EquityStory.RS, LLC-News: PJSC Mechel / Key word(s): Annual Results 
PJSC Mechel : Mechel Reports the FY2020 Financial Results 
2021-03-11 / 14:00 MSK 
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. 
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MECHEL REPORTS THE FY2020 FINANCIAL RESULTS 
 
Consolidated revenue - 265.5 bln rubles (-8% compared to FY 2019) 
EBITDA[*] - 41.1 bln rubles (-23% compared to FY 2019) 
Profit attributable to equity shareholders of Mechel PAO - 808 mln rubles 
 
Moscow, Russia - March 11, 2021 - Mechel PAO (MOEX: MTLR, NYSE: MTL), a leading Russian mining and steel group, 
announces financial results for the FY 2020. 
 
Mechel PAO's Chief Executive Officer Oleg Korzhov commented: 
"The Group's consolidated revenue in 2020 totaled 265.5 billion rubles, which is 8% less compared to 2019. EBITDA 
amounted to 41.1 billion rubles, which is 23% less year-on-year. 
 "The mining division accounted for about 60% of the decrease in revenue. This was due to a significant decrease in 
coal prices year-on-year. In conditions of coronavirus limitations, many steelmakers around the world cut down on 
production, which could not fail to affect the demand for metallurgical coals and their price accordingly. By the 
year's end the market demonstrated signs of a recovery, but due to China's restrictions on Australian coal imports, 
coal prices outside on China remained low under this pressure. High prices in China have supported our mining 
division's revenue to a certain extent. In 4Q2020 we increased shipments to China as best we could considering our 
long-term contractual obligations to partners from other countries. These circumstances became in many ways the reason 
for a decrease in our consolidated EBITDA. In Mechel's other divisions EBITDA dynamics were positive year-on-year. 
"The decrease in the steel division's revenue was also due to the coronavirus pandemic. As many steel consumers cut 
down on operations, demand for some of our steel facilities' products demonstrated a noticeable reduction. 
Unfortunately, this decline often concerned high value-added products, such as stampings. 
"I would like to note separately that our facilities maintained stable operations despite the complications we had to 
face last year, increasing coal output by 10%, pig iron output by 6% and steel by 1%. The steel division's production 
growth was due to completion of major overhauls of Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant's blast furnace and converter. As we 
do not plan such major repairs in 2021, we expect steel output to grow 10% year-on-year and top 4 million tonnes. Coal 
mining went up due to increasing of our mining equipment fleet and stripping and mining volumes at Southern Kuzbass 
Coal Company. 
"We continue implementing programs developing our facilities and upgrading equipment. We pay extra attention to the 
ecological component of our operations. New investment projects include measures on decreasing waste emissions into air 
and water. For instance, in Chelyabinsk in the frameworks of federal project "Clean air" the Company has concluded two 
ecological agreements with government authorities and one more additional agreement related to water bodies' impact 
reduction. Under these agreements we committed to decrease air emissions by 15 thousand tonnes per year and aquatic 
disposals three-fold. Total volume of investments with regard to these agreements will amount to 14.5 bln rubles. In 
order for these efforts to be consistent and systematic, we have inaugurated a position of deputy chief executive 
officer for ecology and environment protection. We are sure that this step will enable us to speed up implementation of 
our ecological programs and bring in modern methods of managing environment protection at the Group's facilities. 
"The market trends that are forming in early 2021 are favorable for the Group. The current price trend, combined with 
stable output and sales, will enable us to generate sufficient cash flow to service our loans, decrease our leverage, 
finance investment projects and our facilities' development. 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Results For The Full Year 2020 
 
Mln rubles                                        FY 2020 FY 20191 %    4Q' 20 3Q' 20   % 
Revenue 
                                                  265 454 287 153  -8%  69 257 64 424   8% 
from contracts with external customers 
Operating profit                                  19 925  34 200   -42% 7 902  6 353    24% 
EBITDA                                            41 051  53 092   -23% 9 689  9 349    4% 
EBITDA, margin                                    15%     18%           14%    15% 
Profit / (loss) 
                                                  808     2 409    -66% 16 571 (25 959) - 
attributable to equity shareholders of Mechel PAO

1 These amounts reflect adjustments made in connection with the presentation of the discontinued operation.

Mechel PAO's Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Economics and Finance Nelli Galeeva commented:

"Consolidated EBITDA in 2020 amounted to 41.1 billion rubles. Profit attributable to equity shareholders of Mechel PAO amounted to 0.8 billion rubles, which is 1.6 billion rubles less than in 2019. Foreign exchange losses on foreign currency liabilities due to a weaker ruble against the US dollar and the euro in this reporting period, which grew by 54.7 billion rubles, had a key impact on this result's dynamics, though it was partly offset by the positive effect from the sale of Elga Coal Complex's companies.

