SAS reports 2014 first quarter results, with an eighth consecutive quarter of positive cash flow from operations

All dollar amounts are stated in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated

(1) See non-GAAP section for an explanation of these non-GAAP measures

TORONTO, May 13, 2014 /CNW/ - St Andrew Goldfields Ltd.

(T-SAS) (OTCQX-STADF), ("SAS" or the "Company") reports a net loss attributable to shareholders for Q1 2014 of $1.8 million, or nil on a per share basis, compared to net income of $1.0 million, or nil per share, for Q1 2013.

For Q1 2014, adjusted net loss ⁽¹⁾ was $1.9 million, or $0.01 on a per share basis, compared to adjusted net earnings of $1.1 million, or nil per share, for Q1 2013.

Q1 2014 production of 24,361 ounces of gold was in line with the Companys expectation.

All-in sustaining cost per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾ was US$1,089 per ounce during the quarter.

Operations continued to perform well with a total cash cost per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾ in the quarter of US$856 per ounce (including royalty costs of US$116 per ounce).

Mine cash costs of US$740 per ounce improved by 7%, or US$54 per ounce over Q1 2013, and was below guidance of US$800 - US$850 per ounce.

SAS generated operating cash flow of $9.5 million, or $0.03 per share, and net cash flow ⁽¹⁾ of $1.5 million for Q1 2014, as compared to operating cash flow of $13.8 million or $0.04 per share and net cash flow ⁽¹⁾ of $3.8 million, in Q1 2013.

Both operating cash flow and net cash flow for the quarter continued to be negatively impacted by lower average realized price per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾ when compared to the same period last year.

"We are very pleased with our achievements in the first quarter", said Duncan Middlemiss, President & CEO of SAS.

"Holt has continued its strong performance, and is now at an increased steady state throughput level for 2014.

We remain on track with the development program at Taylor, and the underground exploration program has yielded positive results, which we plan to verify in the fourth quarter with our bulk sampling program."

Q1 2014 Highlights

Q1 2014 Conference Call Information
The Company invites you to participate in the upcoming conference call to discuss its first quarter financial and operating results for 2014. The conference call will take place on Wednesday May 14, 2014 at 10:00am EST.

Participants may join the call via webcast at www.sasgoldmines.com.

A playback of the conference call will be available via the website and will be posted within 24 hours of the call.

For more information regarding the annual meeting and the conference call please visit the SAS website.

Operating and Financial Summary

Financial Performance

Revenues and net earnings in Q1 2014, declined when compared to Q1 2013, as a result of a US$338 per ounce or 21% decrease in the average realized price per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾ , and led to a $5.1 million decrease in cash margin from mine operations ⁽¹⁾.  Total cash cost per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾ declined by US$83 per ounce due to a reduced royalty cost and the strengthening of the US dollar relative to the Canadian dollar.

Net earnings in the quarter were also negatively impacted by a $2.1 million increase in non-cash depreciation and depletion charge due to the depletion of the mineral reserves at the Holloway Mine.

Holt Mine, Operations and Financial Review (see "Operating and Financial Statistics")

During Q1 2014, the Holt Mine ("Holt") produced 17,497 ounces of gold, an increase of 18% over Q1 2013, attributable to a 26% increase in throughput, offset by a 6% decline in ore grade.

When compared to Q1 2013, revenue saw a slight increase of 3%, despite a 21% decline in the average realized price per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾ as a result of the increase in throughput.

The increase in throughput also contributed to a US$87 per ounce or 11% reduction in total cash cost per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾ compared to Q1 2013, in conjunction with a lower royalty cost and a stronger US dollar relative to the Canadian dollar.

In Q1 2014, Holt contributed 96% of the total cash margin from mine operations ⁽¹⁾.

Holt is expected to contribute approximately 85% of the Companys total gold production for 2014.

Holloway Mine, Operations and Financial Review (see "Operating and Financial Statistics")

The Holloway Mine ("Holloway") produced 5,154 ounces of gold for Q1 2014, in line with production in Q1 2013.

Head grades averaged during the quarter of 4.14 g/t Au, were similar to that achieved in Q1 2013.

Mill recoveries during the quarter were in line with expectations at approximately 90%.

Gold sales revenue for the quarter decreased by 14% when compared with Q1 2013, mainly due to the decrease in the average realized price per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾.

Total cash cost per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾ during the quarter increased marginally when compared to Q1 2013, which was due to increasing unit costs offset by the strengthening of the US dollar relative to the Canadian dollar.

Cash margin from mine operations ⁽¹⁾ decreased by $1.8 million over Q1 2013 as a result of the decrease in the gold price.

Holloway is expected to contribute approximately 9% of the Companys total gold production for 2014.

