REG - Ferrexpo plc - 2021 Full Year Financial Results
22/04/2022 07:30
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RNS Number : 0311J Ferrexpo PLC 22 April 2022
22 April 2022
Ferrexpo plc
("Ferrexpo" or the "Company" or the "Group")
2021 Full Year Financial Results
Ferrexpo plc (LSE: FXPO), a FTSE 250 iron ore pellet producer, today announces
its full year audited financial results for the 12 months ended 31 December
2021.
Lucio Genovese, Non-executive Chair of Ferrexpo, commented:
"At Ferrexpo, we entered 2022 expecting to celebrate 15 years of success since
the Group listed in 2007. Instead, the world is witnessing a brutal invasion
being waged by Russia against the people of Ukraine, which has created a
humanitarian crisis across the country. From the very start of this invasion,
our priority has been the safety and wellbeing of our workforce, their
families and our wider communities.
"The Government of Ukraine has been highly organised and quickly recognised
the role that the private sector needs to play in supporting the economy,
thereby indirectly supporting those on the front line. It has been the
resilience of our workforce that has enabled the Group to continue to operate,
as well as launch a significant humanitarian programme to assist those
directly impacted by the invasion. The response that I have seen from our
colleagues has been incredible, and I would like to thank our workforce for
their professionalism and continued efforts during this very difficult period.
"The financial results for the full year 2021 that we present here to you
today reflect a very different time, in a period that pre-dates the invasion.
We make no fanfare in presenting these results, but stand united with the
people of Ukraine. In 2021, despite the lingering impact of the global
Covid-19 pandemic and significant volatility in the iron ore markets, we
maintained our focus on safety, growth in producing high quality iron ore
pellets and reduction of carbon emissions.
"As shown in our recent production report and trading update for the first
quarter of 2022, our operations continue to operate and we continue to export
to Europe. We understand the importance of our role today - our operations
have more than 50 years of association with Ukraine, and a workforce of more
than 10,000 people in the country. Whilst there remains significant
uncertainty in the near term outlook with the ongoing hostilities, the
resilience and determination of the Ukrainian people continues to impress in
these dark and difficult times."
Financial Highlights for 2021:
· Revenues up 48% to US$2.5 billion, reflecting rising demand for
high grade iron ore (2020: US$1.7 billion).
· Underlying EBITDA(A) up 68% to US$1,439 million (2020: US$859
million).
· Net cash flows from operations up 59% to US$1,094 million (2020:
US$687 million).
· Net cash position of US$117 million as at year end (31 December
2020: net cash US$4 million).
· In view of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Board of
Directors ("Board") has decided to defer any decision in relation to an
interim dividend in conjunction with the Group's full year results for 2021.
The Board will continue to assess the situation in Ukraine, and when
appropriate, will make a decision in relation to shareholder returns.
2021 Financial Summary:
US$ million (unless otherwise stated) Year ended 31.12.21 Year ended 31.12.20 % Change
Pellet production (kt) 11,220 11,218 +0.02%
Sales volumes (kt) 11,350 12,062 (6%)
Average Platts 1 (#_ftn1) CFR 62% Fe iron ore fines price (US$/t) 160 109 +47%
Average Platts(1) CFR 65% Fe iron ore fines price (US$/t) 186 122 +53%
Revenue 2,518 1,700 +48%
Average C1 cash cost(A) (US$/t) 55.8 41.5 +34%
Underlying EBITDA(A) 1,439 859 +68%
Diluted EPS (US cents) 147.9 107.9 +37%
Net cash flow from operating activities 1,094 687 +59%
Capital investment(A) 361 206 +75%
Net cash 117 4 +3,215%
Cash and cash equivalents 167 270 (38%)
Safety and Wellbeing
· The safety and wellbeing of Ferrexpo's workforce remains the
Group's key focus, with measures in place to protect the safety of individuals
during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and additional projects to support
individuals' wellbeing and mental health during this difficult time.
· Fatality-free year across the Ferrexpo Group in 2021 (2020: 1).
· Group lost time injury frequency rate of 0.41 - the third
successive year of safety performance materially below the Group's five-year
full year trailing average (0.98).
Market Factors
· High grade iron ore prices(( 2 (#_ftn2) )) average US$186 per
tonne in 2021 (2020: US$122 per tonne).
· Atlantic Pellet Premiums(1) increased to US$56 per tonne in 2021
(2020: US$29 per tonne), reflecting increased demand from steelmakers for
forms of iron ore that result in lower emissions of carbon dioxide during the
conversion process to create steel.
· C3 freight rate(( 3 (#_ftn3) )) increased to US$27 per tonne
(2020: US$15 per tonne), reflecting higher energy costs.
Operational Highlights
· Iron ore pellet production of 11.2 million tonnes (2020: 11.2
million tonnes).
· Proportion of high grade pellets (65% Fe and above) increased to
100% (2020: 99%), including a 27% increase in production of higher grade
direct reduction pellets.
· Iron ore sales volume decreased by 6% to 11.3 million tonnes
(2020: 12.1 million tonnes), reflecting a one-off destocking process in early
2020.
· C1 cash costs(A) increased by 34% to US$55.8 per tonne (2020:
US$41.5 per tonne), reflecting higher commodity input costs.
· Capital investment(A) of US$361 million, an increase of 75%
(2020: US$206 million), reflecting increased investment in the Group's Wave 1
Expansion, pelletiser upgrade work and stripping and development work in the
Group's mines.
Environment, Social and Governance ("ESG")
· Establishment of a dedicated Humanitarian Fund, with US$12.5
million of approved funding 4 (#_ftn4) , in response to Russia's invasion of
Ukraine in 2022 and the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
· Carbon-equivalent emissions per tonne of production reduced by
16% in 2021, matching 2020 achievement, and realising a cumulative 30%
reduction since the Group's baseline year of 2019.
· Carbon emissions reduction targets for years 2030 and 2050
announced in October 2021.
Corporate Governance
· February 2022: Jim North confirmed as permanent Chief Executive
Officer of the Group.
· December 2021: Natalie Polischuk appointed Independent
Non-executive Director, increasing number of Independent Directors to five.
· August 2021: Nikolay Kladiev appointed as Chief Financial Officer
of the Group.
· March 2021: Ann-Christin Andersen appointed Independent
Non-executive Director.
Stakeholder engagement
Owing to the timing of this release, and ongoing Russian of Ukraine, the Group
will not be hosting a conference call alongside this set of financial results.
Following the publication of the Group's financial results for 2021, Group
expects to host its Annual General Meeting in June 2022 and will update the
market accordingly at this event. A summary presentation has been made
available on the Group's website alongside this announcement.
Alternative Performance Measures
Words with the symbol (A) are defined in the Alternative Performance Measures
- see pages 80 to 81 for more information.
In this report, the terms "Ferrexpo", the "Company", the "Group", our
"business", "organisation", "we", "us", "our" and "ourselves" refer to
Ferrexpo plc and, except where the context otherwise requires, its
subsidiaries.
This announcement contains inside information in relation to the Company. The
person responsible for making this notification is Mark Gregory, Company
Secretary.
For further information, please contact:
Ferrexpo:
Rob Simmons r.simmons@ferrexpo.ch +44 207 389 8305
Tavistock:
Jos Simson ferrexpo@tavistock.co.uk +44 207 920 3150
Gareth Tredway +44 7785 974 264
About Ferrexpo:
Ferrexpo is a Swiss headquartered iron ore company with assets in Ukraine and
a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange in the FTSE 250 index (ticker
FXPO). The Group produces high grade iron ore pellets, which are a premium
product for the global steel industry and enable reduced carbon emissions and
increased productivity for steelmakers when the Group's iron ore pellets are
converted into steel, compared to more commonly traded forms of iron ore.
Ferrexpo's operations have been supplying the global steel industry for over
50 years and in 2021 the Group produced 11.2 million tonnes of iron ore
pellets, placing Ferrexpo as the world's third largest exporter of pellets to
the global steel industry with a market share of approximately 9%. The Group
has a global customer base comprising of premium steel mills around the world,
which includes steel mills in Austria, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan,
China, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Vietnam and America. For further
information, please visit www.ferrexpo.com (http://www.ferrexpo.com/) .
Chair's Statement
Events of 2022 will have a significant impact on the Ukrainian people, their
communities and their future generations.
At Ferrexpo, we had expected the year 2022 to be the year where we celebrated
15 years since the Group listed in 2007. Instead, we are focused on the safety
and wellbeing of our Ukrainian workforce and communities across Ukraine,
following Russia's invasion, and look to a future of helping to rebuild a
country. Our assets have more than 50 years of operating history in Ukraine,
through our workforce, local communities and suppliers located throughout
Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine, and look forward to the future, whereby
Ukraine remains united and can look towards a more positive future for the
next generation. To help in the near term, we have established a Humanitarian
Fund to help direct funding to humanitarian projects both in our local
communities, as well as across Ukraine, with details of this fund available on
our website.
Looking back at 2021 in my second annual review as Chair, this was a year of
positioning our business for the future. Despite the lingering impact of the
global Covid-19 pandemic, we retained our focus in 2021 on safety, growth and
reducing carbon emissions. Through investing in high grade production, we can
contribute more to the Ukrainian economy, growing our business to represent 4%
of Ukraine's export revenues in 2021 (2020: 3%). Through financial resilience,
we have been able to provide additional support to our local communities
throughout both the global Covid-19 pandemic and more recently during Russia's
invasion of Ukraine.
We continue to evolve our management and Board to fit our next phase of
development. In management changes announced in February 2022, we appointed
Jim North as permanent CEO having successfully transitioned the Group into a
new phase of its corporate culture and overall growth ambitions. In August
2021, we also appointed Nikolay Kladiev as CFO of the Group having worked as
our CFO at our largest operation in Ukraine for over 15 years.
As a Board, we continue to look to strengthen our corporate governance. In
February 2022, we rotated the position of Senior Independent Director to Fiona
MacAulay, and I would like to thank Vitalii Lisovenko for his efforts with
stakeholder engagement, who continues to provide a strong presence in Ukraine
as a Non-executive Director of the Group. During 2021, we also appointed two
additional Independent Non-executive Directors, taking the total number of
independent Directors to five. These appointments comprised of Ann-Christin
Andersen, who specialises in digital technologies and business transformation,
and the appointment of Natalie Polischuk, who is an economist based in Kyiv,
and who provides further balance to our Board in terms of regional expertise.
Furthermore, as part of our initiative to increase our engagement with the
market, I travelled to London in October 2021 to host a corporate governance
roadshow and engage directly with our shareholders.
We recognise the importance of climate change, and in October 2021, we
announced our inaugural carbon targets, effectively moving to align ourselves
to our peer group. To further develop this position, we announced our
collaboration with environmental consultants Ricardo plc ("Ricardo") to model
and review our decarbonisation pathway for Ferrexpo and the role of iron ore
pellets in a low carbon economy - see page 28 for more information. Having
set our inaugural medium-term target in line with peers, we have now achieved
a 30% reduction in our Scope 1 and 2 emissions combined against our baseline
year, demonstrating the progress being made at our operations, and ahead of
our peers. See page 25 for details of progress made, and page 25 for the
external assurance process we are undertaking on our 2021 reporting for carbon
emissions, as well as safety.
We also took steps in 2021 to formalise our approach to shareholder returns.
We have maintained a consistent approach to shareholder returns since listing
in 2007, but we felt it important to outline our approach to help engagement
with shareholders. We have structured this policy on the basis of free cash
flow to ensure that our investments in growth can continue, targeting a payout
of 30% of the Group's free cash flow as dividends going forward, and to date
the Group has distributed 37% of free cash flow in respect of 2021.
Looking ahead, Ukraine has shown resilience to date in 2022 and we have every
confidence that this will continue in the years to come. The country now faces
a significant task ahead to first defend itself, and then to rebuild and
repair. As a key part of Ukraine's economy, we will play our part in helping
Ukrainians realise a brighter future, through continued investment and
development, as we have done for the past 15 years since Ferrexpo listed on
the London Stock Exchange. With over US$3.0 billion of investment since
listing, we now have a strong platform on which to launch our next phase of
growth, with future growth plans outlined on pages 19 to 21.
As a final note, on behalf of the Board, I would like to thank all of
Ferrexpo's stakeholders for their resilience and teamwork in exceptional
circumstances to date in 2022, as well as thank the Group's workforce for its
collective effort in producing the Group's result for 2021. I would also like
to thank those that are involved in protecting Ukraine's borders, with every
community in Ukraine, including our own, suffering at this difficult time.
Lucio Genovese
Chair, Board of Directors
CASE STUDY: THE IMPORTANCE OF STEEL
Steel is crucial for modern life. Iron ore, the primary ingredient for steel,
represents 94% of the total metals mined in the world today 5 (#_ftn5) and
the average person uses more than ten times the amount of steel in a single
year as they use than any other single metal, as shown in the table below.
In terms of where steel is used in everyday life, it is widely used in the
modern construction of homes, bridges and key infrastructure such as railways,
electricity pylons and airports. Research shows that steel is critical for all
forms of renewable power generation, representing up to 79% of the mass of a
wind turbine 6 (#_ftn6) , and steel demand is expected to grow by 31% by 2050
to meet the needs of the transition to a low carbon future 7 (#_ftn7) . Steel
is used extensively in forms of transport such as trains, trams and shipping,
in household domestic appliances, and in manufacturing equipment in factories.
Steel is everywhere.
As part of the steel value chain, Ferrexpo understands the need for society to
have high quality forms of steel for these uses. The Group is working with its
customers to help deliver high grade forms of iron ore to facilitate the steel
sector's transition to a low carbon, more sustainable future.
Table: Metals consumed per person per year (global basis, kilogrammes)
Steel 8 (#_ftn8) 228
Aluminium 9 (#_ftn9) 12
Copper 10 (#_ftn10) 3
Zinc 11 (#_ftn11) 2
Lead 12 (#_ftn12) 2
Titanium 13 (#_ftn13) 1
Nickel 14 (#_ftn14) 0.4
Lithium 15 (#_ftn15) 0.01
CEO's Review
Russia's invasion in 2022 has placed communities throughout Ukraine, under
severe pressure, but we remain resilient and determined to look to the future.
As we reflect on the events to date in 2022, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine
and unprecedented aggression towards communities throughout Ukraine, it is
important to note the resilience of our workforce, as well as the people
throughout the country. Russia has caused untold damage to parts of Ukraine,
but the country's economy and infrastructure will be rebuilt. At Ferrexpo, we
understand the importance of our role in the Ukrainian economy, and we are
proud of our team's efforts to continue operating during this invasion,
helping the Ukrainian economy to continue to operate. To date, we have
continued to produce and are able to export our products to Europe via rail
and barge. Our ability to export via the port of Pivdennyi remains closed
however - please see the Group's press releases for up to date information on
the Group's logistics capabilities and capacity. Our operations, which have a
close link to the local communities surrounding our mines near Horishni
Plavni, will play an important role in supporting the national and local
economies as the reconstruction effort commences. Here, we present our results
for 2021, but we are very much focused on the future ahead for Ukraine, and
helping to rebuild.
Looking back at 2021, we can report on another year of growth for the Ferrexpo
business. From an operating standpoint, we are growing our production volumes
through our investments, and we are also growing our product quality through
our new higher grade direct reduction pellets. Through our investments in high
grade production, we are also growing our profitability, with Underlying
EBITDA(A) margins increasing to 57% in 2021, during a peak in the iron ore
market cycle. However, modern companies are much more than production numbers
and cash flow generation, they are about developing safe and sustainable
businesses with a purpose strongly linked to the communities in which we
operate. Crucially, our work is about further developing a brand that all
stakeholders can trust and believe in.
A safety-first culture
Safety remains a key pillar of our business model, with another positive
result in safety achieved in 2021, and without safety embedded throughout our
operations, there can be no success. In respect of Russia's invasion of
Ukraine in 2022, we report further on the wellbeing of our workforce on pag-e
23. In respect of 2021, we are pleased to report on a fatality-free year,
alongside an injury rate that continues materially below our trailing
five-year average for the business. The lost time injury frequency rate
recorded in 2021 of 0.41 was the lowest full year result reported by the Group
since listing in 2007, and I would like to thank every employee and contractor
that has helped deliver this result; see pages 23 to 24 for more on our
progress in safety. In respect of Covid-19, we continue to be vigilant against
this risk to our business, and details of our efforts to insulate our
workforce and production from this virus are provided on pages 8, 33 and 51,
with minimal disruption caused to operations to date.
Consistent operating performance
In 2021, we delivered production performance in line with 2020 in terms of
total output, but with increased output of our higher grade products. This was
achieved despite a total of over 60 days of planned expansion work on the
Group's pelletiser during 2021, and our operations are in a strong position
going into the year ahead having completed this upgrade work.
As an iron ore producer, the grade of our products is a key factor in the
Group's success, as evidenced by the increasing premiums being paid for high
grade iron ores (see page 10 for more information). The Group has pursued
several phases of quality upgrade programmes, which have culminated in the
strong operational result seen in 2021, with 100% of Ferrexpo's output
comprising of high grade iron ore products.
Growth programme
We are growing and modernising our business. However, given the conflict in
Ukraine, we have elected to pause projects that are not expected to deliver
near-term growth, with an intention to resume these projects once greater
certainty on the outlook for Ukraine is available.
In our mines, growth projects are focused on embracing modern technology, such
as automating our truck fleet, with six trucks now automated in the Yeristovo
mine, and further phases of automation planned for the years ahead. We are
modernising our production process and adapting our product mix for customers
as they embark on the journey to green steel production. In 2021, we signed
our first long-term contract for direct reduction pellets, with this
achievement only possible through our investments into our processing
facilities.
We have now finished our initial upgrade work on our pelletiser lines, and we
are looking to pivot to our next phase of growth. The Wave 1 Expansion will
deliver an additional three million tonnes of pellet capacity and we expect
that this could be delivered in the space of three years. This is a
significant undertaking and to put this into perspective, this is the same
uplift in production volumes that we have achieved in the past 15 years since
listing in 2007. For more information on our growth ambitions, please see page
19.
Following approval of the Group's growth plans in October 2021, the decision
has been made to focus our operations on processing of high grade ores to
maximise production volumes, and to meet customer demands. As a result,
currently it cannot be reliably predicted as to when the Group's stockpiled
low grade ore will be processed, which has resulted in an impairment amounting
to US$231 million. Please see Note 10 (Inventories) to the Consolidated
Financial Statements for more information.
Tangible progress in decarbonisation
We have made considerable steps in 2021 to develop our thinking in respect of
decarbonisation. In October 2021, we aligned ourselves with our peer group
with our inaugural carbon targets, which set our goal of being net zero by
2050.
Efforts to decarbonise our operations have begun well, with the Group
delivering a second year of strong performance, and we have now registered a
30% decline in our combined Scope 1 and 2 emissions per tonne against our
baseline year of 2019. This result matches our medium-term emissions reduction
target and underscores where Ferrexpo is relative to its peers, who are
predominantly seeking to reach this level of decarbonisation by 2030. We will
now look to maintain this lower level of carbon emissions going forward as a
minimum, and we are working with environmental consultants Ricardo to review
our strategy, and to develop a bespoke understanding of our decarbonisation
journey ahead - please see the Case Study on page 28 for more on this
project. Finally, to develop trust on sustainability topics, we are
undertaking an external assurance process on our carbon emissions and safety
data, as we understand the significance of getting this reporting right - see
page 25 for more information on this project.
Fostering inclusivity
We are also seeking to differentiate ourselves through our efforts in
diversity, and we are extremely proud of the external recognition received in
the fourth quarter of 2021 for having highly-rated, family-friendly policies,
whilst also winning awards for our "Fe_munity" women in leadership programme
aimed at improving diversity by increasing the skill base of our female
leaders. For more details on these initiatives, please see pages 31 to 32.
Technology and innovation
Through a commitment to modern technology and innovation, we are aiming to
secure the long-term viability of our mines and products, to keep our business
competitive on the world stage. A recent example of modernising production
processes is the initiation of the new press filtration plant, which
represents a modern form of technology that will reduce moisture in green
pellet production, therefore improving pellet quality and increasing energy
efficiency; see pages 17 to 20 for more information on these projects.
Supporting local communities
The Group has long held a close bond with its local communities in central
Ukraine where the Group's operations are located. Through working closely with
our local communities, we aim to understand their needs, to deploy funding to
where it is best invested. In March 2021, the Ferrexpo Charity Fund celebrated
the tenth anniversary since its establishment, during which time the Group has
provided direct support to over 90 educational projects, 30 healthcare
projects and direct aid to over 4,000 individuals. This has been particularly
relevant during the global Covid-19 pandemic, where companies have needed to
step up and provide support to protect their workforces and local communities,
and details of this work are provided on pages 8 and 32.
Engagement with stakeholders
In 2021, we increased our focus on developing our relationships with our
stakeholders. We have continued our regular activities such as our employee
engagement survey and associated employee engagement forum with Board members,
which is now in its fourth year. We have also moved to engage more broadly
with institutional investors and the media through the appointment of Liberum
Capital and Tavistock Communications in London, as well as BDO LLP as the
Group's Sponsor, with all three appointed in the first quarter of 2021.
Furthermore, we launched our new corporate website in January 2022, bolstering
our online presence for informing stakeholders.
In February 2022, we were pleased to receive an upgrade in our ESG rating from
ratings agency MSCI Inc. to A, capping a five year journey that has seen our
rating increase by four notches during this time. In further external
recognition, we were also pleased to receive recognition of our efforts to
protect our workforce and engage proactively with our suppliers, through the
successful completion of a Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit ("SMETA"), with
this external audit completed in the first quarter of 2022.
Addressing cybersecurity
Given the increasing prevalence of cyberattacks, and war in Ukraine, we have
undertaken a number of steps to address this rising risk. These efforts in
2021 have included the procurement of additional IT infrastructure to maintain
our access to our data in the event of an attack, and regular audits of our IT
security to maintain an up-to-date approach to combating threats; see page
48 for more information.
Looking to the future
The events of early 2022 have changed Ukraine significantly, but our business
model and our resolve remains unchanged. We continue to produce high grade
iron ore pellets, and we are continuing to invest in growing our business for
the future, which will help further support the Ukrainian economy to rebuild.
I would like to thank our workforce for their collective effort to continue
our operations throughout the invasion in 2022, as well as achieving the
strong financial result for 2021 that is presented here in this report. We
have continued to show resilience as a business in 2022 and I look forward to
working with all of our stakeholders in the years ahead to further develop our
business.
Jim North
Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director
CASE STUDY: THE IMPORTANCE OF IRON ORE PELLETS
Blast furnace pellets (vs. sinter fines): 40% emissions saving for steelmakers
Iron ore pellets are a direct charge material and therefore do not require
sintering prior to use in the blast furnace. Since sintering is a step that
typically requires the use of coal, steelmakers can avoid generating emissions
through using more iron ore pellets. Allied with the high grade nature of
Ferrexpo's pellets, steelmakers can reduce carbon emissions by 40%(1) for each
tonne of sinter fines replaced (hot metal basis).
Direct reduction pellets (vs. other pellets): 49% Scope 3 emissions saving for
Ferrexpo
Direct reduction pellets offer a pathway to low emissions steel production.
Blast furnace steelmaking represented 73% of the world's steel production in
2021(1), but this process requires coal and therefore has inherent carbon
emissions associated with it. Steelmaking via the electric arc furnace
production route using direct reduction iron is not reliant on coal, however,
and instead involves processes that typically utilise natural gas and
electricity, resulting in a significantly lower carbon footprint. Compared to
Ferrexpo's blast furnace pellets, direct reduction pellets represent a further
emissions saving of 49% for producing crude steel(1), providing a material
improvement to Ferrexpo's Scope 3 footprint through producing this particular
type of pellet. This saving is expected to further increase over time as
steelmakers introduce hydrogen and renewable electricity to this method of
steelmaking to pursue the production of carbon-free green steel. ((1)Source:
CRU. Natural gas based direct reduction without carbon capture.)
Case Study: Ferrexpo's Response to Covid-19
Since the outset of the global Covid-19 pandemic, Ferrexpo has moved to
protect its workforce from the Covid-19 virus and the after-effects that the
global pandemic is having on individuals and communities around the world. In
early 2020, the Group established the Covid-19 Response Fund, with a total of
US$3.5 million of approved funding provided to date.
Through measures initiated in 2020 and continued into 2021, including rigorous
testing, social distancing measures and staggered shift patterns, the Group
has limited the spread of the Covid-19 virus at its operational facilities and
has successfully maintained production and capital investment activities to
expand output.
Medical equipment purchased in 2021 for the Group's on-site medical centre
included the installation of sample analysis machines to determine the
severity of infection that an individual has developed, and equipment to
measure an individual's natural immunity to the virus following infection.
Following the development of a vaccine for Covid-19 in late 2020, the Group
has moved to promote vaccine uptake in its workforce and to facilitate local
authorities in their efforts to administer vaccines to local communities and
Ferrexpo's workforce through the provision of its healthcare facility as a
vaccination centre for anyone to attend. As of January 2022, the Group's
employee workforce had received over 5,900 doses of Covid-19 vaccinations,
with 65% of the workforce being fully vaccinated, approximately double the
national average of Ukraine 16 (#_ftn16) .
Ferrexpo is also working with communities to directly counter the spread of
the virus beyond its operations. Details of these activities are provided on
pages 32 and 51.
Market Review
2021 was a year marked by volatility in global market prices for iron ore and
rising demand for iron ore pellets in response to rising environmental
measures to reduce steelmakers' emissions.
Ferrexpo's high grade iron ore pellets are priced using the benchmark 65% Fe
fines price, with a pellet premium paid in addition to this index, and a
freight rate is typically deducted according to the location and type of
contract agreed with each customer. This section focuses on the factors
affecting pellet pricing, in addition to global supply and demand factors
affecting Ferrexpo's end-market - steel. The Atlantic pellet premium,
published on a monthly basis by S&P Platts ("Platts"), is presented in
this section as an indicator of pellet premiums throughout the year. The
Atlantic pellet premium is, however, based on the index for iron ore fines
grading 62% Fe, as published by Platts, and therefore is not directly used by
the Group in the typical pricing of its pellets, which are priced off the 65%
Fe index.
Table: Full year Market Indices 2021
(US$/tonne, unless stated otherwise, and represent full year averages) 2021 2020 Change
Platts 62% Fe iron ore fines price CFR China 160 109 +47%
Platts 65% Fe iron ore fines price CFR China 186 122 +53%
65% Fe spread over 62% Fe 26 13 +96%
Atlantic pellet premium (BF pellet) 56 29 +92%
China pellet premium (BF pellet) 52 22 +139%
Direct reduction ("DR") pellet premium 61 36 +67%
DR premium over Atlantic premium 5 7 -28%
C3 freight (Brazil - China) 27 15 +81%
C2 freight (Brazil - Netherlands) 16 7 +135%
Global steel production (million tonnes) 17 (#_ftn17) 1,912 1,829 +4%
Iron ore fines prices
Volatility has been a key factor when looking back at global iron ore markets
in 2021, affecting a range of key revenue drivers for iron ore producers like
Ferrexpo, with the range of iron ore prices seen in 2021 approximately three
times the average range in prices seen in the past five years.
Iron ore fines prices began 2021 at approximately US$180 per tonne, and rose
by between US$40 and US$45 per tonne in both 1Q and 2Q of 2021, with this
increase driven by government stimulus packages around the world in response
to the global Covid-19 pandemic. This upward trajectory was then reversed in
August 2021, with average prices declining by US$42 in 3Q 2021 and US$62 per
tonne in 4Q 2021, ending the year at a level last seen in August 2020, back
when prices originally began to rise.
The decline in fines pricing seen in the second half of 2021 was primarily
related to government policies enacted in China to taper markets, and was
therefore a controlled measure, which was widely anticipated by market
participants. With China accounting for 73% of global iron ore imports in
2021 18 (#_ftn18) , Chinese demand is the primary driver for iron ore fines
prices. Reviewing the market in 2021, Chinese steel production averaged 94
million tonnes a month in the first half of 2021, representing 12% growth year
on year and a record level of steel production, with strong demand for iron
ore during this period. Following measures enacted by the Chinese government
from July 2021 onwards, Chinese steel output fell to 78 million tonnes a month
in the second half of 2021, representing a 17% decline on the first half of
2021, and demand for iron ore softened as a result. Chinese steel production
cuts enacted in the summer of 2021 were originally announced as early as 2020,
as part of Beijing's decarbonisation policy announced at the time, with
environmental inspections commencing in April 2021 to ensure that each
province's annual production did not exceed 2020 levels. Measures implemented
included the removal of export tax rebates in China from August 2021.
In terms of the supply-demand balance of the iron ore market, movements in
iron ore pricing in 2021 were primarily driven by fluctuations in demand for
iron ore, rather than changes in supply of iron ore, which remained relatively
stable. Independent consultants CRU estimate that exports of iron ore grew by
38 million tonnes in 2021, representing an increase of 2%. The majority of
this additional material came from Brazil and Australia, with the former
relating to recovering supply, and the latter primarily relating to additional
low grade supply from brownfield sites.
The near-term outlook for the iron ore fines market and prices in 2022 will
depend on the level of activity seen in China in early 2022, following
production cuts imposed in 2021, as well as the degree of stockpile drawdown
that is seen with steel inventories that have accumulated. If a strong
recovery in Chinese demand continues beyond 2Q 2022, then it is expected that
the iron ore fines market is likely to become constrained, which would
potentially provide a tailwind to iron ore fines prices.
High grade premiums
High grade premiums are the additional prices paid for material that is high
grade (65% Fe or above), with this premium averaging US$26 per tonne in 2021
(2020: US$13 per tonne). As the world seeks to decarbonise, steelmakers are
increasingly looking to source higher grade iron ores to reduce their
emissions footprints. For more information on the environmental benefits of
high grade iron ores, please see the Case Study on page 12. This trend is
shown through the premiums paid for high grade iron ore fines, with quarterly
average premiums climbing consistently throughout 2021, as shown in the table
below.
Table: Premium paid for high grade (% of 62% Fe Index)
2020 1Q 2021 2Q 2021 3Q 2021 4Q 2021
12% 15% 16% 17% 18%
The outlook for the high grade premium is expected to remain positive going
forward on the basis of steelmakers increasingly looking to reduce emissions,
with specific markets - particularly Europe - expected to drive demand for
these ore types faster than other regions, based on aggressive decarbonisation
policies currently being adopted by key European governments and the European
Commission. An example of such a policy change is the European Union's Carbon
Border Adjustment Mechanism ("CBAM"), which was announced in 2020 and will be
gradually implemented between 2022 and 2025. The CBAM envisages a tariff
applied to specific goods produced outside of the European Union ("EU"), to
account for the cost of carbon. This legislation is designed to strengthen key
industries in Europe, such as the steel industry, particularly as this
industry faces rising costs associated with climate change. The Group believes
that any measure designed to strengthen the European steel industry will
improve the purchasing power of European steelmakers to purchase a greater
degree of premium raw materials, such as high grade iron ore pellets, and will
therefore drive greater demand for the Group's products.
Pellet premiums
The pellet premium is a premium applied to all pellet sales, and is paid above
the Platts 65% Fe Index for Ferrexpo's pellets. The Atlantic pellet premium in
2021 followed a similar trend to the iron ore fines indices during the year.
