Fortuna(FSM) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record adjusted net income of $0.23 per share for Q4 2025, aligning with analysts' consensus, and net cash from operations before working capital adjustments was $0.48 per share, exceeding estimates of $0.43 [4] - Free cash flow reached $132 million for the quarter and $330 million for the full year, indicating strong operational performance and a robust balance sheet with over $700 million in liquidity and a net cash position of approximately $380 million [4][27] - Attributable net income for Q4 was $68.1 million, or $0.22 per share on an adjusted basis, a significant increase from $0.06 in Q4 2024 and $0.17 in Q3 2025, primarily driven by higher gold prices [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Séguéla produced 36,942 ounces of gold in Q4, totaling 152,426 ounces for the full year, exceeding guidance by 4% [10] - Lindero's full-year gold production totaled 87,489 ounces, approximately 6% below guidance due to mechanical downtime in Q4 [15] - Caylloma produced 250,000 ounces of silver in Q4, maintaining production levels consistent with previous quarters [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The average realized gold price was $4,166 per ounce, an increase of over $1,500 per ounce compared to previous periods, while consolidated cash costs rose only marginally by 5% to $971 per ounce [21] - The company experienced a foreign exchange loss of $2.9 million for Q4, primarily driven by operations in Argentina, but this was offset by hedging strategies [23][24] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to grow annual gold production to over 500,000 ounces within the next 24 months, representing a 65% increase from current levels, with growth driven by the Diamba Sud and Séguéla projects [5][8] - A $100 million budget has been approved for Diamba Sud, with $67 million allocated for early works, including infrastructure development [6][46] - Séguéla is preparing for a plant upgrade study to evaluate throughput expansion options, potentially increasing annual production to 200,000 ounces [7][40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving production growth through controlled and executable plans, supported by a strong balance sheet and quality assets [5][8] - The company is focused on mitigating risks associated with equipment delivery times and securing critical resources for project advancement [46] Other Important Information - The company recorded $26 million in general and administration expenses for Q4, including $6.9 million in stock-based compensation, reflecting a year-over-year increase [22] - Total capital expenditures were $44.5 million for Q4 and $178.1 million for the full year, with significant allocations for sustaining capital and growth initiatives [26][27] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on Diamba Sud resource and technical report - Management indicated that the increased resource will likely extend the mine life and improve the production profile, particularly with higher-grade deposits [30][31] Question: Gold price assumptions for Diamba Sud - The company uses a gold price of $3,300 for resource estimates and $2,600 for reserves, reflecting current market adjustments [32][33] Question: Production cadence for 2026 - Production is expected to be steady, with Lindero experiencing softer production in the first half due to planned improvements [34][35] Question: Plans for reaching 500,000 ounces of production - Management detailed plans for Séguéla and Diamba Sud, with Séguéla targeting 200,000 ounces and Diamba Sud contributing significantly to overall production [38][39][40] Question: Underground development plans for Sunbird - The company plans to start underground development in 2027, with production expected to begin in 2028, pending permitting [58][59]