Vista Gold Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

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November 8, 2023

There are 3 speakers on the call.

Operator

At this time, all participants are in listen only mode. Following the presentation, we will conduct a question and answer session. At that time, participants are out. Strompong. And as a reminder, this conference is being recorded today, is Wednesday, November 8, 2023.

Operator

It is now my pleasure to introduce Ms. Pamela Asali, Vice President of Investor Relations. Please go ahead. Thank you, Kelsey, and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining the Vista Goldcorp's Q3 2023 financial results and corporate update conference call.

Operator

I'm Pamela Soli, Vice President, Investor Relations. On the call today is Trent Nurse, President and Chief Executive Officer and Doug Hoebler, Chief Financial Officer. During the course of this call, we will be making forward looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Vista to be materially different from results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Please refer to our most recently filed Form 10 Q for details of risks and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in our forward looking statements.

Operator

I will now turn the call over to Fred Earnest.

Speaker 1

Thank you, Pam, and thank you everyone for joining us on the call this afternoon. During the Q3, we continued to work with CIBC Capital Markets. We maintained our ongoing cost reduction programs, managed our safety and environmental programs without incident and presented at the Precious Metals Summit in Beavercreek, Colorado. As part of our work with CIBC, we continue to explore transaction opportunities and host Mt. Todd site visits with interested parties.

Speaker 1

We remain diligent in the execution of our strategy to seek an appropriate transaction to maximize shareholder value, But understand the completion of a transaction may depend on sustained improvement and stability in the economy and capital markets. Cost reductions are ongoing and we are on track to achieve a 7% reduction in 2023 recurring costs compared to 2022. Vista continues to have no debt. In September, we attended the Precious Metals Summit in Beavercreek, Colorado, where we met with shareholders, potential investors, mining companies and others. The completion of the internal scoping study earlier this year generated interest among shareholders, investors and potential transaction parties.

Speaker 1

We remain committed to the health and safety of our employees and to our environmental stewardship at Mt. Todd. There have been no lost time incidents this year and the site has now reached 6 90 consecutive accident free days. I will discuss these topics in greater detail later in the call. But now, I will now turn the time over to Doug Tovar for a review of our financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.

Speaker 1

Thank you, Fred. Today, I'll provide a brief recap of our results of operations for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 and our financial position at that date. Vista Gold's full financial statements and MD and A are included in our Form 10 Q that was filed yesterday and is available at eithersec.govorsedarplus. Ca. Vista Gold reported consolidated net loss of $1,500,000 or $0.01 per common share for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, compared to a consolidated net loss of $1,700,000 or $0.02 per common share for the quarter ended September 30, 2022.

Speaker 1

The loss for the current quarter was in line with our expectations and it reflects an 11% reduction in operating expenses compared to the same period last year. For the 9 months ended September 30, 2023, 2022, Our net losses were $4,900,000 $3,400,000 respectively. The loss in 2023 was greater than last year's Because the 2022 period included a $2,900,000 gain on our disposal of the Yahuat Mosh property and other income items totaling $413,000 Excluding the effects of these two items, Vista reported operating expenses of $5,100,000 for the 9 months ended September 30, 2023, compared to $6,800,000 for the same period last year. This represents a 25% decrease and operating expenses period over period. We are on track to achieve our objective of a 7% reduction in recurring costs and other cost reductions at Mt Todd for exploration and site management programs.

Speaker 1

Turning to our financial position, Our balance sheet remained in good condition at September 30. We ended with cash of $4,800,000 which compared to $6,000,000 at June 30, 2023. We also maintained our position of having no debt. That concludes my remarks for today. So I'll turn the call back over to Fred.

Speaker 1

Thank you. Thank you, Doug. I will begin with a review of our ESG initiatives and performance and then review our Q3 achievements. We are committed to conducting our business in a responsible and sustainable manner. We continually seek to align our business practices with ESG principles to ensure the long term success and positive impact of our operations.

Speaker 1

And we are proud to be recognized for our record in environmental leadership in the Northern Territory. We remain in compliance with our site environmental responsibilities and obligations. And as previously noted, our team in Australia has now completed more than 6 90 consecutive days with no lost time incidents. We are very pleased with our safety oriented culture and the accomplishments of the team. We continue to maintain strong working relationships with the Jawahun people and the leaders of the Jawahun Association Aboriginal Corporation.

Speaker 1

We continue to work with leaders and stakeholders in the Katherine area And more broadly in the Northern Territory as well as the Northern Territory government. I'm pleased that our social license is firmly in place And strongly support it. We remain committed to responsible environmental management, protecting heritage sites And developing Mt Todd in a way and at the time that maximizes the benefit for our shareholders and stakeholders in the Northern Territory. I'm pleased to report we are working on our first ESG report and expect to publish the report in the Q1 of 2024. Now switching to the Precious Metals Summit.

