https://business.financialpost.com/
Eldorado Gold and Iamgold both shelved projects this week, sending stock prices soaring
Eldorado Gold Corp. on Thursday cancelled plans to build a $500-million processing mill in Turkey and investors took note, sending the stock soaring 28 per cent Friday morning after watching it decline for the past year.
A similar trading pattern occurred on Iamgold Inc.’s stock last week, which rose more than 20 per cent after the miner indefinitely delayed construction of its nearly $1-billion Côté mine in Ontario.
Taken together, the two companies’ decisions may offer a picture of what investors want from mid-tier gold companies, particularly those suffering through years-long slumps: fewer projects with hefty price tags as analysts across the board predict greater consolidation in the precious metals sector.
“The way I would describe it is, if you look at our sector, there was a period of time when growth was being rewarded,” said George Burns, chief executive of Eldorado Gold. “That’s changed pretty significantly. The market today does have a preference for cash flows and short-term returns.”
Cancelling the Kisladag gold mill in Turkey may not have been entirely voluntarily, since Eldorado Gold has approximately $600 million in debt due in 2020, is building a mine in Quebec and had just $293 million in cash on its balance sheet at the end of 2018.
For the rest of this article: https://business.financialpost.com/commodities/mining/for-some-gold-companies-less-is-more-why-investors-seem-to-be-rewarding-firms-that-scrap-projects