In the first half of the year, this pellet premium rose as steelmakers
worldwide looked to maximise steel output and take
advantage of high steel prices. Subsequently, Atlantic pellet premiums fell in
the second half of 2021, but did not fall to the same extent as iron ore fines
prices, declining from the highs of US$78 per tonne seen in the summer months
of 2021 to close the year at US$56 per tonne. This differing dynamic compared
to the iron ore fines price is a reflection of the pellet market being
governed by buying in different geographic regions - namely steel production
in Europe and North East Asia, which collectively account for more than 40% of
the global trade in iron ore pellets 19 (#_ftn19) .
Demand for iron ore pellets is therefore more aligned to the health of the
steel sector in these two regions, as well as overall pace of decarbonisation
seen globally.
Global iron ore pellet exports amounted to approximately 127 million tonnes in
2021, reflecting a contraction of 1 million tonnes versus 2020(1). The main
driver for the decrease in supply seen in 2021 came from lower exports from
producers in Brazil, India and the USA, balanced in part by a returning
producer in Brazil(1). Within this total, exports of blast furnace pellet
exports contracted by 6 million tonnes during 2021 (representing a 7%
reduction), with supply of direct reduction pellets growing by 4 million
tonnes (10% increase)(1). This relative stability in the supply of iron ore
pellets is a reflection of the difficulties faced by companies looking to
introduce new supply of pellets into the market, since new supply requires
significant capital investment to commence operations and the relative
scarcity of deposits relevant for pelletising operations that have good access
to existing infrastructure.
Demand for iron ore pellets in 2022 has been strong in European markets
following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with iron ore from Russia subject to
trade restrictions. Furthermore, pellet demand is expected to increase
globally in response to increasing environmental controls. As referenced on
page 10, the introduction of the European Union's CBAM regulations is expected
to strengthen the European steel sector in the medium term, and as a result
will increase the ability of EU steelmakers to purchase premium products for
steelmaking such as iron ore pellets. The global supply of iron ore pellets
today is relatively constrained, with the majority of existing suppliers
operating at (or near to) full capacity, particularly following the recent
completion of the ramp up of Samarco, a Brazilian pellet supplier, which had
previously halted production following a tailings dam breach in 2015.
Freight rates
The Baltic Exchange's C3 freight rate, which is indicative for the Group's
overall freight costs, increased significantly in 2021 to US$27 per tonne.
This increase was due in part to the market imbalance seen in early 2021 that
was created by the global Covid-19 pandemic, with reduced dry bulk shipments
from Brazil, resulting in fewer vessels entering the Atlantic basin to receive
cargoes. Secondly, increasing fuel prices in the second half of the year
resulted in a sharp increase in freight rates, peaking at an average of US$41
per tonne in October 2021, before retreating back to US$26 per tonne by the
end of the year. Freight rates are a further example of the volatility seen in
2021 and how this contrasts to previous years. In contrast, the average C3
freight rate for the past five years has varied by just US$4 between US$15 and
US$19, whilst the average for 2021 rose by US$12 to U$27 per tonne.
In terms of the near-term outlook for freight rates, the forward curve for C3
freight rates indicates that the index in 2022 will fall below the high levels
seen in 2021, but will remain above the historical averages seen in previous
years, reflecting increased energy costs.
Steel production
Global steel production, according to the World Steel Association, increased
by 4% in 2021 compared to 2020, which also reflects a rise above 2019 levels,
indicating the strong return to growth as governments worldwide continue to
respond to the global Covid-19 pandemic. During 2021, the majority of this
growth in global steel production occurred during the first half of the year,
which was 15% up year on year, whereas the second half of 2021 saw a 5%
contraction year on year in global crude steel output. This trend was driven
by Chinese output, where production increased by 13% year on year in the first
half and then contracted by 15% year on year in the second half, ending the
year below the total output for 2020. The European steel space has continued
its strong recovery in 2021, growing by 20% in the first half and a further
10% in the second half of the year. North East Asia, another key market for
global iron ore pellet exports, exhibited a similar trend to Europe in 2021,
growing by 11% in both halves of 2021.
Based on data presented by independent consultants CRU, it is expected that
the global outlook for hot metal production is set to peak in 2021 (relevant
data on this topic to be published in 2022), with global levels of output
expected to remain above 1,400 million tonnes between 2022 and 2025. It is
expected that the share of steel production from electric arc furnaces will
grow from 27% of global crude steel production in 2021 to 31% in 2025.
Steel pricing
The Group closely monitors the margins being made by steelmakers as a lead
indicator of possible future movements in the demand for iron ore, with the
margin for hot rolled coil ("HRC") used as an indicator of this. Margins for
HRC remained positive throughout 2021, with steel prices remaining elevated
despite the fall in raw materials costs seen in the second half of 2021.
The Group expects global steel output to rise in 2022, on the basis of steel
margins remaining at elevated levels at the present time, with steelmakers
increasing output to meet rising global demand for steel.
Future trends: Green Steel
A clear trend within the steel sector is decarbonisation, with many of the
world's governments pledging to achieve net zero carbon emissions by either
2050 or 2060. Governments are also setting medium-term targets to establish a
trajectory for emissions reduction - typically a 30% reduction by 2030. The
European Union is working towards its "Fit for 55" plan announced in July
2021, which is a legislative process aimed at delivering a 55% reduction in
carbon emissions by 2030 against a baseline year of 1990. Given Ferrexpo's
close proximity to European steelmakers, this provides the Group with a
significant opportunity, since iron ore pellets enable steelmakers to reduce
emissions through greater use of direct charge material in their blast
furnaces. For more information on the environmental benefits of pellets,
please see the Case Study on page 8. This shift towards iron ore pellets is
mirrored in data presented by independent consultants CRU, who forecast that
global iron ore pellet consumption will increase by 15% between 2021 and 2026,
whilst consumption of iron ore fines is forecast to contract by 14% during
this same period.
Over time, the Group also intends to increase production of its latest product
- the higher grade (67% Fe) direct reduction pellets, which are typically
converted to steel using natural gas and then electricity in electric arc
furnaces. This is in contrast to the blast furnace method of steelmaking,
which typically uses coal as the main fuel to produce steel. Through removing
coal from the steel-production process, steelmakers can operate with a
significantly lower carbon footprint. Direct reduction pellets represented 4%
of the Group's production in 2021 (2020: 3%), and the Group intends to utilise
its expansion plans in the medium term to increase this proportion of
production as steelmakers around the world decarbonise and demand for this
pellet type increases.
CASE STUDY: THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGH GRADE IRON
In iron ore, grade is key. For commercially available iron ores, which are
predominantly hematite, the maximum iron content is 70%, with the remaining
30% being oxygen (as part of the iron oxide that iron ores are predominantly
comprised of). Benchmark iron ores grading 62% Fe are therefore 62% iron, the
oxygen as part of the iron oxide molecule, and a component of waste that
represents approximately 11% of this material. For low grade ores (58% Fe),
the proportion of waste material contained is higher - approximately 17% of
the total mass of material being sold. Ferrexpo's products are high grade and
therefore contain between 4% and 7% waste material, and as a result contain up
to four times less waste than competitors' iron ores. This is important, as it
is the waste in the ore that steelmakers must supply energy to remove when
making steel, with ores that contain more waste requiring more energy to
process. In the blast furnace, this energy is typically provided by coal,
whereas in the direct reduction process this energy comes from either natural
gas or electricity. High grade ores are therefore a tool available to
steelmakers to reduce emissions today.
CASE STUDY: THE IMPORTANCE OF PROXIMITY TO KEY MARKETS
In a global world that is facing up to the journey of decarbonisation that
lies ahead, consumers are looking increasingly for supplies of goods and
services to come from local sources. With assets based in Ukraine, Ferrexpo is
well positioned geographically to supply the steel sector in both Europe and
the Middle East, with Ferrexpo's peers in Brazil, Canada and South Africa
located further away from these key markets. Ferrexpo is able to supply
customers in Europe via rail, barge or ocean-going vessel. The Middle East
represents the single biggest market for direct reduction pellets today, and
with Europe rapidly decarbonising, this is expected to significantly increase
pellet demand for this pellet type in the future as steelmakers seek to adapt
their production processes.
In a world where ocean-going freight contributed as much to Ferrexpo's total
emissions as emissions from mining in 2021, the distance to markets matters.
Financial Review
Through investment in high grade iron ore products, the Group has been able to
maintain its position as a high margin business, further enabling the Group to
continue its strategy of investing for future growth and returns.
Summary
Through rising pellet quality and strong market demand for high grade, premium
forms of iron ore such as pellets, the Group saw revenues in 2021 increase by
48% to US$2.5 billion and Underlying EBITDA(A) increase by 68% to US$1,439
million (2020: US$859 million), maintaining the Group's position as a high
margin business. The Group has maintained its balanced approach to capital
allocation, with Capital investment(A) rising by 75% to US$361 million. The
Group realised a net operating profit after tax of US$871 million in 2021
(2020: US$635 million) following the accounting of an impairment loss of
US$231 million as at 31 December 2021.
Revenue
Group revenues increased in 2021 by 48%, relating to increases in commodity
pricing seen during the year - principally iron ore prices, premiums for high
grade materials and pellet premiums. Total sales for the period fell by 6%,
reflecting the de-stocking process that was conducted in 2020 in response to
the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Revenues also benefited from the
increase to 100% high grade iron ore products (2020: 99%). For further
information, please see the Operational Review section on pages 17 to 19.
Seaborne freight revenue arising from CFR sales increased revenue by US$12
million compared to 2020, reflecting the net effect from higher freight rates,
partially offset by lower sales volumes to Asia. Finally, the revenues from
the Group's barging and bunker operations, First-DDSG Logistics Holding,
increased by US$4 million in 2021 compared with 2020 as a result of higher
freight rates and bunker prices, partially offset by a lower volume shipped.
C1 cash cost of production(A)
The Group's average C1 cash cost of productionA was US$55.8 per tonne in 2021,
compared with US$41.5 per tonne in 2020, with this increase in the Group's
cost base relating to a global rise in commodity input prices, which applies
to approximately 50% of the Group's cost base.
In the first half of 2021, global commodity prices rose as global economies
experienced a recovery from the financial effects of the global Covid-19
pandemic. Following this rise in the first half of 2021, global energy prices
rose further due to a tightness in the supply of crude oil, following
production cuts announced in late 2020 by OPEC nations. Consequently, oil
prices rose from US$55 per barrel in January 2021 to a peak of US$84 per
barrel in October 2021, representing a rise of more than 50%, before
retreating during the fourth quarter 20 (#_ftn20) .
The Group pays royalties on the extraction and sale of iron ore products to
the Ukrainian government, with this royalty regime updated in late 2021. This
new royalty regime, which came into force in January 2022, includes a royalty
payment based on the spot iron ore (62% Fe) fines price, with no reference to
pellet premiums or freight rates, which is structured as follows: (1) at
monthly iron ore prices (62% Fe) less than or equal to US$100 per tonne, a
royalty rate of 3.5% will apply to iron ore product sales, (2) at prices less
than or equal to US$200 per tonne a royalty rate of 5% will apply and (3) at
prices above US$200 per tonne a 10% royalty rate will apply. Royalties are not
tiered and therefore the rate applied will apply to the full price of the iron
ore product being sold. This compares to the previous iron ore royalty
calculation whereby the Group paid a flat royalty rate of approximately US$3.5
per tonne of all tonnes sold.
In line with previous years, the Group's C1 cash cost of production(A)
represents the cash costs of production of iron pellets from own ore (to the
mine gate), divided by production volume from own ore, and excludes non-cash
costs such as depreciation, pension costs and inventory movements, as well as
the costs of purchased ore, concentrate and gravel. The C1 cash cost of
productionA (US$ per tonne) is regarded as an Alternative Performance Measures
("APM"). For further information, please see pages 80 to 81.
Selling and distribution costs
Total selling and distribution costs were US$340 million in 2021 (2020: US$309
million), reflecting an increase in freight rates, offset by a decrease in
sales to Asia. As a result, international freight costs arising from CFR sales
increased by US$36 million compared to 2020.
General and administrative expenses
The general, administrative and other expense in 2021 was US$72 million (2020:
US$62 million), with this increase mainly due to higher consulting fees
related to the business improvement projects and personnel expenses in Ukraine
linked to local inflation.
Currency
Ferrexpo prepares its accounts in US dollars. The functional currency of the
Group's operations in Ukraine is the Ukrainian hryvnia, which has historically
represented approximately half of the Group's operating costs. In 2021, the
hryvnia appreciated by 4% from UAH 28.275 per US dollar on 1 January 2021 to
UAH 27.278 per US dollar as of 31 December 2021. For further information,
please see section on C1 cash cost of productionA on page 13 and Case Study on
page 16.
Local balances as of 31 December 2021 are converted into the Group's reporting
currency at the prevailing exchange rate. The appreciation of the hryvnia
resulted in a US$79 million increase in net assets in 2021 (2020: decrease of
US$301 million), as reflected in the translation reserve, net of an associated
tax effect.
Operating foreign exchange gains/losses
Given that the functional currency of the Ukrainian subsidiaries is the
hryvnia, an appreciation of the hryvnia against the US dollar results in
foreign exchange loss on the Group's Ukrainian subsidiaries' US dollar
denominated receivable balances (from the sale of pellets). The operating
foreign exchange loss in 2021 was US$38 million compared to a gain of US$61
million in 2020 when the hryvnia depreciated.
Non-operating foreign exchange gains/losses
Non-operating foreign exchange gains are mainly due to the conversion of the
hryvnia denominated intercompany payable balances and the conversion of euro
denominated loans (at the Group's barging facility) into the functional
currency of the respective Group's subsidiary. In 2021, the Group recorded a
non-operating foreign exchange loss of US$3 million (2020: gain of US$5
million), which was driven by a 4% appreciation of the hryvnia during the year
against the US dollar, as well as fluctuations in the euro/US dollar exchange
rate. For further information, please see Note 6 (Foreign exchange gains and
losses) to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Underlying EBITDAA
Underlying EBITDAA in 2021 increased by 68% to US$1,439 million, with this
increase reflecting a balance of positive factors, including the 53% increase
seen in iron ore fines prices, a 92% increase in the Platts Atlantic pellet
premium, balanced by negative factors such as a 6% decrease in sales volumes,
34% increase in C1 cash costs of production(A) and an 81% increase in the C3
freight rate. The Group's Underlying EBITDAA for 2021 includes a non-cash
operating forex loss of US$38 million in 2021 (2020: non-cash operating forex
gain of US$61 million).
Interest
Interest expense on loans and borrowings declined by 57% to US$10 million
compared to US$22 million in 2020, due to a lower average outstanding debt
balance. The average cost of debt was 4.7% for the period until the full
repayment of the Group's major debt facility in June 2021 (average 31 December
2020: 5.2%). Further details on finance expense are disclosed in Note 7 (Net
finance expense) to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Tax
In 2021, the Group's tax expense was US$200 million (2020: US$113 million).
The effective tax rate for 2021 was 18.7% (2020: 15.1%). The increase in the
effective tax rate was driven by a higher proportion of taxable profits in
Ukraine and the impairment loss, which is not tax deductible. In 2021, the
Group paid income taxes of US$228 million (2020: US$57 million), of which
US$221 million were paid in Ukraine (2020: US$54 million).
A total of US$29 million of income taxes related to 2021 are expected to be
paid in 2022, of which US$21 million in Ukraine. Further details on taxation
are disclosed in Note 8 (Taxation) to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Items excluded from underlying earnings
The Group has recognised an impairment charge of US$231 million as at 31
December 2021, relating to stockpiled low grade ore as it cannot reliably
predict when this material will be processed. Please see Note 10 (Inventories)
to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.
Profit for the period
Profit for the period increased 37% to US$871 million compared with US$635
million in 2020, reflecting a 44% increase in operating profit (including
operating foreign exchange effects) and US$3 million lower net financial
expense and a foreign exchange loss of US$38 million compared to a foreign
exchange gain of US$61 million in 2020, in addition to a higher income tax
expense of US$200 million.
Cash flows
Operating cash flow before working capital increased 85% while the working
capital outflow in 2021 was US$139 million compared to an outflow of US$24
million in 2020. The increase in the working capital outflow largely reflects
higher balances of trade and other receivables, prepayments made as of 31
December 2021 and higher inventories, which were mainly as a result of
shipments that slipped into 2022 due to bad weather conditions at the Group's
loading port at year end.
As a result of the higher operating cash flow, the net cash flow from
operating activities increased 59% to US$1,094 million in 2021 (2020: US$687
million). Capital investment was US$361 million, an increase of 75% compared
to 2020 (US$206 million), while dividends paid during the 2021 calendar year
increased by 220% to 105.6 US cents compared to 33.0 US cents in 2020.
Capital investment(A)
Capital expenditure in 2021 was US$361 million compared to US$206 million in
2020. Of this amount for 2021, sustaining and modernisation capex was US$113
million (2020: US$103 million), covering activities at all of Ferrexpo's major
business units. In relation to growth capital investment(A), total investment
in the Group's concentrator and pelletiser, including the Wave 1 Expansion,
amounted to US$111 million in 2021 (2020: US$34.3 million). In addition, FPM
invested US$34 million on the press filtration project, which is set for
completion in 2022. Further areas of capital investment(A) included mine
stripping and development of US$69 million in 2021 (2020: US$14 million) and
US$6 million invested in the infrastructure, development and exploration of
the Bilanivske (Belanovo mine), Galeschynske and the Northern Deposits (2020:
US$6 million). For further information on the Group's growth plans, please see
pages 19 to 21.
Shareholder returns
In view of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing hostilities, the Board
has decided to defer any decision in relation to an interim dividend in
conjunction with the Group's full year results for 2021. The Board will
continue to assess the situation, and when appropriate, will make a decision
in relation to shareholder returns. Total dividends paid to date in respect of
2021 are 46.2 US cents (2020 total: 85.8 US cents). In November 2021, the
Group announced a shareholder returns policy outlining the Group's intention
to deliver 30% of free cash flows as dividends in respect of a given year. To
date, the Group has announced dividends in respect of the 2021 financial year
representing 37% of the Group's free cash flow in 2021.
Following repayment of the Group's PXF Facility in June 2021, the Group no
longer has a financial covenant restriction over the total available
distributable profits of the Group (noting that any dividend payment must
still comply with distributable reserve requirements under company law).
The Group's Board will consider, as appropriate, whether or not to propose a
further interim dividend in respect of 2021.
Debt and maturity profile
Ferrexpo has a strong balance sheet, low levels of gross debt and had a net
cash position as of 31 December 2021. As of 31 December 2021, the Group's net
cash position was US$117 million (31 December 2020: US$4 million net cash
position). Gross debt as of 31 December 2021 was US$50 million compared with
US$266 million as of 31 December 2020. The Group's gross debt relates to
short-term trade finance facilities that typically have tenures of less than
12 months.
As of 31 December 2021, the credit ratings agency Moody's has a long-term
corporate and debt rating for Ferrexpo of B2, with a negative outlook. The
credit ratings agency Fitch maintains a BB- rating on the Group, with a stable
outlook. While the credit rating of Ferrexpo is capped by the sovereign credit
rating of Ukraine, the ceiling for credit ratings ascribed to Ferrexpo by both
Fitch and Moody's are higher (one notch above sovereign for Moody's and two
notches above sovereign for Fitch).
Following the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022,
the credit ratings agencies have taken steps to update their assessment on
Ukrainian issuers. As of 4 April 2022, with regards to Ferrexpo plc, Moody's
has a long-term corporate and debt rating for Ferrexpo of Caa2, with a
negative outlook, while the credit ratings agency Fitch has a long-term
corporate and debt rating for Ferrexpo plc of B-, with a negative outlook.
While the credit rating of Ferrexpo is capped by the sovereign credit rating
of Ukraine, the credit rating ascribed to Ferrexpo by Fitch is higher. The
credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's has temporarily suspended the
credit rating for Ferrexpo plc.
Related party transactions
The Group enters into arm's length transactions with entities under the common
control of Kostyantin Zhevago and his associates. For further information,
please see Note 14 (Related party disclosures).
CASE STUDY: MAINTAINING A LOW CASH COST OF PRODUCTION
The Group's C1 cash cost of production(A) is governed by a range of factors,
with energy costs historically representing approximately half of the cost
base through the Group's exposure to diesel prices (mining), electricity
prices (predominantly processing) and natural gas prices (pelletising).
The Group's full year C1 cash cost of production(A) rose by 34% to US$55.8 per
tonne, primarily reflecting a rise in the second half of the year due to high
energy costs. Over the full year, increasing energy costs have accounted for a
combined US$10 per tonne increase in the Group's C1 cash cost of
production(A), with a further US$2 per tonne increase attributable to spare
parts and maintenance costs per tonne combined. Elevated energy prices are
expected to remain in place going into 2022, with a gradual decline to
historic levels expected during the course of first half of the year.
Through its production of high grade iron ore pellets, the Group remains
competitive for costs on a global scale, as shown in the pellet cost curve,
presented by independent consultants CRU. With the increases in energy costs
described above, the Group has moved from the first to the second quartile of
costs for pellet producers, but the Group retains a cost advantage over more
than 55 million tonnes of existing pellet production, representing
approximately half of the current market of iron ore pellets. Given the
long-term value proposition of high grade iron ore and pellet premiums, as
outlined in the Case Studies provided in this report, the Group believes that
it will continue to be globally competitive on its cost of production.
For more details of the increasing premiums paid for high grade iron ore,
please see page 10.
Table: Breakdown of Ferrexpo's C1 cash cost of production(A)
Electricity 23%
Gas + Biofuel 16%
Fuel 6%
Materials 8%
Spare parts 11%
Personnel costs 8%
Repair service 11%
Grinding bodies 8%
Royalties 6%
Blasting 2%
Note: above numbers are rounded.
Chart: CRU Breakdown pellet cost curve to natural markets (US$ per tonne)
Definition: Business costs are the sum of realisation costs and site costs.
Realisation costs include the cost of getting the material to market, the
marketing of the material and the financing cost of selling the material. The
power of business costs is that by adjusting all product qualities relative to
the same benchmark (62% Fe fines product delivered to North China), it allows
all mines to be compared on a cost curve on a like-for-like basis. This also
means that by subtracting the benchmark price from the business costs for a
mine an estimate of cash flow from that operation is obtained. Source: CRU
Group
Operational Review
2021 saw operations continue to develop and grow, with work already under way
for the next phase of growth, with the Wave 1 Expansion set to add three
million tonnes of additional capacity.
Russia-Ukraine conflict (2022)
To date, the Group has managed to continue production operations during
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the Group curtailing non-core
activities. Shipments continue via rail and barge to Europe, but seaborne
exports via the port of Pivdennyi have been temporarily suspended. Please see
the Group's press releases for up-to-date operational updates.
Mining (2021)
Total mining volumes increased by 21% in 2021, with the Group preparing for
the Wave 1 Expansion, which will require an increase in supply of iron ore to
the Group's processing plant upon completion. At FPM, mining activities in
2021 remained in line with 2020, but the Group significantly increased total
volume movements at FYM to over 60 million tonnes, representing a 39%
increase, underscoring FYM's role for the Group's near-term growth ambitions.
FBM is the key project in the Group's medium-term growth plans, and this
project saw a seven-fold increase in material moved to 10 million tonnes in
2021, with this mine expected to continue its ramp up of activities over time.
Additional projects under way in the Group's mines include the ongoing
automation of the haul truck fleet at FYM (see Case Study on page 19), as well
as ongoing discussions to electrify the Group's mining fleet, which is likely
to include trolley assist and battery technology (see Case Study on page 20).
Both projects are expected to offer long-term benefits in safety performance,
productivity and emissions reduction.
Total mining volumes in 2022 across the Group's two ore-producing mines - FPM
and FYM - are expected to remain in line with 2021, reflecting the recent step
up in waste stripping activities ahead of the Wave 1 Expansion. For more
information on the Group's growth plans, please see page 19.
Processing (2021)
The Group's processing plant has seen significant investment in recent years,
and as a result, ore tonnes processed and concentrate tonnes produced both
increased by 5% in 2021, with the Group expecting further growth in future
years. The pelletiser was the focus of investments in processing in 2021, with
upgrade work taking place in three distinct phases throughout the year.
Following the approval of the Group's Wave 1 Expansion in October 2021, the
Group has taken the decision to focus on the processing of high grade ores to
maximise production, and has therefore realised an impairment on the value of
the low grade ore stockpiled at site. Please see Note 10 (Inventories) to the
Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.
A key project completed in early 2022 is the Group's press filtration complex,
which will help improve product quality and reduce natural gas consumption
through lowering the moisture content of pellets before entering the
pelletisation process. The work completed to date represents the first phase
of this project, which will help facilitate an increase in throughput of
material through the Group's processing facilities.
In terms of product quality, the Group has phased out production of medium
grade products, transitioning to 100% high grade (65% Fe and above) production
as of 2021 (2020: 99%). This shift marks the culmination of 15 years of
investment in high grade production since the Group's IPO, and reflects a
shift in preference by the Group's premium customers, who use pellets to make
premium types of steel. To understand the importance of high grade materials
to steel companies, please see the Case Study on page 12.
Ferrexpo continues to use sunflower husks as a substitute for natural gas in
the pelletiser, with 18% of pelletiser energy use sourced from sunflower husks
in 2021 (2020: 25%). The decrease seen in 2021 correlates to commercial trials
of producing direct reduction pellets, and the Group expects consumption rates
of sunflower husks to increase as the Group's understanding of the technical
requirements of producing this pellet type increases.
Logistics (2021)
Sales volumes fell 6% in 2021 as a result of the Group conducting a one-off
de-stocking process in early 2020. Production and sales volumes in 2021
returned to a level broadly matching each other.
In December 2021, the Group also conducted a trial shipment to a German steel
mill via rail, which has the potential to reduce the Group's Scope 3 emissions
footprint through use of the electrified rail network in Europe, as well as
having the potential to cut delivery times in half to certain customers.
In 2021, the Group's subsidiary First-DDSG transported 0.8 million tonnes of
iron ore pellets via the River Danube (2020: 0.8 million tonnes), providing
additional logistics flexibility for the Group to supply customers in Europe.
Table: Operational performance
(000't unless otherwise stated) 2021 2020 Change
Production
Iron ore mined 33,764 29,842 +13%
Strip ratio 3.5 3.2 +9%
Iron ore processed 31,111 29,723 +5%
Concentrate production 14,655 14,007 +5%
Pellet production 11,220 11,218 +0.02%
- Direct reduction pellets (67% Fe) 431 339 +27%
- Premium blast furnace pellets (65% Fe) 10,790 10,780 +0.1%
- Basic blast furnace pellets (62% Fe) - 98 -100%
Commercial concentrate production 234 183 +28%
Iron ore sales
- Pellets 11,115 11,878 -6%
- Concentrate 234 183 +28%
- Total products sold 11,349 12,062 -6%
Table: JORC-Compliant Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources(1)
Proven Probable Total
JORC-compliant Ore Reserves Mt Fe total % Fe magnetic % Mt Fe total % Fe magnetic % Mt Fe total % Fe magnetic %
Gorishne-Plavninske-Lavrykivske ("GPL") 300 33 26 829 31 23 1,135 32 24
Yerystivske 220 30 25 290 33 26 510 32 26
Total 526 32 26 1,119 32 24 1,645 32 25
Measured Indicated Inferred Total
JORC-compliant Mineral Resources Mt Fe total % Fe magnetic % Mt Fe total % Fe magnetic % Mt Fe total % Fe magnetic % Mt Fe total % Fe magnetic %
Gorishne-Plavninske-Lavrykivske ("GPL") 472 35 29 1,627 30 22 744 32 24 2,843 31 24
Yerystivske 269 35 29 571 34 27 382 33 27 1,222 34 27
Bilanivske 336 31 24 1,149 31 23 217 30 21 1,702 31 23
Total 1,077 34 27 3,347 31 23 1,343 32 24 5,767 32 24
1 The Group's JORC-compliant Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources
shown above are based on an independent review completed by Bara Consulting,
shown on a depleted basis as of 1 January 2022. The Group previously reported
a resource estimate of 326Mt for the Galeschynske deposit, which is the
subject of a legal dispute and is therefore not shown above; please see page
38 for more information.
CASE STUDY: MINING FLEET AUTOMATION
In December 2020, the Group was proud to unveil the latest phase of autonomy
in its business - Europe's first large scale autonomous haul trucks. The Group
has continued to progress this project, with the first phase of automation
completed, representing the first six CAT 793D trucks at the Yeristovo mine.
Over time, the Group plans to continue to introduce fleet automation
throughout its mining operations in line with this equipment showing
improvements in both safety and productivity.
Through automation, the Group expects to see significant benefits in safety,
productivity and maintenance. The autonomous fleet continues to improve in its
fleet utilisation levels, and in November 2021 the Group's automated fleet
achieved the same rates of utilisation as the Group's historic level.
Growth plans
The Group has now invested over US$3 billion in its operations since IPO, with
over 85% of this investment at the Group's operations in Ukraine.
Growth projects in 2021
Recent projects completed include the pelletiser upgrade work primarily
completed in 2021, as well as the concentrator upgrade and concentrate
stockyard that were both completed in 2020. Through this work, the Group aims
to provide stability and consistency in pellet production, growth in
production volumes, and growth in product quality.
Wave 1 Expansion
The Group's Wave 1 Expansion is an ambitious project to add approximately 25%
of the Group's existing pellet capacity in the next three years. In light of
the current conflict in Ukraine, the Group has temporarily paused investment
in growth projects and will look to recommence growth activities once
additional clarity on the outlook for Ukraine is known. Please see the
Principal Risks section for more information (pages 36 to 52).
Expansion plans in the processing of magnetite iron ore are modular in nature,
whereby processing increased volumes uses larger and more advanced pieces of
equipment, largely replicating the existing process flow sheet. The Group's
investments to date have been a reflection of this, and the Group's Wave 1
Expansion will be a continuation of this strategy.
Each key aspect of the production process required to deliver the Wave 1
Expansion are shown in the diagram below, with pre-stripping activities
commencing in 2021, and reflected in a 21% increase in the total tonnes mined
during the year. The all-in capital intensity of the Wave 1 Expansion at the
Group's operations is expected to be approximately US$200 per tonne of
additional pellet capacity.
The Group also expects to see additional benefits and flexibility in
processing different ore types as a result of the Wave 1 Expansion. Through
adding modern equipment, such as the planned high-pressure grinding rolls in
the beneficiation plant, the Group expects to see efficiency savings for key
consumables such as electricity, which will have a positive effect on the
Group's cost structure and environmental footprint.
1. Mining
· Scale: increasing total volumes mined from 125Mt in 2020 to
approximately 265Mt.
· Equipment required: additional excavators and haul trucks.
· Phasing: gradual increase.
· Total investment: US$180 million, excluding trolley-assist.
2. Crushing & Beneficiation
· Scale: increasing crushing capacity to more than 45Mt.
· Equipment required: minor upgrades to primary crushing,
additional secondary and tertiary crushing capacity. Contracts signed with
Metso and Weir Minerals.
· Total investment: US$240 million.
3. Pelletising
· Scale: increasing capacity of one pelletiser line (out of four)
by three million tonnes.
· Equipment required: pelletiser kilns to remain as is, with
modifications to pre-heating stages to add capacity.
