Ramaco Resources, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results
November 6, 2019 - Ramaco Resources, Inc. (METC) ("Ramaco Resources" or the "Company") has reported third quarter net income of $5.5 million, or $0.14 per fully diluted share for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, as compared to a net income of $6.2 million, or $0.15 per fully diluted share in the prior year quarter ended September 30, 2018.
Highlights
- Adjusted EBITDA was $13.6 million in the third quarter of 2019, which was 24% above the same period in 2018. Cash costs per ton sold were negatively affected by an unusually high inventory reduction in the third quarter, with sales volume meaningfully exceeding production volume, as Ramaco worked down inventory that had built up as a result of last year's silo failure.
- Third quarter sales of Company produced tons totaled 510,000, equaling our strongest quarter on record.
- Third quarter realized pricing of $111/ton on Company produced coal was our second highest quarter on record at prices in excess of 120% of the Platt's index at our quality levels as of this release. The higher pricing secured was reflective of our decision in 2018 to commit the majority of our 2019 sales tons into the domestic markets.
The Company's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and equity-based compensation expenses ("Adjusted EBITDA") was $13.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019, as compared with Adjusted EBITDA of $11.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2018. Adjusted EBITDA for the nine months, year over year was roughly 32% higher in 2019.
Third Quarter 2019 Summary
Year over Year Quarterly Comparison
Overall sales of Company produced tons in the third quarter of 2019 were 510,000 thousand tons, the same as in the third quarter of 2018. Cash margins on Company produced coal were $31 per ton in the third quarter of 2019, up 24% over the same period of last year, arising from 2019 pricing improvements, partially offset by higher production costs. Similarly, Adjusted EBITDA improved by 24% in the 2019 period.
2019 Quarter Over Quarter Comparison
Overall sales volumes of Company produced tons in the third quarter of 2019 were up 2% from the second quarter of 2019. Our cash margin on Company produced coal declined in the sequential period. This decline was caused principally by higher costs. Cash costs per ton sold on Company produced coal were $80 in the third quarter of 2019 compared to $71 in the second quarter of 2019. The $80 per ton figure includes costs of our Berwind mine, which is still in development and thus has higher cash costs. At Elk Creek, cash costs per ton sold were $73 in the third quarter of 2019. Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of 2019 was $13.6 million as compared to $19.1 million for the second quarter of 2019, down 29%. Third quarter 2019 cash costs per ton sold were negatively affected by an unusually high inventory reduction, with sales volume meaningfully exceeding production volume, as Ramaco worked down inventory that had built up as a result of last year's silo failure.
Randall Atkins, Ramaco Resources' Executive Chairman remarked, "The met coal space is experiencing one of its periodic price downdrafts. The depth and extent of this downturn remains to be seen. Since the Company was essentially created in a similar period of market turbulence, we feel comfortable that we are structured to withstand market pressures such as today. We also remain poised to take advantage of opportunities to continue to prudently expand production, while maintaining our low cost, low debt profile."
Atkins continued, "We locked in 2019 domestic sales last year at what is now comfortably above current market prices. This year we have entered into domestic forward sales for 2020 mostly from our lower quality coal portfolio. We have preserved the sales optionality to sell our more valuable higher quality coals for export in 2020. We have additionally maintained optionality to pivot production levels to between 1.8 to 2.3 million tons next year depending on then current market conditions. Given competitive weakness with some of our higher leveraged and higher cost peers, we are also sensing both new market and asset disposition opportunities. We look forward to finishing 2019 as our strongest year ever. We approach 2020 with a sense of both discipline and opportunity."
Additional Financial Results
At September 30, 2019, the Company had approximately $5.5 million of cash on hand, $30.1 million of accounts receivable and $16.4 million of availability under its revolving credit facility. Free cash flow generated during 2019, as well as borrowings available through our revolving credit facility, are expected to be used to fund working capital, mine expansion and related capital expenditures.
In the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recorded income tax expense of $4.7 million for an annual effective tax rate of approximately 17%. Estimated cash taxes payable for 2019 are expected to be less than $0.1 million.
Capital expenditures totaled approximately $14.3 million during the third quarter of 2019 and approximately $34.0 million through the nine months ended September 30, 2019. Year to date capital expenditures includes $9.2 million of capitalized development costs primarily for the Company's Berwind development mine.
Michael Bauersachs, Ramaco Resources' President and CEO commented, "It is no secret that current market conditions are challenging. However, Ramaco's low cost, low debt, and low legacy liability profile allows us to make prudent, long-term decisions, that many others don't have the luxury of doing."
"Our decision to sell the majority of our tons into the domestic market has served us well in 2019. We are essentially sold out for 2019, with approximately 1.9 million tons of committed fixed priced business at roughly $110 per ton. For 2020, we have entered into new commitments totaling roughly 1.3 million tons at average prices of $91 per ton. The placement of these tons in 2020 creates a predictable baseload level of sales to support our existing mines. While the overall pricing decline is due to a number of factors, including weak domestic and export steel markets, I would note that two thirds of the coal that we committed for 2020 is our lesser quality product. This change from last year was largely due to more higher quality high vol A coal having come back to the domestic market in 2020, putting pressure on the high vol A/B type coals. As a result, we targeted shipping the majority of our higher quality coal into the export market in 2020."
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