Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Orbit Garant Drilling's first quarter fiscal year 2025 results conference call. At this time, all lines are in listen-only mode. Following the management's remarks, we will conduct a question-and-answer session. If at any time during this call you require immediate assistance, please press star zero for the operator. Please be aware that certain information discussed today may be forward-looking and that actual results could differ materially. Certain non-IFRS financial measures will also be discussed. Please refer to the company's SEDAR filings for additional information on both risk factors and non-IFRS measures. This call is being recorded today on Thursday, November 14, 2024. I would now like to turn the conference over to Mr. Pierre Alexandre, President and CEO of Orbit Garant. Please go ahead, sir.
Thank you for consenting. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. With me on the call is Daniel Maheu, CFO. Following my opening remarks, Daniel will review our financial results in greater detail, and I will conclude with comments on our outlook. We will then welcome questions. We generated our strongest quarterly net earnings in four years in the fiscal first quarter, and margin improved compared to Q1 last year as operating earnings increased in both our Canadian and international operations. In Canada, our drilling activity increased year over year, and the proportion of higher margin specialized drilling activity was also higher. Our performance in Canada in Q1 last year was impacted by temporary project suspension due to the forest fire in Quebec, as well as our customer decision to temporarily suspend or reduce activity on certain other projects. We had no comparable disruption in Q1 this year.
In our international operations, we benefited from increased drilling activity in Chile and Guyana in Q1 this year and the cessation of our operation in West Africa, which were largely unprofitable for us. Our total revenue in the quarter was CAD 48.4 million and an increase of 9.3% compared to Q1 last year. Adjusted gross margin increased to 19.7% from 15.2% last year. Net earnings were CAD 3.2 million or CAD 0.08 per share, the most we have generated in any quarter since Q1 of fiscal 2021. This compared to a net loss of CAD 0.4 million or CAD 0.01 per share in Q1 last year. Customer demand from our senior and well-financed and intermediate mining customers remains strong, supported by high gold and copper prices. We continue to focus on serving these customers. Demand from junior mining companies is still constrained due to low levels of financing.
Our financial performance has been significantly stronger since we completed our exit from West Africa in Q2 of fiscal 2024. However, we do not believe our performance is fully reflected in our share price. Accordingly, we announced a normal course issuer bid last month. It enabled us to buy back and cancel up approximately 5% of our outstanding common shares over a 12-month period. This is an additional tool we can use to build value for our shareholders. I will now turn the call over to Daniel to review our results for the first quarter. Daniel.
Thank you, Pierre, and good morning, everyone. Canada revenue was CAD 35.4 million in the quarter, an increase of CAD 7.4 million from Q1 last year. As Pierre noted, drilling activity in Canada increased year over year, including a higher proportion of specialized drilling activity. International revenue totaled CAD 13 million in the quarter, an increase of 14.8% compared to Q1 a year ago, reflecting increased drilling activity in Chile and Guyana, partially offset by the absence of activity in West Africa. Gross profit increased to CAD 7.4 million for the quarter, or 15.2% of revenue, compared to CAD 4.1 million or 9.4% of revenue in Q1 last year. As Pierre noted earlier, our adjusted gross margin, excluding depreciation expenses, was 19.7% in the quarter compared to 15.2% in Q1 2024.
The increase in gross profit, gross margin, and Adjusted Gross Margin reflects increased drilling activity in Canada, Chile, and Guyana during the quarter, including a higher proportion of specialized drilling in Canada and the cessation of our drilling activities in West Africa. Consolidated earnings from operations for the quarter were CAD 4.4 million compared to CAD 1.2 million in Q1 last year. Drilling Canada's operating earnings totaled CAD 2.3 million compared to CAD 1.4 million in Q1 a year ago, and our international operating earnings totaled CAD 2.1 million compared to an operating loss of CAD 0.2 million a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA increased to CAD 6.5 million compared to CAD 3 million in Q1 last year. The increase in our Adjusted EBITDA and net earnings were primarily attributable to the stronger operating earnings in both our Canadian and international drilling operations.
Now, turning to our balance sheet, we repay a net amount of CAD 0.5 million on our credit facility in the quarter, compared to a withdrawal of CAD 2.7 million in Q1 last year. Our long-term debt under the credit facility, including $3 million draw from our revolving facility and the current portion, was CAD 21 million at quarter-end compared to CAD 21.5 million as of June 30, 2024, our fiscal 2024 year-end. Our working capital totaled CAD 50.4 million as of September 30, compared to CAD 48.6 million at the end of fiscal 2024. I will now turn the call back to Pierre for closing comment. Pierre?
Thanks, Daniel. When we complete our exit from West Africa in Q2 of fiscal 2024, we said the decision would have a positive impact on our future margins. I am pleased to note that we have reported significant year-over-year growth in profitability in each of the three quarters since then. This demonstrates that our operational performance is improving and that our decision to focus primarily on our operation in Canada and Chile is the correct one. That was a key element of the strategic five-point plan for Orbit Garant that we first introduced in May 2023. It was designed to improve our operating performance over the following 15 months and consists of primarily focusing on our Canadian gold drilling operation, prioritizing longer-term specialized drilling contracts with major and intermediate customers, opportunistically pursuing international contracts in stable markets that offer attractive returns, while gradually reducing exposure to Burkina Faso.
