March 28, 2017 - Westmoreland Coal Company (Nasdaq:WLB) today reported its fourth quarter and full year 2016 financial results and provided its 2017 guidance.

Westmoreland's Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Paprzycki, commented, “During 2016, we delivered on our two main commitments of maximizing free cash flow generation and reducing our debt position, which we achieved while reporting record adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow. This is a direct result of the resiliency of our business model and outstanding performance by our operators, despite an otherwise challenging market environment. We also took steps to significantly reduce the cash burn from our non-core assets, Coal Valley and ROVA, and to position them such that we are more aggressively pursuing strategic alternatives. As we look toward 2017, we remain focused on maximizing cash generation and strengthening our balance sheet, supported, in part, by the recent Capital Power prepayment, which provides additional financial flexibility to pursue our goals.”

Consolidated and Segment Results

Consolidated adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter was $89.1 million, an increase of 51% when compared with the fourth quarter of 2015. Consolidated adjusted EBITDA for 2016 was $271.9 million, an increase of 22% when compared to 2015. The acquisition of San Juan in the Coal - U.S. segment in early 2016 contributed meaningfully to an increase in consolidated adjusted EBITDA for both the fourth quarter and full year 2016. Increased revenue within the Coal - U.S. segment and solid execution on cost savings initiatives throughout the business, particularly within the Coal - U.S. and Coal - WMLP segments, also drove higher adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter and full year 2016. This was offset somewhat by lower net loan and lease receivable activity in the Coal - Canada segment. The restatement, described below, added consolidated adjusted EBITDA of $6.1 million to the full year 2016.

Cash Flow and Liquidity

Westmoreland’s free cash flow for 2016 was $112.6 million, driven by record adjusted EBITDA and successful working capital initiatives. Working capital added $30.1 million to free cash flow in 2016, of which $13.0 million was the direct result of the supply chain team's focus on inventory management. Also benefiting working capital was the timing of payables.

Free cash flow is the net of cash flow provided by operations of $151.9 million, less capital expenditures of $46.1 million, plus net cash collected under certain contracts for loan and lease receivables of $6.8 million. Included in cash flow provided by operations were cash uses for interest expense of $96.3 million and $32.5 million for asset retirement obligations.

During the year, Westmoreland added $37.1 million to its cash balances to end the year with cash on hand of $60.1 million. This cash increase was driven by free cash flow generation of $112.6 million; borrowings, net of repayments, of $49.9 million; and proceeds from asset sales of $7.7 million; partially offset by cash used for debt issuance of $8.8 million and net cash used to purchase San Juan of $121.0 million.

Gross debt plus capital lease obligations at December 31, 2016 totaled $1.1 billion. During 2016, repayments of long-term debt totaled $70.4 million. There was $36.3 million available to draw, net of letters of credit, on Westmoreland's revolving credit facility at December 31, 2016.

Restatement

On February 24, 2017, Westmoreland announced that it would restate its previously issued financial statements as a result of changes in accounting for its customer reclamation receivables. Westmoreland’s 2016 Form 10-K contains restated consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, and all interim periods during 2016 and 2015.

2017 Full Year Guidance

Commenting on the outlook for 2017, Mr. Paprzycki said, “Our 2017 outlook is similar to our 2016 expected performance as our resilient business model continues to yield consistent, predictable results.”

Key year-over-year changes impacting guidance include:

• Of the total $52 million payment related to the Genesee Mine, as announced previously, approximately $40 million is incremental to adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow in 2017 compared to the amount Westmoreland expected to receive in the normal course of business during 2017.

• Contract expirations (Jewett and Beulah), continued market softness in Ohio, a planned extended outage at a key customer, and a conservative view on weather resulting from the warm winter season thus far in 2017, are also expected to impact adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow and coal tons sold.

• Westmoreland expects to generate strong cash flow again this year. In addition to the payment from Capital Power, free cash flow is expected to benefit from positive working capital and breakeven cash flow at Coal Valley. Westmoreland also expects to receive nearly $10 million from the release of ROVA cash collateral, which is not part of the free cash flow calculation, but is available for use in de-levering and other corporate purposes.

Guidance Summary       2017

Coal tons sold        40 - 50 million tons

Adjusted EBITDA        $280 - $310 million

Free cash flow        $115 - $140 million

Capital expenditures      $40 - $50 million

Cash interest        Approximately $95 million

Notes

Westmoreland presents certain non-GAAP financial measures including adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow that management believes provide meaningful supplemental information and provide meaningful comparability to prior periods.