Hislop Mine, Operations and Financial Review (see "Operating and Financial Statistics")

The Hislop Mine ("Hislop") produced 1,710 ounces of gold during Q1 2014, with an average head grade of 2.09 g/t Au and mill recoveries of approximately 80%, lower than expected due to the processing of a significant amount of ore containing a fine gold size fraction.

The reserves in the West Pit are now depleted; however, the Company will continue to process the ore stockpiles during Q2 2014.

Commercial gold production sold during the quarter decreased by 57% when compared to Q1 2013 as a result of the reduced production.

Total cash cost per ounce of gold sold ⁽¹⁾ increased by US$215 per ounce over Q1 2013 as mining at the open pit was substantially completed during the quarter.

Hislop is expected to contribute approximately 6% of the Companys total gold production for 2014.

Taylor Project Update ("Taylor")

During Q1 2014, ramp development remained on schedule.

Underground drilling targeted the easterly strike extension of the 1004 lens, within the area of the second bulk sample.

SAS reported significant grade and widths from hole T220-022, which returned 18.13 g/t Au over 12.4 metres (22.57 g/t Au uncut), including 22.37 g/t Au over 9.9 metres (27.94 g/t Au uncut) and from hole T220-023, which returned 11.50 g/t Au over 4.8 metres (12.49 g/t Au uncut).

These results extended 1004 lens mineralization an additional 25 metres to the east.

Subsequent to Q1 2014, additional results continued to intersect good grade and widths as in hole T220-034 which intercepted 8.88 g/t Au over 29.2 metres (6.11 g/t Au cut), hole T220-046 which intercepted 16.62 g/t Au over 19.4 metres (11.95 g/t Au cut), including 24.93 g/t Au over 12.6 metres (17.73 g/t Au cut), and hole T220-049 which intercepted 26.21 g/t Au over 10.3 metres (9.63 g/t Au cut) (see press releases dated March 3 and May 6, 2014, available under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com or on the Companys website at www.sasgoldmines.com).

Drilling continues to demonstrate the potential to expand mineralization on the 1004 resource block at depth, and additional drilling will follow-up on these results.

Ramp development and access will continue throughout the second and third quarter of 2014.

Exploration Projects

Exploration activities during Q1 2014 were focused on following up on targets identified during the 2013 exploration program.

At Hislop North, surface drilling attempted to identify extensions of the Alphabet Veins from the Romios Property to the west and also to test the southerly strike extension of the 147 and Grey Fox zones from the Primero (formerly Brigus Gold) property onto SAS ground.

At the Holt-Holloway Properties, drilling concentrated on the Howey-Cochenour area, situated 3 kilometres south of the Holt shaft.

During Q1 2014, a total of 5,018 metres of surface core drilling were completed.

The 2014 field season will concentrate on 2013 generated targets resulting from geochemical sampling, trenching and mapping exercises and were initiated in Q2 2014.

Capital Resources

SAS generated cash flow from operations of $9.5 million in Q1 2014, a decrease of $4.3 million over Q1 2013, mainly due to the decline in gold price.

Working capital as at March 31, 2014, was $12.4 million compared to a working capital of $13.8 million as at December 31, 2013.

The slight decrease was primarily due to increased mine site accounts payable requirements.

At the end of Q1 2014, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $31.6 million.

The Companys financial position remains strong at the end of the quarter.

For FY 2014, SAS expects to incur a total of $32.0 million in capital expenditures at the two underground mines, the Holt Mill, Taylor and at the Aquarius Project during 2014, of which $8.0 million was spent in Q1 2014.

Credit Facilities

During Q1 2014, the Company repaid US$2.0 million on the term credit facility, reducing the principal owing to US$7.0 million as at March 31, 2014, and retired the term credit facility on May 8, 2014, when it matured.

The Company extended the US$10.0 million Revolving Credit Facility ("Facility"), which remains undrawn, for an additional two years. Interest rates on the Facility range from 2.50% to 3.25% on prime rate based advances and from 3.50% to 4.25% on LIBOR based advances. Depending on the level of the Companys financial strength, standby charges on the facility range from 0.875% to 1.0625% per annum.

Qualified Person

Mine development and production at the Holt, Holloway and Hislop mines, processing at the Holt Mill, and mine development activities at Taylor are being conducted under the supervision of Marc-Andre Pelletier, P.Eng, the Companys General Manager of Mine Operations.

Exploration activities on the Companys various mineral properties, including the drilling program at Taylor is under the supervision of Mr.

Doug Cater P.

Geo, the Companys Vice-President of Exploration.

Messrs.

Pelletier and Cater are qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101, and have reviewed and approved this MD&A.

About SAS
SAS (operating as "SAS Goldmines"), is a gold mining and exploration company with an extensive land package in the Timmins mining district, north-eastern Ontario, which lies within the Abitibi greenstone belt, the most important host of historical gold production in Canada.

