Announcements 2022

28 Oct 2022

UPGRADE TO NORTHAM PLATINUM’S CREDIT RATING

Northam Holdings and Northam Platinum are pleased to advise that the credit rating agency, Global Credit Rating Company

Limited (“GCR”), has upgraded Northam Platinum’s national scale long-term credit rating to A+(za) from A(za), with the short-term credit rating re-affirmed at A1(za) and the outlook accorded as Stable.
The upgrade of Northam Platinum’s rating is in view of Northam Platinum’s enhanced liquidity position with significant financial flexibility, along with the expectation that the Group will continue to deliver a strong operating performance in various price scenarios. GCR notes that Northam Platinum continues to sustain high profitability levels, stemming from its ongoing ramp-up in production and its high-quality, competitive cost assets.

The GCR announcement in regard to Northam’s credit rating is available from the GCR website at: https://gcrratings.com/category/announcements/.

INCREASE IN AVAILABLE BANKING FACILITIES

Northam is pleased to announce that it has concluded agreements in terms of which its five-year R4 billion revolving credit facility (“RCF”) maturing in September 2024 (“Previous RCF”), has been refinanced and increased on more favourable terms. The new five-year R5.705 billion RCF (“New RCF”) will mature in August 2027 and has a nominal interest rate of between JIBAR plus 2.40% (at the lower end of utilisation) and JIBAR plus 2.80% (at the upper end of utilisation). This compares favourably to the nominal interest rate in respect of the Previous RCF of between JIBAR plus 2.55% (at the lower end of utilisation) and JIBAR plus 2.95% (at the upper end of utilisation).

In addition, Northam has settled its R3 billion bridge facility which had a final maturity date in December 2022 and has secured a new five-year term loan facility of R2.445 billion (“Term Loan”), maturing in August 2027 with a nominal interest rate of three-month JIBAR plus 2.50%.

The New RCF together with the Term Loan (collectively, the “Facilities”) and Northam’s existing R1 billion general banking facilities, increase Northam’s available banking facilities to R9.15 billion, on more favourable terms.

SETTLEMENT OF ALL OUTSTANDING AMOUNTS OWING TO RBH

Northam confirms that it has settled all amounts owing to Royal Bafokeng Holdings Proprietary Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively, “RBH”) in respect of the acquisition of a material interest in Royal Bafokeng Platinum Limited (“RBPlat”) from RBH, as announced on 9 November 2021. As a result, Northam’s shareholding in RBPlat is entirely unencumbered.

Northam’s current shareholding in RBPlat comprises 100 219 552 RBPlat shares (representing c. 34.52% of the total RBPlat shares in issue) with a current market value of approximately R14.6 billion based on the closing price per RBPlat share of R146.04 on 27 October 2022.

Alet Coetzee, Northam’s Chief Financial Officer, said “Northam is pleased to receive external recognition of its strong liquidity position and the continued success of its growth strategy, as affirmed by the upgraded credit rating. Northam remains appreciative of the continued support from its lenders.”

Johannesburg
28 October 2022