Toronto, October 29, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") today upgraded the senior unsecured
ratings of Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick") and all rated subsidiaries
to Baa1 from Baa2. The outlook remains stable.
"The upgrade reflects Barrick' track record of low leverage and strong
cash flow generation and our expectation that the company will maintain
annual production at 4.5 million to 5 million ounces per year while
adhering to conservative financial policies" said Jamie Koutsoukis,
Vice President, Moody's analyst.
Upgrades:
..Issuer: Barrick (PD) Australia Finance Pty Ltd
....Gtd Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2
..Issuer: Barrick Gold Corporation
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2
....Gtd Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2
..Issuer: Barrick Gold Finance Company
....Gtd Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2
..Issuer: Barrick International Bank Corp.
....Gtd Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2
..Issuer: Barrick North America Finance LLC
....Gtd Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2
..Issuer: Placer Dome Inc.
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Barrick (PD) Australia Finance Pty Ltd
....Outlook, Remains Stable
..Issuer: Barrick Gold Corporation
....Outlook, Remains Stable
..Issuer: Barrick Gold Finance Company
....Outlook, Remains Stable
..Issuer: Barrick International Bank Corp.
....Outlook, Remains Stable
..Issuer: Barrick North America Finance LLC
....Outlook, Remains Stable
..Issuer: Placer Dome Inc.
....Outlook, Remains Stable
RATINGS RATIONALE
Barrick's credit profile (Baa1 stable) benefits from 1) its low
adjusted leverage (0.9x at Q2/20), 2 ) large scale (5.2
Mozs of attributable gold LTM June 2020), 3) diverse and low-cost
gold assets (total cash costs of $716 per ounce in Q2/20),
and 4) track record of positive cash flow generation and excellent liquidity.
The company's credit is constrained by 1) the volatility of gold
prices, and 2) geopolitical risk at some of its mine locations.
Barrick's production is expected to fall in 2020 with guidance of
4.6 - 5.0 Mozs for the year (5.5 Mozs in 2019)
and we expect leverage will remain near 1x (using a $1,700/oz
gold price sensitivity in 2020 and $1,400/oz in 2021).
Barrick's liquidity is excellent, which provides significant flexibility
to maneuver through gold price volatility. Barrick has $8.7
billion in liquidity sources over the next twelve months with no meaningful
uses during this period. Sources consist of cash of $3.7
billion at June 2020, an undrawn $3 billion revolver (expires
in January 2025) and expected positive free cash flow generation of about
$2 billion at a $1,700/oz gold price sensitivity for
the remainder of 2020 and $1,400/oz for 2021. Maturities
are minimal with less than $10 million in debt due over the next
year. Barrick's credit facility has financials covenants
including maintenance of net debt to total capitalization of less than
60%. Barrick's net debt to total capitalization was 4%
as at June 30, 2020 and we expect ample headroom to be maintained.
The stable outlook reflects Barrick's ability to maintain production
on a competitive all-in cost basis, continue to be free cash
flow generative, and that Barrick will continue to manage its free
cash flow to balance between investments and shareholder returns in order
to maintain credit metrics in-line with Baa1 rating.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
The rating could be upgraded should Barrick be able to increase its product
diversity without increasing its geopolitical risk profile, maintaining
its cost profile and continues its disciplined approach to capital allocation
as it relates to capital investments, and shareholder returns.
An upgrade would also require Barrick sustain leverage at no more than
1.5x (0.9x at Q2/20) and (CFO-Dividends)/Debt of
at least 50% (66% at Q2/20) through various commodity price
points.
Ratings could be downgraded if the company's operating profile were
to deteriorate materially from a production and cost basis, the
company's leverage is maintained above 2.5x (0.9x
at Q2/20), or (CFO-dividends)/debt be sustained below 40%
(66% at Q2/20).
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Mining published in
September 2018 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1089739.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Barrick Gold Corporation
is one of the world's largest gold producers, with mines in the
US, Canada, Peru, Argentina, Dominican Republic,
Papua New Guinea and Africa, and copper mines in Chile, Saudi
Arabia and Zambia. Revenues for the twelve months ending June 2020
were $11.3 billion.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and
sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and
Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's
Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures
in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the
same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant
to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing
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issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain
regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the
support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action
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provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional
rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may
be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each
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to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
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Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social
and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed
by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt
am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph
3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies.
Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's
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Jamie Koutsoukis
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Canada Inc.
70 York Street
Suite 1400
Toronto, ON M5J 1S9
Canada
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Donald S. Carter, CFA
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Canada Inc.
70 York Street
Suite 1400
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Canada
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653