$1 billion ($852 million outstanding) of rated debt affected
London, 26 June 2018 -- Moody's Investors Service upgraded Gold Fields Limited (Gold Fields)
to investment grade, raising its rating to Baa3 from Ba1.
At the same time the rating on Gold Fields' $1 billion ($852
million outstanding) senior unsecured notes due 7 October 2020,
issued by Gold Fields Orogen Holding (BVI) Limited and guaranteed by Gold
Fields, was upgraded to Baa3 from Ba1.
Moody's also withdrew Gold Fields' Ba1 Corporate Family Rating and
Ba1-PD Probability of Default Rating. The rating outlook
was changed to stable from positive.
"The upgrade reflects Gold Fields' commitment to maintain credit
metrics and financial policy appropriate for an investment grade Baa3
rating as it continues growing in Australia, its largest region
by production," commented Douglas Rowlings, Moody's Vice President.
"Gold Fields has continued to strengthening its credit metrics and de-risk
its long-term production profile thereby reducing its reliance
on South Deep reserves in South Africa for future cash flow generation".
A full list of affected ratings is provided at the end of this press release.
RATINGS RATIONALE
Gold Fields' Baa3 issuer rating and the Baa3 rating on the senior
unsecured $1 billion notes issued by Gold Fields Orogen Holding
(BVI) Limited and guaranteed by GF are driven by: (1) Gold Fields'
profile as a mid-tier gold producer; (2) the moderate geographic
diversification of Gold Fields' production; and (3) the company's
defensive all-in sustaining cost profile.
Gold Fields' South Deep reserves in South Africa have become a less prominent
feature for Gold Fields' credit profile, given the increasing
levels of production from Australia, which has a track record of
being a stable mining jurisdiction. Over 47% of Gold Field's
Gross Profit was generated in Australia at year end 2017. This
is expected to increase above 50% as Gold Field's Gruyere
project commences production in 2019.
The rating also reflects the continued overperformance of its mines outside
South Africa offsetting the underperformance at its South Deep mine in
South Africa. Exposure to continued challenges at South Deep is
further mitigated by Gold Field's reinvestment into maintaining
production levels long-term over the past three years. The
company has done this along conservative lines through acquiring near
production projects and adding to reserves at existing mines.
Gold Fields' ratings are supported by its strong credit metrics with Debt/EBITDA
expected to be around 1.6x and cash flow from operations -
dividends to debt around 47% at yearend 2018.
RATIONALE FOR STABLE OUTLOOK
The stable outlook takes into account Gold Fields' strong credit profile
shown by its conservative credit metrics levels and South Deep no longer
being a key consideration to maintain future cash flow generation.
LIQUIDITY
Gold Fields benefits from a strong liquidity profile. Its funding
requirements for the next 18 months are adequately covered by its cash
balance totaling $479 million at FYE2017, undrawn banking
facilities totaling $1.3 billion and a staggered debt maturity
profile.
Moody's expects that under a sensitized $1,200/ounce gold
price scenario, Gold Fields' current liquidity position would meet
its operational requirements without resulting in a breach of its banking
covenants - a net debt/EBITDA below 2.5x (1.0x at
31 December 2017, as defined by the facilities agreement),
and an EBITDA/net interest expense in excess of 5.0x (14.8x
at December 2017, as defined by the facilities agreement).
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING UP/DOWN
Considerations for the rating moving to Baa2 will include (1) revenues
in excess of $5 billion; (2) adjusted gross debt/ EBITDA below
1x and cash from operations less dividends/ debt being sustained above
45%; (4) further diversification of production into low risk
mining jurisdictions; and (5) all-in sustaining costs sustainably
below $800 per ounce.
Negative pressure could be exerted on the company's rating following (1)
any potential increased liquidity risk; (2) adjusted gross debt/
EBITDA appearing to be sustained above 3.0x; and (3) cash
from operations less dividends/ debt being sustained below 20%.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Mining Industry published
in April 2018. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Headquartered in Johannesburg, GF is a global gold mining company
with sales totaling $2.8 billion and attributable production
of 2.2 million ounces for the FYE2017, making it the eight-largest
gold producer globally by production.
The group is listed on the Johannesburg, New York and Swiss stock
exchanges.
GF operates 7 mines on three continents: three in Australia,
two in Ghana, one in South Africa and a gold/copper mine in Peru.
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS
Assignments:
..Issuer: Gold Fields Limited
.... Issuer Rating, Assigned Baa3
Upgrades:
..Issuer: Gold Fields Orogen Holding (BVI) Limited
....BACKED Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Upgraded to Baa3 from Ba1
Withdrawals:
..Issuer: Gold Fields Limited
.... Corporate Family Rating, Withdrawn,
previously rated Ba1
.... Probability of Default Rating,
Withdrawn, previously rated Ba1-PD
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Gold Fields Limited
....Outlook, Changed To Stable From
Positive
..Issuer: Gold Fields Orogen Holding (BVI) Limited
....Outlook, Changed To Stable From
Positive
The Local Market analyst for these ratings is Douglas Rowlings,
+971 (423) 795-43.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series
or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings
are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's
rating practices. For ratings 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 for securities that derive their
credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating.
For provisional ratings, this announcement 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 case where the transaction
structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive
rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further
information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the
respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action,
and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action,
the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Sven Reinke
Senior Vice President
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
One Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 5FA
United Kingdom
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
David G. Staples
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
One Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 5FA
United Kingdom
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454