard to be certain, but I think Grant Samuel have played an 'oil the wheels' role here for their 'oldest friends in the business" FMG.
See:
https://www.smh.com.au/business/fortesc ... dn3sk.html
From 2006 " Fortescue aims for $2b raising : Instead, Fortescue says it will continue working with advisers Grant Samuel and Citigroup, to finalise project documentation before the end of the month."
From 2009 Deutsche Bank advised Valin, while Fortescue was advised by J.P. Morgan and Grant Samuel.
https://www.financeasia.com/article/val ... eal/138162
https://www.sydneyminingclub.org/presen ... tescue.pdf Fortescue Metals Group Ltd The New Force in Iron Ore in 2005 Grant Samuel appointed to manage the 'global tender for the Christmas Creek Royalty'
But the clincher, Samuel didn't even mention any implications whatsoever of the ROLR . Surely a key lynch pin relevant to any valuation discussion. How fitting ...? Did they not know about the ROLR = Or did they chose to 'omit it' for political reasons...?
Samuel continues:
The implied EBITDA multiples for Telfer (inclusive of Havieron) are very low relative to the rest of Newcrest’s mineral assets (as well as the rest of the market evidence) due to the limited life of its open pit operations (closing in FY26). The resource multiples for Telfer (inclusive of Havieron) are below the market evidence due to the:
significant upfront capital to develop Havieron (relative to the project’s value at this point in time);
l
ack of clarity for future growth plans, as the feasibility study for Havieron is still underway and more work is required to better define the extent of the underground mine extensions at Telfer; and
challenging economics at Telfer’s existing operations, which are further impacted by the rehabilitation obligations at the end of its life.
The reserve
multiples are more towards the middle of the range of the market evidence due to the very high resource-to-reserve ratio (over 4 times) and expectation that extending the operating life of Telfer beyond FY26 will lead to additional conversions of mineral resource to reserves. The production cases incorporate s
ome of this upside, particularly at Havieron, which has only recognised 14Mt in ore reserves (but has 32Mt of ore included in Scenario 2 of the DCF analysis).
In Grant Samuel’s view, the multiples are a reasonable balancing of the opportunities and risks at Telfer.
NOW to Conclude :
Basically - I'm not sure WTF to make of all this 'variation in costs and valuations' but basically it goes something like this...
IMO Newcrest sought to set the NPV and profitability of Havieron ludicrously low to hurt GGP and facilitate a low ball takeover (or even full bankruptcy of GGP).
Grant Samuel have recognised this, and set out to mark the Hav transaction value down based in part on NCMs bad behaviour/stupidity (?) - consequently this sets the cash hurdle bar low as possible for GGP while Samuel’s assessment talks the “risks up and the overall talks the project value down”. This all discourages other potential bidders, given the ROLR?
Of note here: A circa 8-10moz brownfield project, so low construction risk, low capex hurdle which and has easily attracted some of the biggest names, billionaires and talent in the Australia mining business from NST, FMG, BHP and Rio - talk about gamesmanship?
Ironically , these facts and the ‘validation of independent valuations’ can be construed that: When GGP stands to benefit from a high valuation price (ie like for the 5%) the
independent valuer comes down in favour of GGP (not Newcrest) . But when GGP stands to benefit from a low valuation price,
the independent values comes down in favour of GGP not Newmont , again valuing the project at the lower end of the spectrum.
Nothing like standing up for the little guy, eh? Anyone rationally looking at this situation might be forgiven for thinking Shaun actually 'Walks on Water'..
He got really unlucky, with Newcrest and then really really lucky with Newmont … but then there’s that saying “you make your own luck”, right?
Either that, or he has good friends in very high places.