Past year: ▲ 43%(3.82 – 6.03 AUD)
Each one in plain English, with the numbers worked through for a shareholder.
24 Mar 2009half year report▲ Good
Media release on the half-year: operating profit up 143.3% to $78.8m, with $53.7m from treasury. Interim dividend 4.75c, $600m special dividend reiterated for November 2009. Acland to reach 4.8 Mtpa by December 2009; guidance retained.
16 Mar 2009director officer appointment● Neutral
Interim arrangements after Mantell's departure: Chief Operations Officer Murray Bailey becomes acting CFO and Chief Accountant Matthew Busch acting company secretary, until a permanent successor is recruited.
5 Mar 2009investor presentation● Neutral
MD Rob Neale's conference talk on global economic turbulence. Production is on track, sales slightly behind from rail issues, expansions on schedule and budget, and guidance retained. Oakleigh to extend in 6-9 month steps; gasification trials of Acland coal scheduled April-May.
5 Feb 2009director officer appointment● NeutralMajor
CFO and company secretary Paul Mantell, with New Hope more than 27 years, will leave on 16 March 2009. A consultant has been appointed to recruit a successor.
22 Jan 2009contract award▲ Good
Sedgman announced a $13.6 million contract to upgrade the second coal handling plant at New Acland, supporting the expansion to 4.8 Mtpa already planned by New Hope. The release comes from the contractor, not New Hope.
13 Jan 2009other● Neutral
New Hope announced new phone and fax numbers following last week's office move. Administrative only.
5 Jan 2009other● Neutral
New Hope moved its registered office to Brookwater, Queensland, effective 5 January 2009. The postal address is unchanged. Administrative only.
18 Dec 2008listing compliance notice▼ Bad
New Hope replied to an ASX query over a late director's share-purchase notice: Chairman Robert Millner's final 10,000 of 100,000 shares bought was not reported on time because of an office error. The board says its processes are adequate.
14 Nov 2008director officer appointment● NeutralMajor
CEO Robert Neale, in the role since 2005, was also appointed Managing Director, a board-level promotion. He joined New Hope in 1996.
13 Nov 2008investor presentation● Neutral
Chairman's AGM address recapping the $90.7m profit and 13.75c dividends. Acland runs at 4.2 Mtpa with a 4.8 Mtpa target, the water pipeline is under construction, and QBH expansion is due by end 2010. Largely repeats known facts.
13 Nov 2008other▲ GoodMajor
First-quarter FY2009 operational profit rose 160% to $32.5m; total profit $53.8m including $21.5m interest on sale proceeds. Management still expects full-year operational profit of $125-150m, a $600m special dividend in November 2009, and about $1.1 billion cash after $725m tax, with no debt.
25 Sept 2008investor presentation● Neutral
Analyst briefing on the FY2008 result, repeating the $90.7m profit, 13.75c dividends, New Saraji sale and QBH record of 5.472 Mt. Nothing clearly new in the visible text.
23 Sept 2008annual report▲ GoodMajor
Full year to 31 July 2008: net profit up 30.8% to $90.7m on revenue of $329.8m; EPS 11.2 cents. Final dividend 3.5c and special dividend 8.0c declared, for total dividends of 13.75c. The New Saraji sale gain falls in FY2009.
23 Sept 2008annual report▲ Good
Media release on the result: profit up 30.8% to $90.7m. Chairman says the sale funds a roughly $600 million special dividend (text says November 2009) and Acland and QBH expansion; a decision on a further Acland expansion is due next month. A $33m pipeline begins construction.
10 Sept 2008asset acquisition disposition▲ GoodMajor
The $2.45 billion sale of New Saraji to BMA completed on 10 September 2008. The board is assessing its capital structure and potential uses of the proceeds.
1 Sept 2008security holder rights change● Neutral
ASX notice that the 35-cent options expiring 10 September 2008 will be suspended from quotation at close of trading on 3 September 2008, pending expiry. Administrative.
29 Aug 2008other▲ Good
New Hope guides full-year profit after tax to $88-91 million, versus $69.3 million the year before. It attributes this to higher production, sales and US dollar export coal prices, partly offset by a higher US$:A$ exchange rate.
11 Aug 2008admin correction● Neutral
Correction to the option letter: the last day of trading for the options is 3 September 2008, not 10 September, which remains the expiry date. Administrative only.
8 Aug 2008security holder rights change● Neutral
Reminder letter to option holders: listed options (exercise price $0.35, one share each) lapse unless exercised by 5pm AEST on 10 September 2008. Administrative notice; the exercise price was adjusted after the December 2005 capital return.
18 July 2008asset acquisition disposition▲ Good
BHP confirms BMA will buy 100% of New Saraji for about US$2.4 billion, including mining lease application MLA 70383, EPC 837 and 10 Mtpa of Abbott Point port capacity. Completion needs third-party consents and government approvals. Counterparty view of the same sale.
18 July 2008asset acquisition disposition▲ GoodMajor
New Hope agreed to sell the New Saraji project to BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance for $2.45 billion cash, completing by October 2008 subject to FIRB approval, with no financing condition. Proceeds are to fund Acland and QBH expansion; the board is weighing capital management.
2 July 2008regulatory community update▲ GoodMajor
New Hope was granted a 15-year mining lease (ML 70337) over the open-cut resources of Lenton, near Moranbah, which holds 84 Mt of in-situ coal. Port capacity constraints will likely affect the development schedule up to 2010.
14 May 2008investor presentation● Neutral
CEO corporate overview for brokers and Macquarie Coal Day, repeating the half-year results and growth plans. It cites New Acland resources of 789 Mt and marketable reserves of 234 Mt. Nothing clearly new in the visible text.
13 May 2008regulatory community update▲ GoodMajor
Environmental approval was received to lift New Acland saleable production to 4.8 Mtpa. Output can rise to 4.2 Mtpa immediately; going beyond that depends on rail and port capacity and plant upgrades, possibly within 12 to 18 months.
14 Apr 2008investor presentation● Neutral
Presentations for a Queensland operations tour, here covering the QBH port. QBH is 100% owned, shipped a record 5.263 Mt in calendar 2007, with expansion to 7 Mtpa due October 2010 and a possible later stage to 10 Mtpa.
27 Mar 2008investor presentation● Neutral
Analyst briefing repeating the half-year results. It adds a plan to reactivate Jeebropilly in the third quarter of 2008 as New Oakleigh nears closure around end 2008 or early 2009, and a 46 km water pipeline due in 2009.
19 Mar 2008half year report▲ Good
Half year to 31 January 2008: operating profit up 9.4% to $36.6m on revenue of $148.8m, but net profit down 8.6% because the prior period had a $6.6m land sale gain. Interim dividend 2.25 cents, up from 2.1 cents.
19 Mar 2008half year report▲ Good
Media release on the half-year result: New Hope is considering approaches for the New Saraji project, from offtake to equity participation. It expects about 4.4 Mt production in FY2008, plans to restart Jeebropilly in 2008, and says Arrow stake is worth $209m.
4 Jan 2008business combination● Neutral
Resource Pacific rejects Xstrata's $2.85 per share bid, backed by an independent expert valuing it at $3.56 to $4.09. Longwall production on the second face is due to restart 15 January 2008. This is the rival bid that New Hope declined to match.
4 Jan 2008other● Neutral
Routine top 20 shareholder list and distribution schedule. Washington H. Soul Pattinson holds 61.06% (down from 61.6% earlier in the context), Mitsubishi Materials 11.38%; 808.6 million shares are on issue held by 4,916 holders.
