EVRAZ Q3 2018 TRADING UPDATE

RNS Number : 1690F
Evraz Plc
25 October 2018
 

EVRAZ Q3 2018 TRADING UPDATE

25 October 2018 - EVRAZ plc (LSE: EVR; "EVRAZ" or the "Group") today released its trading update for the third quarter of 2018.

 

Please note that the sales volumes of vanadium final products for Q2 2018 have been updated due to an adjustment in classification. See the respective notes below the tables on pages 2 and 4 for details.

 

Q3 2018 vs Q2 2018 HIGHLIGHTS:

 

·      In Q3 2018, EVRAZ' consolidated crude steel output fell by 10.3% QoQ to 3.1 million tonnes, primarily due to lower pig iron production.

·      Sales of finished products descended slightly by 1.2%, which was mostly attributable to lower sales volumes of railway products and flat-rolled products. Sales volumes of semi-finished products edged down by 0.7%, primarily due to lower crude steel production.

·      Production of raw coking coal climbed by 9.6% QoQ to 5.9 million tonnes due to increased productivity at the Raspadsky open-pit mine.

·      Coking coal product sales dropped by 8.3% QoQ, mainly due to logistical limitations amid maintenance works at railroads in Russia.

·     External iron ore product sales fell by 15.9% QoQ, primarily as a result of increasing stockpiles to ensure stable production volumes and steady shipments to customers during the capital repairs of EVRAZ KGOK's indurating machine no. 1 in September-October.

·      Sales of vanadium products declined by 3.9% QoQ, mainly due to large maintenance at EVRAZ Vanady-Tula to reline the roasting kiln refractories as well as replace the grinding mill (during September and October) and regular annual maintenance at EVRAZ Nikom.

 

 

Product, '000 tonnes

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

Q3 2018/ Q2 2018, change

9m 2018

9m 2017

9m 2018/ 9m 2017, change

Total crude steel production

3,106

3,463

-10.3%

9,920

10,487

-5.4%

Russia

2,642

2,996

-11.8%

8,368

8,525

-1.8%

Ukraine

-

-

0.0%

154

661

-76.7%

North America*

464

467

-0.6%

1,398

1,301

7.5%

Total raw coking coal mined

5,944

5,422

9.6%

17,335

17,714

-2.1%

Total coking coal concentrate
production

3,906

3,907

0.0%

11,967

11,031

8.5%

Iron ore products production

3,293

3,424

-3.8%

10,148

10,527

-3.6%

Total sales of steel products

3,108

3,140

-1.0%

9,317

9,609

-3.0%

Semi-finished products

1,194

1,202

-0.7%

3,700

4,062

-8.9%

Finished products

1,914

1,938

-1.2%

5,617

5,547

1.3%

Total sales of third-party steel
products

255

247

3.2%

672

612

9.8%

Sales of coking coal products

2,645

2,885

-8.3%

8,244

7,389

11.6%

Sales of iron ore products

427

508

-15.9%

1,520

2,301

-33.9%

Sales of vanadium final products**

3,238

3,370

-3.9%

9,740

11,458

-15.0%

Note. Numbers in this table and the tables below may not add up to totals due to rounding.

* The Q3 2018 production and sales volumes of EVRAZ North America are preliminary.

** in tonnes of pure vanadium; the Q1 and Q2 2018 data have been updated due to an adjustment in classification (the updated figure for Q1 2018 is 3,131)

 

 

STEEL SEGMENT

 

Total production volumes (RUSSIA and UKRAINE)

Product, '000 tonnes

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

Q3 2018 / Q2 2018, change

 9m 2018

 9m 2017

9m 2018 / 9m 2017, change

2,393

2,681

-10.7%

7,645

8,515

-10.2%

1,193

1,515

-21.3%

4,105

4,118

-0.3%

1,200

1,166

2.9%

3,386

3,628

-6.7%

0

0

n/a

153

769

-80.1%

2,642

2,996

-11.8%

8,522

9,186

-7.2%

1,605

1,962

-18.2%

5,357

5,288

1.3%

1,037

1,034

0.3%

3,011

3,237

-7.0%

0

0

n/a

154

661

-76.7%

3,293

3,424

-3.8%

10,148

10,527

-3.6%

1,661

1,626

2.2%

4,938

4,833

2.2%

898

904

-0.7%

2,633

2,615

0.7%

734

894

-17.9%

2,577

3,079

-16.3%

Coking coal concentrate production

498

518

-3.9%

1,538

1,536

0.1%

From own raw coal*

321

319

0.6%

922

643

43.4%

From third-party raw coal

177

199

-11.1%

616

893

-31.0%

Gross vanadium slag production**

4,261

4,394

-3.0%

12,675

14,264

-11.1%

               

Note. Numbers in this table and the tables below may not add up to totals due to rounding.