· Phasing: timing to be after concentrate capacity completed.
· Total investment: US$181 million.
4. Logistics
· Scale: capacity to transfer three million tonnes of additional
products to customers.
· Equipment required: additional rail cars, upgraded port capacity.
· Phasing: gradual implementation.
· Total investment: US$28 million.
CASE STUDY: DECARBONISATION OF MINING FLEETS
With 40% of Scope 1 (direct) emissions in 2021 relating to diesel consumption
in the Group's mining fleet, projects to address this area will have a clear
impact on the overall carbon footprint.
In the short term, diesel consumption rates declined by 7% in 2021 as
productivity measures continue to be implemented, and the Group is working
towards continuing this progress in future years.
For over ten years, Ferrexpo has operated electric excavators, taking
advantage of the fact that Ferrexpo's mines are located with good access to
the Ukrainian electricity grid, a key advantage of Ferrexpo's mines over the
majority of iron ore mines operated by the Group's peers in Australia. With
this in mind, the Group continues to review the installation of trolley-assist
infrastructure along the upward section of the haul ramps of its mines, as 50%
of diesel consumption occurs when fully-loaded trucks ascend out of the
Group's mines, making this a clear area to target in decarbonisation efforts.
The Group is continuing discussions with suppliers of this technology, and in
2021, representatives of the Group visited a mining operation with
trolley-assist equipment already in operation. It is
expected that the installation of such equipment would take two to three years
to implement. Aside from the benefits of decarbonisation, trolley-assist
technologies also allow trucks to ascend pit ramps using 100% of each truck's
engine capacity, leading to shorter cycle times, therefore reducing the
requirement for the number of trucks operating, as well as more efficient
mining practices.
The longer-term solution is however to completely remove diesel consumption
from the Group's haul trucks. This is possible through a range of technologies
and the Group believes that, as of today, the best opportunity to implement
diesel-free fuelling of trucks is through battery technology, which represents
a technology that is rapidly developing. The Group considers itself to be a
fast follower for new technologies, and is looking to implement a
fleet-replacement strategy with battery technology trucks once this becomes a
widespread solution in the mining industry. The Group expects this to be a
gradual phasing out of diesel trucks over time, with this becoming a viable
pathway in the medium to long term.
HSEC Committee Chair's Review
The events in the first quarter of 2022 has highlighted the importance of
sustainability, particularly Ferrexpo's community support initiatives, at this
difficult time. The Group's newly established Humanitarian Fund is designed to
help address the needs of communities across the country.
New Chair appointed
In February 2022, I assumed the role of HSEC Committee Chair, with Fiona
MacAulay moving to become the Senior Independent Director. In this section, we
look back at progress made in a number of sustainability topics, with further
details available in our Responsible Business Reports, which are available on
the Group's website (http://www.ferrexpo.com (http://www.ferrexpo.com) ).
Prioritising safety and wellbeing
Safety and wellbeing have never been more prominent in our activities than
during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Further details of our
humanitarian efforts are provided in our community support section on page 32,
with US$12.5 million of approved funding for the Group's Humanitarian Fund 21
(#_ftn21) .
Looking back at 2021, we can report a fatality-free year, alongside the
Group's lowest recorded full-year lost time injury frequency rate ("LTIFR")
since its listing in 2007. Our safety performance in 2021 was once again
materially below our five-year trailing average for LTIFR, and also continues
below the same metric as recorded by Ferrexpo's iron ore producing peers in
Western Australia 22 (#_ftn22) , with further details provided on page 23.
Workforce wellbeing is a key area of focus to ensure that people are well
looked after during the conflict, including the free provision of
psychological support and on-site childcare facilities. In external
recognition of our efforts in 2021, we were pleased to be recognised as one of
the top four companies in Ukraine for family-friendly policies in a
country-wide survey sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund. Further
details are provided on page 31.
Addressing climate change
On carbon emissions, we are continuing to deliver reductions, with a 16%
reduction in combined Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions per tonne for a second
successive year, with this decrease in 2021 driven by our clean power
purchasing strategy, which helped to reduce Scope 2 emissions by 40% in 2021
on a per tonne basis. We did, however, record an 11% increase in Scope 1
emissions per tonne, which was driven by increased mining activity as we ramp
up our Wave 1 Expansion activities, and reduced sunflower husk consumption in
our pelletiser as we trial the production of our latest product, direct
reduction pellets. This emphasises the need for us to advance our plans to
electrify our mining activities - see page 20 on this work stream - and the
importance of biofuels today, which will facilitate the transition away from
natural gas in the future.
Through the result presented here for 2021, we have nominally achieved a 30%
reduction in carbon emissions against our baseline year, which was the
medium-term target set by the Group in 2021. This 30% target is the benchmark
level set in the mining industry, and by achieving this goal, we can
demonstrate where Ferrexpo is relative to its peer group in reducing
emissions. From here, we intend to continue to reduce our emissions, and
through our ongoing work with environmental consultants Ricardo plc
("Ricardo"), we plan to establish a bespoke pathway for Ferrexpo's net-zero
ambitions. The Group's long-term emissions reduction target remains to be
carbon neutral by 2050, and we look forward to reporting further on this when
our work with Ricardo concludes later this year; further details of this
project are provided on page 28. Further to our work with Ricardo, we
understand the importance of external assurance of sustainability data,
particularly given the prominence of these topics in stakeholder discussions.
As a result, we are currently conducting an external assurance process with an
independent consultant on our reporting of carbon emissions and safety data,
with details of this project provided on page 25.
Promoting diversity and inclusion
Diversity, equity and inclusion ("DEI") is an area where we have recently
increased our focus. In 2021, we appointed a dedicated DEI officer to further
our understanding of our own workforce, and we also conducted our inaugural
DEI survey. Gender diversity is a focus of a range of training programmes at
our operations, from attracting women into atypical roles, to providing
management training to women identified as high potential future leaders of
our business as part of our "Fe_munity" women in leadership programme. We are
proud of the progress made to date, with the proportion of women in management
roles advancing to 20.1% in 2021 (2020: 18.2%).
Strong links to local communities
Since the development of Horishni Plavni in the 1960s for the original
construction of the iron ore mining and processing operations, there has been
a close association between the mine and the town. In 2022, we are set to
celebrate 15 years since Ferrexpo's listing and we are proud of the support
that we have been able to provide during this time. In March 2021, the
Ferrexpo Charity Fund celebrated its tenth year, during which time the Group
has directly assisted over 90 schools and other educational facilities, over
30 hospitals and related facilities, and direct aid to over 4,000 individuals
requiring assistance, such as regular support packages or expensive medical
operations. See pages 32 to 33 for more on our work with local communities.
Sustainable environments
At Ferrexpo, we understand the need for sustainable working practices. The
Dnieper River runs close to our operations, and we have a number of projects
to promote both biodiversity in the river and local community use on the river
(see Case Study opposite). Furthermore, in 2021, we undertook a new phase of
biodiversity mapping - looking at the species of plants, fungi and animals in
our local ecosystems, and we expect to compile our first biodiversity
monograph in 2022 following this project's work.
Sustainability is a broad topic however, and we regularly report our
performance across more than 30 standards under the framework published by the
Global Reporting Initiative, as part of our Responsible Business Reports
(available at www.ferrexpo.com).
In conclusion, our efforts to mitigate the detrimental humanitarian effects of
Russia's invasion of Ukraine are ongoing and have highlighted the need for a
close and effective relationship with local communities to quickly deliver
relevant support where it is needed. Despite the war, we are continuing to
work on our Responsible Business activities, and I would like to thank our
workforce for embracing the fundamental values of sustainability to help
deliver this progress. Ferrexpo has strong credentials in sustainability and
we look forward to updating the market on our progress in the year ahead.
Ann-Christin Andersen
Chair, HSEC Committee
CASE STUDY: SUPPORTING LIFE ON AND IN THE DNIEPER RIVER
Ferrexpo and the Group's local communities are fortunate to be situated close
to one of Europe's great rivers, the Dnieper River, which flows through
Ukraine to the Black Sea and is more than two kilometres wide as it passes
Ferrexpo's operations.
Whilst the Group does not operate in a region considered to be high risk for
water stress (in accordance with the Water Resources Institute), the Group
aims to reduce its water consumption regardless, and the Group is pleased to
report a third consecutive year of materially lower water withdrawal from the
local water supply network. Furthermore, the Group's processing plant
regularly recycles 98% of water used in processing operations, minimising the
impact of processing on the local water system.
To promote biodiversity, the Group is continuing its initiative to reintroduce
native fish species to the Dnieper River, with this project winning a
sustainability award at an award ceremony in Kyiv in December 2021 for helping
implement the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water). Further
details of this project are available in the Group's Responsible Business
Report.
With a healthy Dnieper River, local communities are able to utilise the river
for sport and leisure. The Group is proud to support the local sailing club,
which had four Olympians travel to the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021
(with local canoeist Liudmyla Luzan, pictured above, winning two silver
medals). The Group also regularly sponsors local and national dragon boat
racing competitions on the river in Horishni Plavni, which is a popular sport
within Ukraine.
Health and Safety Review
A successful mining company is one that delivers value for all stakeholders in
a safe and sustainable manner. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022,
the Group's primary focus is the safety and wellbeing of its workforce, with
the following a review of safety in 2021.
Table: Safety Indicators 2020/21
2021 2020 Change
Lagging indicators
Fatalities1 - 1 -100%
Lost time injuries1 9 17 -47%
LTIFR1 0.41 0.79 -48%
TRIFR2 0.97 1.25 -22%
Near miss events2 5 7 -29%
Significant incidents2 12 17 -29%
Road traffic accidents2 43 31 +39%
Lost work days2 497 1,046 -52%
Leading indicators(2)
HSE inspections 3,293 3,305 -0.4%
HSE meetings 1,165 1,528 -24%
HSE inductions 11,602 7,335 +58%
Training hours 11,786 14,755 -20%
Hazard reports 595 51 +1,067%
Management high visibility tours 124 131 -5%
1 Group-level indicators.
2 Ferrexpo's operations in Ukraine only.
In recent years, the Group has seen significant progress in safety, with zero
fatalities in 2021 (2020: 1) and a lost time injury frequency rate - a key
benchmark of safety in the mining industry - continuing to remain below the
Group's trailing five-year average. The Group also records a range of leading
and lagging indicators of safety, aiming to encourage a culture of safety that
requires an employer to identify risks before safety incidents occur, monitor
near miss events and analyse incidents when they have occurred, to learn and
improve.
Reviewing the safety indicators for 2021 shows an improvement in the majority
of lagging indicators, demonstrating that progress is being made in instilling
a safety-first culture throughout the Ferrexpo business. Of particular note is
the ten-fold increase in hazard reporting in 2021, which is a reflection of
the recent adoption of ISO 45001:2019. A number of leading indicators are,
however, down against the level set in 2020, which is an area to monitor in
the year ahead to ensure that the standards being set today are maintained. In
recognition of the recent trend in road traffic incidents, the Group has
commenced a process to test visitors' driving safety awareness before being
permitted to drive between areas of plant and administrative buildings (mining
areas being already subject to strict controls).
As part of the Group's newly announced 'Vision Zero' programme to reduce
operational injuries and instances of occupational disease, the Group has
introduced a range of new measures such as the installation of a new
aspiration system to reduce particulate emissions in the pelletiser in 2021,
which will have benefits for both improving working conditions as well as the
environment.
As part of the Group's efforts to further develop its position on
sustainability, an independent assurance process is being undertaken on the
Group's safety data (LTIFR and TRIFR) for 2021 by an external consultant,
which is expected to be completed later in 2022. Details of this assurance
process are provided in the Case Study on page 25.
CASE STUDY: INTERVIEW WITH NATALIA STOROZH, HEAD OF SAFETY AT FPM
Q: Health and safety is clearly an important department at Ferrexpo; how many
people work in the safety department?
A: In total we have 72 people working in the safety department at Ferrexpo's
operations in Ukraine, the equivalent of approximately 1 for every 100
employees across our operations.
Q: Since starting the role of Head of Safety at FPM in March 2021, what were
the main safety projects implemented in 2021?
A: Safety projects often go hand in hand with modernisation of equipment,
which comes with additional benefits such as improved productivity. Good
examples of projects implemented include the installation of a stationary jib
at the primary crusher, removing the need for operators to enter the crusher
hoppers to break oversized ore, and the installation of a fully automated
lathe in our workshops, both of which are projects that help to remove
operators from hazardous areas. Safety projects range from improving signage -
such as clearer demarcation of container storage areas - to the installation
of six speed bumps on the main road entering our production facilities.
Q: Were there any particular departments that required a specific approach for
establishing safety protocols?
A: Every area of our operations has a tailored approach to safety. A good
example would be our maintenance workshops of the processing plant, where work
is carried out at height and where a large number of contractors are involved.
Here, we have a strong focus on risk assessments and safety training, given
the higher concentration of contractors, to familiarise those working in
maintenance with the identified risks.
Q: How often does the Safety Committee meet at site?
A: At FPM, Ferrexpo's main operating entity, we have a committee for labour
protection, industrial safety and the environment, as well as a council board
for labour protection, industrial safety and the environment of the plant.
Meetings are held to help draw up measures aimed at improving working
conditions, organising the safe performance of work, to eliminate
inconsistencies and manage hazards and risks. During 2021, FPM's Safety
Committee met four times at site.
Q: Which safety projects are planned for the coming year?
A: We have a number of projects that we are continuing to roll out from
previous years, such as the tag-out lock-out system for isolating machinery
during maintenance, as well as safety training programmes specifically for
those working at height. In 2021, we obtained certification for our
occupational health and safety management system under ISO 45001:2019 and we
continue to update practices and introduce standards as part of this project.
New projects for 2022 include the installation of additional traffic calming
measures and the installation of a training simulator to help train operatives
for working at height. Ultimately we are aiming to develop our own safety
standard across the Group for operatives working at height.
To help further deliver safety improvements in the year ahead, we have
developed the concept of "Vision Zero" to eliminate workplace injuries and
occupational diseases, with efforts under way to raise awareness of this
programme, such as the installation of 12 large billboards around our
operational areas, as well as notices on internal communications channels.
CASE STUDY: EXTERNAL ASSURANCE - PROVIDING TRUST IN SUSTAINABILITY PROGRESS
Ferrexpo recognises that a company's reporting around climate change is an
important pillar on which stakeholders base their trust in a company. In order
to build trust in Ferrexpo's performance on climate change reporting, the
Group is in the process of undertaking an external assurance process (ISAE
3000) with an independent consultant, with the first year of this project
looking at both reporting of data for carbon emissions and safety.
In terms of carbon reporting, the process will provide external assurance on
the Group's Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) emissions, as these are
directly associated with the Group's pellet production facilities. Over time,
the Group intends to provide assurance on a broader range of topics within
sustainability.
The assurance process to date for the Group's carbon footprint has highlighted
a number of minor amendments to the Group's calculation of its carbon
footprint, amounting to an overall decrease in the Group's carbon footprint of
1% in absolute terms for 2020 and a 2% reduction on a unit basis for 2020. The
full list of amendments raised through this process will be provided on the
Group's website once this assurance process is completed, including the
following amendments for the Group's 2020 data:
· Removal of steam from Scope 2 calculation, as this is generated
from purchased natural gas and therefore previously double counted. (Net
impact on 2020 data: -24kt CO2e.)
· Increase carbon factor for nuclear power purchases from 5g to 12g
per kilowatt-hour, aligning with World Nuclear Association 23 (#_ftn23)
data. (Net impact on 2020 data: +2t CO2e.)
· Correction of factor for sunflower husks from 0.73kg/t to
0.073kg/t, bringing into line with other biofuels. (Net impact on 2021 data:
-113kt CO2e.)
· Inclusion of the Group's commercial concentrate sales of 183kt in
calculating per tonne emissions.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Ferrexpo works closely with the natural environment, to minimise any impact
and strive to improve as new technology becomes available.
The Group's interaction with the environment is encapsulated not just through
carbon emissions, but also through other forms of emissions, energy use, water
withdrawal and recycling, waste generation and biodiversity. These topics are
covered in detail in the Group's Responsible Business Reports, which are
published annually and available on the Group's website (www.ferrexpo.com).
Delivering progress on carbon
In 2021, the Group not only announced decarbonisation targets to frame its
net-zero ambitions, but also engaged with environmental consultants Ricardo
plc ("Ricardo") to further develop the Group's understanding and reporting
around climate change. Further details of the Group's engagement with Ricardo
are provided in the Case Study on page 28.
The Group continues to make progress in cutting its carbon footprint,
delivering a 16% reduction in its Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions (CO2e)
per tonne in 2021. Details of this progress, as well as the Group's reporting
under the TCFD, are provided on pages 25 to 30.
Cutting water consumption
The Group typically interacts with water in two areas of its operations: (1)
in mining, water ingress into the Group's open pits (groundwater and
precipitation) is pumped out of mining areas and back into the natural
environment ("dewatering"), and (2) in processing, water that is used to
facilitate the processing of iron ore. Dewatering represented 95% of the
Group's total water withdrawal in 2021, and the Group's activities in mining
areas do not predominantly utilise this water (aside from dust suppression
activities, which utilises the equivalent of 4% of dewatering volumes).
Ferrexpo, however, maintains regular inspections of the quality of this water,
monitoring 13 chemical elements at each operation and other attributes, to
maintain standards, to ensure compliance with local laws and to ensure a
minimal impact on the environment that this water is returned to. With water
that is used in processing, the Group's processing plant and tailings facility
acts as a closed loop, with water used to pump waste material to the tailings
facility reclaimed and pumped back to the processing plant, resulting in 98%
of process water being recycled by the Group's processing plant. The remaining
2% of water is lost through processes such as evaporation when green pellets
are heated in the pelletiser or surface evaporation at the tailings facility.
Supporting local biodiversity
A key natural habitat located close to the Group's operations in Ukraine is
the Dnieper River, one of Europe's largest rivers. As a consequence of
domestic detergent use and fertiliser use in agriculture 24 (#_ftn24) , this
river faces frequent blooms of blue-green algae in the summer months, which
are harmful to the river's ecosystem, as well as limiting local communities
from using the river for recreation. Through an initiative launched in 2020,
which was proposed internally by an employee, the Group is aiming to improve
local conditions in the Dnieper River through the introduction of native
species of fish that live off these algae and will help to balance the river's
natural ecosystem. The Group is working with the Poltava Fish Conservation
Patrol on this multi-year project, with the second phase of this project
introducing two tonnes of local species (carp) into the river in November
2021.
Responsible waste management
The Group primarily produces waste through overburden removal in mining
operations, and waste separated from iron ores during processing. In 2021, the
Group's three mines stripped a combined 118 million tonnes of waste rock and
sand (2020: 95 million tonnes), with this material stored locally in waste
facilities designed by the Group's mining engineers and reviewed by local
authorities. Waste mining activities increased in 2021, ahead of the Group's
Wave 1 Expansion, with details of this project provided on page 19. Waste
material from processing, referred to as tailings, increased by 6% to
approximately 16 million tonnes, with approximately 40% of this waste
subsequently recycled by the Group as other materials such as gravel for road
construction.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions
The Group's Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) emissions relate to the
Group's controlled activities to produce and transport products to customers,
and are shown in the table below. The Group has made significant progress in
its efforts relating to climate change in 2021, with a combined 16% reduction
in Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions 25 (#_ftn25) in 2021.
The Group has therefore reduced its emissions by 30%2 in the space of two
years, and whilst this meets the Group's medium-term target of reducing
emissions by 30% by 2030(2), Ferrexpo understands that progress in
sustainability is only achieved through improvements that are maintained over
a period of time. The Group therefore commits to continuing to sustain this
level of reduction, and will look to publish more on its decarbonisation
pathway once its work with Ricardo is completed - with this project designed
to outline a bespoke, emissions reduction journey for the Group. See Case
Study on page 28 for more information on this work stream.
The reduction in carbon emissions in 2021(2) has primarily been achieved
through the Group's targeted power purchasing programme, driving the
improvement in Scope 2 emissions, which has delivered a 40% reduction in this
category(1). Conversely, with increased mining volumes and reduced biofuel
consumption in 2021, Scope 1 emissions per tonne rose by 11%(2). The Group
intends to continue to improve efficiencies in the consumption of diesel and
natural gas, as well as increase biofuel consumption, along with the various
decarbonisation projects outlined in the Case Study on page 20.
Table: Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions 2021 2020 26 (#_ftn26) Change
Emissions (CO2e, kilotonnes)
- Scope 1 649 580 +12%
- Scope 2 404 675 -40%
- Combined 1,053 1,255 -16%
Footprint (CO2e kg/t)
- Scope 1 57 51 +11%
- Scope 2 35 59 -40%
- Combined 92 110 -16%
Biofuels (tonnes CO2) 10 13 -24%
Energy consumption (kWh) 5,489,232,550 5,142,974,253(1) +7%
The Group calculates its carbon footprint via the application of carbon
factors supplied by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (https://ghgprotocol.org/), in
line with guidance provided by the Global Reporting Initiative, which is the
framework that the Group uses to publish its annual Responsible Business
Reports. The carbon factors supplied by this initiative are combined with
consumption data for the Group's activities at its mining, processing and
logistics subsidiaries, including the Group's consumption of diesel, natural
gas, gasoil and electricity, which collectively accounted for 98% of the
Group's Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2021 (2020: 98%). Using the factors
provided by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the Group is able to incorporate a
range of greenhouse gases into its calculation to generate a carbon-equivalent
figure. Gases included in this calculation are as follows: carbon dioxide,
methane and nitrous oxide.
Scope 3 emissions
The Group's Scope 3 (value chain) emissions relate to the upstream and
downstream emissions related to the Group's activities, and over 90% of which
are related to the conversion of iron ore to steel. The Group's understanding
of its Scope 3 emissions continues to develop through the Group's ongoing
engagement with Ricardo. Furthermore, following the Group's increased focus on
direct reduction pellets, the Group has engaged independent consultants CRU to
provide an emissions factor specific to this pellet type, with this work
summarised in the Case Study on page 8. As a result of this work, the Group
can disclose that its Scope 3 emissions footprint was 1.28tCO2/t in 2021
(20202: 1.29tCO2/t), with this 1% reduction related to the Group's increasing
production of direct reduction pellets.
Cutting carbon: targets
The Group understands the importance of climate change, and for stakeholders
to understand a company's long-term ambitions in respect of climate change. In
recognition of this, the Group announced its inaugural carbon reduction
targets for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in October 2021, primarily designed
to show a clear ambition of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and to
align the Group with its peer group in terms of the trajectory to achieve this
net zero goal, through a 30% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 on a per
tonne basis. Through announcing inaugural targets, the Group is aligned with
its peer group, but the Group also understands the importance of setting goals
that are specific to a company's operations; for more on this work stream,
please see the Case Study on Ricardo on page 28.
The capital investment required to decarbonise the Group's activities is a key
aspect of the Group's ongoing collaboration with Ricardo, and the results of
this work stream are expected to be published later in 2022.
The Group is also developing its understanding of Scope 3 emissions and as
outlined in the Case Study on page 8, the Group can reduce its Scope 3
emissions through the gradual increase in output of its higher grade direct
reduction pellets. Since direct reduction pellets are processed by steelmakers
using a combination of natural gas and electricity
to produce steel, these pellets have a 49% lower carbon footprint than the
Group's blast furnace pellets. The Group intends to develop its forward
thinking around reducing Scope 3 emissions as the Group's understanding of
producing this pellet type increases over time.
Improving energy efficiency
The Group understands the importance of reducing its energy consumption over
time, and is implementing a series of energy efficiency projects across its
operations. The Group's energy consumption mirrors the Group's carbon
emissions, with natural gas, electricity and diesel the key drivers for energy
consumption. As a result of a 21% increase in mining activities and a 5%
increase in ore tonnes processed, total energy consumption increased by 7% in
2021, as shown in the table on page 27.
CASE STUDY: RICARDO - A NEW PHASE OF CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTING FOR FERREXPO
In October 2021, alongside inaugural decarbonisation targets, Ferrexpo
announced its collaboration with Ricardo plc ("Ricardo") to produce the next
phase of climate change reporting for the Group. Through working with Ricardo,
Ferrexpo aims to further develop its forward-looking understanding around
climate change, to develop a bespoke understanding of the Group's pathway to
net-zero emissions and a clear picture on the role of iron ore pellets in the
decarbonisation of the global steel industry. This project is specifically
looking at the modules shown below:
· Module 1: Government legislation - risks and opportunities.
Looking primarily at the jurisdictions into which Ferrexpo sells its pellets,
this module focuses on the changing regulatory framework. Through this work
stream the Group intends to gain a better understanding of the likely
decarbonisation pathways ahead in each of the jurisdictions into which the
Group sells its products.
· Module 2: TCFD reporting. The group has disclosed under TCFD
since 2019 and with the help of Ricardo the Group will present more detailed
climate change scenario analysis. This will provide more in-depth insight to
understand the risks and opportunities for the group and inform future
strategy.
· Module 3: Pathway to net-zero carbon emissions. The Group has
established a net-zero ambition with its inaugural targets announced in
October 2021, and with the help of Ricardo, the Group hopes to advance this
process and identify a bespoke pathway for the Group's emissions.
· Module 4: Life cycle analysis. Looking at Ferrexpo's role in the
circular economy, this module aims to outline how pellets have a lower
environmental impact beyond Ferrexpo's own operations than other forms of iron
ore. For example, Ferrexpo's higher grade iron ore pellets are typically used
to make higher grade forms of steel, which in turn are more likely to be
recycled, lowering the environmental footprint of this type of steel.
Through a clear understanding of Ferrexpo's future pathway, the Group expects
to be able to present a further level of detail on climate change than has
been previously published by the Group. It is expected that the Group will be
in a position to present the results of its collaboration with Ricardo in its
next Responsible Business Report, to be published later in 2022.
TCFD reporting
The Group is proud to support the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial
Disclosures ("TCFD"), which is designed to help companies provide clear
reporting for stakeholders on climate change.
Topics reported by the Group in accordance with TCFD are provided in the table
on page 30.
Ferrexpo understands that climate change presents the Group with a range of
risks and opportunities, and these are presented in detail in the Group's
Responsible Business Report for 2020 (pages 48 to 52). In addition, Principal
Risks relating to climate change are outlined on page 49 of this report.
In respect of climate change scenario planning, the Group is working with
Ricardo to conduct a detailed modelling exercise of a range of climate change
scenarios - further details of this work stream are provided in the Case Study
above . Ahead of the conclusion of this process with Ricardo, the Group has
completed a qualitative review of two potential climate scenarios, which are
as follows:
· 2(o)C scenario (Paris Agreement), with an associated increase in
government regulation compared to today. Under this scenario, the Group
expects carbon pricing in Ukraine to increase to align with pricing envisaged
under the Paris Agreement (US$50-100/t). Based on the Group's Scope 1 and 2
emissions, this would equate to an additional C1 cash cost of production(A) of
between US$5 and US$9 per tonne directly relating to carbon costs. In
addition, the Group expects that the cost of electricity in Ukraine will
increase during the transition to renewables.
· +3(o)C scenario, whereby a lack of legislative action results in
increased physical effects of climate change, such as increased water stress,
as forecast by US Aid's projections for Eastern Europe, which envisages
prolonged periods of drought. The Group uses water throughout its operations,
in the form of dust suppression in mining operations and in the wet processing
of ores to separate contained iron from waste material. Any restriction on
water use would potentially require additional capital investment to adjust
existing mining practices and reconfigure the Group's ore processing flow
sheet.
The Group is currently conducting a process with environmental consultants
Ricardo that is reviewing three different climate change scenarios and the
Group will publish the results of this climate change modelling following the
conclusion of this process later in 2022.
Climate change risks
In respect of climate change, the Group considers this to be a Principal Risk,
and details of this are provided on page 49 of this report. The Group also
considers that climate change poses opportunities to the Group as well as
risks, since the Group produces a form of iron ore that is known to reduce
emissions for steelmakers when used instead of more commonly traded forms of
iron ore. A full breakdown of the Group's approach to climate change risks and
opportunities is presented on pages 48 to 52 of the Group's Responsible
Business Report for 2020, which is available on the Group's website
(www.ferrexpo.com (https://www.ferrexpo.com) ).
Climate change represents both a material risk and opportunity to the Group in
how it is shaping the global steel industry, as described in the Market Review
section (Green Steel) on page 12. In response to this global trend towards
lower emissions steelmaking, the Group has commenced production of higher
grade (67% Fe) direct reduction iron ore pellets, which are used in lower
carbon forms of steelmaking - see the Case Study on page 8 of this report for
more information. The transition to producing direct reduction pellets will be
led by market factors as the Group's customers pivot to production processes
that will require the use of this pellet type. In order to produce greater
volumes of direct reduction pellets, the Group is investing in its operations
to increase capacity and operational flexibility, as described in the Growth
Plans section of this report (page 19).
The Group is investing in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions throughout its
business. The Group is undertaking a range of projects to decarbonise its
mining operations, with diesel consumption from mining representing 40% of the
Group's Scope 1 emissions in 2021 (2020: 40%), and an overview of these
projects is provided on page 20 of this report.
The Group has been utilising biofuels (sunflower husks) as a partial
substitute for natural gas consumption in its pelletiser since 2015, with this
activity having the benefit of reducing the Group's Scope 1 emissions as well
as reducing the Group's exposure to the availability and pricing of natural
gas. In 2021, the Group substituted 18% of the pelletiser's energy
requirements with sunflower husks (2020: 25%), with this level of consumption
expected to increase in future years as the Group's understanding of producing
direct reduction pellets increases.
In 2020, the Group commenced a clean power purchasing programme, aimed at
utilising new legislation in Ukraine that enabled the purchase of electricity
from selected producers. As a result of this programme, the Group reduced its
Scope 2 emissions footprint on a per tonne basis by 40% in 2021 (see page 27
for more details).
Compliance Statement (FCA's Listing Rule 9.8.6(8)R)
In line with the current UK listing Rules requirements, we have included
climate related financial disclosures consistent with the 4 TCFD pillars and
11 recommended disclosures. The table [over the page] provides a summary of
the Group's climate-related financial disclosures, with these disclosures
intended to be in accordance with the recommendations by the TCFD. The
location of further information regarding the Group's climate change
disclosures is presented in the table on page 30 as well as in the Group's
Responsible Business Reports, which are available at the Group's website
(www.ferrexpo.com). Throughout the year, Ferrexpo has made a number of steps
to progress its reporting of climate change topics in order to fully comply
with TCFD recommended disclosures. Where full compliance is yet possible,
disclosure is included as to the various work streams that are underway to
facilitate full compliance.
Table: Summary disclosure against TCFD recommendations
Strategy
Climate-related risks and opportunities over the short, medium and long term Climate change is considered to be a Principal Risk to the Group, and this
risk is detailed on page 49 of this report, alongside risk mitigation actions.
The risks and opportunities relating to climate change and their effect on the
Group's operations are outlined in detail in the Group's Responsible Business
Report, which is available on the Group's website. These include transition
risks and physical risks associated with the transition to a lower carbon
economy. The time horizon for these risks and opportunities to emerge are also
described being short-term (less than 2 years), medium-term or long-term
(greater than 10 years). The Group's Risk Management Process is outlined on
page 35 of this report.