Speaker 1

As I indicated in September, we attended The Precious Metals Summit in Beaver Creek. This conference always provides an excellent forum for our team to meet with shareholders, Potential investors, mining companies, bankers and others, our message about the opportunity for a smaller initial project at Mt. Todd was well received. In particular, demonstrated initial capital less than $350,000,000 to achieve annual production of 100 200,000 to 200,000 ounces of gold per year combined with the opportunity to increase production through stage development over time resonated with many of those with whom we met. Interest in what is happening in the Northern Territory also caught the attention of investors.

Speaker 1

In April, the NT government announced plans to attract greater mining investment in the territory. The top government priority is to reform the current royalty structure. All indications suggests that the government will adopt an ad valorem royalty and adjust the rate to be more competitive with other Tier 1 jurisdictions where rates typically range from 2.5% to 5%. This represents a very meaningful opportunity for improved project economics Earlier shareholder returns in our Todd, for our 2022 feasibility study included NT royalties equivalent to a 7% to 9% ad valorem rate depending on gold price and other assumptions. We expect the Northern Territory government to complete the royalty reform by the end of the Q2 of 2024.

Speaker 1

Now switching over to the ongoing work with CIBC. CIBC continues to generate interest in Mt. Todd. The results of the scoping study announced earlier this year have generated greater Kristen, the optionality Mt Todd offers under different development strategies. Management continues to host site visits and respond to inquiries from engaged parties.

Speaker 1

We remain focused on recognizing value for shareholders Through the completion of the right transaction, one that realizes a greater portion of the intrinsic value of Mt. Todd and provides ample opportunity for future Additional value recognition. Our efforts to In reducing costs and maximizing cost effectiveness are high priorities for 2023. We have taken actions to further reduce recurring costs by approximately 7% and continue to evaluate and implement opportunities for additional cost reductions. And now in conclusion, the Mt Todd Gold Project is one of the largest and most advanced undevelopable projects in Australia.

Speaker 1

With 7,000,000 ounces of proven and probable reserves And following the completion of the Newmont Newcrest merger, Vista controls the 2nd largest reserve package in Australia. In addition to its size, Mt Todd provides a number of other advantages for those interested In a potential transaction, Mt Todd is ideally located in the Northern Territory Australia, an extremely stable and mining friendly jurisdiction. The existing project infrastructure at Mt. Have been approved. Of equal importance, we have earned the trust of the local stakeholders and we are confident that our social license is firmly in hand.

Speaker 1

Our technical programs focus on derisking the project and incorporating designs that are capital efficient with low operating costs. We believe the proposed changes to the MT Royalty regime will help improve project economics, enhance the project's leverage to gold price and provide a stronger foundation for improved shareholder value. We believe Mt. Todd is a superior asset and one of the most attractive development State projects, not just in Australia, but in all of the world. Our primary objective is To achieve a valuation for Mt Todd that is reflective of the gold production profile, long operating life, excellent build recovery, Favorable operating costs, robust project economics as demonstrated by the completed feasibility study and the fact that we hold all approvals for all major permits.

Speaker 1

For a more comprehensive review of the work completed by Vista on the Mt Todd project, I refer you to our corporate presentation, which can be found on our website at www.vistagold.com. We believe that Vista Gold represents an exceptional investment opportunity and that current prices represent a tremendous opportunity to establish a position or increase 1's holdings in Vista Gold. This concludes our prepared remarks. We'll now respond to any questions from participants on the call.

Operator

The first question comes from Niko from H. C. Wainwright. Please go ahead.

Speaker 2

Hey, Frode. Can you hear me okay? Because we were just a little muffled there.

Speaker 1

Yes. We were having difficulty We hear you loud and clear Heiko.

Speaker 2

Fair enough. Okay. Cost savings going into 2024, I mean you're looking at a 7% reduction in recurring costs. I'm frankly amazed at how you plan on being able to do this given how lean the shift has been run for the last Many years that we're following this term. Can you just give a little bit of color and detail on what exactly you plan on doing and maybe even quantify the effects?

Speaker 1

Yes. I'm going to turn this question over to Doug to answer Heiko. Hey, Heiko. How are you doing? Yes.

Speaker 1

Hey, the 7% is what we're tracking is our objective for this year. And I think we talked about this last quarter that, That's 7% after considering the effect of inflation, which is kind of running high single digits in some markets, it's even low teens. So we think we've done exceptionally well this year. We're not through our 2024 budget cycle yet, but We're seeing areas where we can continue to ratchet down our costs and our whole thing stable. I mean, we've been very fortunate To keep our personnel costs in line and still keep a very motivated workforce.