*  from Coal segment

** in tonnes of pure vanadium

 

In Q3 2018, EVRAZ' pig iron output at Russian mills dropped by 10.7% QoQ to 2.4 million tonnes. This was mainly due to scheduled capital repairs of EVRAZ ZSMK's blast furnace no. 3 in August-November and an incident involving EVRAZ ZSMK's blast furnace no. 1 in August.

Crude steel output fell by 11.8% QoQ to 2.6 million tonnes following a decrease in overall pig iron output.

Iron ore product output descended by 3.8% QoQ to 3.3 million tonnes, primarily due to a decrease in Evrazruda's saleable concentrate production following the incident involving EVRAZ ZSMK's blast furnace no. 1 in August.

Consolidated output of vanadium slag fell by 3.0% QoQ due to lower volumes of pig iron duplex processing as a result of the cold repair of EVRAZ NTMK's converter no. 1 in September.

 

 

 

 

Total sales volumes (RUSSIA, UKRAINE, KAZAKHSTAN and EUROPE)

Product, '000 tonnes

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

Q3 2018 / Q2 2018, change

 9m 2018

 9m 2017

9m 2018 / 9m 2017, change

Coke

135

73

84.9%

318

594

-46.5%

Steel products, external sales

2,571

2,599

-1.1%

7,757

8,199

-5.4%

Semi-finished products

1,194

1 202

-0.7%

3,700

4,062

-8.9%

   Slabs

415

540

-23.1%

1,377

1,414

-2.6%

   Billets

642

538

19.3%

1,943

2,051

-5.3%

   Other steel products

137

123

11.4%

379

597

-36.5%

Finished products

1,377

1,397

-1.4%

4,057

4,137

-1.9%

   Construction products

826

806

2.5%

2 367

2,593

-8.7%

   Railway products

341

361

-5.5%

1 010

957

5.5%

   Flat products

75

94

-20.2%

263

175

50.3%

   Other steel products

135

136

-0.7%

417

412

1.2%

Steel products, inter-segment sales

120

174

-31.0%

423

455

-7.0%

Sales of third-party steel products,
external sales

255

247

3.2%

672

612

9.8%

Sales of iron ore products, external sales

427

508

-15.9%

1,520

2,301

-33.9%

Pellets

425

504

-15.7%

1,514

1,115

35.8%

Other

2

4

-50.0%

6

1,186

-99.5%

Sales of vanadium final products*

3,238

3,370

-3.9%

9,740

11,458

-15.0%

 Note. Numbers in this table and the tables below may not add to totals due to rounding.

* in tonnes of pure vanadium; the Q1 and Q2 2018 data have been updated due to an adjustment in classification (the updated figure for Q1 2018 is 3,131)

 

In Q3 2018, external sales of steel products decreased by 1.1% QoQ. Sales of semi-finished products remained almost flat due to a reduction in slab sales volumes amid lower crude steel output, albeit partly offset by increased billet sales volumes from stock accumulated in Q2 2018.

 

Sales of finished products decreased by 1.4% QoQ, driven mainly by lower sales of railway and flat-rolled products.

 

Sales of railway products fell by 5.5% QoQ due to capital repairs of EVRAZ ZSMK's rail and beam shop in August.

 

Sales of flat products dropped by 20.2% QoQ, mainly due to reduced production at EVRAZ Palini & Bertoli following unscheduled furnace repairs in July and a maintenance stop in August.

 

Sales of iron ore products decreased by 15.9% QoQ, primarily as a result of increasing stockpiles to ensure stable production volumes and steady shipments to customers during the capital repairs of EVRAZ KGOK's indurating machine no. 1 in September-October. 

