Barrick Gold (ABX) Misses Q1 EPS by 9c

Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX) reported Q1 EPS of $0.05, $0.09 worse than the analyst estimate of $0.14. Revenue for the quarter came in at $2.25 billion versus the consensus estimate of $2.48 billion.

TAKING BARRICK 'BACK TO THE FUTURE'

We have revitalized the Board of Directors and the management team; implemented a lean, decentralized operating model to drive greater free cash flow per share; adopted a rigorous capital allocation framework with a minimum hurdle rate of 15 percent; implemented a concrete strategy to reduce debt by at least $3 billion this year; and restored the company's original partnership culture with the appointment of 35 new partners and the creation of the most owner-centric, long-term compensation system of any company in Canada and within our industry.

We now have superb people, in the right roles, focused on the right things. In our new decentralized model, our miners are free from bureaucracy and are focused on maximizing free cash flow. A small head office is focused on allocating that cash flow to maximize shareholder returns. Our leaders are owners, with deep financial and emotional ownership in the long-term success of the business.

We are determined to once again be the world's leading gold company, a company that consistently grows free cash flow per share from a portfolio of the best gold assets in the best regions, delivering industry-leading returns to our owners.

BECOMING A TALENT-OBSESSED COMPANY

Barrick is obsessed with talent. People issues are the first topic at every weekly meeting of Barrick's most senior leaders and the Board of Directors now regularly engages in in-depth talent diagnosis. Darian Rich, elevated to the role of Executive Vice President, Talent Management, reports on people issues at every Board meeting. The company has attracted 13 new senior leaders in the last nine months, individuals who personify the company's original values and bring vital skills and experience that support the company's business objectives, such as strengthening the balance sheet, fixing Pascua-Lama, improving efficiency and productivity, and building partnerships in China and beyond. Our newest addition is Dana Easthope. He will join the company in May as Vice President and Corporate Secretary. His first responsibility will be to bring greater depth, continuity, and strength to the relationship between our owners and the Board of Directors. Under his tenure as Corporate Secretary at Sun Life Financial, the company consistently appeared at the top of the Globe and Mail's annual ranking of companies with the best corporate governance practices, placing first out of 250 companies in Canada in 2012 and 2013 and second in 2014.

RESTORING A STRONG BALANCE SHEET

As we take Barrick 'back to the future', no priority is more important than restoring a strong balance sheet. Prudent financial management is a bedrock principle of the company.

Our lean, decentralized operating model will maximize free cash flow per share-with more efficient and rigorous capital spending, reduced general and administrative costs, and profitable growth. These changes will contribute to the strength of our balance sheet over the long-term.

We remain committed to our debt reduction target of at least $3 billion by the end of 2015, and have moved quickly to advance a number of asset sales and joint venture opportunities:

-- Numerous companies have participated in the sales processes for the
Cowal mine and the Porgera Joint Venture. Detailed due diligence on both
assets is now underway, including site visits with prospective buyers.

-- We have begun a process for the sale of a stake in the Zaldivar copper
mine in Chile. Zaldivar is a consistently strong performer in the
world's best jurisdiction for copper mining. Potential buyers have
expressed a strong interest in acquiring an interest in the mine.

-- We are actively exploring a number of other joint venture and sales
opportunities.

We will take only those actions that make sense for the business, on terms we consider most favorable to our owners. Our strong liquidity means we can proceed with patience and discipline. We have less than $900 million in debt due over the next three years, a $4 billion undrawn credit facility, and $2.3 billion(2) in cash at the end of the first quarter.

CAPITAL ALLOCATION

Barrick has returned to a lean, decentralized operating model with minimal bureaucracy. Our operational leaders are focused on maximizing free cash flow, and the head office, now about half the size it was a year ago, is focused on allocating that cash flow to maximize long-term value for our owners.

At the end of 2014, we implemented a rigorous new capital allocation framework that goes beyond anything Barrick has undertaken in the past. We expect our portfolio to deliver a 10-15 percent return on invested capital through metal price cycles and, as such, individual projects are assessed against a hurdle rate of 15 percent. We will defer, cancel or sell projects that cannot achieve this target.

