VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/07/13 -- All dollar amounts expressed in this news release are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.
Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TCK.A and TCK.B, NYSE: TCK, ("Teck")) reported annual adjusted profit attributable to shareholders of $1.5 billion, or $2.60 per share, compared with a record $2.5 billion or $4.18 per share in 2011. Fourth quarter adjusted profit attributable to shareholders was $354 million, or $0.61 per share, compared with $613 million, or $1.04 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2011.
"From an operations perspective, 2012 was a good year," said Don Lindsay, President and CEO. "Our copper production was a record, we continued to increase our steelmaking coal production and we obtained new labour agreements for a number of our operations. However, due to uncertain global economic conditions, prices for all of our major products were down compared to last year, which resulted in lower earnings and cash flows than in 2011."
Highlights and Significant Items
-- Gross profit before depreciation and amortization in 2012 was $4.0 billion compared with a record $5.8 billion in 2011. Gross profit before depreciation and amortization was $961 million in the fourth quarter compared with $1.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011.-- Cash flow from operations, before working capital changes, was $3.2 billion in 2012 compared with a record $4.6 billion last year. Cash flow from operations, before working capital changes, was $722 million in the fourth quarter compared with $1.2 billion a year ago.-- Profit attributable to shareholders was $811 million in 2012 compared with a record $2.7 billion in 2011. Profit attributable to shareholders was $145 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 compared with $637 million in the same period last year.-- To date we have reached agreements with our coal customers to sell 6.0 million tonnes of coal in the first quarter of 2013 at an average price of US$159 per tonne. We expect to conclude additional sales over the course of the quarter.-- Our cash balance was $2.9 billion as at February 6, 2013.-- In 2012, we produced a record 373,000 tonnes of copper, including 103,000 tonnes in the fourth quarter.-- We achieved significant cost reductions at our coal operations with site unit operating costs decreasing to $62 per tonne in the fourth quarter, down 17% compared with the first three quarters of 2012.-- In December, we announced a 12.5% increase in the semi-annual dividend on our Class A common and Class B subordinate voting shares to $0.45 per share.-- During the fourth quarter, we purchased for cancellation approximately 3.8 million Class B subordinate voting shares for $123 million pursuant to our normal course issuer bid announced in June 2012.-- Union employees at Antamina ratified a new three-year labour agreement in November.-- In November we redeemed the last of our high-yield notes. Following the redemption, the average coupon rate on our outstanding notes is 4.8% with an average term to maturity of 16.5 years.-- On January 23, we were the top ranked Canadian company named to the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations for 2013 by media and investment research company Corporate Knights.