Continued investment in driller training and computerized drilling technology, and building a team-oriented leadership structure that fosters collaboration and personal accountability. We made significant progress in each of these areas, and the results are reflected in our strengthened financial performance. Our efforts are being supported by strong metal prices. Gold prices have traded at record highs above $2,700 per ounce in recent weeks, and copper prices have also continued to trade well above $4 per pound. So we expect that customer demand from senior and well-financed intermediate mining companies will remain strong. Junior mining continues to face difficult financing conditions, which has limited their exploration spending. We cannot predict when junior mining financing will recover, but once it does, demand for our services should further strengthen. That concludes our formal remarks this morning. We will now welcome any questions. Operator, please begin the question period.
Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, we will now begin the question-and-answer session. Should you have a question, please press star followed by the number one on your touch-tone phone. You will hear a prompt that your hand has been raised. Should you wish to decline from the polling process, please press star followed by the number two. If you are using a speakerphone, please make sure you lift your handset before pressing any keys. One moment while we prepare the Q&A roster. Your first question comes from the line of Terry Belama, private investor. Please go ahead.
Hi, thank you for taking the call. Congratulations on the good quarter.
Thank you.
I would like to know, for the trailing 12 months, what was the Adjusted EBITDA and what was the adjusted net income? I have here it's CAD 18 million in the area for the trailing 12 months Adjusted EBITDA and roughly CAD 6 million net income for the trailing 12 months. Is that about correct?
The adjusted EBITDA for the last year fiscal 12 months is CAD 6.3 million, and this quarter we do CAD 6.4 million. So that means it will be CAD 9.5 million on the last four quarters. So it should be around CAD 9.5 million adjusted EBITDA. So we do adjusted of CAD 6.4 million this quarter, and for the last year, it is CAD 6.3 million. So technically, I just have to reduce by CAD 3 million for the EBITDA of Q1 2024, and I add CAD 6.5 million for Q1 2025. So it should reach CAD 9.3 million, CAD 9.4 million for the 12 last month.
Okay. There are some special items in there, correct? I think I added, so I came up with around CAD 18 million. So I'll have to look at that later. The other question I had was on the seasonality. What is the highest and lowest seasonality for Canada and for South America?
The seasonality in Canada, for us, it's Q1. So July to September, it's a good quarter. And the last one, Q4, which is April, May, and June, it's good because in Canada, we are impacted, as you know, in the winter. So in Q2 and Q3, in Canada, it's more difficult because we have winter and also we have the holiday season in Canada. Most of our revenue came from Canada, but our operation in Chile, as you know, Chile has winter and summer. So, for example, in August this year and in September this year, they have a lot of snow in the mountains in Chile. So it's harder for the, let's say, Q1 for the Chilean operation is lower than the other three quarters.
Okay. Last question. In the last six months, the company has done around CAD 12 million-CAD 13 million adjusted EBITDA in the last six months. Is it realistic to do about CAD 20 million-CAD 25 million adjusted EBITDA for the 12 months that would be ending in June of 2025?
If we don't provide the guidance on total EBITDA in the future, but you're right when you said we have Adjusted EBITDA in the last six. You see, in Q4 last year, we do $6.3 million Adjusted EBITDA, and this quarter, in Q1 2025, we have $6.5 million Adjusted EBITDA. So in the last six months, we do roughly $13 million of EBITDA, but we hope that will be stable.
Okay. Congratulations again on the turnaround. And those were my questions. Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much. Have a good day.
Ladies and gentlemen, as a reminder, if you would like to ask a question, please press star one on your telephone keypad. And if you would like to withdraw your question, please press star two. Your next question comes from the line of David Stelpstra from BMO. Please go ahead.
Congratulations, gentlemen. Great quarter.
Thank you. Thank you.
So my question is regarding the revenues and profitability on the international operations relative to Canada. You have significantly more revenue in Canada, and yet the profitability between the two, international versus Canada, is almost equal. So I'm just wondering, is that a reflection on the type of drilling and the margins charged, or is it old contracts that maybe are going to be renewed that the pricing gets better in Canada? Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you for the question. You know, in Canada, we almost have 75%, 74% of revenue coming from Canadian operations. The Canadian operation is very segmented. That means there are a lot of small drilling companies with few drills. This creates a lot of competition and negative pressure on price in Canada on non-specialized projects. That's why we tend to be more focused on specialized contracts so the margins are better for these contracts. In Chile, let's say international is principally Chile, actually. So there we have large contracts with large customers in the copper industry, which the pressure on price is less than we have here in Canada, and since January 2024, we see more drilling activity in Guyana, which is a small country in the north of South America, but we are there since more than 20 years.
We saw a bit of drilling contracts, and the margins are quite good on these contracts in Guyana. That's why, actually, with only, let's say, 25% of our revenue, the international do quite well.
Thank you.
Thank you.
There are no further questions at this time. I would like to turn the call over to Pierre Alexandre for closing remarks. Sir, please go ahead.
Thank you to everyone for participating today. We look forward to speaking with you again after we report our fiscal second quarter result.
Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes today's conference. Thank you very much for your participation. You may now disconnect.