Sibanye flags loss after $420 million US asset writedown

of between 2.508 rand and 2.772 rand for the six months to June 30 after posting a profit of 2.62 rand per share for the period last year.

Sibanye said its earnings were impacted by the impairment of its two US mines, which predominantly produce palladium. The US operations produced 238,139 ounces of palladium and platinum in the first half of 2024.

The writedown was “primarily due to lower medium- to long-term forecast consensus palladium price assumptions that resulted in a decrease in expected future net cash flows”, Sibanye said in a trading statement.

There had been a 5% to 8% reduction in medium to long-term market consensus palladium price forecasts assumed for valuation purposes, Sibanye said.

The long-term prospects of PGMs have dimmed as the auto sector switches its focus to electric vehicles.

The price of palladium, which along with other platinum group metals (PGMs) is used in vehicle exhaust systems to curb emissions, fell 40% in 2023 and is down 10% this year.

Sibanye said in the half year it saw a 30% decline in the average dollar price for its US metal and a 28% decline in the rand basket price for its southern African PGMs, significantly reducing revenue.

In 2023, Sibanye reported a $2 billion loss after taking $2.6 billion impairments at its US palladium mines, a nickel operation in France and a gold mine in South Africa.

Sibanye’s peers Impala Platinum and Northam Platinum have recently raised concerns about the country’s platinum industry’s long-term prospects due to the metal price slump.

Sibanye will release its financial results on Sept 12.

($1 = 17.8435 rand)

(By Nelson Banya; Editing by Jason Neely)