Impact on the Ferrexpo business, strategy and financial planning The Group has incorporated climate change into its strategic planning and is
currently pivoting its production base towards direct reduction pellets as a
consequence of this process, as discussed on page 8 (Case Study: The
Importance of Iron Ore Pellets) and page 12 (Market Review, Future Trends:
Green Steel). The Group has incorporated climate change into its financial
modelling through the establishment of an internal cost of carbon, which has
been used when evaluating capital investment projects during the year. Please
see the Principal Risks Section (pages 36 to 52) for more information on the
Group's approach to evaluating the impact of climate change on its business.
Resilience based on climate change scenarios The Group is conducting a detailed climate change modelling exercise with
environmental consultants Ricardo, which is a process that is expected to
complete later in 2022. The Group has conducted scenario analysis as presented
in this report based on two climate change scenarios - please see page 29 for
more details.
Governance
The Board's role The Board of Directors has ultimate oversight of the Group's strategy,
in oversight of climate-related risks and opportunities including its approach to the effect of climate change on the Group's business
model. Climate change was a standing agenda item at all five scheduled Board
meetings throughout the year. The HSEC Committee has been delegated management
of climate change risk, , which includes three members of the executive
management team, and reports the Group's progress on climate change related
matters to the Board of Directors. Independent Non-executive Director
Ann-Christin Andersen is Chair of the HSEC Committee, which met four times
during the year and climate change has been a standing agenda item at all
scheduled HSEC Committee meetings throughout the year..
Management's role in assessing risks and opportunities The Board is accountable for the long-term stewardship of the group. The Board
has delegated oversight of climate change related activities to the HSEC
Committee. The Group's executive management team monitors and assesses
climate-related risks through its risk monitoring activities as part of the
Group's Finance, Risk Management and Compliance Committee, which typically
meets ten times a year. Risks relating to climate change are determined in the
same way as other principal and emerging risks, and the relative significance
of climate risks is assessed based on monetary impact, probability, maximum
foreseeable loss, trend and mitigating actions. A summary of the Group's
approach to risk identification and risk mitigation activities is provided on
pages 35 to 36 of this report.
Risk management
Processes for identifying, assessing and managing climate-related risks The Group regularly assesses risks applicable to the Group through its
Finance, Risk Management and Compliance Committee, which assesses risks based
on the probability of occurrence and severity of impact should an event occur.
An overview of the Principal Risks facing the Group, and the risk mitigation
measures that the Group has put in place in relation to these, is provided on
pages 36 to 52, with climate change identified as a Principal Risk and
detailed on page 49 of this report. Within the topic of climate change, the
Group's management has identified specific risks and opportunities relating to
climate change, ranging from policy and legal topics, physical effects,
emerging technologies, market factors and reputational differentiators.
How Ferrexpo integrates these risks into the Group's overall risk management Ferrexpo's governance relating to climate change risks has been designed to
ensure that the management of the financial risks from climate change are
integrated across the whole governance system and embedded into the existing
risk management framework. The Group's approach to assessing and managing
risk, including climate-related risks, is described on page 49.
Metrics and targets
Metrics used to assess climate-related risks and opportunities Ferrexpo's approach to managing its performance with respect to climate change
is to fully integrate climate change into the Group's overarching strategy to
grow production of direct reduction pellets, which have a lower Scope 3
footprint for the Group, as well as decarbonise the key elements of the
Group's production process, with consumption of diesel, electricity and
natural gas collectively accounting for 90% of the Group's Scope 1 and 2
emissions. Details of projects to reduce consumption of each of these
consumables are provided on pages 26 to 28.
Greenhouse gas emissions Details of the Group's Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions are provided on page 27 of
this report.
Targets Details of the Group's targets for reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions are
provided on page 26 of this report. Approximately 90% of the Group's Scope 3
emissions relate to the conversion of the Group's products to steel, with the
emissions from this process primarily governed by the type of iron ore pellet
that the Group produced - see the Case Study on page 8 for more information.
The Group will be in a position to establish Scope 3 emissions targets once
its technical understanding of producing direct reduction pellets has been
further established.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND INCLUSION
Ferrexpo's workforce comprises over 10,000 employees and contractors, making
it one of the largest employers in the region.
Through the Group's employee engagement initiatives, and through providing
training and development, the Group aims to foster a positive and inclusive
culture within its organisation.
Training and development
With an employee workforce of over 5,000 men and over 2,000 women, the Group
is a substantial employer in central Ukraine, with the Group accounting for 4%
of Ukraine's export revenues in 2021 (2020: 3%). The Group has a long-held
belief that it can only deliver strong financial results through a close
relationship with its workforce, which can only be fostered through a strong
programme for workforce development. During the year, the Group held 6,442
training courses for employees (2020: 6,863), with a further 931 training
courses provided to contractors (2020: 490). The focus of this training
remains primarily safety and skills training, with 99% of Ferrexpo's employees
having an annual training and development review in 2021 (2020: 86%).
Employee wellbeing
Over the course of the past year the Group has increased its focus on the
health and wellbeing of its workforce with the continuation of the global
Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Ferrexpo understands that as a responsible
employer, the Group's interaction with its workforce goes beyond basic safety,
and through this approach, the Group intends to foster a constructive and
positive working environment.
A positive culture is achieved through projects such as the Employee Wellbeing
Programme, which provides training on soft skills such as courses to help
people identify the signs of burnout as well as training in financial
literacy, to provide people with the tools required for managing the stresses
of modern life, which have been magnified by the global pandemic. As an
example of the work carried out in this area, the Group has recently worked to
instil a culture at its operations of not contacting colleagues for work
reasons after hours or at weekends, to establish a strong work-life balance
for the Group's workforce in Ukraine.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
The development of the initiatives outlined here has been the product of the
Group appointing a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ("DEI") Officer in 2021,
and the Group's inaugural DEI survey, gathering responses from over 600
employees to help establish a 360-degree DEI strategy and promote equal
opportunities for all employees going forward.
A new programme to promote inclusivity amongst different age groups was
launched in May 2021 with the Group's "STEM Streamers" programme, which
attracted 90 local students aged 14-18 from local schools. Children were
invited to participate in a one-day workshop event consisting of interactive
talks and activities to promote inclusivity, gender equality, and tackling
stereotypes within society. Other events in the same month included Ferrexpo
representatives participating in a panel discussion on diversity and inclusion
at the People Management Conference, held in Kyiv in May 2021, as well as
events held at schools in Ferrexpo's local communities.
It is a legal requirement in Ukraine for companies of Ferrexpo's size to
ensure that 4% of their workforces in Ukraine are registered as disabled, with
this regulation deliberately designed to aid those with disabilities. Ferrexpo
is proud to adhere to this legislation, with 4.4% of employees in Ukraine
having a registered disability in 2021 (2020: 4.3%).
Local recruitment for sustainable communities
Ferrexpo benefits from having a location close to well-established
communities, with strong educational facilities for providing high calibre
individuals to work at its operations. In 2021, the Group was able to source
96% of new recruits from local communities (2020: 85%). In management roles,
the same trend is also evident, with 84% of newly recruited managers coming
from local communities (2020: 60%).
The Group regularly recruits apprentices and provides bursaries to students to
plan for the future, with a total of 98 sponsored learners in 2021 (2020:
135). Through the "Dual Education" programme, the Group offers opportunities
to students wishing to learn practical, on-the-job skills, whilst continuing
their educational studies. This programme alone has helped 62 local students
begin their careers with Ferrexpo since 2019.
Case Study: "Fe_Munity" women in leadership programme
Given Ferrexpo's heritage and location in Ukraine, the Group is able to call
upon a highly skilled female population for roles throughout its business. As
of 31 December 2021, three of the Group's eight directors were female (37%),
and the Group's Executive Committee ("Exco") consists of five males. Of the 43
individuals reporting to the Exco, the number of females in this group rose to
nine in 2021 (representing 20.9%) from seven in 2020 (representing 17.9%).
Started in 2020, the "Fe_munity" programme is a series of training modules for
high performing female employees within Ferrexpo to receive training on a
range of topics, from business topics such as leadership and negotiation, to
soft skills for developing business networks. The goal of this programme is to
help identify and fast track the careers of high potential individuals, to
help improve gender diversity throughout the management structure of the
Ferrexpo business.
Launched in 2020 with an intake of 72 women, the Group welcomed its second
intake of 86 participants in 2021, with Non-executive Directors Ann-Christin
Andersen and Fiona MacAulay hosting the opening session in Horishni Plavni in
September 2021.
The Group is already seeing the benefits of this programme, with women in
management roles across the Ferrexpo Group increasing by 11% in 2021, rising
to represent 20.1% of the Group's total management roles (2020: 18.2%), which
underscores the role of dedicated diversity projects such as Fe_munity.
External recognition in 2021
Further to the gains being witnessed internally within Ferrexpo's workforce,
the Group has received external recognition for its efforts in promoting
diversity and inclusion within its workforce. In November 2021, the Group won
the award for Diversity and Inclusion at the HR Pro Awards in Kyiv, which is
an award ceremony that promotes the achievements of the companies that are
contributing to raising the level of professional practices in Ukraine. In the
diversity category, Ferrexpo received recognition of its diversity efforts
from a panel of 30 leading representatives of the human resources community in
Ukraine from across 15 industries.
In addition, the Group was recognised in 2021 by a study initiated by the
United Nations Population Fund, which surveyed 50 companies across 16 sectors
within Ukraine. Reviewing family-friendly policies, such as the Group's
approach to offering parental benefits equally between men and women, this
study placed Ferrexpo in the top four for family-friendly companies in
Ukraine.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has emphasised the importance of working
with local communities, to help communities during this humanitarian crisis.
Russia-Ukraine war (2022)
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Group has moved
to support both its local communities and communities across Ukraine, through
a dedicated Humanitarian Fund with an approved US$12.5 million of funding.
Through this fund, the Group is able to coordinate its response to the
humanitarian needs of Ukraine both quickly and effectively. Numerous projects
have been approved through this fund, with details available on the Group's
website (www.ferrexpo.com/responsibility/humanitarian-projects) and recent
press releases.
Community support in 2021
In March 2021, the Ferrexpo Charity Fund, through which the Group conducts its
engagement activities in its local communities surrounding its operations,
celebrated its tenth anniversary. The Group aims to support local schools,
hospitals, cultural centres and other public institutions, as well as
providing direct support to individuals in the form of care packages for the
vulnerable and funding for medical procedures that are not available in local
facilities. The Group also sees sports and recreation as a key aspect of both
its community engagement activities as well as employee wellbeing initiatives.
As a result, the Group has a strong focus on supporting local teams and local
sports facilities, helping to facilitate local sporting events and sponsoring
local sports men and women to compete at national and international
competitions - see the Case Study on page 33 for more information on this
area of engagement. The Group is proud of the five local athletes that
participated in the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 2021 - quite an
achievement for a city of only 50,000 people!
Funding of community projects increased by 63% to UAH153 million in 2021
(equivalent of US$6 million), reflecting the strong operating performance of
the Group, and therefore the Group's ability to reach a broader range of local
stakeholders. In addition, the Group financed UAH24 million (equivalent to
approximately US$1 million) of expenditures through the Group's Covid-19
Response Fund, which primarily focused on meeting the needs of local hospitals
with equipment for the treatment of conditions that are more prevalent as a
consequence of Covid-19 infections, such as respirators and x-ray equipment
for diagnosing respiratory conditions, as well as continuing the supply of
personal protective equipment for hospital workers.
As part of its community engagement strategy, Ferrexpo aims to support
Ukrainian cultural events, to preserve Ukrainian culture in local communities
as well as to promote Ukrainian culture overseas. Locally, the Group continues
to assist the Palace of Culture in Horishni Plavni, which is a significant
resource in recording local history and culture in Ferrexpo's local
communities. The Group also sponsored the exhibition of art by local artist
Ivan Dryapachenko, along with the installation of a statue in commemoration of
the artist in his home village of Vasylivka. In September 2021, Ferrexpo had
the honour of being able to sponsor the Ukrainian Ballet Gala in its
performance of "Innovation" at the Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, which was
an event attended by over 1,400 people, including the Ukrainian Ambassador to
the UK and guests invited through the Ukrainian Embassy in London. Ferrexpo
also sponsored the Ukrainian Investment Roadshow in London in December 2021,
an event aimed at highlighting Ukraine's investment potential. In December
2021, Ferrexpo celebrated the 50(th) anniversary of the twinning of the
Japanese city of Kyoto and Kyiv with a tree-planting ceremony in Kyoto.
Additional local community support projects completed in 2021 included the
purchase of a car for the family doctor covering local communities in the
Pryshyb region, the supply of medical equipment to the outpatient clinic in
Pyrogy village, sponsorship of local football team "Geologiya" and
refurbishment work of community and cultural centres in Nova Galeschyna.
To understand more about Ferrexpo's community support work, please see the
Group's website (www.ferrexpo.com/what-we-do/projects-map/
(http://www.ferrexpo.com/what-we-do/projects-map/) ).
CASE STUDY: PROMOTING SPORT FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES
The Group continued to support a number of sporting activities in 2021, to
promote healthy and balanced lifestyles amongst local community members, with
well-documented benefits to both individuals and communities alike.
Ferrexpo has long supported the local football club "Girnyk-Sport" in the city
of Horishni Plavni, and, in 2021, the Group was pleased to help the club in
establishing its first women's teams within its structure, in accordance with
recent efforts made on a national level to promote women's sports in Ukraine,
and the club is now recruiting female players born between 2011 and 2017 for
these newly established teams. Furthermore, Girnyk-Sport has already
established mixed-gender teams that compete in local and national
competitions.
The Group is also proud to sponsor the local football team "Geologiya Sport
Club", who were successful in winning a number of regional and national
competitions in Ukraine - including the Dnipro Cup, Odessa Open Cup and Energy
Cup championships.
Away from football, the Group promotes a range of activities in local
communities, including the Group's support for the local rowing club, which
hosts a number of local athletes that have represented Ukraine at Olympic,
World and European championships. The Group is also proud to help Horishni
Plavni host local and national dragon boat competitions on the River Dnieper,
which is a popular sport in Ukraine.
The Group has long held a close association with the local summer camp
"Horyzont", which hosts local schoolchildren during the summer months and aims
to promote healthy lifestyles. The Group provided UAH1 million (approximately
US$35,000) of funding for this project in 2021 and this represents a
relationship that has existed for over ten years.
Ferrexpo also helps support the local chess club in the local community of
Horishni Plavni, which was recently renovated with assistance from Ferrexpo.
Corporate Governance
Ferrexpo understands the importance of good corporate governance for
transparency and building trust with stakeholders. In 2021, the Group has
continued to strengthen its approach to corporate governance throughout its
organisation, from its Board of Directors to training programmes for operators
in Ukraine.
Board structure and appointments
The Board understands the need for a balanced and effective Board and senior
leadership team, in order to operate a successful business model. As the Group
develops as a business, and aligns itself towards a new phase of growth,
changes have been made within the Board and senior leadership team to reflect
this changing environment.
As of early 2022, the Group appointed Jim North as CEO on a permanent basis,
reflecting Mr North's successful period as Interim CEO, with Mr North already
appointed as an Executive Director. In February 2022, Fiona MacAulay was
appointed as Senior Independent Director, meeting a target outlined by the
FCA's recent consultation on Board Diversity and Inclusion. In March 2021, a
further Independent Non-executive Director - Ann-Christin Andersen - was added
to the Board. In December 2021, Natalie Polischuk was appointed as an
Independent Non-executive Director, who is an economist based in Kyiv,
Ukraine.
The above appointments have served to increase the number of Independent
Non-executive Directors to five out of eight Board positions.
Hampton-Alexander Review
The Hampton-Alexander Review is an independent review that was established to
ensure that talented women at the top of business are recognised, promoted and
rewarded, with a particular focus on female representation on FTSE Boards and
women in senior leadership roles. As a result of this work, the
Hampton-Alexander Review recommends that companies listed within the FTSE 350
have at least 33% female representation at the Board level, as well as 33%
representation at the senior leadership level and those reporting directly
into senior leaders. As a result of the appointments of Ms Andersen and Ms
Polischuk in 2021, the Group now has 38% female representation on its Board,
meeting this requirement. The same review also recommends that women are
promoted into senior roles such as the Chair, Senior Independent Director and
Executive Director, and the Group now has a female in one of these roles. The
Group is also focusing on increasing diversity further down its organisational
structure; further details of this work can be found on page 31 to 32.
Corporate governance controls
The Group continues to strengthen its internal corporate governance controls
and adapt its processes. Furthermore, the Group bolstered its advisory set-up
in January 2021 through the appointment of financial advisors Liberum, who act
to advise both the Board and executive management team on corporate matters.
In addition, BDO LLP was appointed in early 2021 as the Group's Sponsor in
accordance with the Listing Rules to provide advice and guidance on certain
corporate matters as required.
Stakeholder engagement
Highlights of stakeholder engagement activities during 2021 include the
hosting of a number of shareholder and analyst events in London with the
assistance of the Group's advisors Liberum Capital, the employee engagement
forum held at site in September 2021, and the Group's Family Day in July 2021
for engaging directly with local communities in Ukraine. The Group is actively
working to increase its engagement with a broader range of stakeholder groups,
in order to understand stakeholder needs and communicate effectively on a
range of topics. The Group intends to further broaden its engagement with its
stakeholders in the year ahead, working with its advisors in London and Kyiv
to achieve this goal.
Related party matters
The Group has a controlling shareholder that also has a number of different
businesses with which the Group has a commercial relationship. In order to
maintain strong levels of corporate governance, and to ensure that these
business relationships are conducted on an arm's length basis, the Group has
both the Committee of Independent Directors at the Board level and the
Executive Related Party Matters Committee at the management level.
As discussed in the Group's 2020 Annual Report and Accounts, the Committee of
Independent Directors ("CID") has previously conducted a review in connection
with the Group's sponsorship arrangements with FC Vorskla and concluded its
enquiry in March 2021. Arrangements were put in place by Kostyantin Zhevago
and his associated entities, which are required to be executed by 31 July
2022. As of the date of this Annual Report and Accounts, the CID understands
that these arrangements have not yet been completed.
Risk Management: Assessing and Managing Risk
Ferrexpo identifies and assesses risks based on each risk's probability of
occurrence and the potential severity of any event. The Group aims to mitigate
the potential impact of each risk through its management of day-to-day
activities, taking a prudent approach to risk where possible.
Risk identification
The process to identify risk areas is conducted through each business function
within the Ferrexpo Group, with senior management responsible for conducting
regular assessments to identify risk in each aspect of the Group's activities.
Risks are managed locally through the implementation of policies and
procedures, which are maintained by local risk owners that have individual
responsibilities for specific business functions. Risks are reported
internally through the Group's risk register and assessed against risks
identified throughout the business on the basis of probability of occurrence
and the potential severity of an event. Through the identification of
principal risks facing the Group, management are able to optimise the risk
management process through the dedication of increased resources to these
risks, whilst also monitoring other risks for increases either in probability
or severity. The Group considers emerging risks to be risks that are newly
developing, increasing in potential severity of impact or changing risks that
are difficult to quantify. The risks that have been assessed by the Group's
management to be the Principal Risks facing the Ferrexpo Group are presented
on pages 36 to 52.
Risk mitigation
The Group's management understands that risk is an inherent aspect of
operating a business, and the Group's executive management team and the Board
aim to mitigate the risks faced by the business through prudent
decision-making to limit the Group's exposure to risk where possible.
Risk governance framework
Risks are reported internally on a monthly basis, as part of the Finance, Risk
Management and Compliance Committee ("FRMCC"), with the Group's senior
leadership team reviewing the Group-level risk matrix, which plots probability
against the potential severity of impact, and identifying material changes in
either variable to all of the risks listed. Over 30 risks are reported to the
FRMCC on a monthly basis, with each risk attributed a potential monetary
impact should an event occur. The FRMCC reports to the Group's Executive
Committee, which in turn reports to the Board, which has the ultimate
responsibility for the Group's approach to risk management. The Audit
Committee, a sub-committee of the Board, assists the Board in its regular
monitoring of the risks faced by the Group. The Group's internal audit
function assists with the process of risk review, and conducts ad hoc reviews
of risk management controls and procedures. For more information in relation
to the Audit Committee's monitoring and assessment of the effectiveness of the
risk management and internal control systems.
Risk assessment for 2022
The overall profile of the risks faced by the Group in 2022 has increased
relative to 2021, principally related to risks relating to geopolitical
tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The primary focus of the Group's
Principal Risks, as outlined on pages 36 to 52, are on the ongoing
Russia-Ukraine war, global market prices for iron ore pellets, costs impacting
the Group's profitability and climate change.
The ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic remains a Principal Risk, with continuing
infections of this virus both within Ukraine and around the world, but the
Group notes that the severity of recent strains of this virus do not appear to
be as harmful to human health as previous strains. The Group continues to
monitor the risk profile related to Covid-19 for any potential impact on
operations in Ukraine or any loss of ability to distribute and market the
Group's products.
Cybersecurity is a risk that has been added as a Principal Risk given Russia's
invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Further details of the considerations
relating to this risk are provided on page 37.
Principal Risks
Principal Risks are those considered to have the greatest potential impact on
the Ferrexpo business, assessed on the basis of impact and probability.
Introduction
Principal Risks are considered to be the main risks that have the potential to
negatively affect the Group's strategy and business model, which are outlined
on pages 36 to 52 and summarised through the items shown below.
Principal Risks are defined as factors that may negatively affect the Group's
ability to operate in its normal course of business, and may be internal, in
the form of risks derived through the Group's own operations and activities,
or external, such as political risks, market risks or climate change related
risks.
Principal Risks include, but are not necessarily limited to, those that could
result in events or circumstances that might threaten the Group's business
model, future performance, solvency or liquidity and reputation.
Risks are inherently unpredictable, and, therefore, the risks outlined in this
report are considered the main risks facing the Group. New risks may emerge
during the course of the coming year, and existing risks may also increase or
decrease in severity and/or likelihood, and this is why it is important to
conduct regular reviews of the Group's risk register throughout the year. The
Group maintains a more extensive list of risks, covering over 30 different
risk areas at the Group level, with additional risks considered in local risk
registers at each operating entity. The Group risk register is reviewed on a
monthly basis for completeness and relevance by the Group's FRMCC, which
ultimately reports into the Board for further review and approval of the risk
register. The Group's risk register is also reviewed by the Audit Committee at
least four times a year. The members of the Executive Committee manage risk
within the business on a day-to-day basis, which is a committee that includes
the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Marketing
Officer.
The Group has updated its Principal Risks as shown in this section, in
accordance with the known risks facing the business. Further updates to the
Group's Principal Risks will be provided in the Group's Interim Results
announcement, which is due for publication in August 2022. Where the Group has
identified a Principal Risk, details of the Group's efforts to mitigate each
risk are also provided.
Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, Russia commenced an invasion of Ukraine. This action has
resulted in significant loss of life within Ukraine, the destruction of key
infrastructure across Ukraine and poses a threat to the Group's mining,
processing and logistics operations in Ukraine. This risk is discussed in
detail on page 37.
Covid-19
The Group continues to consider the global Covid-19 pandemic as a Principal
Risk given the scale and impact that this global event demonstrated in 2020
and 2021. As noted, however, on page 35, the global outbreak of this virus has
continued to evolve into different strains, which appear to be increasing in
the transmissibility of the virus with each new strain, but also reducing the
severity and death rate for those contracting the virus. The Group therefore
notes that with this trend, in addition to increasing vaccination rates both
locally in Ukraine and globally, that the risks to the Group associated with
Covid-19 appear to be decreasing in 2022. The Group however notes that the
Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has resulted in reduced testing and
vaccination rates, and therefore this risk may increase as a result. The Group
will maintain its protective measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, however,
noting that further waves of infection and/or more severe new strains of the
Covid-19 virus may emerge.
Cybersecurity
As the Group seeks to increasingly modernise and digitise its operations and
business activities, the Group notes the rising importance of cybersecurity,
and threats that may emerge via electronic means. Since the NotPetya
cyberattack in 2017, which was a cyberattack that affected systems on a global
basis, however, primarily targeted at Ukraine, the Group has sought to
significantly increase its understanding and to bolster its protocols and
defence relating to its digital presence. Given the Russian invasion of
Ukraine in early 2022, the Group notes the rising significance of
cyber-threats to its business, and has therefore elevated this topic to become
a Principal Risk, as discussed on page 48.
Each Principal Risk is linked to the aspects of the Group's strategy that
could be potentially impacted if an event were to occur:
1. Produce high quality pellets.
2. Achieve low cost production.
3. Maintain strong relationships with a network of premium customers.
4. Conduct business in a safe and sustainable manner.
5. Retain a balanced approach to capital allocation.
1. Country Risk
1.1 Conflict risk (external risk)
Risk overview
Ukraine is currently at war with Russia. On 24 February 2022, Russia commenced
an invasion of Ukraine using significant and widespread military force. To
date, the invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the temporary occupation of
south eastern territory within the sovereign nation of Ukraine, loss of life
for citizens of Ukraine and damage to infrastructure within Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine remains uncertain and unpredictable. As of early
April 2022, the Group's operations, located adjacent to the city of Horishni
Plavni, has not been a centre of armed conflict, but this remains a risk
should the current conflict continue to escalate and grow in terms of the
areas directly affected. The Group has however temporarily lost the ability to
export its products via the Black Sea, as the port operator has closed the
Group's normal port of operations (Pivdennyi). Should the area surrounding the
Group's operations and local communities be the setting for armed conflict,
there will be a significant risk posed to the safety of the Group's workforce,
as well as a significant risk to key assets and infrastructure required for
the Group to operate effectively. The Group's workforce of more than 10,000
people is predominantly based in local communities surrounding the Group's
operations and therefore the Group does not have the ability to effectively
evacuate its workforce from the conflict zone. The Group will always
prioritise the safety and wellbeing of its workforce and therefore may
partially halt, or fully halt, its operations to protect its workforce.
Further consequences of the ongoing invasion relate to a number of aspects of
the Group's business. Ukraine's government has declared a state of martial
law, and a number of the Group's employees have been enlisted into the armed
forces of Ukraine. The Group relies on key consumables, such as (but not
limited to) diesel, natural gas and electricity, to produce the Group's
products, and the ongoing invasion may limit the supply of these items. Should
the Group not receive one or more of its key consumables, the Group's ability
to effectively produce may be impaired.
The Group relies on continuous and reliable access to key infrastructure -
principally Ukraine's railway network and the port of Pivdennyi, to rail and
ship its products to customers, and both have been the subject of significant
disruption, including the full stoppage of all port operations in Ukraine. On
24 February 2022, the Group announced that it had received notification of a
suspension of Ukraine's railway network, which was subsequently partially
lifted (see release 28 February 2022). On 25 February 2022, the Group
announced that it had received formal notification from the port authorities
at Pivdennyi that all operations were being halted and the Group has served
force majeure notices to customers affected by this suspension. Given the
nature of the situation, the Group may not be able to accurately forecast the
likely availability and scale of its access to infrastructure or key
consumables until the conclusion of Russia's warfare towards Ukraine.
On 2 April 2022, a Russian missile strike on Kremenchuk oil refinery, located
approximately 15-20 kilometres from the Group's operations, resulted in damage
to this facility. This facility is one of the sources of fuel for the Group
and this incident has resulted in the suspension of regular deliveries of
diesel, with supplies now being provided periodically. The Group has existing
arrangements in place to source alternative supplies of diesel from Europe,
with these supplies arriving via both rail and road delivery routes.
To date, the situation within the Group's operations and in the local
communities surrounding the Group's operations, has remained orderly, with
local authorities remaining in control. In the event of a prolonged and/or
escalated conflict in the area where the Group operates, there is a risk that
the local authorities may no longer be able to maintain civil order and there
may be a risk posed to either the safety of the Group's workforce, or threat
to the integrity of the
Group's assets and/or key supplies. Furthermore, any conflict in the local
area may reduce the local authorities' ability to provide basic emergency
services, such as medical services and fire protection, with potential effects
on the Group's workforce, communities and production facilities.
Following the outbreak of hostilities, it is expected that the business and
operating environment in Ukraine will be materially worse than previously, and
these conditions may not completely recover to previous levels for a period of
time beyond the cessation of hostilities.
It is also expected that cyber-warfare will be a tool used against Ukraine and
corporate companies based in Ukraine, with Ukrainian corporates being the
subject of cyberattacks in the recent past. Any disruption to the digital
infrastructure belonging to either the state of Ukraine, operators of key
infrastructure or Ferrexpo would likely result in a significant interruption
to the Group's ability to operate.
With regards to international lending activities, it is unclear as to whether
the Group will have access to external financing following the cessation of
hostilities. For the duration of the ongoing conflict, the Group does not
expect to have any access to debt markets, domestic or international.
The current war between Russia and Ukraine is a threat to regional stability
and may impact international relations in the longer term beyond the region in
which Ferrexpo operates. As a consequence, trading relationships between
sovereign nations may be amended, or cut, and the availability of key goods
and services may become restricted and/or limited.
Risk mitigation
The risks posed to Ferrexpo, its workforce and operations as a result of the
invasion are difficult to predict in scale and nature, and therefore difficult
to mitigate as a result. The Group aims to prepare itself in a number of
areas, such as enacting safety measures, practising orderly shutdowns of
equipment, implementing asset protection measures and planning to operate with
multiple logistics pathways for sourcing key consumables for delivery to site,
as well as delivering the Group's products to its customers. In the event of
any hostilities happening close to the Group's operations, the Group's first
priority will be the protection of its workforce, and the Group will enact
measures to protect its workforce that are proportional to the extent,
severity and location of any hostilities occurring. This will include, where
appropriate, the demobilisation of the Group's workforce from operational
sites and actions to distance individuals from any areas affected by armed
conflict and/or a breakdown in civil order.
In mining, the Group has implemented measures to increase the volume of
blasted ore available for mining and has increased stockpiles of raw ore
available for processing should access to the Group's mines become restricted.
In logistics, the Group has investigated alternative options for accessing
customers, either by different rail routes, different methods of transport, or
different loading ports for ocean-going vessels.
In addition to the above measures, the Group has also established a dedicated
humanitarian fund to direct assistance to the people of Ukraine affected by
the conflict. More details of this fund's work are provided on page 32 and in
the Group's recent press releases.
Responsibility
Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer
Risk appetite
Low
Link to strategy
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Change
Increased
1.2 Ukraine country risk (external risk)
Risk overview
Ferrexpo's operating base is in Ukraine, where all of the Group's iron ore
production is generated, and therefore the Group is materially exposed to the
business environment within Ukraine, which continues to be defined as an
emerging market by Western governments and institutions. As such, the Group is
subject to heightened risks, relative to developed economies, relating to the
stability of the environment in which the Group operates, including risks
relating to the local economy, currency, labour market, infrastructure and
other key resources essential for operating. This exposure to an emerging
market can directly and indirectly affect the Group through a range of
factors, including changes in government legislation, decision-making related
to changes in political policy at a local or national level, access to key
operating licences and infrastructure essential for producing and distributing
the Group's products, access to financial services and the Group's ability to
transact with external parties either within Ukraine or abroad, in addition to
other factors. Ukraine also continues to receive a relatively low score in
Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, placing 122(nd) out
of 179 countries (2020 Index: 117(th) place) in the latest survey published in
January 2022.