 

Sales of vanadium products declined by 3.9% QoQ, mainly due to large maintenance at EVRAZ Vanady-Tula to reline the roasting kiln refractories as well as replace the grinding mill (during September and October) and regular annual maintenance at EVRAZ Nikom.

 

Cash cost, US$/tonne

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

Q3 2018 / Q2 2018, change

 9m 2018

 9m 2017

9m 2018 / 9m 2017, change

Slab cash cost (vertically integrated)

209

240

-12.9%

235

244

-3.7%

Iron ore products (Fe 62%)

34

35

-2.9%

36

34

5.9%

 

Average selling prices

US$/tonne (ex works)

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

9m 2018

9m 2017

Coke

201

244

229

206

Steel products

541

558

548

448

Semi-finished products*

466

482

464

349

Construction products

567

608

598

524

Railway products

676

687

693

637

Other steel products

645

643

638

530

Pellets

68

65

64

65

Metal Bulletin Ferro-Vanadium basis 78% min, free DDP,
consumer plant, 1st grade Western Europe**

85.46

69.15

72.17

30.46

Ryan's Notes N.A. FeV 80% min, US ex-warehouse, duty paid**

87.49

75.69

75.50

31.08

* includes prices for pig iron

** US$/kgV

 

In Q4 2018, the Group expects its pig iron production to increase by roughly 3-5% QoQ due to the completion of scheduled capital repairs of EVRAZ ZSMK's blast furnace no. 3 in December and a lack of repairs at the electric-arc furnace smelting shop. In Q4 2018, pellet production volumes at EVRAZ KGOK are expected to return to the Q2 2018 level. 

 

 

 

STEEL, NORTH AMERICA SEGMENT

 

Production and sales volumes

Product, '000 tonnes

Q3 * 2018

Q2 2018

Q3 2018 / Q2 2018, change

 9m 2018

 9m 2017

9m 2018 / 9m 2017, change

Crude steel

464

467

-0.6%

1,398

1,301

7.5%

EVRAZ Pueblo

232

218

6.4%

678

619

9.5%

EVRAZ Regina

232

249

-6.8%

720

682

5.6%

Sales of steel products

537

541

-0.7%

1,560

1,410

10.6%

Construction products

73

73

0.0%

215

182

18.1%

Railway products

95

112

-15.2%

303

295

2.7%

Flat-rolled products

144

160

-10.0%

446

402

10.9%

Tubular products

225

196

14.8%

596

531

12.2%

* The Q3 2018 production and sales volumes data are preliminary.

In Q3 2018, crude steel production edged down by 0.6% QoQ, primarily driven by a planned maintenance outage at EVRAZ Regina, which was offset by increased production at EVRAZ Pueblo due to improved operational performance.

 

Sales of construction products in Q3 2018 were flat QoQ. 

 

Railway products sales decreased by 15.2% QoQ due to the planned maintenance outage.

 

Flat-rolled products sales fell by 10.0% QoQ, primarily due to operational issues related to the commissioning of new control software on the rolling mill and increased volumes to support the tubular business.

 

Tubular product sales volumes climbed by 14.8% QoQ, mostly as a result of improved sales of spiral and small-diameter line pipe.

 

Prices for construction and flat-rolled products increased during Q3 2018, reflecting higher prevailing prices for scrap and other inputs, reduced pressure from imports, the impact of Section 232 tariffs and improving demand fundamentals. Prices for tubular products also increased in the period due to the customer mix.

 

Average selling prices

US$/tonne (ex works)

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

9m 2018

9m 2017

 
 

Construction products

869

809

796

609

 

Flat-rolled products

1,145

991

974

796

 

Tubular products

1,236

1,207

1,228

1,070

 

 

In Q4 2018, crude steel output is expected to be flat QoQ. Tubular product volumes are expected to climb by 5-10%; flat-rolled product volumes are expected to edge down QoQ due to a planned maintenance outage; construction product volumes are expected to grow by 5-10% QoQ; and rail volumes are expected to surge by 15-20% following the completion of planned outages in Q3 2018.