Speaker 1

We've discussed Those have been exceptionally hard workers and they keep working well for us. As we move into next year, we'll continue to look at all the really exciting areas like insurance. Markets have improved a bit there, but also we've taken a very aggressive approach Shopping our rates on all of these all of the products that we have. Consultants and advisors are another bucket. Now the easiest thing to do is don't use them, but the reality is you have to.

Speaker 1

And we've had some consultants that have been supported by being able to hold the rate steady. We can't do that forever, so we may see some bumps there. But in other cases, we've been able to successfully shop or shift our services to A less expensive, but still productive service provider. And then of course, we work to ratchet down our office and admin caution and keep Our rent flow, keep all of our other support costs as low as we possibly can. So It's not big dollars in any one bucket, but we look at every bucket and try to scrape out a few dollars.

Speaker 1

So I'm hopeful that we can at least hold the line as we move into 2024 and offset most if not all of the cost of inflation.

Speaker 2

That's a fair answer. Just looking at what its shares are currently sitting, there's clearly value there. I mean, goals Yes. When I wrote this question up, it was at 19.50. If you want to run the sensitivity analysis, And again, I'm happy to use pretty conservative numbers here.

Speaker 2

There is obviously a meaningful value disconnect Between the value of the company and the share value for lack of a better word. What is the market And how does one explain it to them that they're missing it? Or is it just all junior miners are beaten down and nobody cares?

Speaker 1

Heiko, that's a very interesting question. And I'm sure it's a question that Many CEOs and shareholders alike are asking themselves across the board In our sector, there is a big disconnect between gold price and intrinsic value of projects Compared to market caps and recognized value in companies, certainly, we find ourselves Fundamentally under a greater than normal amount of selling pressure. We're not sure if that's tax loss selling That has commenced the middle of last month or if it's just part of a broader market phenomena that Gold stocks are a little bit out of favor. We know that in Australia specifically that Lithium seems to be the flavor of the day and gold companies I think I've fallen a little bit out of favor. I think in the background of everybody's mind are questions about When Vista is going to successfully complete a transaction and That is in very great detail out of our control in many respects.

Speaker 1

As I reported, we continue to work with CIBC and CIBC Much of their credit continues to generate leads and attract new interest to Mt. Todd. That's reflected in our mentioned 2 site business that are being held and the due diligence work that's being undertaken. I'm hopeful that as we head into the New Year that we'll see a shift In our sector that we'll begin to see some transactions that involve developers such as Vista, Whereas this year, the majority of transactions that have occurred have been producers transacting with other producers. That's been something that we haven't been able to seem to break as a sector of the industry.

Speaker 1

But I'm hopeful that that will And when it begins when the pendulum begins to swing back the other way, I think that the size of the project, where it's located, the fact that it's fully permitted, the fact that we that Mt. Todd has essentially shown already will bode well for us. But in the meantime, I think the key factors are, as Doug has pointed out that We're being very efficient with the use of the financial resources that we have. I'd like to think that we're amongst the top of our peers And what we're able to achieve with the money that we spend. So it's something that weighs on our minds as it does I'm sure on many investors,

Speaker 2

Thank you, Phil. You've got a raise in my mind as well. Fair enough. Good answer and I'll get back in queue.

Speaker 1

Thank you, Heiko. Thank you.

Operator

And the next question comes from Mike Schultz. Please go ahead.

Speaker 2

Okay. Can you hear me?

Speaker 1

We hear you loud and clear, Mike.

Speaker 2

Right. Yes. So I'm a private investor. And So I have two questions. I'm going to ask them 1 at a time just so that I can be clear on what I'm going to ask.

Speaker 2

So The first question is, does Vista have the ability to borrow The $350,000,000 and mine the gold themselves. And what is borrowing based on the type of project, the type of company That is the question. And I say that because I've just kind of done the numbers with even astronomical interest rates And what you're projecting for gold production net of production expenses would provide a pretty Significant multiple over with the current stock process. So just knowing that you guys, if worse comes to worse, To borrow would mean something to me. And borrowing and mining could be an option, a blast resort if Within 3 quarters, there's not a way to raise additional money through stock offering or whatever.

Speaker 2

So just answer that one at first, if you don't

Speaker 1

Yes. Hi, this is Doug Tober. I'll take that one on. So, it sounds like your analysis would tell you the same thing that our analysis would. In terms of borrowing, just to be clear, we wouldn't seek to ever borrow 100% of the $350,000,000 that we outlined in our scoping study.