In recent years, Ukraine has been the subject of armed conflict with Russia
and this is identified as a separate Principal Risk on page 37. Russia's
invasion of Ukraine, in addition to the annexation of Crimea and temporary
occupation of sections of eastern Ukraine since 2014, has caused a significant
strain on the Ukrainian economy and the budget of the Ukrainian government,
which in turn has resulted in changes to the business environment within
Ukraine. In addition, these factors will likely continue to negatively affect
Ukraine's economy for a period of time beyond the cessation of hostilities in
Ukraine. In recent years, the government of Ukraine has been reliant on
external funding through overseas governments and agencies, principally the
International Monetary Fund ("IMF"), for funding. Through this reliance on
external funding, there is increased risk around the short- to medium-term
stability of the Ukrainian economy, local currency, and local operating
environment for businesses, amongst other factors, particularly if the
availability of this external funding were to change unexpectedly.
The independence of the judicial system, and its immunity from economic and
political influences in Ukraine, remains questionable, and the stability of
existing legal frameworks may weaken further with future political changes in
Ukraine. Because Ukraine is a civil law jurisdiction, judicial decisions
generally have no precedential effect on subsequent decisions, and courts are
generally not bound by earlier decisions taken under the same or similar
circumstances, which can result in the inconsistent application of Ukrainian
legislation to resolve the same or similar disputes. In addition, court claims
are often used in the furtherance of political aims. The Group may be subject
to such claims and may not be able to receive a fair hearing.
The risk factors discussed here, either individually or in combination, have
the ability to adversely impact the Group's ability to operate its pellet
production facilities, ability to export its iron ore products, access to new
debt facilities and ability to repay debt, ability to reinvest in the Group's
asset base, either in the form of sustaining capital investment(A) to maintain
production or expansion capital investment(A) for future growth, as well as
the Group's ability to pay dividends.
As at the date of approval of this report, the share dispute lodged by four
claimants to invalidate a share sale and purchase agreement concluded in 2002
remains ongoing. Following a statement of defence filed by Ferrexpo AG
(Ferrexpo's Swiss subsidiary), earlier in 2021, the relevant court in Ukraine
ruled on 27 May 2021 in favour of Ferrexpo AG. The opposing parties filed
their appeals in June 2021 and the next hearing is expected to take place
later this year. The court of appeal has opened the appeal proceedings, and
several hearings have now been held, but without a court decision being made
as of the date of this report.
Following the cancellation of the licence for Galeschynske deposit, which is a
project in the exploration phase that is situated to the north of the Group's
active mining operations, Ferrexpo Belanovo Mining has commenced a legal
action in the Ukrainian courts system. For further information on ongoing
legal disputes, please see Note 13 (Commitments, contingencies and legal
disputes) to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
As referenced in the Group's Interim Results published in August 2021, there
are outstanding matters in Ukraine relating to the Group's controlling
shareholder that remain unresolved, and there is a risk that assets owned or
controlled (or alleged to be owned or controlled) by the Group's controlling
shareholder may be subject to restrictions, in Ukraine or elsewhere, or that
the Group may be impacted by, or become involved in, legal proceedings
relating to these matters, in Ukraine or elsewhere.
Despite the recent cancellation of the share freeze action in Ukraine
regarding the Group's shareholding in FPM, held via the Group's Swiss
subsidiary Ferrexpo AG, there continues to be a risk that this action may be
resumed, despite several court decisions to dismiss this action.
Risk mitigation
Ferrexpo operates in accordance with relevant laws and utilises internal and
external legal advisors as required to monitor and adapt to legislative
changes or challenges.
The Group maintains a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange and as a
result is subject to high standards of corporate governance, including the UK
Corporate Governance Code and Market Abuse Regulation. Ferrexpo has a
relationship agreement in place with Kostyantin Zhevago, which stipulates that
the majority of the Board of Directors must be independent of Mr Zhevago and
his associates. For all related party transactions, appropriate procedures,
systems and controls are in place.
Ferrexpo prioritises a strong internal control framework including high
standards of compliance and ethics. The Group operates a centralised
compliance structure that is supported and resourced locally at the Group's
operations. Ferrexpo has implemented policies and procedures throughout the
Group including training. Ferrexpo prioritises sufficient total liquidity(A)
levels and strong credit metrics to ensure smooth operations should
geopolitical or economic weakness disrupt the financial system of Ukraine.
Ferrexpo looks to maintain a talented workforce through skills training and by
offering competitive wages, taking into account movements of the Ukrainian
hryvnia against the US dollar and local inflation levels.
Ferrexpo has a high profile given its international client base and London
listing. It is therefore important that Ferrexpo's Board of Directors and
relevant senior management engage with the Group's stakeholders to effectively
communicate the economic contribution that Ferrexpo makes to Ukraine and to
show that it operates to high international standards.
Responsibility
Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer
Risk appetite
Medium
Link to strategy
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Change: Increased
1.3 Counterparty risk (external risk)
Risk overview
Ferrexpo is exposed to counterparty risk through its interactions with
government agencies, customers, suppliers, contractors and external parties
that the Group interacts with, including through its CSR programmes. Risks
relating to government agencies both in Ukraine and other jurisdictions in
which the Group operates throughout the globe include levels of taxation, the
repayment of VAT and licences required for Ferrexpo's operations to operate.
In Ukraine, a number of monopolies exist, including the transmission of
electricity and natural gas that is required for the creation of the Group's
products, as well as the railway network in Ukraine, and this presents the
Group with a risk should these monopoly companies fail to function correctly.
The Group is also exposed to counterparty risk through its business
interactions with customers and suppliers of goods and services, as these
interactions may result in financial loss for the Group if the counterparty in
question fails to fulfil its duties correctly. This risk is heightened by the
ongoing conflict with Russia, which may result in damage to key infrastructure
required for either the production or shipment of the Group's products. The
invasion of Ukraine has also put an increased level of financial stress on the
counterparties with which Ferrexpo does business in Ukraine, and therefore has
heightened the risk of counterparty failure.
The advent of the global Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, which has continued into
2021, has also introduced additional risk to Ferrexpo in the form of
heightened risk of counterparty failure, as third parties struggled to adapt
to the effects of the pandemic. This is a risk facing the Group in terms of
timely payment and/or delivery of goods and services, and Covid-19 is also
covered as a Principal Risk on page 51. As noted on page 35, however, the
risks associated with recent variants of the Covid-19 virus appear to be
diminishing in severity, compared to the original variant of this virus.
Risk mitigation
Ferrexpo sells its iron ore products to well-established steel producers that
have sound credit profiles. Ferrexpo's counterparties are subject to regular
and thorough review. The results of these reviews are used to determine
appropriate levels of exposure and available alternatives, in order to reduce
the potential risk of financial loss.
The Group has developed its supplier base in order to avoid excessive
dependence on any supplier, actively encouraging a diversity of supply where
reasonable and practical. Companies that would like to work with Ferrexpo are
required to undergo an accreditation procedure, where their documents,
licences and financial stability are checked. In 2021, in line with previous
years, Ferrexpo screened and monitored third-party entities for sanctions and
other risks, with suppliers that pass accreditation able to participate in
tenders. For entities deemed to be "high risk", additional checks and further
monitoring are required by the Group's compliance function. All supplier
contracts must contain the defined set of compliance clauses (including, but
not limited to, topics such as anti-bribery, sanctions, tax compliance and
modern slavery). These requirements were consolidated into the Business
Partners' Code of Conduct in 2019, which is referenced in 95% of all contracts
signed as of 2021 (98% of contracts with a value in excess of UAH 500,000).
The Finance, Risk Management and Compliance Committee ("FRMCC"), an executive
sub-committee of the Board, met ten times in 2021 and is charged with ensuring
that systems and procedures are in place for the Group to comply with laws,
regulations and ethical standards. The FRMCC is attended by the Group
Compliance Officer and, as necessary, by the local compliance officers from
the operations, who present regular reports and ensure that the FRMCC is given
prior warning of regulatory changes and their implications for the Group. The
FRMCC enquires into the ownership of potential suppliers deemed to be "high
risk", and oversees the management of conflicts of interests below Board level
and general compliance activities (including under the UK Bribery Act 2010,
the Modern Slavery Act, the Criminal Finances Act, and the EU General Data
Protection Regulation).
The Group aims to minimise risk around the timely provision of goods and
services through maintaining sufficient cash reserves and liquidity, as well
as maintaining alternative suppliers should one counterparty fail.
The Board aims to ensure adherence to the highest standards of diligence,
oversight, governance and reporting with all charitable donations, with the
HSEC Committee required to provide approval for community support
expenditures.
Responsibility
Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
Risk appetite
Low
Link to strategy
4
Change: Increased
2. Market Related Risks
2.1 Risks relating to the global demand for steel
Risk overview
The Group is a supplier to the global steel industry, with customers located
in several continents around the world. The global steel industry produces
steel for a wide range of end uses and is exposed to a wide range of factors
that may affect each customer's ability to produce steel and supply end users
of steel. Therefore, as part of the global steel value chain, Ferrexpo is in
turn also exposed to the same risks as steelmakers. The Group does not,
however, supply its products to steelmakers in Russia, and is therefore not
exposed to risks related to recent restrictions in trading with this group of
steelmakers that relate to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
On the input side, steel production requires raw material inputs such as iron
ore and coking coal, as well as significant numbers of employees, all of which
represent a significant proportion of steelmakers' cost bases and therefore
have the potential to negatively affect the profitability of a steel mill. In
the event of reduced profitability, steel mills often reduce steel output in
order to preserve the balance sheet of the operating company, which in turn
reduces demand for iron ore. Steel producers are also reliant on the
consistent supply of raw materials, which requires access to global markets,
which can often be disrupted by natural events, geopolitical events or
otherwise. These same distribution
networks are required for the transfer of steel products to customers and end
users, and therefore any disruption can have a significant impact on the
overall steel value chain. One high profile example of such an event was seen
in 2021 with the six-day blockage of the Suez Canal by the vessel Ever Given
in March 2021.
Steel mill profitability can also influence the demand for different grades
and forms of iron ore, with demand for high grade iron ore pellets typically
lower at times of lower steel prices, when steelmakers typically move to
reduce mill productivity and overall output. Global demand for steel is also
linked to global productivity and levels of investment, and therefore during
periods of reduced economic activity, steel demand (and therefore steel
production) is often reduced as a consequence. The steel industry is also
regionally fragmented, with factors relevant for certain geographic or
political regions, not applicable for other regions. It is therefore important
to have a strong understanding of regional factors that may affect specific
steel producers more than others.
The global steel industry is also under significant pressure to decarbonise
its operations, with the global steel industry responsible for 7% of global
carbon emissions 27 (#_ftn27) . Steelmakers are currently seeking
technological solutions for producing commercial quantities of low to zero
carbon steel, which will require significant investment in both research and
development, as well as likely require significant investment to deploy new
technologies.
Risk mitigation
The Group aims to mitigate risks relating to the global steel prices and
global demand for steel through having a network of premium customers located
in a variety of geographic regions. Ferrexpo has also commenced a process to
develop a network of additional customers for its higher grade (67% Fe) direct
reduction pellets, which currently represents approximately a third of the
global pellet export market, and historically has not been a market that
Ferrexpo has served. Through direct reduction pellets, as well as the ability
to produce and market new products such as high grade concentrate, the Group
aims to have the ability to serve a broader range of customers, if required.
The Group also aims to develop long-term relationships with customers, whereby
there is a strong level of engagement and understanding between both parties.
Through the Group selling the majority of its production via long-term
contracts, the Group aims to secure the stable and consistent offtake of its
production, enabling the Group to be able to adapt and adjust to meet changing
business conditions, if required, rather than relying on short-term
relationships and spot sales.
Ferrexpo operates in a country whereby the local currency, the Ukrainian
hryvnia, is a currency that is linked to the performance of commodity prices,
and historically the Group has experienced depreciation in the hryvnia at
times of lower commodity prices, which in turn reduces the Group's
dollar-denominated cost base. Movements in the hryvnia-dollar exchange rate
can, however, be influenced by other factors and may not necessarily reduce
costs at times of low iron ore prices.
Responsibility:
n/a (Ferrexpo not large enough to influence global demand)
Risk appetite:
Medium
Link to strategy:
3 and 5
Change: Unchanged
3. Risks related to realised pricing
3.1 Changes in pricing methodology
Risk overview
Pricing formulas for iron ore pellets are governed by a number of factors,
including the iron ore fines price, a premium for additional ferrum content
(if applicable), pellet premiums, freight rates and additional quality
premiums and discounts depending on the type of iron ore pellet or concentrate
supplied and its chemistry. Industry-wide factors, which are outside of the
Group's control, can influence the methodology for pricing iron ore products,
in addition to the various premiums and discounts that are applied by
individual customers and individual regions. Premiums or discounts paid for
specific characteristics may change and adversely impact the Group's ability
to market specific products.
Risk mitigation
The Group aims to price its products through clear and consistent engagement
with customers, with the Group seeking to develop mutually beneficial
long-term relationships. Through consistent supply and consistent high quality
of the Group's products, Ferrexpo aims to maintain strong relationships with
its customers.
Ferrexpo endeavours to achieve the prevailing market price at all times, and
the Group aims to be a low cost producer and therefore cash flow positive
throughout the commodities cycle. For more information on its position on the
cost curve, please see the Case Study provided on page 16. The Group also has
the logistics capability to divert sales to other markets to offset any
regional weakness, as was seen during the initial peak of the global Covid-19
pandemic in 2020, when the Group was able to redirect sales volumes away from
Europe and towards China, to meet temporary shifts in demand patterns. The
Group has since seen global demand patterns for iron return to historical
distribution levels in 2021. The Group has retained this flexibility to divert
sales to alternative markets should future shifts in demand occur.
Responsibility
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer
Risk appetite
Medium
Link to strategy
1, 3 and 5
Change: Unchanged
3.2 Lower iron ore prices
Risk overview
As a single commodity producer, the Group is inherently exposed to performance
of the iron ore price, in addition to other market prices. The Group is a
producer of high grade iron ore products, which are widely considered to be
products with an iron content in excess of 65%, and this is a subset of the
wider global trade in iron ore that is affected by additional factors. The
iron ore industry as a whole is primarily governed by steel demand and demand
for iron ore as a consequence. During periods of low steel demand, iron ore
prices trend lower as steel mills look to actively reduce steel output. The
majority of the world's exported iron ore is traded on the 62% Fe fines index,
which in the past five years has varied between periods of being less than
US$50 per tonne to over US$200 per tonne. Ferrexpo is not sufficiently large
enough a producer to be able to directly affect the globally quoted price of
iron ore, and therefore, like other companies that produce and sell iron ore,
must accept the prevailing iron ore price. Factors governing steel demand are
discussed in this section (Risks relating to global demand for steel, page
41). Factors specifically governing the price of iron ore also include the
global supply of iron ore, as stable pricing requires that the available
supply of iron ore broadly matches the global demand for iron ore, and any
imbalance can result in significant movements in iron ore pricing. There are a
number of large greenfield and brownfield projects that have the potential to
significantly impact the global price of iron ore should these projects come
into production.
The global demand for high grade iron ore is a further subset of the global
iron ore trade, with the supply of high grade iron ore typically sourced from
iron ore mines in Northern Brazil, and fluctuations in output from these
particular mines can have a direct impact on the prices paid for high grade
iron ores. Ferrexpo's iron ore products are priced using the high grade index
(65% Fe) and the Group is therefore impacted by these fluctuations.
Risk mitigation
Ferrexpo is a low to medium cost producer relative to the majority of its
peers, and is positioned in the lower half of the global cost curve of iron
ore pellet producers. Ferrexpo's operating costs are partly correlated with
commodity prices. When the commodities cycle is in a downward phase, Ferrexpo
typically receives a lower selling price, but the Group's cost base also tends
to decline as a result of local currency devaluation. The Ukrainian hryvnia is
a commodity-related currency and historically over the long term it has
depreciated during periods of low commodity prices, although movements of the
Ukrainian hryvnia against the US dollar can also be influenced by short-term
political factors, in addition to other factors. Ferrexpo regularly reviews
options to hedge the price of its output; however, its current strategy is not
to enter into hedging agreements, due to the relatively low liquidity of this
market
and high cost of entering into such arrangements. Ferrexpo has maintained
positive profit and cash generation throughout the iron ore price cycle.
Responsibility
n/a (Ferrexpo not large enough to influence global demand)
Risk appetite
Medium
Link to strategy
1, 3 and 5
Change: Unchanged
3.3 Pellet premiums and pellet supply
Risk overview
Iron ore pellets are utilised by steel mills to improve productivity through
their inherent characteristics as a pellet and the higher grade nature of
Ferrexpo's iron ore pellets. At times of lower steel mill profitability, steel
producers are known to reduce demand for higher cost inputs such as iron ore
pellets, in order to reduce the cost of steel production and to protect steel
margins. This has the potential to negatively affect the pellet premium, and
by extension, the profitability of Ferrexpo, since the majority of Ferrexpo's
profit margin has come from its ability to receive the pellet premium. Risks
to the pellet premium also exist in replacement of pellets in the blast
furnaces operated by Ferrexpo's customers with alternatives, such as lump
ores, and a significant increase in this substitution would have the potential
to reduce pellet premiums.
Further supply of pellets into the global export market would also have the
potential to reduce pellet premiums and a pellet producer in Brazil, which was
offline since 2015, returned to production in late 2020 and has now reached
its published nameplate capacity for production.
Recent trends in the global steel industry have led steel producers towards
targeting lower carbon emissions, and iron ore pellets are a method for
achieving such a reduction, since iron ore pellets do not require sintering
prior to conversion into steel. If, however, this trend towards an
environmentally friendlier method of steel production were to reverse in the
future, this could also negatively affect demand for iron ore pellets, and by
extension, lower pellet premiums. Lower pellet premiums could impact the
Group's ability to pay dividends to shareholders, repay debt amortisation and
could result in lower levels of capital investment (including sustaining
capex).
Risk mitigation
Ferrexpo primarily sells high quality pellets, which underpin demand for its
product throughout the commodity cycle. Should the pellet premium decline,
Ferrexpo has historically one of the lowest pellet conversion costs in the
industry depending to different periods of commodity prices, which helps the
Group to remain a competitive producer. Ferrexpo also has the ability to
produce iron ore concentrate should market conditions make this product more
economically viable. Ferrexpo's pelletising costs in 2021 were approximately
US$19 per tonne (2020: US$11 per tonne) and, therefore, lower than the pellet
premium seen in 2021, aiding the Group to deliver firm margins during the
year. Please see the Market Review section on pages 9 to 12 for more details.
Should, however, the pellet premium fall below the cost of pelletising
material, the Group has the option to halt pelletising operations and produce
concentrate instead for a period of time.
Responsibility
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer
Risk appetite
Medium
Link to strategy
1, 3 and 5
Change: Decreased
3.4 Seaborne freight rates
Risk overview
As iron ore is a bulk commodity, seaborne freight rates are an important
component of the cost to deliver product to a customer. An increase in freight
rates will reduce the net price received from a customer, and reduce
profitability, while a reduction in freight rates will increase the net price
received from a customer. Seaborne freight rates, such as the C3 freight
index, are published by the Baltic Exchange. The C3 freight index represents
the cost for ocean transportation for iron ore from the Brazilian port of
Tubarão (where the largest seaborne pellet supplier is based) to Qingdao,
China (with China being the world's largest steel producer).
Ferrexpo's received price is referenced to transparent freight indices such as
the Baltic Exchange C3 freight index. In 2021, the C3 freight index increased
to an average of US$27 per tonne (2020: US$15 per tonne).
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and the related military activity
in the Black Sea, has resulted in increased freight charges (principally
additional insurance premiums) for companies looking to charter vessels to
receive cargoes at Ukrainian ports.
Risk mitigation
Ferrexpo understands the need to have its own in-house specialists within the
Group's marketing team that are capable of ensuring the Group pays a
competitive rate for seaborne freight rates. Through effective internal
planning procedures and engagement with stakeholders in the Group's freight
business, the Group is able to effectively charter vessels at competitive
freight rates relative to the prevailing index. The Group also has sufficient
flexibility in its customer and logistics network to consider differences in
freight rates when budgeting for future periods, considering freight rates in
broader decisions around allocating tonnages to each geographic market into
which the Group sells its products.
Through the Group's close proximity to the key markets of Europe and the
Middle East, the Group has a natural advantage over alternative suppliers of
iron ore pellets that are located in more distant locations, such as Canada
and Brazil. This reduced distance to certain markets results in shorter travel
times for the Group as well as a reduction in the carbon emissions associated
with the freight for deliveries into these markets. For more information, see
the Case Study on page 12. The Group may decide to enter into the forward
hedging of its freight related costs in light of the market volatility
witnessed in 2021, with derivatives trading in freight markets more liquid
than similar markets for iron ore pellets, and therefore potentially making
such activities economically advantageous to the Group.
The additional insurance premiums associated with Russia's invasion of Ukraine
are expected to be temporary in nature, and a requirement for such premiums
will likely be removed following the cessation in hostilities. The Group is
also reviewing the possibility of shipping its products either via (a) Black
Sea ports outside of Ukraine, or (b) ports that the Group could utilise
outside of the Black Sea. However, it should be noted that utilising such
ports will likely result in increased freight charges to the Group relative to
the logistics pathway utilised via Pivdennyi.
Responsibility
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer
Risk appetite
Low
Link to strategy
2, 3 and 5
Change: Increased
4. Operating risks
4.1 Risks relating to producing and delivering the Group's iron ore products
to customers
Risk overview
Ferrexpo operates three open pit mining operations, a large-scale
beneficiation plant and four pelletising lines, which all involve the
processing of significant volumes of material, and, therefore, have inherent
significant associated risks due to their size and complexity of operations.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine poses numerous operational risks to the Group's
operations, which are detailed on page 37 of this report.
In mining, there are inherent risks associated with open pit mining, including
geotechnical risks, risks related to groundwater and surface water ingress,
risks surrounding mine planning decisions, and risks related to critical
equipment failure, in addition to other factors.
In the Group's beneficiation and pelletising operations, there are risks
associated with critical equipment failure, as well as risks specific to the
potential failure of the Group's tailings dam facilities. Logistics risks
relate to the business's reliance on the ease of transport of its iron ore
products to customers, in addition to the consistent supply to the Group's
operations of key consumables such as fuel for mining and natural gas for
pelletising.
Lower volumes, higher costs and financial penalties due to poor quality and
late delivery can impact the Group's cash generation ability, reducing levels
of total liquidity(A) and impacting capital investment(A) levels as well as
affecting the Group's ability to repay debt and pay dividends to shareholders.
Poor pellet quality or late delivery of product can also affect the Group's
ability to perform according to customer contracts and its ability to maintain
and renew contracts in the future.
The global steel industry is under increasing pressure to adapt its production
processes to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and as a result the Group
is seeing increasing market demand for higher grade forms of iron ore. The
Group is able to produce high grade forms of iron ore, namely iron ore pellets
grading 65% Fe (blast furnace pellets) or 67% Fe (direct reduction pellets),
but these forms of product require additional processing and therefore are
produced at an additional cost. In certain circumstances, it may not be
economically viable to produce higher grade forms of iron ore pellets from
specific lower grade ore types from the Group's mines, and therefore it may be
necessary to adjust mine planning activities and impair existing investments
in stockpiles of these particular ore types.
Risk mitigation
The Group aims to continually reinvest its profits into its business to expand
its production, improve product quality and enhance logistics capabilities.
Extensive monitoring by in-house planning departments, in addition to external
certification by third-party consultants, help to mitigate risks around the
Group's mining, processing, pelletising and logistics operations, including
the Group's tailings facility. To mitigate risk in relation to the Group's
logistics business and delivery of iron ore products to customers, the Group
strives to operate its own equipment and facilities where possible, and as a
result the Group owns a fleet of 2,850 railcars within Ukraine, a fleet of 218
vessels for delivering products to customers via the Danube River, and has a
49.9% interest in a berth at the port of Pivdennyi (formerly known as Yuzhny).
The Group also operates a talent management and leadership programme to ensure
management coverage of business-critical roles. This involves the annual
assessment of all managers across the Group of approximately 350 people, and
the results of this process are presented to the Operations Management
Committee, the Executive Committee and the Board.
Responsibility
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer
Risk appetite
Medium
Link to strategy
2, 3 and 5
Change: Increased
4.2 Risks relating to health and safety
Risk overview
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 has created a significant risk
related to the health and safety of the Group's workforce in Ukraine, with
details of this risk and mitigation measures, presented on page 37.
The extraction and processing of large volumes of rock has historically been
associated with hazardous working environments. Hazards in open pit mining
include hazards relating to drilling and blasting of rock, the presence of
operators on and around large pieces of equipment such as excavators and haul
trucks, and the creation of deep open pit mines with steep inclines. In
processing, operators are in close proximity to large pieces of equipment such
as crushers and ball mills, all of which carry significant electrical
currents, weigh a significant number of tonnes and are constantly moving when
under operation. Maintainers are often required to place themselves within
equipment to access and repair equipment, and are often required to use
lifting equipment to raise machinery weighing several tonnes. The risks to
operators conducting these activities, or in close proximity to those
conducting these activities, can be high if the correct risk mitigation
measures are not enforced. There are inherent risks with materials handling
throughout the Group's operations - from hazardous chemicals, flammable
liquids and gases, and other dangerous goods. In logistics, the Group oversees
the transfer of significant volumes of iron ore pellets loaded onto trains,
dry bulk vessels and inland vessels, all of which carry inherent risks. The
Group's logistics subsidiary, First-DDSG, transports pellets along the Danube
River in all seasons, with specific safety hazards applicable to river
transport throughout the year, including operating in freezing conditions and
river safety around other vessels.
In addition, the Group and its workforce have faced significant health and
safety risks relating to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Details of the risks
relating to this are provided on page 51 of the Principal Risks section, with
risk mitigation measures also provided in the Case Study on page 8 of this
report.
Risk mitigation
Risk mitigation in the Group's approach to health and safety begins with
understanding the risks faced by operators when entering a place of work. This
is achieved through risk assessments for each area and activity in which an
operator is active, aiming to ensure that potential risks are understood
before work takes place. Extensive safety training is provided to both
operators and management, to provide the necessary level of understanding of
the risks faced and the high level of safety standards expected by the Group.
Training is provided to both employees and contractors, since safety hazards
do not distinguish between an individual's contract status.
The Group uses leading and lagging safety indicators to better understand
where safety risks may exist. An example of a leading indicator of safety is
the number of safety audits conducted by the Group's safety department, which
correlates to the degree of safety improvements made in each working area, and
therefore reducing the potential for future incidents to occur. Lagging
indicators of safety relate to safety incidents that have already occurred,
such as near miss events, and the Group monitors these closely to learn and
improve for the future, to reduce the number of these events occurring.
Increases in a lagging indicator are often an aspect of encouraging employees
to register incidents correctly and to promote an open and understanding
culture when it comes to safety.
In relation to the safety and wellbeing measures implemented in response to
the global Covid-19 pandemic, the Group has sought to protect both its
workforce and its local communities, with details of these measures provided
on pages 8 and 32 of this report.
In 2021, through implementation of the above safety measures, the Group was
able to report on a fatality-free year and a record-low full year lost time
injury frequency rate since IPO of 0.41 (2020: 0.79).
Responsibility
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer
Risk appetite
Low
Link to strategy
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Change: Increased
4.3 Risks relating to operating costs
Risk overview
Ferrexpo's overall ability to generate cash is predicated on its ability to
maintain a low cash cost of production across its business, including the
Group's mining, processing, pelletising and logistics businesses. A number of
factors affect the Group's ability to remain cost effective relative to its
iron ore producing peers, including the component of the Group's cost base
that relates to global commodity prices, such as fuel, gas, explosives, tyres
and steel grinding media. The commodity-linked component of the Group's cost
base has historically represented approximately 50%
of the total C1 cash cost of production(A). In times of relatively high iron
ore prices the cost of production tends to increase due to commodity cost
inflation; however, during periods of low commodity prices the cash cost is
typically reduced. A second important driver of C1 cash cost of production(A)
is local currency, which for Ferrexpo is the Ukrainian hryvnia, and this has
historically directly affected approximately 50% of the Group's total C1 cash
cost of production(A). The Ukrainian hryvnia is a commodity-related currency
and historically over the long term it has depreciated during periods of low
commodity prices, although movements of the Ukrainian hryvnia against the US
dollar can also be influenced by short-term political factors.
In 2021, the Group's C1 cash cost of production(A) increased by 34% to US$55.8
per tonne (2020: US$41.5 per tonne). See the Financial Review section (pages
13 to 17) for a description of the factors impacting operating costs.
The Group has seen significant inflationary pressure relating to energy costs
in the second half of 2021 and into 2022, with prices for key consumables such
as natural gas, electricity and diesel all increasing. See Case Study on page
16 for more information.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 has resulted in inflationary
cost pressures on a number of the Group's key consumables, with the Group
conducting measures to reduce the risks associated with the conflict, such as
increased stockpiling of key consumables to reduce the risks around potential
supply disruption.
Risk mitigation
Ferrexpo sits in the bottom half of the pellet cost curve, and as such
maintains a degree of competitiveness over its pellet-producing peers in
countries such as Brazil, Canada and Sweden. Many of the Group's costs relate
to commodity prices, which will in turn also impact Ferrexpo's peers to a
similar extent, and as such, in times of higher commodity prices, the Group
should be able to maintain its cost competitiveness relative to its
competitors.
In 2022, Ferrexpo expects to increase production volumes, which will aid
production costs through the dilution of fixed costs, and will potentially
enable the Group to offset (to some extent) external cost inflation. A number
of companies in the Group's peer group have in the past switched between
production of iron ore pellets and iron ore concentrate, according to pellet
premiums and the profitability of producing pellets. Ferrexpo's pelletising
costs in 2021 were approximately US$9 per tonne and therefore lower than the
pellet premium seen in 2021 (please see the Market Review section on pages 9
to 12 for more details). However, should the pellet premium fall below the
cost of pelletising material, the Group has the option to halt pelletising
operations and produce concentrate instead of pellets for a period of time.
The Group also has a Business Improvement Programme aimed at increasing
efficiencies and reducing costs by 1% to 2% per annum. Ferrexpo has
established several sources of suppliers for key products as well as several
supply routes to ensure cost effective supplies of all key consumables.
The Group expects the inflationary cost pressures related to Russia's invasion
of Ukraine to be temporary in nature and that the Group will retain the cost
advantages outlined above in the medium term to remain competitive on costs on
a global scale.
Responsibility
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
Risk appetite
Low
Link to strategy
2 and 5
Change: Increased
4.4 Risks relating to information technology and cybersecurity
Risk overview
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 has created a significant risk
related to cybersecurity at the Group's operations in Ukraine, with details of
this risk and mitigation measures, presented on page 37.
The Group is continually looking to modernise and digitise its operations, and
is increasingly looking towards information technology ("IT") to operate its
business model. The move towards increasing digitalisation presents an
increasing exposure to parties that may wish to disrupt the Group's operations
for financial gain, competitive
advantage over the Group or to inflict other negative consequences on the
Group for other reasons. Cybersecurity threats may take the form of, but not
limited to, the following: malware, ransomware, phishing, denial-of-service
attacks, and password attacks.
