Feronia Inc. ('Feronia' or the 'Company') (TSXV: FRN) today released its audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2019.
All amounts in this release are expressed in US dollars unless otherwise indicated. A copy of the audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2019 is available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.
2019 Highlights Produced 200,141 tonnes of fruit (2018: 197,055 tonnes), a year-over-year increase of 2% Produced 41,024 tonnes of Crude Palm Oil ('CPO') (2018: 40,674 tonnes), a year-over-year increase of 1% Revenue of $29.7 million (2018: $29.1 million), a year-over-year increase of 2%, primarily from the sale of 40,819 tonnes of CPO at an average price of $665 per tonne (2018: 35,879 tonnes at $777 per tonne) Net loss of $91.1 million (2018: $6.3 million) includes $79.9 million write-down of the Company's assets under IAS 36 EBITDA loss of $1.4 million (2018 EBITDA: $1.3 million)
Loan Financing
The Company today also announces that Feronia Maia Srl has entered into a loan facility for up to $15.0 million of which $5.0 million has been advanced. The unsecured subordinated short-term facility bears interest at a rate of 4% per annum and is being provided by an affiliate of one of its principal shareholders, Straight KKM 2 Limited ('KKM'). The loan matures on the earliest of the date that (i) is five business days after demand for repayment by the lender, (ii) the restructuring described below is completed and (iii) the Support Agreement described below is terminated. Funds advanced under the facility will be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes, whilst the Company seeks to strengthen its financial position. The execution of the facility constitutes a related party transaction under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ('MI 61-101'). The Company has relied on valuation and minority approval exemptions set forth in MI 61-101.
Contact:
Tel: +44 (0)7554 521421
Cautionary Notes Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, the information in this press release constitutes 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of Canadian securities law. Such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as 'anticipates', 'plans', 'proposes', 'estimates', 'intends', 'expects', 'believes', 'may' and 'will'. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others: risks related to foreign operations (including various political, economic and other risks and uncertainties), the interpretation and implementation of the 'Loi Portant Principes Fondamentaux Relatifs A L'Agriculture', termination or non-renewal of concession rights or expropriation of property rights, political instability and bureaucracy, limited operating history, lack of profitability, lack of infrastructure in the DRC, high inflation rates, limited availability of debt financing in the DRC, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, competition from other businesses, reliance on various factors (including local labour, importation of machinery and other key items and business relationships), the Company's reliance on one major customer, lower productivity at the Company's plantations and arable farming operations, risks related to the agricultural industry (including adverse weather conditions, shifting weather patterns, and crop failure due to infestations), a shift in commodity trends and demands, vulnerability to fluctuations in the world market, the lack of availability of qualified management personnel and stock market volatility. Details of the risk factors relating to Feronia and its business are discussed under the heading 'Risks and Uncertainties' in Feronia's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2019, a copy of which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, the Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The Company now reports EBITDA (earnings before deducting interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and EBITDA per share as, whilst both are non-GAAP measures, the Company believes that EBITDA is useful additional information to management, the Board and investors as it provides an indication of the operational results generated by its business activities prior to taking into consideration how those activities are financed and taxed and also prior to taking into consideration asset depreciation and amortization and it excludes items that could affect the comparability of our operational results and could potentially alter the trends analysis in business performance. Excluding these items does not necessarily imply they are nonrecurring, infrequent or unusual. EBITDA is also used by some investors and analysts for the purpose of valuing a company. Investors are cautioned that EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to operating earnings or net earnings determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of the Company's financial performance or as a 5 measure of the Company's liquidity and cash flows. EBITDA does not take into account the impact of working capital changes, capital expenditures, debt principal reductions and other sources and uses of cash, which are disclosed in the consolidated statements of cash flows.
FERONIA INC. 
