The Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) share price is in focus today after the company posted a strong September quarter, highlighted by gold production of 92,087 ounces and free cash flow of $28.1 million.
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What did Vault Minerals report?
- Gold production: 92,087 ounces for the quarter
- Gold sales: 91,477 ounces at an average realised price of A$4,446 per ounce
- All-in sustaining cost (AISC): A$2,613 per ounce
- Underlying free cash flow: $28.1 million
- Cash and bullion at quarter end: $703.3 million, with no debt
- 31% increase in Group Ore Reserves to 4.0 million ounces after FY25 mining
What else do investors need to know?
Vault Minerals continues to upgrade its King of the Hills (KoTH) processing facility, with Stage 1 and 2 expansions on schedule and within budget. These upgrades are set to boost processing throughput by around 50% to 7.5–8.0 million tonnes per year from Q2 FY27.
The company began a $14.4 million share buyback in September and plans a 6.5:1 share consolidation, to be considered at its November AGM. Delivery into forward gold hedges is decreasing, positioning Vault to enter FY27 largely unhedged and offering better leverage to the gold price.
What did Vault Minerals management say?
Commenting on the result, Managing Director Luke Tonkin said:
This was a robust and consistent quarter across all operations, which positions Vault strongly to deliver on our FY26 guidance. Our substantial investment in plant upgrades and exploration is expected to drive long-term value for shareholders.
What's next for Vault Minerals?
Vault is targeting gold production of 332,000–360,000 ounces in FY26 at an AISC of A$2,650–A$2,850 per ounce. The company will double resource definition drilling in the Leonora district, aiming to further boost its resource base, and continue surface exploration at Sugar Zone.
With major plant upgrades nearing completion and the hedge book winding down, Vault anticipates a step-change in free cash flow and improved operating flexibility as it moves toward FY27.
Vault Minerals share price snapshot
Vault Minerals shares have risen 78% over the past 12 months, far outpacing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has increased around 8% over the same period.
