Merafe Resources, which has as its sole asset a 20.5% stake in a chrome joint venture with Glencore, paid a record dividend for 2017 based on unsurpassed revenue after record-high ferrochrome output, to capture improved prices for the stainless-steel ingredient.
Merafe declared a final dividend of 9c a share, bringing its total dividend payment to 12c a share, equivalent to R310m against R120m a year earlier.
Ferrochrome output for the joint venture partners rose marginally to a record 395,000 tonnes from 393,000 tonnes the previous year, pushing Merafe’s share of revenue to a record R5.89bn for the year to end-December compared to R5.87bn before.
Headline earnings per share rose 72% to 36.4c.
Merafe ended the year with net cash of R600m compared to net debt of R409m the year before.
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