Cyberattacks have been noted on a global scale in recent years, as well as
similar attacks that have been specifically targeted against sovereign
nations, such as the NotPetya ransomware first noted in 2017 that is believed
to have been targeted at entities in Ukraine, or the Colonial Pipeline
cyberattack in May 2021 that shut down 45% of the United States' East Coast
fuel supply. 28 (#_ftn28) Such events appear to be becoming increasingly
frequent, with increasing impact on the entities subjected to such attacks.
Events such as cyberattacks are not necessarily targeted at specific companies
or sovereign states, but often inflict additional damage to companies and
governments not directly connected to the original targeted entity, and
therefore such attacks may appear random in nature and difficult to predict as
a consequence.
Cyberattacks, such as malware and ransomware, are often unreported in the
mainstream media by companies and governments to avoid the negative publicity
associated with such events. It is therefore difficult to ascertain the full
extent to which the Group is facing risks relating to cybersecurity. Published
cyberattacks affecting companies and governments in the past have closed or
limited a company's ability to produce, have withheld or disclosed
confidential information, and have withheld access to key operational
infrastructure, in addition to other attributes of such events.
Risk mitigation
Ferrexpo conducts regular reviews of the different information systems and
technologies in use across its business, to ensure that information systems
and technologies are regularly maintained and up-to-date in terms of security
protocols.
The Group's IT department conducts regular reviews of the general IT landscape
and provides regular cyber awareness training for employees as well as ad hoc
notification when new threats are identified. The Group also regularly reviews
requirements on data protection, with email security bulletins circulated to
ensure internal users of IT are provided with up-to-date information on
cybersecurity. The Group has also implemented a dynamic approach to
anti-malware policies, to ensure an adaptive approach for new threats as they
emerge. Efforts in 2021 have centred around the procurement and installation
of a dedicated on-site data centre at Ferrexpo's operations with backup power,
with elevated security protocols to ensure the Group's continued access to its
data and IT systems in the event of a cyberattack.
Further to existing practices and protocols, the Group regularly updates the
software and hardware in use throughout its business, to remove the Group's
exposure to known weaknesses in cybersecurity.
Responsibility
Chief Executive Officer
Risk appetite
Low
Link to strategy
1, 2 and 3
Change: Increased
5. Risks relating to climate change
Risk overview
As a contributor to the global steel value chain, the Group is aware of the
risks posed to it by climate change. The risks posed by climate change are
diverse in scale and can be either local, affecting the Group's stakeholders
in the jurisdictions in which it operates, or global whereby there are impacts
to factors such as demand for iron ore pellets. Climate change risks can also
be further classified into risks that affect the Group's physical environment
- such as flooding, drought conditions and extremes of temperature, or risks
could be regulatory in nature whereby governments seek to impose restrictions
to limit emissions of carbon dioxide through measures such as environmental
levies or carbon taxes.
Climate change risks can also affect the Group through its suppliers and
customers, with suppliers facing the same risks as Ferrexpo, and as a result
may not be able to continue to supply the Group with the same goods and
services as currently provided. Customers of Ferrexpo, comprising the global
steel industry, are significantly affected businesses by climate change risk
given the relatively high proportion of global emissions produced by
steelmakers (7% of total emissions 29 (#_ftn29) ). As an example, the EU has
selected the European steel industry as one specifically targeted under carbon
reduction regulations, such as a gradual reduction in carbon credits as part
of the EU's "Fit for 55" initiative to achieve a 55% reduction in carbon
emissions by 2030 30 (#_ftn30) . As steelmakers around the world face
increasing regulation to curb emissions, as well as the direct effects of
climate change and changing end user demand, these changes will filter through
to Ferrexpo as a supplier to these producers, with a portion of these changes
likely to be negative.
Ferrexpo also faces acute physical risk as a result of climate change outside
of Ukraine in its logistics network, particularly its barging operations along
the Danube River, which are prone to freezing weather conditions in European
winters and both flooding and low water events in summer.
Additionally, the Group faces reputational risk both in Ukraine and across the
globe with stakeholders such as investors, suppliers and customers, if it is
not seen to have strong environmental credentials, or does not comply with
government regulation. This particular risk can apply to the Group's
activities in Ukraine and barging operations in Europe, but also perceptions
around the environmental footprint of the Group's products.
Risk mitigation
The Group has sought to mitigate risks around climate change in a number of
areas in 2021. Locally in Ukraine, the Group has implemented a significant
number of operational projects targeting productivity improvements to reduce
diesel and natural gas consumption, including construction of a 5MW trial
solar power plant and the Group's clean power purchasing programme. Through
various initiatives, the Group has reduced its carbon footprint per tonne
(Scope 1 and Scope 2 basis) by 30% since the Group's baseline year of 2019.
Further to this progress, in October 2021 the Group announced medium- and
long-term carbon reduction targets (see page 27). To further reinforce the
Group's existing position on climate change and progress in carbon emissions,
the Group is undertaking an external assurance process, whereby an external
consultant is reviewing and providing assurance on the validity of the Group's
calculations for its carbon footprint. Further details of this project are
available on page 25. Looking forward, the Group is seeking to further
establish its understanding of the role of iron ore pellets in a low carbon
future through its ongoing work with independent climate change consultants
Ricardo plc; see page 28 for more details.
The Group understands the need to take action in addressing climate change
today, and positioning for the future. For Ferrexpo, the future is Green
Steel, which is the production of steel without associated carbon emissions.
The first Green Steel was created in Sweden in the summer of 2021 using direct
reduction iron ore pellets 31 (#_ftn31) and the Group has commenced a process
to align itself towards Green Steel by starting to produce direct reduction
pellets, which represent a known pathway to Green Steel. The Group intends to
build its presence in marketing direct reduction pellets in new regions, as
well as maintain a dialogue with existing customers as they modernise their
production facilities and switch to direct reduction pellets over time.
The Group's management believe that through a multi-layered approach to
addressing climate change through implementing projects today, as well as the
implementation of longer-term projects, the Group will be well positioned for
a low carbon future.
Responsibility
Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer
Risk appetite
Low
Link to strategy
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Change: Increased
6. Risks relating to the global Covid-19 pandemic
Risk overview
In 2021 the world has seen a continuation of the disruption caused by the
Covid-19 pandemic, similar in nature to the effects seen in 2020 but with
periodic and regional easing of restrictions followed by increases in
infection rates and the reintroduction of restrictive measures. Measures
introduced in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic have varied between
different jurisdictions and have also varied in 2021 according to an
individual's vaccination status, adding an additional dimension to Covid-19
restrictions.
Overall, Covid-19 continues to affect the health and wellbeing of individuals,
as well as continuing to divide and isolate communities as governments and
businesses seek to find measures to slow the spread of the virus each time
infection rates increase. Risks relating to the individual continue to be
significant - from the threat to the long-term health of an individual and
their families and friends, to the impact on wellbeing through social
distancing measures. Businesses are at risk of seeing significant numbers of
employees and contractors of their own business be forced to isolate due to
infection, as well as suppliers and customers experiencing similar
restrictions, resulting in a general slowdown in companies' ability to do
business with each other. Governments face the risk of the additional strain
on public services and resources as a result of measures taken to combat the
causes and the effects of the pandemic, which are costs that may be passed on
to businesses and individuals in the form of additional taxes and royalties,
as well as cuts to existing services. More broadly, the global steel value
chain relies on a steady transfer of goods and services to operate
efficiently, and market prices such as iron ore prices and pellet premiums
could be negatively impacted by a decrease in steel output or a decrease in
the ability of steelmakers to produce steel. The global steel value chain also
relies heavily on international travel for global businesses to conduct
business with each other effectively, and the global travel industry has been
significantly affected by travel restrictions. International travel was also a
frequent requirement for the Group's senior leadership team, which is an
activity that has also been significantly curtailed during the pandemic.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has also elevated the risk associated
with Covid-19 due to a reduced focus on testing for the virus and therefore
higher risk of transmission in local communities.
Risk mitigation
The Group has sought to mitigate the impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic on
its workforce, communities and business activities through a variety of
measures. In relation to the Group's workforce, the Group moved quickly to
implement measures in early 2020 as the pandemic commenced and these measures,
such as mask-wearing, social distancing, staggered shift patterns, Covid-19
testing and temperature screening, have all been perpetuated into 2021. The
Covid-19 virus has affected every community around the world and Ferrexpo is
acutely aware of the impact of Covid-19, having had 14 employees pass away as
a direct result of Covid-19, or complications related to Covid-19, as of
December 2021. The Group is therefore making every effort to prevent the virus
causing further harm to its workforce and as a result, the Group is
encouraging its workforce in Ukraine to take up the government's offer of
Covid-19 vaccinations and has provided local authorities with the use of the
Group's on-site medical facility as a vaccination centre. As of January 2022,
over 5,900 of the Group's employees have had at least one dose of a Covid-19
vaccine and 65% of employees were fully vaccinated, approximately double the
rate for the general population of Ukraine 32 (#_ftn32) . The Group's
management is also aware of the significant impact that Covid-19 has had on
the wellbeing of its employees, and as a result the Group has offered
psychological support services and training to help employees and contractors
to cope with the various forms of stress that have emerged as a result of the
pandemic.
On a broader scale, the Group has noted a return in the global balance of
steel production, and therefore iron ore demand, in 2021 as the world returns
to a more normal balance of trade as Covid-19 restrictions ease. In the iron
ore industry, the shift seen during the peak of the pandemic during 2020 was
towards China, and in 2021, global markets have gradually returned to a
similar balance of demand as has been seen in years prior to 2020. Whilst the
Group is prepared for further shifts in iron ore demand, and has capacity in
its logistics network to manage such events, the Group does not expect a
similar scale of market shift as observed in 2020.
In relation to the Group's local communities, the Group's Covid-19 Response
Fund continues to work to assist local hospitals and medical institutions in
their work combating the pandemic, with a total approved funding amount of
US$3.5 million. Details of the work conducted through this project are
provided in the Case Study on page 8.
Responsibility
Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer
Risk appetite
Low
Link to strategy
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Change: Decreased
STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS' RESPONSIBILITIES
Statement by the Directors under the UK Corporate Governance Code
The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the
financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
Company law requires the Directors to prepare such financial statements for
each financial year. Under that law the Directors are required to prepare the
Group financial statements in accordance with International Financial
Reporting Standards as adopted in the United Kingdom ("UK adopted IFRS") and
have also chosen to prepare the Parent Company financial statements in
accordance with the United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice
(United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 101 Reduced Disclosure
Framework, and applicable law).
Under company law the Directors must not approve the financial statements
unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of
affairs of the Group and the Parent Company and of their profit or loss for
that period.
In preparing the financial statements, the Directors are required to:
· Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them
consistently;
· Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
· State whether applicable UK adopted International Financial
Reporting Standards have been followed for the Group financial statements and
United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 101 Reduced Disclosure
Framework have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and
explained in the financial statements; and
· Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis
unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue in
business.
The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are
sufficient to show and explain the Group's and Parent Company's transactions
and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of
the Group and Parent Company and enable them to ensure that its financial
statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Directors are also
responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Group and Parent Company and
hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud
and other irregularities.
The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the
corporate and financial information included on the Company's website.
Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination
of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Responsibility Statement of the Directors in respect of the Annual Report and
Accounts
We confirm that to the best of our knowledge:
(a) the Group financial statements, prepared in accordance with UK adopted
IFRS, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position
and profit of the Company and the subsidiary undertakings included in the
consolidation taken as a whole and attention is drawn to the material
uncertainty in terms of the Group's ability to continue as a going concern in
Note 2 (Basis of preparation) to the Consolidated Financial Statements;
(b) the parent company financial statements, which have been prepared in
accordance with United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 101
Reduced Disclosure Framework, give a true and fair view of the company's
assets, liabilities and financial position of the Parent Company;
(c) the Strategic Report includes a fair review of the development and
performance of the business and the position of the Company and the subsidiary
undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole, together with a
description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face; and
(d) the Annual Report and financial statements, taken as a whole, is fair,
balanced and understandable, and provides the information necessary for
shareholders to assess the Group's and Company's position, performance,
business model and strategy.
This responsibility statement was approved by the Board of Directors on 21
April 2022 and is signed on its behalf by:
Lucio Genovese
Chair
Jim North
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director
Independent Auditor's Report TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF
FERREXPO PLC ON THE PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT OF FERREXPO PLC
As the independent auditor of Ferrexpo plc we are required by UK Listing Rule
LR 9.7A.1 (2) to agree to the publication of Ferrexpo plc's preliminary
statement of annual results for the year ended 31 December 2021.
The preliminary statement of annual results for the year ended 31 December
2021 includes the 2021 full year results and the disclosures required by the
Listing rules including:
· Financial Highlights and 2021 Financial Summary;
· Chair's Statement;
· Management commentary included under the following headings;
Ferrexpo's Response to COVID-19, Market Review, Financial Review, Operations
Review, Growth Plans, HSEC's Chair Review, Health and Safety Review, Climate
Change, TCFD Reporting, Workforce Development and Inclusion, Community Support
and Development, Corporate Governance, Risk Management, Responsible Business
and Principal Risks Sections;
· Statement of Directors' Responsibilities;
· Consolidated Income Statement;
· Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income;
· Consolidated Statement of Financial Position;
· Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows;
· Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity;
· Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements; and
· Alternative Performance Measures.
The Directors of Ferrexpo plc are responsible for the preparation,
presentation and publication of the preliminary statement of annual results in
accordance with the UK Listing Rules.
We are responsible for agreeing to the publication of the preliminary
statement of annual results, having regard to the Financial Reporting
Council's Bulletin "The Auditor's Association with Preliminary Announcements
made in accordance with the requirements of the UK Listing Rules".
Status of our audit of the financial statements
Our audit of the annual financial statements of Ferrexpo plc for the year
ended 31 December 2021 is complete and we signed our auditor's report on 21
April 2022. Our auditor's report is not modified although it includes a
separate section in respect of a material uncertainty related to going
concern.
Procedures performed to agree to the preliminary announcement of annual
results
In order to agree to the publication of the preliminary announcement of annual
results of Ferrexpo plc we carried out the following procedures:
· Confirmed that the preliminary statement includes the
minimum information required by the Listing Rules.
· Checked that the figures in the preliminary statement
have been accurately extracted from the audited financial statements.
· Checked the consistency of presentation of the financial
information in the preliminary statement with the audited financial
statements.
· Read management commentary, the financial information in
the consolidated financial statements and notes thereof and considered if the
management commentary is:
o Fair, balanced and understandable
o Materially consistent with the financial statements and with the contents
of the annual report
o Consistent with the information and our knowledge obtained in the course
of the audit of the financial statements of Ferrexpo plc for the year ended 31
December 2021.
· Considered if for Alternative Performance Measures (APMs) and
associated narrative:
o APMs are clearly defined and have been given meaningful labels
o The use and relevance of APMs is explained
o APMs have been reconciled to the most relevant figures in the financial
statements
o Comparatives have been included
· Considering whether the financial information in the
preliminary announcement is misstated, either because it is stated incorrectly
or because it is presented in a misleading manner.
Rakesh Shaunak FCA
Senior Statutory Auditor
For and on behalf of MHA MacIntyre Hudson,
Statutory Auditor
London
21 April 2022
Consolidated Income Statement
US$000 Notes Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
Revenue 4 2,518,230 1,700,321
Operating expenses 3/5 (1,411,911) (1,018,109)
Other operating income 9,499 5,432
Operating foreign exchange (losses)/gains 6 (37,808) 61,023
Operating profit 1,078,010 748,667
Share of profit from associates 4,468 5,624
Profit before tax and finance 1,082,478 754,291
Finance income 7 637 553
Finance expense 7 (8,940) (12,286)
Non-operating foreign exchange (losses)/gains 6 (3,200) 5,302
Profit before tax 1,070,975 747,860
Income tax expense 8 (199,982) (112,568)
Profit for the year 870,993 635,292
Profit attributable to:
Equity shareholders of Ferrexpo plc 870,987 635,292
Non-controlling interests 6 −
Profit for the year 870,993 635,292
Earnings per share:
Basic (US cents) 9 148.2 108.1
Diluted (US cents) 9 147.9 107.9
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
US$000 Notes Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Profit for the year 870,993 635,292
Items that may subsequently be reclassified to profit or loss:
Exchange differences on translating foreign operations 82,196 (317,674)
Income tax effect 8 (3,313) 16,278
Net other comprehensive income/(loss) that may be reclassified to profit or 78,883 (301,396)
loss in subsequent periods
Items that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:
Remeasurement gains/(losses) on defined benefit pension liability 9,882 (1,057)
Net other comprehensive income/(loss) not being reclassified to profit or loss 9,882 (1,057)
in subsequent periods
Other comprehensive income/(loss) for the year, net of tax 88,765 (302,453)
Total comprehensive income for the year, net of tax 959,758 332,839
Total comprehensive income attributable to:
Equity shareholders of Ferrexpo plc 959,778 332,822
Non-controlling interests (20) 17
959,758 332,839
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
US$000 Notes As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Assets
Property, plant and equipment 1,216,693 1,004,385
Right-of-use assets 7,776 8,313
Goodwill and other intangible assets 43,586 40,734
Investments in associates 7,034 5,873
Inventories 10 8,414 213,685
Other non-current assets 96,484 25,480
Deferred tax assets 8 32,946 30,574
Total non-current assets 1,412,933 1,329,044
Inventories 10 202,399 144,605
Trade and other receivables 192,363 152,750
Prepayments and other current assets 68,162 25,884
Income taxes recoverable and prepaid 8 636 1,351
Other taxes recoverable and prepaid 48,040 31,323
Cash and cash equivalents 11 167,291 270,006
Total current assets 678,891 625,919
Total assets 2,091,824 1,954,963
Equity and liabilities
Issued capital 121,628 121,628
Share premium 185,112 185,112
Other reserves (1,986,131) (2,065,896)
Retained earnings 3,510,793 3,250,534
Equity attributable to equity shareholders of Ferrexpo plc 1,831,402 1,491,378
Non-controlling interests 75 95
Total equity 1,831,477 1,491,473
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings 3/12 2,143 132,129
Defined benefit pension liability 26,074 32,475
Provision for site restoration 3,873 2,846
Deferred tax liabilities 8 141 101
Total non-current liabilities 32,231 167,551
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings 3/12 48,206 134,349
Trade and other payables 72,824 43,749
Accrued and contract liabilities 52,613 45,542
Income taxes payable 8 37,138 58,483
Other taxes payable 17,335 13,816
Total current liabilities 228,116 295,939
Total liabilities 260,347 463,490
Total equity and liabilities 2,091,824 1,954,963
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors and
authorised for issue on 21 April 2022 and signed on behalf of the Board.
Lucio Genovese Jim North
Non-executive Chair Chief Executive Officer
& Executive Director
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
US$000 Notes Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Profit before tax 1,070,975 747,860
Adjustments for:
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment, right-of-use assets and 115,111 102,475
amortisation of intangible assets
Finance expense 7 5,729 9,113
Finance income 7 (637) (553)
Losses on disposal and liquidation of property, plant and equipment 4,695 1,303
Write-offs 5 4,507 192
Impairment of inventories 5/10 231,111 −
Share of profit from associates (4,468) (5,624)
Movement in allowance for doubtful receivables 690 724
Movement in site restoration provision 551 18
Employee benefits 4,936 4,779
Share-based payments 856 291
Operating foreign exchange losses/(gains) 6 37,808 (61,023)
Non-operating foreign exchange losses/(gains) 6 3,200 (5,302)
Other adjustments (4,914) (2,546)
Operating cash flow before working capital changes 1,470,150 791,707
Changes in working capital:
Increase in trade and other receivables (102,827) (49,538)
(Increase)/decrease in inventories (65,170) 27,034
Increase/(decrease) in trade and other payables (incl. accrued and contract 40,186 (4,798)
liabilities)
(Increase)/decrease in other taxes recoverable and payable (incl. VAT) (11,073) 3,214
Cash generated from operating activities 1,331,266 767,619
Interest paid (7,031) (21,439)
Income tax paid 8 (227,930) (56,571)
Post-employment benefits paid (2,475) (2,391)
Net cash flows from operating activities 1,093,830 687,218
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets (360,869) (205,779)
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets 1,030 836
Interest received 583 442
Dividends from associates 3,967 4,027
Advance payment for investment in joint venture − (5,000)
Net cash flows used in investing activities (355,289) (205,474)
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from loans and borrowings 12 42,146 −
Repayment of loans and borrowings 12 (257,430) (144,904)
Principal elements of lease payments 12 (5,517) (3,082)
Dividends paid to equity shareholders of Ferrexpo plc 9 (619,377) (195,446)
Net cash flows used in financing activities (840,178) (343,432)
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents (101,637) 138,312
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 270,006 131,020
Currency translation differences (1,078) 674
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 11 167,291 270,006
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
Attributable to equity shareholders of Ferrexpo plc
US$000 Share premium Other reserves Retained earnings Total Non-controlling interests Total
Issued capital capital and reserves Equity
At 1 January 2020 121,628 185,112 (1,764,774) 2,810,588 1,352,554 78 1,352,632
Profit for the year - - - 635,292 635,292 − 635,292
Other comprehensive (loss)/income - - (301,413) (1,057) (302,470) 17 (302,453)
Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the year - - (301,413) 634,235 332,822 17 332,839
Share-based payments - - 291 - 291 - 291
Equity dividends to shareholders of Ferrexpo plc - - - (194,289) (194,289) - (194,289)
At 31 December 2020 121,628 185,112 (2,065,896) 3,250,534 1,491,378 95 1,491,473
Profit for the year - - - 870,987 870,987 6 870,993
Other comprehensive income/(loss) - - 78,909 9,882 88,791 (26) 88,765
Total comprehensive income/(loss) for the year - - 78,909 880,869 959,778 (20) 959,758
Share-based payments - - 856 - 856 - 856
Equity dividends to shareholders of Ferrexpo plc - - - (620,610) (620,610) - (620,610)
At 31 December 2021 121,628 185,112 (1,986,131) 3,510,793 1,831,402 75 1,831,477
Although accounts are published in US dollars and dividends are declared in US
dollars, the shares are denominated in UK pounds sterling and dividends are
therefore paid in UK pounds sterling. See Note 9 Earnings per share and
dividends paid and proposed for dividends paid during the year.
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1: Corporate information
The financial information set out in this statement does not constitute
statutory accounts as defined in section 435 of the Companies Act 2006. This
set of financial results was approved by the Board on 21 April 2022. The
financial information for the years ended 31 December 2021 and 31 December
2020 has been extracted from the statutory accounts for each year.
The auditors' report on the 2021 statutory accounts was (i) unqualified, (ii)
included a separate section with regard to a material uncertainty related to
going concern, in respect of which the report was not qualified and (iii) did
not contain statements under section S498(2) or S498(3) of the Companies Act
2006. The audited statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2020 have
been delivered to the Registrar of Companies.
Ferrexpo plc will publish on or around 12 May 2022 its Annual Report and
Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021 on its corporate website
www.ferrexpo.com. The audited statutory accounts for the year ended 31
December 2021 will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies following the
Company's annual meeting convened for Wednesday, 15 June 2022.
Organisation and structure
Ferrexpo plc (the "Company") is incorporated and registered in England, which
is considered to be the country of domicile, with its registered office at 55
St James's Street, London SW1A 1LA, UK. The Company is listed on the London
Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 250 Index. Ferrexpo plc and its
subsidiaries (the "Group") operate two mines and a processing plant near
Kremenchug in Ukraine, have an interest in a port in Odessa and sales and
marketing activities around the world including offices in Switzerland, Dubai,
Japan, China, Singapore and Ukraine. The Group also owns logistics assets in
Austria, which operate a fleet of vessels operating on the Rhine and Danube
waterways and an ocean-going vessel, which provides top-off services. The
Group's operations are vertically integrated from iron ore mining through to
iron ore concentrate and pellet production and subsequent logistics. The
Group's mineral properties lie within the Kremenchug Magnetic Anomaly and are
currently being extracted at the Gorishne-Plavninske-Lavrykivske ("GPL") and
Yerystivske deposits.
The majority shareholder of the Group is Fevamotinico S.a.r.l.
("Fevamotinico"), a company incorporated in Luxembourg. Fevamotinico is
ultimately wholly owned by The Minco Trust, of which Kostyantin Zhevago, the
Group's previous Chief Executive Officer, and two other members of his family
are the beneficiaries. At the time this report was published, Fevamotinico
held 50.3% (2020: 50.3%) of Ferrexpo plc's issued share capital.
Note 2: Basis of preparation
Whilst the preliminary announcement has been prepared in accordance with
International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") adopted for use in the
United Kingdom ("UK adopted IFRS") and with the Companies Act 2006, as
applicable to companies reporting under international accounting standards,
this announcement does not itself contain sufficient information to comply
with IFRS. The Board approved the full financial statements that comply with
IFRS on 21 April 2022. The financial statements have been prepared under the
historical cost convention as modified by the recording of pension assets and
liabilities and the revaluation of certain financial instruments.
The Group's principal risks likely to affect its future development,
performance and position are set out on pages 36 to 52. The financial position
of the Group, its cash flows, liquidity position and borrowing facilities are
described in the Financial Review on pages 13 to 17.
Going concern
On 24 February 2022, Russia began its invasion into Ukraine using direct
military force and this has led to an intense armed conflict in Ukraine, which
is, as at the date of the approval of these consolidated financial statements,
still ongoing. Although the Group has managed to continue its operations, the
war continues to pose a threat to the Group's mining, processing and logistics
operations within Ukraine and represents a material uncertainty in terms of
the Group's ability to continue as a going concern.
As at the date of the approval of these consolidated financial statements, the
Group has assessed that, taking into account:
i) its available cash and cash equivalents;
ii) its cash flow projections, adjusted for the effects caused by the war in
Ukraine, for the period of management's going concern assessment covering a
period of 18 months from the date of the approval of these consolidated
financial statements; and
iii) the feasibility and effectiveness of all available mitigating actions
within the Group management's control for identified uncertainties,
a material uncertainty still remains as some of the uncertainties are outside
of the Group management's control, with the duration and the impact of the war
unable to be predicted at this point of time. Whilst the Group has
successfully managed to procure all its key consumables, such as natural gas,
electricity and diesel fuel, and equipment required for its mining and
processing operation to date, the risk of a potential disruption to the
required supplies, remains. As announced several times to the market, the
Group's seaborne sales through the port of Pivdennyi, located in southwest
Ukraine, where the Group's berth is located for shipping pellets to customers,
have been suspended as a result of the closure of the port and due to
constraints caused by the hostilities in the Black Sea. Although activities at
the Black Sea port of Pivdennyi continue to be suspended, the Group's
logistics pathways to its European customers via rail and barge remain
currently available. These have historically represented approximately 50% of
the Group's sales. However, a further interruption to the availability of the
Group's logistics network may result in a significant decline in the Group's
operating cash flows. Due to the potential threat resulting from the war in
Ukraine, the Group has redesigned its mining and processing plans in order to
align them to the new circumstances. Further to that, the Group has identified
possible alternative options accessible in case of an interruption of the
supplies of key consumables and equipment and as well as its currently
available logistics network.
As at the date of the approval of these consolidated financial statements, the
Group is in a net cash position of approximately US$192,000 thousand with an
available cash balance of approximately US$209,000 thousand. In addition to
the available cash balance, the Group has an outstanding receivable balance of
approximately US$156,000 thousand from its sales in March and April 2022,
which are expected to be collected in the next weeks.
As part of management's going concern assessment, the Group adjusted its
long-term model reflecting the lower sales volume caused by the unavailable
seaborne sales to its customers. The adjusted base case of the long-term model
shows that the Group has sufficient liquidity to continue its operations at a
reduced level for the entire period of the management's going concern
assessment, even allowing for reasonably possible or plausible adverse changes
in respect of realised prices, lower production and sales volumes as well as
higher production costs.
As a result of the remaining material uncertainty outside of the Group's
control in respect of the duration and the impact of the war in the future,
the Group also prepared stress tests with more severe adverse changes, such as
a ceasing of its production for 3, 6 and 18 months, which could be caused by a
disruption of the supplies for key consumables and equipment and/or a further
interruption of the Group's currently available logistics network. Based on
these stress tests, it is expected that the Group would have sufficient
liquidity for more than 12 months and sufficient mitigating actions, such as
further reductions of the development capital expenditures and its operating
costs, within its control, even if the operations were to be stopped
immediately.
Considering the current situation of the war in Ukraine, all identified
available mitigating actions addressing the uncertainties caused by the war,
as outlined on page 38, and the results of the management's going concern
assessment, the Group continues to prepare its consolidated financial
statements on a going concern basis. However, many of the identified
uncertainties are outside of the Group management's control and are of
unpredictable duration and severity, which may cast significant doubt upon the
Group's ability to continue as a going concern.
In addition, as at the date of the approval of these consolidated financial
statements, the Group's operations, located adjacent to the city of Horishni
Plavni, have not been involved in the conflict, but this remains a risk.
Should the area surrounding the Group's operations become a focal point of the
armed conflict, there would be a significant risk posed to the safety of the
Group's workforce and the local community, as well as a significant risk to
key assets and the infrastructure required for the Group to operate
effectively. See the Principal Risks section on pages 37 and 38 for further
information.
If the Group is unable to continue to realise assets and discharge liabilities
in the normal course of business, it would be necessary to adjust in the
future amounts in the statement of financial position to reflect these
circumstances, which may materially change the amounts and classification of
certain figures contained in the consolidated financial statements. Further
information on the financial impact of the war in Ukraine is provided in Note
15 Events after the reporting period.
Changes in accounting policies
New standards and interpretations adopted
The accounting policies and methods of computation adopted in the preparation
of the consolidated financial statements are consistent with those followed in
the preparation of the Group's annual financial statements for the year ended
31 December 2020 except for the adoption of new standards, interpretations and
amendments to UK adopted IFRS effective as of 1 January 2021.
All new standards, interpretations and amendments adopted as of 1 January 2021
did not have a material impact on the Group's consolidated financial
statements for the year ended 31 December 2021. Full disclosure of the list of
new standards, interpretations and amendments adopted during the year will be
provided in Note 3 New accounting policies included in the Group's 2021 Annual
Report and Accounts.
Furthermore, the Group does not expect an impact on its consolidated financial
statements from all other standards, interpretations and amendments issued at
the reporting date, but not yet to be adopted for these financial statements.
Use of critical estimates and judgements
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with IFRSs
requires management to make estimates and judgements that affect the amounts
reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.
These estimates and judgements are based on information available as at the
date of authorising the consolidated financial statements for issue. Actual
results could therefore differ from those estimates and judgements. The Group
identified a number of areas involving the use of critical estimates and
judgements made by management in preparing the consolidated financial
statements and supporting information is embedded within the following
disclosure notes:
Critical estimates
· Note 10 Inventories - low-grade and weathered ore
Critical judgements
· Note 2 Basis of preparation - going concern assumption
· Note 8 Taxation - tax legislation
· Note 13 Commitments, contingencies and legal disputes - loan
relationship between related parties of the Group
· Note 15 Events after the reporting period - non-adjusting post
balance sheet event
Note 3: Segment information
The Group is managed as a single segment, which produces, develops and markets
its principal product, iron ore pellets, for sale to the metallurgical
industry. While the revenue generated by the Group is monitored at a more
detailed level, there are no separate measures of profit reported to the
Group's Chief Operating Decision-Maker ("CODM"). In accordance with IFRS 8
Operating segments, the Group presents its results in a single segment, which
are disclosed in the consolidated income statement for the Group.
