IAMGOLD $3.72

IAMGOLD $3.72 (Toronto symbol IMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (1-888-464-9999; www.iamgold.com; Shares outstanding: 405.9 million; Market cap: $1.5 billion; No dividends paid) owns 41% of the Sadiola mine in Mali; 90% of the Essakane mine in Burkina Faso; 100% of the Westwood mine in Quebec; and 95% of the Rosebel mine in Suriname, South America. It also owns 92.3% of the Cote gold project in Ontario. In the three months ended December 31, 2015, IAMGold’s revenue fell 12.6%, to $238.2 million from $272.5 million a year earlier. (All figures except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars.) Cash flow per share dropped to $0.02 from $0.25. Lower gold prices and production caused the declines. IAMGold’s long-term production outlook is positive. Meantime, the company holds a high $691.3 million in cash and gold bullion. Most of that cash came from the $500 million sale of its Niobec niobium mine in Quebec’s Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region in early 2015. When used as an additive, niobium makes steel stronger, more heat-resistant and easier to weld. The company’s cash reserves put it in a strong position to pay down its long-term debt of $628.1 million. It could also expand its existing gold projects, pay dividends, buy back shares or make timely acquisitions from distressed sellers at low prices. IAMGold is a buy.

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