Agnico Eagle Mines - Continuing strong

Agnico’s (AEM’s) Q221 adjusted EPS of US$0.69/share was ahead of both the consensus average (US$0.59/share) and range of expectations (US$0.54–0.63/share). Relative to the prior-year period (which was adversely affected by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic), the increase in adjusted EPS was a very material 275.1%. Relative to Q121, the increase was a more modest 2.7%, driven by a 3.4% increase in revenue, a 3.6% increase in costs (such that gross margins were steady at 55.8% vs 55.9%) and a 7.9pp decline in the effective tax rate (from 40.7% to 32.8%). After the acquisition of TMAC in Q121, free cash flow reverted to a US$209.3m inflow, such that net debt declined by US$121.1m to US$1,406.6m (24.0% gearing; 19.3% leverage). Headline EPS of US$0.78/share advanced 39.0% quarter-on-quarter, augmented by financial gains and the quarterly dividend was maintained at US$0.35/share.