Management monitors the operating result of the Group based on a number of
measures, including underlying EBITDA, gross profit and net cash.
Underlying EBITDA and gross profit
The Group presents the underlying EBITDA as it is a useful measure for
evaluating its ability to generate cash and its operating performance. The
Group's full definition of underlying EBITDA is disclosed in the Alternative
performance measures section on page 80.
US$000 Notes Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Profit before tax and finance 1,082,478 754,291
Losses on disposal and liquidation of property, plant and equipment 4,695 1,303
Share-based payments 856 291
Write-offs and impairments 5 235,618 192
Depreciation and amortisation 115,112 102,475
Underlying EBITDA 1,438,759 858,552
US$000 Notes Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Revenue 4 2,518,230 1,700,321
Cost of sales 5 (727,818) (608,641)
Gross profit 1,790,412 1,091,680
Net cash
Net cash as defined by the Group comprises cash and cash equivalents less
interest-bearing loans and borrowings.
US$000 Notes As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Cash and cash equivalents 11 167,291 270,006
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings - current 12 (48,206) (134,349)
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings - non-current 12 (2,143) (132,129)
Net cash 116,942 3,528
The Group made debt repayments net of proceeds of US$221,188 thousand during
the year ended 31 December 2021 (2020: US$148,328 thousand). Net cash is an
Alternative Performance Measure ("APM"). Further information on the APMs used
by the Group, including the definitions, is provided on pages 80 and 81.
Disclosure of revenue and non-current assets
The Group does not generate significant revenues from external customers
attributable to the UK, the Company's country of domicile. The information on
the revenues from external customers attributed to the individual foreign
countries is given in Note 4 Revenue. The Group does not have any significant
non-current assets that are located in the country of domicile of the Company.
The vast majority of the non-current assets are located in Ukraine.
Note 4: Revenue
Revenue for the year ended 31 December 2021 consisted of the following:
US$000 Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Revenue from sales of iron ore pellets and concentrate 2,323,238 1,523,772
Freight revenue related to sales of iron ore pellets and concentrate 137,595 125,254
Total revenue from sales of iron ore pellets and concentrate 2,460,833 1,649,026
Revenue from logistics and bunker business 50,393 46,002
Revenue from other sales and services provided 7,004 5,293
Total revenue 2,518,230 1,700,321
Revenue for the year ended 31 December 2021 includes the effect from the
derecognition of contract liabilities of US$8,487 thousand (2020: US$8,572
thousand) deferred as revenue in the comparative year ended 31 December 2020.
As at 31 December 2021, freight-related revenue in the amount of US$7,648
thousand was deferred in relation to the performance obligations not fulfilled
and included in the balance of the contract liabilities.
Export sales of iron ore pellets and concentrate by geographical destination
showing separately countries that individually represented 10% or more of
export sales in either the current or prior year were as follows:
US$000 Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Europe, including Turkey 1,354,048 584,286
Austria 527,200 280,903
Germany 291,235 145,311
Turkey 270,514 82,514
Others 265,099 75,558
North East Asia 223,409 78,786
China & South East Asia 770,584 951,718
China 549,885 908,949
Others 220,699 42,769
Middle East & North Africa 23,928 -
North America 88,864 34,236
Total exports 2,460,833 1,649,026
The Group markets its products across various regions. The presentation of the
sales segmentation data has been changed during the financial year 2021 with
Turkey being reclassified from the region Middle East and North Africa to
Europe in order to reflect how the Group makes its business decisions and
monitors its sales. In order to be consistent with the presentation in the
current year, export sales of iron ore pellets and concentrate to Turkey in
the amount of US$82,514 thousand have been reclassified for the comparative
year ended 31 December 2020.
During the year ended 31 December 2021, sales made to three customers
accounted for 37% of the revenues from export sales of ore pellets and
concentrate (2020: 41%).
Sales to customers that individually represented more than 10% of total sales
in either current or prior year are as follows:
US$000 Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
Customer A 389,554 280,903
Customer B 211,231 316,720
Customer C 290,511 96,596
Note 5: Operating expenses
Operating expenses for the year ended 31 December 2021 consisted of the
following:
US$000 Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
Cost of sales 727,818 608,641
Selling and distribution expenses 340,301 309,276
General and administrative expenses 72,163 61,788
Other operating expenses 271,629 38,404
Total operating expenses 1,411,911 1,018,109
Total operating expenses include:
US$000 Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Inventories recognised as an expense upon sale of goods 697,900 582,796
Employee costs (excl. logistics and bunker business) 104,018 106,782
Inventory movements (51,603) 41,471
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment and right-of-use assets 113,429 101,278
Amortisation of intangible assets 1,682 1,197
Royalties 40,871 29,180
Costs of logistics and bunker business 47,254 39,993
Audit and non-audit services 1,694 1,719
Community support donations 6,449 5,800
Write-offs and impairments 235,618 192
Losses on disposal and liquidation of property, plant and equipment 4,695 1,303
US$000 Notes As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Write-off of inventories 247 466
Write-off/(write-back) of property, plant and equipment 3,233 (288)
Write-off of intangible assets 931 -
Write-off of receivables and prepayments 96 14
Total write-offs 4,507 192
Impairment of inventories 10 231,111 -
Total impairments 231,111 -
Total write-offs and impairments 235,618 192
Impairment of inventories for the year ended 31 December 2021 is related to
the stockpiled low-grade ore for which the start of the processing of
low-grade ore and the volume expected to be utilised cannot be reliably
estimated as at the date of the approval of the consolidated financial
statements. Further information is provided in Note 10 Inventories. Write-offs
of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets for the year ended 31
December 2021 is primarily related to the cancellation of the licence for the
Galeschynske project, which is in the exploration phase. Whilst the Group is
focused on returning this licence to its previous state, all capitalised costs
associated with this licence have been written off as the outcome is currently
uncertain. For further information see Note 13 Commitments, contingencies and
legal disputes and the update on the Group's Principal Risks on pages 38 to 40
in terms of the Ukraine country risk.
Auditor remuneration
US$000 Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
Audit services
Ferrexpo plc Annual Report 1,269 1,356
Subsidiary entities 196 213
Total audit services 1,465 1,569
Audit-related assurance services 229 150
Total audit and audit-related assurance services 1,694 1,719
Total auditor remuneration 1,694 1,719
Auditor remuneration paid is in respect of the audit of the financial
statements of the Group and its subsidiary companies and, when applicable, for
the provision of other services not in connection with the audit.
Note 6: Foreign exchange gains and losses
Foreign exchange gains and losses for the year ended 31 December 2021
consisted of the following:
US$000 Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Operating foreign exchange (losses)/gains
Conversion of trade receivables (37,791) 61,948
Conversion of trade payables 38 (538)
Other (55) (387)
Total operating foreign exchange (losses)/gains (37,808) 61,023
Non-operating foreign exchange (losses)/gains
Conversion of interest-bearing loans (3,229) 3,378
Conversion of cash and cash equivalents (181) 2,506
Other 210 (582)
Total non-operating foreign exchange (losses)/gains (3,200) 5,302
Total foreign exchange (losses)/gains (41,008) 66,325
The translation differences and foreign exchange gains and losses are
predominantly dependent on the fluctuation of the exchange rate of the
Ukrainian hryvnia against the US dollar and the outstanding US dollar
denominated receivable balances in Ukraine. During the financial year 2021,
the Ukrainian hryvnia appreciated from 28.275 as at the beginning of the year
to 27.278 as at 31 December 2021 resulting in an operating foreign exchange
loss (2020: depreciation from 23.686 as at the beginning of the year to 28.275
as at 31 December 2020 resulting in an operating foreign exchange gain).
The table below shows the closing and average rates of the most relevant
currencies of the Group compared to the US dollar.
Average exchange rates Closing exchange rates
Against US$ As at As at Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20 31.12.21 31.12.20
UAH 27.286 26.958 27.278 28.275
EUR 0.845 0.877 0.882 0.815
Exchange differences arising on translation of non-US dollar functional
currency operations (mainly in Ukrainian hryvnia) are included in the
translation reserve.
Note 7: Net finance expense
Finance expense and income for the year ended 31 December 2021 consisted of
the following:
US$000 Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Finance expense
Interest expense on loans and borrowings (9,567) (22,381)
Less capitalised borrowing costs 5,343 14,871
Net interest on defined benefit plans (3,211) (3,170)
Bank charges (632) (829)
Interest expense on lease liabilities (474) (443)
Other finance costs (399) (334)
Total finance expense (8,940) (12,286)
Finance income
Interest income 609 497
Other finance income 28 56
Total finance income 637 553
Net finance expense (8,303) (11,733)
Note 8: Taxation
Critical judgements
Tax legislation
The Group operates across a number of jurisdictions through its value chain
and prices its sales between its subsidiaries using international benchmark
prices for comparable products covering product quality and applicable freight
costs. The Group judges these to be on terms which comply with applicable
legislation in the jurisdictions in which the Group operates.
In August 2017, the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine ("SFS") commenced a tax
audit for the period from 1 September 2013 to 31 December 2015 at the Group's
major subsidiary in Ukraine with a focus on cross-border transactions in terms
of its pellet sales to another subsidiary of the Group. Following the
completion of this audit, the SFS issued its official tax audit report on 27
December 2018, claiming a tax adjustment totalling UAH448 million (US$16,423
thousand as at 31 December 2021) and issued the formal claim on 12 March 2019.
The Group's subsidiary initiated legal proceedings and filed a claim to the
first court instance in Poltava on 22 March 2019. The Poltava court of first
instance confirmed on 4 September 2019 the position of the Group's major
subsidiary. The SFS filed its appeal in November 2019 and the Second
Administrative Court of Appeal confirmed on 21 December 2019 the decision of
the first court instance and supported the position of the Group's subsidiary
in full. The SFS subsequently filed an application of cassation to the Supreme
Court of Ukraine. The cassation proceedings commenced in November 2021 and
although several hearings have been held since then, no decision has yet been
made by the Supreme Court of Ukraine. A hearing was scheduled for 28 February
2022, but did not take place due to the Russian invasion into Ukraine on 24
February 2022. Considering the current situation in Ukraine, it is unknown if
and when the next hearing will take place.
On 18 February 2020, the State Tax Service of Ukraine ("STS"), formerly known
as SFS, commenced two new tax audits for cross-border transactions between the
Group's major subsidiary in Ukraine and two subsidiaries of the Group outside
of Ukraine in relation to the sale of iron ore products during the financial
years 2015 to 2017. The audits were halted in March 2020 due to a Covid-19
related quarantine imposed in Ukraine and resumed on 10 February 2021. On 14
June 2021, the STS commenced another tax audit for the financial years 2015 to
2017 for cross-border transactions of another Ukrainian subsidiary with the
same two subsidiaries of the Group outside of Ukraine. Based on legislation in
Ukraine, the results of these audits are to be provided by the STS within 18
months after commencement. As for the claim for cross-border transactions
currently heard in the Supreme Court of Ukraine, the above-mentioned tax
audits are on hold and it is currently unknown if and when these will resume
again.
The Group considers that it has complied with applicable legislation for all
cross-border transactions undertaken and continues to expect that it can
successfully defend its methodology applied to determine the prices between
its subsidiaries. Consequently, no provision has been recorded as at 31
December 2021, neither for the years subject to the aforementioned court
proceedings nor for transactions and years subject to the new audits commenced
by the SFS in Ukraine. As of the approval of these consolidated financial
statements, no claim has been made by the SFS in respect of the newly
commenced audits.
As required by IFRIC 23 Uncertainty over income tax treatments, the Group
reviewed and reassessed its exposure in respect of all uncertain tax
positions, including the ongoing court proceedings and the newly commenced
audits of cross-border transactions in Ukraine under the provisions of this
interpretation. Considering the two favourable court decisions and third party
advice obtained for the financial years 2021, 2020 and 2019, the management of
the Group concluded that it is probable that the Supreme Court of Ukraine will
confirm the decisions from the two lower court instances. It is considered
that, if there are any new claims made by the SFS, the Group will continue to
successfully defend its pricing methodology applied during these years. An
unexpected outcome of the ongoing court proceeding would have an adverse
impact on the Group's total income tax expense and effective tax rate in a
future period.
Separate from the cases mentioned above, on 23 June 2020 FPM received a court
ruling, which grants access to information and documents to the State Bureau
of Investigators in Ukraine ("SBI") in relation to the sale of iron ore
products to two subsidiaries of the Group outside of Ukraine during the years
2013 to 2019. The court ruling relates to pre-trial investigations carried out
by the SBI in relation to potential tax evasion by the Group in Ukraine. At
the time of the approval of these consolidated financial statements, there is
very little information provided in the court ruling in respect to the alleged
offences. There is no quantified claim made by the SBI and the ruling is
primarily seeking disclosure of information in order to allow the SBI to
determine whether there have potentially been any offences. The Ukrainian
subsidiaries cooperated with the SBI and provided the requested information as
per the court ruling in order to support these pre-trial investigations. As of
the date of approval of these consolidated financial statements, there have
been no actions or any new requests received from the SBI.
The Ukrainian legislation and regulations on taxation continued to evolve over
the last number of years. However, they are not always clearly written and are
therefore subject to varying interpretations and inconsistent enforcement by
local, regional and national tax authorities. As a result, instances of
inconsistent interpretations and enforcements to resolve the same or similar
cases are not unusual. See also the Principal Risks section on pages 38 to 40
for further information on the Ukraine country risk.
Except for the matters in Ukraine mentioned above, the Group is not aware of
any significant challenges by local tax authorities in any jurisdictions in
which the Group operates. However, the application of international and local
tax legislation and regulations can be complex and requires judgement to
assess possible associated risks, particularly in relation to the Group's
cross-border operations and transactions.
The income tax expense for the year ended 31 December 2021 consisted of the
following:
US$000 Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Current income tax
Current income tax charge 202,335 111,160
Amounts related to previous years (1,010) (1,203)
Total current income tax 201,325 109,957
Deferred income tax
Origination and reversal of temporary differences (1,343) 2,611
Total deferred income tax (1,343) 2,611
Total income tax expense 199,982 112,568
Tax effects on items recognised in other comprehensive income consisted of the
following for the year ended 31 December 2021:
US$000 Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Tax effect of exchange differences arising on translating foreign operations 3,313 (16,278)
Total income tax effects recognised in other comprehensive (loss)/income 3,313 (16,278)
The weighted average statutory corporate income tax rate is calculated as the
average of the statutory tax rates applicable in the countries in which the
Group operates, weighted by the profits and losses before tax of the
subsidiaries in the respective countries, as included in the consolidated
financial information. The weighted average statutory corporate income tax
rate was 15.5% for the financial year 2021 (2020: 15.1%). A reconciliation
between the income tax charged in the accompanying financial information and
income before taxes multiplied by the weighted average statutory tax rate for
the year ended 31 December 2021 is as follows:
US$000 Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
Profit before tax 1,070,975 747,860
Notional tax charge computed at the weighted average statutory tax rate of 166,330 112,583
15.5% (2020: 15.1%)
Derecognition/(recognition) of deferred tax assets(1) 1,107 2,139
Credit for Ukrainian fuel excise tax against income tax(2) - (1,106)
Expenses not deductible for local tax purposes(3) 42,163 1,046
Income exempted for local tax purposes(4) (238) (1,807)
Effect from utilisation of non-recognised deferred taxes(5) (5,852) -
Effect from capitalised tax loss carry forwards on historic tax losses(5) (1,578) -
Effect from non-recognition of deferred taxes on current year losses(6) - 1,345
Effect of different tax rates on local profit streams(7) (1,131) 779
Prior year adjustments to current tax(8) (1,010) (1,203)
Effect from share of profit from associates(9) (803) (997)
Other (including translation differences) 994 (212)
Total income tax expense 199,982 112,568
(1) The derecognition in 2021 and 2020 is related to deferred tax assets
recognised in 2019 in light of the change of the tax law in Switzerland. The
deferred tax assets recognised were in connection with available transitional
measures for companies losing the special tax status available under the old
tax law. The derecognition is due to the fact that the taxable profits of the
Swiss subsidiaries were lower than forecasted. Whilst the recognition is
considered of a non-recurring nature, the derecognition might recur again
depending on the taxable profits of the Swiss subsidiaries in the future.
(2) Effective 1 January 2018, a temporary provision in the Ukrainian tax
code allowed a reduction in income tax payable for the amount of excise tax
included in prices of fuel used for mining equipment. This provision was still
applied for the financial year 2020, but not for the financial year 2021.
(3) The effect in 2021 predominantly relates to the impairment loss of
US$231,111 thousand on stockpiled low-grade ore recorded in one of the Group's
subsidiaries in Ukraine, which is not deductible. This effect is considered to
be of a non-recurring nature. There are other expenses in Ukraine and the
United Kingdom, which are historically not deductible for tax purposes
according to the enacted local tax legislation and considered to be of a
recurring nature.
(4) The effect in 2020 largely relates to interest income that does not
incur any additional local tax in the United Kingdom due to withholding tax
paid on this interest in Ukraine. This effect is considered to be of a
non-recurring nature.
(5) The effects relate to a subsidiary in Ukraine, for which no deferred
tax asset was recognised for available tax losses at the end of the
comparative year ended 31 December 2020. During the financial year 2021, the
subsidiary became profitable and available tax losses incurred in previous
years were used to offset the profit. As all available losses are either used
or recognised as a deferred tax asset as at 31 December 2021, this effect is
considered to be of a non-recurring nature.
(6) The effect in 2020 relates mainly to a subsidiary in Ukraine. Due to
the uncertainty in respect of the timing of the subsidiary becoming profitable
for local tax purposes, no deferred tax asset has been recognised. This effect
was considered to be of a recurring nature until this subsidiary becomes
operative and profitable.
(7) The effects in 2021 and 2020 relate to different tax rates applying
to different income streams in Swiss subsidiaries as a result of their
specific tax status. The effect is of a recurring nature.
(8) The effects in 2021 and 2020 relate to final tax assessments
received in Switzerland. Similar effects are likely to occur in the future. In
addition to the effect in Switzerland in 2021, included therein is the release
and recognition of provisions, which are expected to be non-recurring.
(9) Share of profit from associates is recognised net of taxes of the
associates. This effect is of a recurring nature.
The Group operates across a number of jurisdictions and its effective tax rate
is subject to various factors outside of the Group's control. This includes
the volatility in the global iron ore pellet market and foreign exchange rate
movements, primarily between the Ukrainian hryvnia and the US dollar. The
effective tax rate of the financial year 2021 was 18.7% (2020: 15.1%). The
increase predominantly relates to an impairment loss in respect of stockpiled
low-grade ore recorded in a subsidiary in Ukraine, which is not tax deductible
in Ukraine. This effect is considered to be of a non-recurring nature and,
without this effect, the effective tax rate for the financial year 2021 would
have been 15.4%.
Following an agreement reached by the Finance Ministers from the G7 in July
2021 backing the creation of a global minimum corporate tax rate of least 15%,
over 140 countries and jurisdictions have agreed to the OECD/G20 Inclusive
Framework on BEPS, also referred to as BEPS 2.0, including Ukraine, United
Arab Emirates and Switzerland. The new framework aims to ensure that large
multinational enterprises pay a fair share of tax wherever they operate and to
set a global minimum tax rate. Earliest possible implementation is on 1
January 2023 and it is expected that implementation in key countries will
commence soon. Whilst some details are still unknown, the United Arab Emirates
and Switzerland announced the adjustment of their local tax legislation by 1
June 2023 and 1 January 2024, respectively, resulting in an increase of the
local corporate tax rate.
Based on the current understanding of the anticipated changes to the global
tax landscape, the Group expects an increase of its future effective tax rate
once adjustments are made to relevant local tax legislation. The Group's
future effective tax rate is expected to be in a range of 15.0% to 19.0%. As
mentioned above, this effective tax rate is also dependent on the volatility
in the global iron ore pellet market and on foreign exchange rate movements,
primarily between the Ukrainian hryvnia and the US dollar.
As mentioned under critical judgements on pages 66 and 67, the Group is
involved in ongoing court proceedings in respect of its cross-border
transactions and an unexpected adverse outcome would have an adverse impact on
the Group's total income tax expense and its effective tax rate in the future.
In addition to the changes in the statutory tax rates, the Group's future
effective tax rate could also be impacted by legislative changes or different
interpretations of the legislation in any of its key jurisdictions. See also
the Principal Risks section on pages 38 to 40 for further information on the
Ukraine country risk.
The net balance of income tax payable changed as follows during the financial
year 2021:
US$000 Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Opening balance (57,132) (21,064)
Charge in the consolidated income statement (201,325) (109,957)
Booked through other comprehensive (loss)/income (3,313) 16,278
Tax paid 227,930 56,571
Translation differences (2,662) 1,040
Closing balance (36,502) (57,132)
The net income tax payable as at 31 December 2021 consisted of the following:
US$000 As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Income tax receivable balance 636 1,351
Income tax payable balance (37,138) (58,483)
Net income tax payable (36,502) (57,132)
Temporary differences at the reporting date between the tax bases of assets
and liabilities and their carrying amounts for financial reporting purposes
and the recognition of available tax loss carry forwards result in the
following deferred income tax assets and liabilities at 31 December 2021:
Consolidated statement of financial position Consolidated income
statement
US$000 As at As at Year ended 31.12.21 Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21 31.12.20
Property, plant and equipment 23,757 21,996 895 (426)
Right-of-use assets 532 425 92 (518)
Intangible assets 5,942 7,447 (1,456) (1,869)
Inventory 478 344 123 (409)
Allowance for restricted cash and deposits 3,837 3,702 - 9
Defined benefit pension liability 537 1,098 (560) 331
Other 1,679 1,203 450 (14)
Tax losses recognised 2,157 499 1,657 134
Total deferred tax assets/change 38,919 36,714 1,201 (2,762)
Thereof netted against deferred tax liabilities (5,973) (6,140)
Total deferred tax assets as per the statement of financial position 32,946 30,574
Property, plant and equipment (559) (600) 33 (64)
Intangible assets (470) − (472) −
Financial assets (4,133) (4,422) 289 (86)
Lease obligations (590) (519) (53) 488
Other (362) (700) 345 (187)
Total deferred tax liabilities/change (6,114) (6,241) 142 151
Thereof netted against deferred tax assets 5,973 6,140
Total deferred tax liabilities as per the statement of financial position (141) (101)
Net deferred tax assets/net change 32,805 30,473 1,343 (2,611)
The movement in the deferred income tax balance is as follows:
US$000 Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
Opening balance 30,473 38,468
Charge in consolidated income statement 1,343 (2,611)
Translation differences 989 (5,384)
Closing balance 32,805 30,473
The increase of the deferred tax assets as at 31 December 2021 is primarily
related to the recognition of available tax losses for a Ukrainian subsidiary
that started to trade and generate taxable profits in 2021. At current prices
for iron ore pellets, it is expected that the entire balance of available tax
losses from previous years will be utilised during the financial year 2022.
Other movements, which impacted the net deferred tax assets though not
necessarily the income tax expense, related to foreign exchange movements and
a reclassification from current to deferred taxes.
As at 31 December 2021, the Group had available tax loss carry forwards in the
amount of US$78,188 thousand (2020: US$116,076 thousand) for which no deferred
tax assets were recognised. US$44,591 thousand (2020: US$82,100 thousand) are
related to losses incurred in Ukraine and Austria and those losses do not
expire. The remaining balance totalling US$33,598 thousand (2020: US$33,913
thousand) relates to losses incurred in Hungary, of which US$19,545 thousand
(2020: US$22,407 thousand) expire after more than eight years.
No deferred tax liabilities have been recognised on temporary differences in
the amount of US$1,282,355 thousand (2020: US$1,001,311 thousand) arising from
undistributed profits from subsidiaries as no distributions are planned. Other
temporary differences of US$7,765 thousand have not been recognised as of 31
December 2021 (2020: US$5,489 thousand), of which the vast majority relates to
temporary differences on property, plant and equipment in Ukraine.
Non-adjusting post balance sheet event
On 24 February 2022, Russia began its invasion into Ukraine using direct
military force and this has led to an intense armed conflict in Ukraine,
which, as at the date of the approval of these consolidated financial
statements, is still ongoing. This event is treated as a non-adjusting post
balance sheet event and therefore does not affect the carrying value of the
Group's assets and liabilities as at 31 December 2021. However, as a result of
the uncertainties caused by the war, the recoverability of the recognised
deferred tax assets will have to be re-assessed when the Group is preparing
its interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the six months
period ended 30 June 2022. Note 15 Events after the reporting period provides
further information on the possible financial impact.
Note 9: Earnings per share and dividends paid and proposed
Distributable reserves
Ferrexpo plc (the "Company") is the Group's holding company, with no direct
operating business, so its ability to make distributions to its shareholders
is dependent on its ability to access profits held in the subsidiaries. The
Group's consolidated retained earnings shown in the consolidated statement of
changes in equity do not reflect the profits available for distribution in the
Group as of 31 December 2021.
Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
Earnings for the year attributable to equity shareholders - per share in US
cents
Basic 148.2 108.1
Diluted 147.9 107.9
Profit for the year attributable to equity shareholders - US$000
Basic and diluted earnings 870,993 635,292
Weighted average number of shares - thousands
Basic number of Ordinary Shares outstanding 587,699 587,496
Effect of dilutive potential Ordinary Shares 1,028 1,510
Diluted number of Ordinary Shares outstanding 588,727 589,006
Dividends proposed and paid
Prior to the dividend proposed below and taking into account the provisions of
the Companies Act 2006 and relevant thin capitalisation rules, the total
available distributable reserves of Ferrexpo plc is US$170,800 thousand as of
31 December 2021 (2020: US$317,646 thousand).
US$000 Year ended
31.12.21
Dividends proposed
Interim dividend for 2021: 6.6 US cents per Ordinary Share 38,788
Total dividends proposed 38,788
The interim dividend for 2021 was declared on 22 December 2021 and paid on 28 Year ended
January 2022.US$000
31.12.21
Dividends paid during the year
Interim dividend for 2021: 39.6 US cents per Ordinary Share 231,011
Final dividend for 2020: 13.2 US cents per Ordinary Share 77,890
Special interim dividend for 2020: 39.6 US cents per Ordinary Share 233,097
Special interim dividend for 2020: 13.2 US cents per Ordinary Share 77,379
Total dividends paid during the year 619,377
Although accounts are published in US dollars and dividends are declared in US
dollars, the shares are denominated in UK pounds sterling and dividends are
therefore paid in UK pounds sterling.
Companies Acts requirements in respect of dividend payments
During the financial year 2021, the Directors became aware of a technical
issue in respect of the interim dividend declared on 4 August 2021 and,
following investigations of the issue, of technical issues in respect of
dividend payments made by the Company in 2010 and 2011. A circular to
shareholders to convene a general meeting seeking to ratify the relevant
distributions and authorise the Company to enter into relevant release
agreements and giving more information about the relevant distributions will
be sent to shareholders shortly.
US$000 Year ended
31.12.20
Dividends proposed
Special interim dividend for 2020: 39.6 US cents per Ordinary Share 232,729
Special interim dividend for 2020: 13.2 US cents per Ordinary Share 77,576
Total dividends proposed 310,305
The special interim dividend for 2020 was declared on 5 January 2021 and paid
on 28 January 2021.
US$000 Year ended 31.12.20
Dividends paid during the year
Special interim dividend for 2020: 6.6 US cents per Ordinary Share 39,004
Interim dividend for 2020: 6.6 US cents per Ordinary Share 38,796
Interim dividend for 2020: 6.6 US cents per Ordinary Share 39,177
Final dividend for 2019: 3.3 US cents per Ordinary Share 20,050
Special final dividend for 2019: 3.3 US cents per Ordinary Share 19,458
Special interim dividend for 2019: 6.6 US cents per Ordinary Share 38,961
Total dividends paid during the year 195,446
Note 10: Inventories
Critical estimates
Low-grade and weathered ore
Iron ore of various grades is being extracted at the Group's two operating
mines GPL and Yerystivske. In order to maximise the operational efficiency and
output of the processing facility at FPM, management determines the optimal
mix and grade of ore to be delivered to the processing facility from each mine
under consideration of the market environment for iron ore pellets. As a
result, ore of a lower iron content was stockpiled due to limited processing
capacities during the last financial years.
As at 31 December 2021, the stockpiled ore valued at cost totalled US$8,414
thousand (2020: US$213,685 thousand). The decrease compared to the comparative
year is due to an impairment loss of US$231,111 thousand recorded as at 31
December 2021 in respect of the stockpiled low-grade ore. The balance of
US$8,414 thousand relates to weathered ore, which is not expected to be
processed within the next 12 months.
The processing of the stockpiled ore is dependent on the availability of
additional processing capabilities. It was the Group's intention to ramp up
the processing of the stockpiled low-grade ore once additional processing
capabilities became available. Whilst additional processing capabilities were
commissioned in the second half of 2020, operational difficulties were
experienced during the financial year 2021 as the new facility did not deliver
the expected and required capacities. Because of this and in light of changed
customer demand for additional high quality iron ore and the continued high
price environment for iron ore pellets, management decided during the
financial year 2021 to postpone the processing of the low-grade ore in order
to maximise the financial benefits from the prevailing market conditions.
Following the approval of a growth project by the Board in October 2021,
management has had to revisit its mining and processing plans and strategies
as the growth project requires significant higher volumes of high-grade ore in
order to meet future production needs for the current market expectations.
Further to that, because of the recent focus on the decarbonisation challenges
facing the global steel industry, there has been a significant increase in the
demand for high quality products in the second half of the financial year
2021, such as direct reduction pellets, which cannot be produced by feeding
low-grade ore into the Group's current processing facilities. As a
consequence, management is exploring a further expansion of its processing
capabilities to be in the position to process the low-grade ore using a
facility built for this specific purpose.
As at the date of the approval of the consolidated financial statements, it
cannot be reliably predicted when the additional processing capabilities will
be available and the unknown timing of processing of the stockpiled low-grade
ore was considered in the net realisable value test performed. Whilst the
stockpiled low-grade ore is considered as an asset for the Group, the changed
circumstances have resulted in a full impairment of the stockpiled low-grade
ore totalling US$231,111 thousand.
The most critical estimate in determining the net realisable value of
low-grade ore as at 31 December 2021 is the fact that the start of processing
of low-grade ore and the volume expected to be utilised cannot be reliably
estimated as at the date of the approval of these consolidated financial
statements. Further critical estimates are a WACC-based pre-tax discount rate
of 13.8% and an average forecasted long-term iron ore prices of US$104 per
tonne of 65% Fe fines CFR North China.
Some or all of this impairment loss might reverse in the future, once changed
facts and circumstances can be considered in the net realisable value test of
this asset. It is the Group's intention to accelerate the currently ongoing
engineering studies exploring the option of new processing capabilities for
the specific purpose of processing low-grade ore. Depending upon the outcome
of the engineering studies, the Group may move the project forward. Inclusion
of the additional processing facilities in a future net realisable value test
is subject to completion of full technical feasibility study, financial
budgets and Board approval relating to the construction and operation of these
new processing capabilities. In the best case, the new processing capabilities
could be available during the financial year 2029. Assuming the start of the
processing of the currently stockpiled low-grade ore in 2029 and an
utilisation of approximately 11,500 thousand tonnes per year, the impairment
loss of US$231,111 thousand recorded as at 31 December 2021 would be
approximately US$167,200 thousand lower, all other assumptions unchanged.