Speaker 1

A typical mining project would finance 60% with some form of leverage, debt streams, royalties, those types of things. And typically the balance would come from an equity infusion and that can come from partners or it can come from The broader market itself. So from what we see, Mt. Todd's economics are robust. They're very robust at the current gold prices when you look at the valuation on a discounted cash flow basis.

Speaker 1

So We see that that typical sixty-forty debt equity ratio is something that will be very achievable, should we ever move towards that direction. We still see that there's great value opportunity in some of the form of transaction that provides a Longer more immediate and then longer term outlook as well. So we're not boxed out. We've got optionality and I think your analysis makes sense.

Speaker 2

Okay. Thanks. And then the second question, which you may or may not answer, but I'm going to ask it anyway, is You commented a lot on wanting to find the right transaction that kind of represents the value of the project. And so As an investor, not seeing much of what's going on, there's the appearance that even though we hear about a lot of that Kennedy, We don't know whether there's been actually any possible offers or even mention of offers that We're not considered by Vista because it was nowhere near considered the right value. So If there's a way you could shed light that there have been people that have been bona fidely interested but not at the right value or You can't comment on that, I understand.

Speaker 2

But I'm we're just trying to size up what's actually going on among folks that are looking at it.

Speaker 1

Yes. I'm not going to be able to answer the question to your satisfaction, Mike. But there over the last A year there have been discussions about value and Those discussions have not reached a point where for a number of reasons On either side of the table where they get to the point where there's anything that would be disclosable. But there is genuine interest and There's been significant expenditures made to date on the parts of several companies in various levels of due diligence. And if I mean, I don't know where this is going to head, but we'll see what plays out in The next quarter or 2 quarters.

Speaker 2

Great. Well, both answers were tremendously helpful. I appreciate it. Thank you. I'm back in the queue.

Speaker 2

All right.

Operator

Thank you. And next question comes from Adrian Aday from EDG Asset Management. Please go ahead.

Speaker 2

Yes. Hi, good afternoon. I'm wondering how you would Two questions, 2 part question. How you would characterize the recent discussions you've had compared with, Saved discussions last year. And then how would you could you give us some idea of what seemed to be the biggest stumbling blocks to people making a positive decision Please go ahead.

Speaker 1

Yes. Adrian, I think that the biggest the easiest way to characterize between the discussions a year ago and discussions in the last 9 months is the impact of inflation And the uncertainties surrounding inflation, our feasibility study is dated January of 2022 and within 6 months of that time, we started seeing A lot of talk and in reality a lot of impacts of inflation and what that means to projects. I think in answer to your second question, you know our industry quite well and you know that Many of the companies that should be interested in a project the size of Mt. Todd are actually quite risk averse. And I think that the fundamental reason why we're seeing The consolidation of the transactions between producers and producers is that they're eliminating the development risk In today's market.

Speaker 1

And that weighs heavily On every discussion is how do you assign a value to that risk and what ultimately is going to be the cost of development Even though we have very, very solid first principles, cost estimates for CapEx and operating costs As of the Q4 of 2021, the question in everybody's mind is what are those costs Really going to be today. And so it's really a matter of risk aversion and That's the biggest issue that we see and we think that that's driving the hesitancy across the board to engage in discussions, transactions with developers in today's market.

Operator

Thank you. And there are no further questions at this time. Mr. Sterling, you may proceed. All

Speaker 1

right, Kelsey. Thank you. We appreciate the questions that have been asked. Mike Heiko and Adrian, appreciate your continued interest and the very thoughtful questions that were asked. As has been pointed out in the Q and A section, our share price is not where we would like it But I think the flip side of that is that this represents a for those who can see The value the underlying value of Mt.

Speaker 1

Todd and the asset and the fact that those ounces are not going anywhere, I think that there's a tremendous opportunity here and to establish or add to a position in Vista Gold. We certainly for those who have further questions and would like more information, I invite you to reach out to Pamela Sully, Our Vice President of Investor Relations, Pamela, will be happy to spend time with you, answer questions and as needed To get myself or another member of the team on the phone to help you understand the technical and financial aspects of the project. We as a management team are disappointed with the market cap and the share price that we have today, But we continue to work to assess, to advance opportunities And to continue work on how we can further create value for the project as we derisk the project. And please know that The team is busy. We certainly welcome additional inquiries.

Speaker 1

We welcome investment. We think this is a tremendous opportunity. And we're hopeful that those who are on this call and those who will listen to it as rebroadcast will give serious consideration to the investment opportunity that this represents. With that, I would like to thank all of you for participating in the call, and we wish you all a very Pleasant and happy afternoon. Good day.

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all so much for your participation. And I hope you have a good rest of your evening. Thank you.

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Earnings Conference Call
Vista Gold Q3 2023
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