SAS owns and operates the Holt, Holloway and Hislop mines and produced approximately 100,000 ounces of gold in 2013.

The Company is also advancing the Taylor Project and is conducting aggressive exploration across 120km of land straddling the Porcupine-Destor Fault Zone.

Non-GAAP Measures

The Company has included the following non‐GAAP performance measures: adjusted net earnings (loss); total cash cost per ounce of gold sold; all-in sustaining cost per ounce of gold sold; mine‐site cost per tonne milled; cash margin from mine operations; average realized price per ounce of gold sold; cash margin per ounce of gold sold; net cash flow; and operating cash flow per share; throughout this news release, which do not have standardized meanings prescribed by International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and are not necessarily comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies due to potential inconsistencies in the method of calculation.

The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, the Company and certain investors use this information to evaluate the Companys performance. Refer to the non-GAAP section of this news release for a discussion and the reconciliation of these non-GAAP measurements to the Companys Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Statements for Q1 2014.

The Unaudited Balance Sheets, Statements of Operations and Statements of Cash Flows for the Company for the three months ended March 31, 2014, can be found at the end of this release.

To review the complete Unaudited Condensed Financial Statements for Q1 2014, and the Interim Managements Discussion and Analysis for Q1 2014, please see SASs SEDAR filings under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com or the Companys website at www.sasgoldmines.com.

The following abbreviations are used to describe the periods under review throughout this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, "forward-looking information") under applicable securities laws, concerning the Companys business, operations, financial performance, condition and prospects, as well as managements objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions.

Forward-looking information is frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results, including the Companys production and cash cost guidance for 2014; the relative production contributions from each of the operations; the level of capital expenditures at Holt, the Holt Mill, Taylor and the Aquarius Project; the continuation of advanced exploration at Taylor including the planned second bulk sample and the timing thereof; and the extent of the exploration programs in 2014.

In addition, mineral resources and mineral reserves constitute forward-looking information as they involve the assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, that such mineral resources and mineral reserves can be profitably produced in the future.

This forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information.

Factors that may cause actual results to vary materially include, but are not limited to, uncertainties relating to the interpretation of the geology, continuity, grade and size estimates of the mineral reserves and resources; unanticipated operational or technical difficulties which could escalate operating and/or capital costs and reduce anticipated production levels; the Companys dependence on key employees and changes in the availability of qualified personnel; fluctuations in gold prices and exchange rates; insufficient funding or delays or inability to raise additional financing on satisfactory terms if required; operational hazards and risks, including the inability to insure against all risks; changes in laws, regulations and the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits; changes in general economic conditions and changes in conditions in the financial markets.

Such forward looking information is based on a number of assumptions, including but not limited to the level and volatility of the price of gold, the accuracy of reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions on which such estimates are based, the ability to achieve capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to retain and attract qualified personnel, the sufficiency of the Companys cash reserves and operating cash flow to complete planned development and exploration activities, the availability of additional financing on acceptable terms if and as required and the level of stability of general business and economic conditions.

Should one or more risks and uncertainties materialize or should any assumptions prove incorrect, then actual results could vary materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information and accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information.

SAS does not assume the obligation to revise or update this forward‐looking information after the date of this release or to revise such information to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

A description of these risks and uncertainties can also be found in the Companys Annual Information Form obtained on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

NON-GAAP MEASURES

Adjusted net earnings (loss)

Adjusted net earnings (loss) is a non-GAAP performance measure which does not constitute a measure recognized by IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning defined by IFRS.

As well, it may not be comparable to information in other gold producers reports and filings.

Adjusted net earnings (loss) is calculated by removing the gains and losses, resulting from the mark-to-market revaluation of the Companys gold-linked liabilities and foreign currency derivative contracts, one-time gains or losses on the disposition of non-core assets, periodic adjustments to the Companys asset retirement obligations, and expenses, asset impairment gains or losses and significant tax adjustments not related to current periods earnings, as detailed in the table below.  The Company discloses this measure, which is based on its Financial Statements, to assist in the understanding of the Companys operating results and financial position.

Amounts in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts		Q1 2014		Q4 2013		Q1 2013
Net income (loss) per Financial Statements	$	(1,806)	$	(4,365)	$	1,039
Reversal of unrecognized deferred income tax assets		-		-		(1,256)
Mark-to-market loss (gain) on gold-linked liabilities		456		(594)		(191)
Mark-to-market loss on foreign currency derivatives		245		91		1,240
Impairment loss on available-for-sale investments		-		67		500
Reversal of provision		(777)		-		-
Tax effect of above items		19		126		(262)
Adjusted net earnings (loss)	$	(1,863)	$	(4,675)	$	1,070
Weighted average number of shares outstanding (000s)
Basic		368,296		368,296		368,246
Diluted		368,296		Products & Services | Jobs