"The Group improved its financial results in 4Q2020 - revenue from sales to third parties in 4Q2020 went up by 8% quarter-on-quarter and amounted to 69.3 billion rubles, consolidated EBITDA reached 9.7 billion rubles, which is 4% more than in 3Q2020. Profit attributable to equity shareholders of Mechel PAO in 4Q2020 amounted to 16.6 billion rubles, which is 42.6 billion rubles more than in 3Q2020, when we registered a loss attributable to equity shareholders of Mechel PAO, amounting to 26 billion rubles. Apart from operational efficiency, the growth of foreign exchange gains on foreign currency liabilities, amounting to 30 billion rubles due to a stronger ruble in this reporting period, also had a major impact on this figure's dynamics.

"The operating cash flow went down by 19.8 billion rubles (37.9 billion rubles in 2020 as compared to 57.7 billion rubles in 2019). This was largely caused by a decrease in revenue as coal prices in the global market reduced, as well as sales of stampings in our steel segment. The operating cash flow in 4Q2020 went up to 9 billion rubles from 4.8 billion rubles in 3Q2020. The cash flow remains sufficient not only for financing the Group's operational needs, but also for decreasing debt leverage.

"In 2020, finance costs went down by 8.8 billion rubles or 26% year-on-year. This was due to our partial repayment of loans with Gazprombank and VTB Bank using the gain on the Elga Coal Complex sale and the decrease of the Bank of Russia's key interest rate.

"The same factors had their impact on the decrease of the amount of interest paid, including capitalized interest and lease interest. In 2020 this parameter amounted to 23 billion rubles, which is 8.2 billion or 26.3% less compared to 31.2 billion rubles in 2019.

"In 4Q2020 the amount of interest paid, including capitalized interest and lease interest, went up due to the change in average currency exchange rates of euro and dollar and reached 4.3 billion rubles as compared to 4.1 billion in 3Q2020.

"As of today, the company's average debt portfolio cost is 5.4% per annum.

"As of December 31, 2020, the Group's net debt excluding fines, penalties on overdue amounts and options went down by 74.8 billion rubles as compared to December 31, 2019, and amounted to 325.6 billion rubles. This was due to net loan settlement totaling 99.5 billion rubles, mostly as we repaid loans granted by Gazprombank and VTB Bank with cash received from sale of assets and decreased debt due to the effect of discontinued operations related to disposal of companies comprising Elga Coal Complex for a total of 9.5 billion rubles, and which was partly offset by the foreign exchange losses to the effect of 36.1 billion rubles due to the ruble's weakening against the US dollar and the euro.

"The Net Debt to EBITDA ratio amounted to 7.9 by the end of 2020, as compared to 7.5 at the end of 2019. This growth is due primarily to the growth of the ruble value of the debt's foreign currency share as the ruble depreciated against the US dollar and the euro as of December 31, 2020, as compared to December 31, 2019, as well as decreased EBITDA in the past 12 months ending December 31, 2020.

"The debt portfolio's structure currently consists of 55% in rubles and the rest in foreign currency. The share of state-controlled banks is 86%."

Mining Segment

Revenue from contracts with external customers in 4Q2020 went up by 7% quarter-on-quarter due to improved trends in metallurgical coal markets. EBITDA in 4Q2020 went up by 2% as prices for our entire product range went up. The dynamics were held back by an increase in costs of sales due to both lower coal output and sales, and seasonal factors.

Revenue from sales to third parties in 2020 went down by 15% year-on-year. The division's EBITDA in this period went down by 34% year-on-year. This was primarily due to a major decline in prices for all types of coal products as compared to the previous year.

Mechel Mining Management OOO's Chief Executive Officer Igor Khafizov noted:

"The weakness of metallurgical coal market had the key impact on the division's financial dynamics in 2020. Almost the entire year coal prices moved downwards under pressure from reducing demand for steel due to quarantine limitations introduced by many countries. Average coking coal concentrate prices on FCA basis went down 37% year-on-year, prices for anthracites and PCI went down 30%. Only iron ore concentrate demonstrated confident positive dynamics last year.

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March 11, 2021 06:02 ET (11:02 GMT)