At 31 December 2021, inventories comprised:
US$000 As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Raw materials and consumables 57,575 38,286
Spare parts 80,886 76,565
Finished ore pellets 48,058 17,699
Work in progress 13,496 9,679
Other 2,384 2,376
Total inventories - current 202,399 144,605
Low-grade and weathered ore 8,414 213,685
Total inventories - non-current 8,414 213,685
Total inventories 210,813 358,290
Inventories classified as non-current comprise low-grade and weathered ore
that are, based on the Group's current processing plans, not planned to be
processed within the next 12 months. The processing of this stockpile will
take more than 12 months and the beginning and duration of the processing
depend on the Group's future mining activities, processing capabilities and
anticipated market conditions.
The balance of low-grade and weathered ore is net of an impairment loss of
US$231,111 thousand recorded as at 31 December 2021 in respect of the
stockpiled low-grade ore. See further information on critical estimates on the
previous page.
Note 11: Cash and cash equivalents
As at 31 December 2021, cash and cash equivalents comprised:
US$000 As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Cash at bank and on hand 158,052 270,006
Cash equivalents 9,239 −
Total cash and cash equivalents 167,291 270,006
The Group made debt repayments net of proceeds of US$221,188 thousand during
the year ended 31 December 2021 (2020: US$148,328 thousand) affecting the
balance of cash and cash equivalents. Further information on the Group's gross
debt is provided in Note 12 Interest-bearing loans and borrowings.
The balance of cash and cash equivalents held in Ukraine amounts to US$52,326
thousand as at 31 December 2021 (2020: US$33,058 thousand).
Cash equivalents as at 31 December 2021 relate to cash deposits for letters of
credit available within three months from the date of inception of the letters
of credit. Cash deposits available only after three months are classified as
other current assets.
Note 12: Interest-bearing loans and borrowings
This note provides information about the contractual terms of the Group's
major finance facilities.
US$000 As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Current
Syndicated bank loans - secured − 128,333
Other bank loans - unsecured − 764
Lease liabilities 6,060 5,252
Trade finance facilities 42,146 −
Total current interest-bearing loans and borrowings 48,206 134,349
Non-current
Syndicated bank loans - secured − 128,333
Lease liabilities 2,143 3,796
Total non-current interest-bearing loans and borrowings 2,143 132,129
Total interest-bearing loans and borrowings 50,349 266,478
Following two further quarterly amortisations and the cancellation of advance
prepayments of US$60,000 thousand of the Group's syndicated revolving
pre-export facility (the "facility") earlier in 2021, the remaining
outstanding amount of US$140,000 thousand was fully repaid on 30 June 2021 and
the facility was subsequently cancelled. The facility agreement was signed in
2018 and repayment was scheduled to take place in quarterly instalments
between 2020 and 2022.
As at the end of the comparative year ended 31 December 2020, the outstanding
amount of the facility was US$256,666 thousand.
The aforementioned bank debt facility was guaranteed and secured as follows:
· Ferrexpo AG and Ferrexpo Middle East FZE, which are also joint
borrowers, assigned the rights to revenue from certain sales contracts;
· PJSC Ferrexpo Poltava Mining assigned all of its rights of
certain export contracts for the sale of pellets to Ferrexpo AG and Ferrexpo
Middle East FZE; and
· the Group pledged bank accounts of Ferrexpo AG and Ferrexpo
Middle East FZE into which sales proceeds from certain assigned sales
contracts are exclusively received.
As at 31 December 2021, the Group has uncommitted trade finance facilities in
the amount of US$140,000 thousand of which US$42,146 thousand were drawn,
compared to a total and undrawn US$80,000 thousand as at the end of the
comparative year ended 31 December 2020.
Trade finance facilities are secured against receivable balances related to
these specific trades.
Arrangement fees for the aforementioned syndicated revolving pre-export
facility were presented as prepayments in current assets and other non-current
assets based on the maturity of the underlying facility and were amortised on
a straight-line basis over the term of the facility. Following the
cancellation of the facility, the associated arrangement fees were amortised
in full.
The table below shows the movements in the interest-bearing loans and
borrowings:
US$000 Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Opening balance of interest-bearing loans and borrowings 266,478 412,378
Cash movements:
Repayments of syndicated bank loans - secured (256,666) (143,333)
Repayments of other bank loans - unsecured (764) (1,570)
Principal and interest elements of lease payments (5,904) (3,425)
Change of trade finance facilities, net 42,146 −
Total cash movements (221,188) (148,328)
Non-cash movements:
Amortisation of prepaid arrangement fees 4 39
Additions to lease liabilities 4,506 2,589
Others (incl. translation differences) 549 (200)
Total non-cash movements 5,059 2,428
Closing balance of interest-bearing loans and borrowings 50,349 266,478
The interest elements of lease payments are included in the cash flows from
operating activities and not in the cash flows used in financing activities.
Note 13: Commitments, contingencies and legal disputes
Commitments
Commitments as at 31 December 2021 consisted of the following:
US$000 Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
Total commitments for the lease of mining land (out of the scope of IFRS 16) 57,665 30,874
Total capital commitments on purchase of property, plant and equipment 191,412 57,526
Commitments for investment in a joint venture 6,064 6,064
Critical judgements
Loan relationship between related parties of the Group
As disclosed in the 2020 Annual Report and Accounts, the Board, acting through
the Committee of Independent Directors (the "CID"), conducted during the
financial year 2020 a review in connection with the Group's sponsorship
arrangements with FC Vorskla and concluded its enquiry in March 2021. See Note
30 Commitments, contingencies and legal disputes in the 2020 Annual Report and
Accounts for detailed information.
Legal
In the ordinary course of business, the Group is subject to various legal
actions and ongoing court proceedings. There is a risk that the independence
of the judicial system and its immunity from economic and political influences
in Ukraine is not upheld, consequently Ukrainian legislation might be
inconsistently applied to resolve the same or similar disputes. See also the
Principal Risks section on pages 38 to 40 for further information on the
Ukraine country risk.
Share dispute
On 23 November 2020, the Kyiv Commercial Court opened court proceedings in
relation to an old shareholder litigation. In 2005, a former shareholder in
PJSC Ferrexpo Poltava Mining ("FPM") brought proceedings in the Ukrainian
courts seeking to invalidate the share sale and purchase agreement pursuant to
which a 40.19% stake in FPM was sold to nominee companies that were previously
ultimately controlled by Kostyantin Zhevago, amongst other parties. After a
long period of litigations, all old claims were fully dismissed in 2015. In
January 2021, Ferrexpo AG ("FAG") received a claim from a former shareholder
in FPM to invalidate part of the share sale and purchase agreement concluded
in 2002 related to the sale of a 9.32% shareholding in FPM. Following the
receipt of the claim, FAG, as the parent company of FPM, filed on 27 January
2021 its statement of defence to the court in response.
In February 2021, after the first hearing of the Kyiv Commercial Court on this
case, FAG became aware that three new claims had been filed by three other
former shareholders in FPM. Taken together, four claimants seek to invalidate
the share sale and purchase agreement concluded in 2002 pursuant to which a
40.19% stake in FPM was sold, similarly to the previous claims made back in
2005. FAG filed on 5 March 2021 its statements of defence to the court in
response to these new claims. The Kyiv Commercial Court ruled on 27 May 2021
in favour of FAG. The opposing parties filed in June 2021 their appeals. The
Northern Commercial Court of Appeal has opened the appeal proceedings and
several hearings have been held since then without a court decision made.
Considering the current situation in Ukraine, it is unknown if and when the
next hearing will take place. The date of the next hearing is not yet known.
Based on legal advice obtained and considering the dismissal of the claims
made by a former shareholder in FPM back in 2015, it is management's view that
FAG has compelling arguments to defend its position in the court.
Royalty-related investigation and claim
On 3 February 2022, PJSC Ferrexpo Poltava Mining ("FPM") and Ferrexpo
Yeristovo Mining LLC ("FYM") received letters from the Office of Prosecutor
General notifying about ongoing investigation on potential underpayment of
iron ore royalty payments during the years 2018 to 2021. The amount of
underpayment is not specified in the letters. As part of the investigation,
the Office of Prosecutor General requested documents related to iron ore
royalty payments and requested four representatives of the Group's
subsidiaries to appear as witnesses for investigations. The Group's
subsidiaries are collecting the necessary documents and intend to comply with
all lawful requests in this investigation. However, due to the current
situation in Ukraine, the status and further development of the initiated
investigation is unknown.
On 8 February 2022, FPM received a tax audit report, which claims the
underpayment of iron ore royalty payments during the period from April 2017 to
June 2021 in the amount of approximately UAH1,042,000 thousand (approximately
US$38,200 thousand as at 31 December 2021). The Group provided its objections
to the claims made in the tax audit report and it was expected that this case
will ultimately be heard by the courts in Ukraine in due course. However, due
to the current situation in Ukraine, it is unknown if and when a first hearing
will take place in respect of the claim received and how the aforementioned
investigation is going to further develop.
Based on legal advice obtained, it is management's view that FPM has
compelling arguments to defend its position in the court and, as a
consequence, no associated liabilities have been recognised in relation to the
claim made in the consolidated statement of financial position as of 31
December 2021.
Ecological claims
In September 2021, the State Ecological Inspection carried out an inspection
of Ferrexpo Yeristovo Mining LLC ("FYM") and on 1 October 2021 issued an order
to remove a number of alleged violations of environmental rules. On 19 October
2021, FYM received two ecological claims from the State Ecological Inspection.
One of the claims was related to an allegation of violation of rules regarding
removal of soil on a particular land plot and the State Ecological Inspection
requested payment for damages of approximately UAH768 million (US$28,155
thousand). The other claim was related to an allegation of absence of
documents for disposal of waste on a particular land plot and the State
Ecological Inspection requested payment for damages in the amount of
approximately UAH18 million (US$660 thousand). Each claim states that if FYM
does not voluntarily pay the damages, the State Ecological Inspection will
start court proceedings. In November 2021, FYM sent written objections to
these claims to the State Ecological Inspection. The State Ecological
Inspection has neither responded to FYM's objections nor filed the claims to
the court within a reasonable period by February 2022. In February 2022, FYM
has therefore filed a lawsuit to the court. The Kremenchuk District
Prosecutor's Office is conducting the investigation in connection with alleged
violations of environmental rules. Due to the current situation in Ukraine, it
is not clear if and when a first hearing will take place.
Based on legal advice obtained, it is management's view that FYM has
compelling arguments to defend its position in the court and, as a
consequence, no associated liabilities have been recognised in relation to
these matters in the consolidated statement of financial position as of 31
December 2021.
Cancellation of licence for Galeschynske deposit
On 24 June 2021, an Order of the President of Ukraine was published on the
official website of the President (the "Order"), which enacted the Decision of
the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine on the application of
personal special economic and other restrictive measures and sanctions (the
"Decision"). Ferrexpo Belanovo Mining ("FBM") is included in the list of legal
entities which are subject to sanctions pursuant to the Decision. The Order
and the Decision do not provide any legal ground for the application of
sanctions. The sanction imposed on FBM is the cancellation of the mining
licence for the Galeschynske deposit, which is one of two licences held by
FBM. The Galeschynske deposit is a project in the exploration phase that is
situated to the north of the Group's active mining operations.
Note 14: Related party disclosures
During the years presented, the Group entered into arm's length transactions
with entities under the common control of Kostyantin Zhevago, a controlling
shareholder of Ferrexpo plc, with associated companies and with other related
parties. Management considers that the Group has appropriate procedures in
place to identify, control, properly disclose and obtain independent
confirmation, when relevant, for transactions with the related parties.
Entities under common control are those under the control of Kostyantin
Zhevago. Associated companies refer to TIS Ruda LLC, in which the Group holds
an interest of 49.9% (2020: 49.9%). This is the only associated company of the
Group.
Related party transactions entered into by the Group during the years
presented are summarised in the following tables:
Revenue, expenses, finance income and expense
Year ended 31.12.21 Year ended 31.12.20
US$000 Entities Associated companies Other Entities Associated companies Other
under common control related under common control related
parties parties
Other sales (a) 657 - 9 323 - 7
Total related party transactions within revenue 657 - 9 323 - 7
Materials and services (b) 8,334 - - 6,299 - -
Spare parts and consumables (c) 6,350 - - 3,063 - -
Other expenses (d) 2,172 - - 524 - -
Total related party transactions within cost of sales 16,856 - - 9,886 - -
Selling and distribution expenses (e) 4,876 18,139 - 4,552 19,073 -
General and administration expenses (f) 1,762 - 524 1,747 - 482
Finance expense 20 - - 25 - -
Total related party transactions within expenses 23,514 18,139 524 16,210 19,073 482
Other income 2 - - 21 - -
Total related party transactions 24,173 18,139 533 16,554 19,073 489
· A description of the most material transactions, which are in
aggregate over US$200 thousand in the current or comparative year, is given
below.
Entities under common control
· The Group entered into various related party transactions with
entities under common control. All transactions were carried out on an arm's
length basis in the normal course of business.
a Sales of scrap metal to OJSC Uzhgorodsky Turbogas totalling US$437
thousand (2020: US$157 thousand); and
a Sales of electricity to Kislorod PPC for US$209 thousand (2020: US$140
thousand).
b Purchases of oxygen, scrap metal and services from Kislorod PCC for
US$1,533 thousand (2020: US$2,060 thousand);
b Purchases of cast iron balls from OJSC Uzhgorodsky Turbogas for US$5,700
thousand (2020: US$4,191 thousand); and
b Purchase of maintenance and construction services from FZ Solutions LLC
(formerly OJSC Berdichev Machine-Building Plant Progress) for US$1,024
thousand (2020: nil).
c Purchases of spare parts from OJSC AvtoKraz Holding in the amount of
US$1,983 thousand (2020: US$446 thousand);
c Purchases of spare parts from CJSC Kyiv Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
Plant ("KSRSSZ") in the amount of US$837 thousand (2020: US$656 thousand);
c Purchases of spare parts from OJSC Uzhgorodsky Turbogas in the amount of
US$1,032 thousand (2020: US$675 thousand);
c Purchases of spare parts from FZ Solutions LLC (formerly OJSC Berdichev
Machine-Building Plant Progress) of US$719 thousand (2020: US$353 thousand);
and
c Purchases of spare parts from Valsa GTV of US$1,735 thousand (2020:
US$878 thousand).
d Insurance premiums of US$2,172 thousand (2020: US$524 thousand) paid to
ASK Omega for insurance cover in respect of mining equipment and machinery.
The increase in insurance premiums during the financial year 2022 is due to
the increase in the insurance coverage of the insured equipment.
e Purchases of advertisement, marketing and general public relations
services from FC Vorskla of US$4,875 thousand (2020: US$4,552 thousand). See
page 75 in respect of a loan relationship between FC Vorskla and another
related party.
f Insurance premiums of US$1,341 thousand (2020: US$1,365 thousand) paid
to ASK Omega for workmen's insurance and other insurances; and
f Purchase of marketing services from TV & Radio Company of US$243
thousand (2020: US$237 thousand).
Associated companies
· The Group entered into related party transactions with its
associated company, TIS Ruda LLC, which were carried out on an arm's length
basis in the normal course of business for the members of the Group.
e Purchases of logistics services in the amount of US$18,139 thousand
(2020: US$19,073 thousand) relating to port operations, including port
charges, handling costs, agent commissions and storage costs.
Other related parties
· The Group entered into various transactions with related parties
other than those under the control of a controlling shareholder of Ferrexpo
plc. All transactions were carried out on an arm's length basis in the normal
course of business.
f Legal and administrative services in the amount of US$506 thousand
(2020: US$471 thousand) provided by Kuoni Attorneys at Law Ltd., which is
controlled by a member of the Board of Directors of one of the subsidiaries of
the Group. The Directors' fees paid totalled US$100 thousand for the financial
year 2021 (2020: US$100 thousand).
Purchases of property, plant and equipment
The table below details the transactions of a capital nature, which were
undertaken between Group companies and entities under common control,
associated companies and other related parties during the years presented.
Year ended 31.12.21 Year ended 31.12.20
US$000 Entities Associated companies Other Entities Associated companies Other
under common control related under related
parties common parties
control
Purchases in the ordinary course of business 552 - - 2,247 - -
Total purchases of property, plant and equipment 552 - - 2,247 - -
· During the year ended 31 December 2021, the Group purchased major
spare parts and equipment from FZ Solutions LLC (formerly OJSC Berdichev
Machine-Building Plant Progress) totalling US$283 thousand in respect of its
regular sustaining capital expenditure programmes (2020: US$1,719 thousand).
The Group also procured equipment and materials from CJSC Kyiv Shipbuilding
and Ship Repair Plant ("KSRSSZ") totalling US$235 thousand for several ongoing
projects on its processing facilities (2020: US$510 thousand).
· The FPM Charity Fund owns 75% of the Sport & Recreation Centre
("SRC") in Horishni Plavni and made contributions totalling US$120 thousand
during the year ended 31 December 2021 (2020: US$115 thousand) for the
construction and maintenance of the building, including costs related to
electricity, gas and water consumption. The remaining stake of 25% is owned by
JSC F&C Realty, which is under the control of Kostyantin Zhevago.
Balances with related parties
The outstanding balances, as a result of transactions with related parties,
for the years presented are shown in the table below:
As at 31.12.21 As at 31.12.20
US$000 Entities Associated companies Other Entities Associated companies Other
under common control related under common control related parties
parties
Prepayments for property, plant and equipment (g) 8,463 - - 133 - -
Total non-current assets 8,463 - - 133 - -
Trade and other receivables (h) 101 4,181 1 96 4,473 1
Prepayments and other current assets (i) 2,076 - - 1,390 - -
Total current assets 2,177 4,181 1 1,486 4,473 1
Trade and other payables( )(j) 732 489 - 462 2 86
Accrued and contract liabilities - - - 71 - -
Total current liabilities 732 489 - 533 2 86
A description of the balances over US$200 thousand in the current or
comparative year is given below.
· Entities under common control
g Prepayments for property, plant and equipment totalling US$8,422
thousand were made to FZ Solutions LLC (formerly OJSC Berdichev
Machine-Building Plant Progress) in relation to the ongoing update of pellet
lines and work on the concentrate stockyard. No such prepayments were made at
the end of the comparative year ended 31 December 2020.
h Prepayments and other current assets totalling US$1,123 thousand related
to insurance premiums from ASK Omega (2020: US$1,053 thousand); and
i Prepayments and other current assets totalling US$572 thousand related
to spare parts from FZ Solutions LLC (formerly OJSC Berdichev Machine-Building
Plant Progress) (2020: US$279 thousand).
j Trade and other payables included US$221 thousand (2020: US$195
thousand) related to the purchase of oxygen, scrap metal and services from
Kislorod PCC and US$295 thousand (2020: US$191 thousand) related to the
purchase of spare parts and services from FZ Solutions LLC (formerly OJSC
Berdichev Machine-Building Plant Progress).
Associated companies
h Trade and other receivables included US$4,181 thousand (2020: US$4,473
thousand) related to dividends declared by TIS Ruda LLC.
j Trade and other payables included US$489 thousand (2020: US$2
thousand) related to purchases of logistics services from TIS Ruda LLC.
Note 15: Events after the reporting period
On 24 February 2022, Russia began its invasion into Ukraine using direct
military force and this has led to an intense armed conflict in Ukraine, which
is, as at the date of the approval of these consolidated financial statements,
still ongoing. To date, this action has resulted in significant loss of life
and the destruction of key infrastructure in a number of regions across
Ukraine, but not in close proximity of the Group's mines and processing plant.
Military activities to date, however, have impacted the Group's logistics
network, with operations at the port of Pivdennyi in southwest Ukraine
formally halted by the port authorities, as announced by the Group on 25
February 2022. The armed conflict in Ukraine continues to pose a threat to the
Group's mining, processing and logistics operations within Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine remains uncertain and unpredictable. As at the date
of the approval of these consolidated financial statements, the Group's
operations, located adjacent to the city of Horishni Plavni, have not been
involved in the conflict, but this remains a risk. Should the area surrounding
the Group's operations become the focal point of the armed conflict, there
would be a significant risk posed to the safety of the Group's workforce and
the local community, as well as a significant risk to key assets and the
infrastructure required for the Group to operate effectively. See the
Principal Risks section on pages 37 and 38 for further information.
Critical judgements
The Russian invasion into Ukraine is treated as a non-adjusting post balance
sheet event and therefore does not affect the carrying value of the Group's
assets and liabilities as at 31 December 2021. This event however poses a
material uncertainty in respect of the Group's going concern assessment (see
Note 2 Basis of preparation for further details). The Group adjusted its
long-term model to reflect the lower sales volume caused by the unavailable
seaborne sales to its customers. The anticipated lower sales volume will have
an adverse effect on the Group's cash flow generation, which would in turn
negatively impact the carrying value of the Group's non-current assets in
future periods. Based on the base case of the Group's long-term model, the
Group's single cash generating unit's assets, including plant, property and
equipment, and goodwill and other intangibles, may become subject to an
impairment loss of approximately US$190,000 thousand using assumptions for
iron ore prices, production costs as well as production and sales volumes,
which are consistent with the conditions experienced after the balance sheet
date and up until the date of approval of these financial statements. The
impairment loss will, however, depend on a number of factors that will only be
known to the Group as at this point of time. As a result of the remaining
material uncertainty outside of the Group's control in terms of potential
disruption to the supply of key consumables, such as natural gas, electricity
and diesel fuel, and equipment in the future and a further interruption to the
Group's logistics network currently available, the Group also prepared stress
tests with more severe adverse changes, such as a ceasing of its production
for 3, 6 and 18 months. Under these stress test scenarios, the impairment loss
may increase to an amount between US$320,000 thousand and US$400,000 thousand,
again depending on circumstances and macro-economic data, which will only be
known to the Group as at the point of time of the preparation of its interim
condensed consolidated financial statements for the six month period ended 30
June 2022. In addition to the potential financial impact on the Group's
non-current assets in the future and as disclosed in Note 8 Taxation, the
recoverability of the recognised deferred tax assets will be re-assessed when
the Group is preparing its interim condensed consolidated financial statements
for the six month period ended 30 June 2022.
Other than the event disclosed above, there are no material adjusting or
non-adjusting events that have occurred subsequent to the year end.
Alternative Performance Measures
When assessing and discussing the Group's reported financial performance,
financial position and cash flows, management may make reference to
Alternative Performance Measures ("APMs") that are not defined or specified
under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRSs").
APMs are not uniformly defined by all companies, including those in the
Group's industry. Accordingly, the APMs used by the Group may not be
comparable with similarly titled measures and disclosures made by other
companies. APMs should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute
for or as superior to, measures of financial performance, financial position
or cash flows reported in accordance with IFRSs.
Ferrexpo makes reference to the following APMs in this statement.
C1 cash cost of production
Definition: Non-financial measure, which represents the cash cost of
production of iron pellets from own ore divided by production volume of own
production ore. Non-C1 cost components include non-cash costs such as
depreciation, inventory movements and costs of purchased ore and concentrate.
The Group presents the C1 cash cost of production because it believes it is a
useful operational measure of its cost competitiveness compared to its peer
group.
US$000 Notes Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
C1 cash costs 626,561 466,013
Non-C1 cost components 71,339 116,783
Inventories recognised as an expense upon sale of goods 5 697,900 582,796
Own ore produced (tonnes) 11,220,260 11,217,926
C1 cash cost per tonne (US$) 55.8 41.5
Underlying EBITDA
Definition: The Group calculates the underlying EBITDA as profit before tax
and finance plus depreciation and amortisation, net gains and losses from
disposal of investments and property, plant and equipment, share-based
payments and write-offs and impairment losses. The underlying EBITDA is
presented because it is a useful measure for evaluating the Group's ability to
generate cash and its operating performance. See Note 3 Segment information to
the consolidated financial statements for further details.
Closest equivalent IFRSs measure: Profit before tax and finance.
Rationale for adjustment: The Group presents the underlying EBITDA as it is a
useful measure for evaluating its ability to generate cash and its operating
performance. Also it aids comparability across peer groups as it is a
measurement that is often used.
Reconciliation to closest IFRSs equivalent:
US$000 Notes Year ended Year ended 31.12.20
31.12.21
Underlying EBITDA 1,438,759 858,552
Losses on disposal and liquidation of property, plant and equipment 5 (4,695) (1,303)
Share-based payments (856) (291)
Write-offs and impairments 5 (235,618) (192)
Depreciation and amortisation (115,112) (102,475)
Profit before tax and finance 1,082,478 754,291
Diluted earnings per share
Definition: Earnings per share calculated using the diluted number of Ordinary
Shares outstanding.
Closest equivalent IFRSs measure: Diluted earnings per share.
Rationale for adjustment: Excludes the impact of special items that can mask
underlying changes in performance.
Reconciliation to closest IFRSs equivalent:
Year ended Year ended
31.12.21 31.12.20
Earnings for the year attributable to equity shareholders - per share in US
cents
Basic 148.2 108.1
Diluted 147.9 107.9
Net cash/(debt)
Definition: Cash and cash equivalents net of interest-bearing loans and
borrowings.
Closest equivalent IFRSs measure: Cash and cash equivalents.
Rationale for adjustment: Net cash/(debt) is a measurement of the strength of
the Group's balance sheet. It is presented as it is a useful measure to
evaluate the Group's financial liquidity.
Reconciliation to closest IFRS equivalent:
US$000 Notes As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Cash and cash equivalents 11 167,291 270,006
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings - current 12 (48,206) (134,349)
Interest-bearing loans and borrowings - non-current 12 (2,143) (132,129)
Net cash 116,942 3,528
Capital investment
Definition: Capital expenditure for the purchase of property, plant and
equipment and intangible assets.
Closest equivalent IFRSs measure: Purchase of property, plant and equipment
and intangible assets (net cash flows used in investing activities).
Rationale for adjustment: The Group presents the capital investment as it is a
useful measure for evaluating the degree of capital invested in its business
operations.
Reconciliation to closest IFRSs equivalent:
US$000 As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Purchase of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets (net cash 360,869 205,779
flows used in investing activities)
Total liquidity
Definition: Sum of cash and cash equivalents, available committed facilities
and undrawn uncommitted facilities. Committed facilities at the end of the
comparative year ended 31 December 2020 include the Group's syndicated
revolving pre-export finance facility, while uncommitted facilities include
trade finance facilities secured against receivable balances related to these
specific trades. See Note 12 Interest-bearing loans and borrowings for further
information.
Closest equivalent IFRSs measure: Cash and cash equivalents.
Rationale for adjustment: The Group presents total liquidity as it is a useful
measure for evaluating its ability to meet short-term business requirements.
Reconciliation to closest IFRSs equivalent:
US$000 Notes As at As at
31.12.21 31.12.20
Cash and cash equivalents 11 167,291 270,006
Available committed facilities - 10,000
Undrawn uncommitted facilities 97,854 80,000
Total liquidity 265,145 360,006
1 (#_ftnref1) Source: S&P Platts.
(A) Alternative Performance Measures. See pages 80 to 81 for more information.
2 (#_ftnref2) Source: S&P Platts.
3 (#_ftnref3) Source: Baltic Exchange.
4 (#_ftnref4) As of 21 April 2022.
5 (#_ftnref5) Visual Capitalist (link
(https://www.visualcapitalist.com/all-the-worlds-metals-and-minerals-in-one-visualization/)
).
6 (#_ftnref6) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (link
(https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-materials-are-used-make-wind-turbines) ).
7 (#_ftnref7) International Renewable Energy Agency (link
(https://irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Technical-Papers/IRENA_Critical_Materials_2021.pdf)
).
8 (#_ftnref8) Global consumption data for 2020. Source: World Steel
Association (link
(https://worldsteel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021-World-Steel-in-Figures.pdf) ).
9 (#_ftnref9) Global consumption data for 2020. Source: USGS (link
(https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1256/pdf/ofr2010-1256old..pdf) ), Worldometer
(link
(https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/world-population-by-year/) ).
10 (#_ftnref10) Global consumption data for 2017. Source: USGS (link
(https://pubs.usgs.gov/myb/vol1/2017/myb1-2017-copper.pdf) ), Worldometer
(link
(https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/world-population-by-year/) ).
11 (#_ftnref11) Global consumption data for 2019. Source: USGS (link
(https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2020/mcs2020-zinc.pdf) ), Worldometer
(link
(https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/world-population-by-year/) ).
12 (#_ftnref12) Global consumption data for 2019. Source: USGS (link
(https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2020/mcs2020-lead.pdf) ), Worldometer
(link
(https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/world-population-by-year/) )..
13 (#_ftnref13) Global consumption data for 2021. Source: www.european
coatings.com (link
(https://www.european-coatings.com/articles/archiv/titanium-dioxide-world-demand-shows-a-pattern-that-is-far-from-smooth)
)
14 (#_ftnref14) Global consumption data for 2017. Source: Henckens &
Worrell (2020) (link
(https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0959652620315079) ).
15 (#_ftnref15) Global consumption data for 2019. Source: USGS (link
(https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2020/mcs2020-lithium.pdf) ), Worldometer
(link
(https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/world-population-by-year/) ).
16 (#_ftnref16) www.ourworldindata.org
17 (#_ftnref17) Source: World Steel Association (64 producing countries,
representing 98% total world crude steel production in 2021).
18 (#_ftnref18) Source: CRU
19 (#_ftnref19) Management estimate
20 (#_ftnref20) Source: EIA
21 (#_ftnref21) As at 21 April 2022.
22 (#_ftnref22) Source: Government of Western Australia (link
(https://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/Documents/Safety/MSH_Stats_Reports_SafetyPerfWA_2019-20.pdf)
). Accessed April 2022.
23 (#_ftnref23)
www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/energy-and-the-environment/carbon-dioxide-emissions-from-electricity.aspx
24 (#_ftnref24) Source: NASA (link
(https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/91646/agriculture-marks-the-landscape-in-central-ukraine)
).
25 (#_ftnref25) Scope 1 and 2 emissions on a per tonne basis, carbon dioxide
equivalent basis.
(3) Adjusted figures versus 2020 Annual Report as a result of external
assurance process, see page 25 for more details.
26 (#_ftnref26) Adjusted versus 2020 Annual Report as a result of the
ongoing external assurance process, see page 25 for more details.
(2) Adjusted versus 2020 Annual Report as a result of review by Ricardo, see
page 28 for more details.
27 (#_ftnref27) Source: IEA
28 (#_ftnref28) Source: Forbes (link
(https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/05/08/ransomware-attack-shuts-down-massive-east-coast-gasoline-pipeline/)
). Accessed April 2022.
29 (#_ftnref29) Source: IEA, 2020 (link
(https://www.iea.org/reports/iron-and-steel-technology-roadmap) ). Accessed
April 2022.
30 (#_ftnref30) Source: European Commission (link
(https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_6042) ). Accessed
April 2022.
31 (#_ftnref31) Source: Forbes (link
(https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidrvetter/2021/08/19/how-sweden-delivered-the-worlds-first-fossil-fuel-free-steel/?sh=740259a46b55)
), accessed April 2022.
32 (#_ftnref32) Source: www.ourworldindata.org, accessed 1 February 2022
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