 

COAL SEGMENT

 

Production volumes

Product, '000 tonnes

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

Q3 2018 / Q2 2018, change

9m 2018

9m 2017

9m 2018 / 9m 2017, change

Raw coking coal (mined)

5,944

5,422

9.6%

17,335

17,714

-2.1%

Yuzhkuzbassugol

2,697

2,755

-2.1%

8,172

8,499

-3.8%

Raspadskaya

2,926

2,430

20.4%

8,364

8,559

-2.3%

Mezhegeyugol

321

237

35.4%

799

656

21.8%

Coking coal concentrate (production)

3,408

3,389

0.6%

10,428

9,495

9.8%

Produced at Yuzhkuzbassugol coal
washing plants

1,496

1,725

-13.3%

4,991

4,594

8.6%

Produced at Raspadskaya coal washing plant

1,912

1,664

14.9%

5,437

4,901

10.9%

 

In Q3 2018, production of raw coking coal rose by 9.6% QoQ, primarily due productivity at the Raspadsky open-pit mine. 

 

Coking coal concentrate output was almost flat QoQ. While volumes at the Raspadskaya coal washing plant increased in line with the higher production volumes of mined raw coking coal this was partly offset by a decrease at the Yuzhkuzbassugol coal washing plants.

 

Coking coal concentrate production at Yuzhkuzbassugol's coal washing plants went down QoQ amid a temporary shortage of raw coal available for processing in Q3 2018 due to the scheduled longwall repositioning at the Erunakovskaya-VIII and Esaulskaya mines at the end of Q2 2018. In addition, less raw coal from the Raspadskaya mine was used for processing at the Yuzhkuzbassugol coal washing plants.

 

Sales volumes

Product, '000 tonnes

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

Q3 2018 / Q2 2018, change

 9m 2018

 9m 2017

9m 2018 / 9m 2017, change

External sales

2,645

2,885

-8.3%

8,244

7,389

11,6%

Raw coking coal

570

484

17.8%

1,377

1,599

-13,9%

Coking coal concentrate

2,075

2,401

-13.6%

6,867

5,790

18,6%

Intersegment sales

1,613

1,489

8.3%

4,545

4,296

5,8%

Raw coking coal

545

514

6.0%

1,455

860

69,2%

Coking coal concentrate

1,068

975

9.5%

3,090

3,436

-10,1%

 

In Q3 2018, external sales volumes of raw coking coal dropped by 8.3% QoQ, mainly due to logistical limitations amid maintenance works at railroads in Russia.

 

 

 

 

Cash cost, US$/tonne

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

Q3 2018 / Q2 2018, change

 9m 2018

 9m 2017

9m 2018 / 9m 2017, change

Coking coal concentrate

49

48

2.1%

47

42

11.9%

 

Average selling prices

 

US$/tonne (ex works)

 

Q3 2018

Q2 2018

9m 2018

9m 2017

Raw coking coal

57

64

65

60

Coking coal concentrate

113

119

123

118

 

In Q3 2018, coking coal sales prices moved in line with global benchmarks.

 

In Q4 2018, raw coal production is expected to increase QoQ, driven by the launch of a new longwall in September at the Raspadskaya mine.

 

Notes:

Semi-finished products include slabs, billets, pipe blanks and other semi-finished products.

Construction products include beams, channels, angles, rebars, wire rods, wire and other construction products.

Railway products include rails, wheels, tyres and other railway products.

Flat-rolled products include commodity plate, specialty plate and other flat products.

Tubular products include large-diameter line pipes, ERW pipes and casings, seamless pipes and other tubular products.

Other steel products include rounds, grinding balls, mine uprights, strips, etc. They also include railway products for Ukraine.

 

 

 

###

 

For further information:

 

Media Relations:

London: +44 207 832 8998                               Moscow: +7 495 937 6871

media@evraz.com

 

Investor Relations:

London: +44 207 832 8990                              Moscow: +7 495 232 1370

ir@evraz.com

 

 

EVRAZ is a vertically integrated steel, mining and vanadium business with operations in the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, US, Canada, Czech Republic and Italy. EVRAZ is among the top steel producers in the world based on crude steel production of 14 million tonnes in 2017. A significant portion of the Group's internal consumption of iron ore and coking coal is covered by its mining operations. The Group's consolidated revenues for the year ended 31 December 2017 were US$10,827 million, and consolidated EBITDA amounted to US$2,624 million.


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