The capital we invest to sustain or increase production at our existing operations is not spread evenly across the portfolio. Our operations must compete for it. Capital will flow to mines that meet our overall expectations for returns on invested capital. Assets that are unable to meet our capital allocation objectives will be sold.

We are bringing this level of rigor to every part of the business. We have launched a detailed evaluation of all capital expenditures for 2015 and 2016. All spending plans will be re-assessed against our capital allocation objectives, including a minimum hurdle rate of 15 percent return on invested capital. Expenditures that do not meet our capital allocation objectives will be cancelled or deferred.

We have already identified $200 million in capital expenditure reductions for 2015, with further reductions expected as we continue to implement our new capital allocation framework. We will report further progress with our second quarter results.

The reductions identified thus far have been partially offset by an increase in copper sustaining capital following our decision to continue operations at Lumwana. As a result, our total capital expenditure guidance for 2015 has been reduced by $100 million to $1.8-$2.1 billion.

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

We remain on track to achieve our overall target of $30 million in savings from reduced general and administrative expenditures and overhead costs in 2015, reaching $70 million in annualized savings by 2016. We expect more to follow, as our operational leaders focus on maximizing free cash flow without the constraints of bureaucracy and unnecessary management layers.

A multidisciplinary team of Barrick's leading mining experts and independent technical specialists is also in the process of reassessing the economic potential of every Barrick mine, identifying specific projects to maximize free cash flow, increase production and lower costs. Known as the Value Realization Project, these reviews also support our non-core asset sale process by ensuring we understand the full value of every mine before we proceed with any divestiture.

Value Realization reviews are well underway for 10 operations, including our five core mines. Upside opportunities identified as part of the process will be incorporated into current mine plans where the initiatives meet our 15 percent hurdle rate or, where more engineering work and evaluations are required, may be added to mine plans for 2016 and beyond, strengthening our long term business plans. See the Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information on page 25 of this press release.

As one example, the Valuation Realization process completed at Barrick's Pueblo Viejo mine has identified a number of initiatives designed to increase efficiencies and create substantial value (100 percent basis) to the already successful operation. Key initiatives include:

-- Increasing processing plant throughput by 2019: By making a series of
on-going upgrades to the processing plant requiring capital expenditures
of approximately $20 million, Barrick anticipates that it could increase
plant throughput capacity by up to an additional 10 percent.

-- Converting the fuel supply at the Quisqueya I power plant from heavy
fuel oil to liquefied natural gas (LNG): By converting the fuel supply
at the Quisqueya I power plant, which provides electricity to the Pueblo
Viejo mine, from heavy fuel oil to LNG, Barrick anticipates that it
could significantly reduce power plant operating costs. This initiative
is expected to require minimal capital from Barrick, as the power plant
is designed to operate on both fuels and could be completed as early as
the end of 2017.

-- Mine plan enhancements: Approximately 7-8 million ounces of mineral
resources may potentially be converted into mineral reserves, extending
the mine life, as a result of continued optimization efforts and by
removing tailings capacity and other constraints and bottlenecks in
mining and processing, using Barrick's current price guidance for
reserves. This initiative is expected to require incremental capital
expenditures over the life of mine of between $120-$150 million.

-- Lime Kilns Fuel Conversion by 2017: By converting the fuel supply for
the lime kilns at Pueblo Viejo from diesel fuel to LNG, Barrick
anticipates that it can reduce energy consumption, costs and greenhouse
gas emissions. This initiative will require capital expenditures of
approximately $25 million over 18 months, with a payback period of
approximately three years.

Barrick will complete the technical analysis of these initiatives while its Value Realization team continues its site-by-site review. An updated Technical Report for Pueblo Viejo will be filed by the applicable filing deadline. We expect to provide more details about our Value Realization Project on a quarterly basis.

For earnings history and earnings-related data on Barrick Gold (ABX) click here.

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