Interview with Ian Cockerill, CEO of Endeavour Mining PLC

Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/endeavour-mining-tsxedv-expanding-margins-and-quality-growth-4531

Recording date: 7th May 2025

Endeavour Mining, one of West Africa's premier gold producers, is reporting exceptional performance under CEO Ian Cockerill, who took the helm in January 2024. The company generated $411 million in free cash flow in Q1 2025, marking its fifth consecutive quarter of improved results.

Cockerill has implemented a streamlined "4E" strategy—Employees, Excellence, Exploration, and Expansion—focusing on operational efficiency and disciplined cost management. Despite industry-wide inflation, Endeavour has maintained stable costs over six quarters through initiatives like centralized procurement.

The company offers investors a rare combination of high yield and substantial growth potential. With a dividend yield of approximately 6% and planned production growth of 30-35% by 2030, Endeavour appeals to both income-focused and growth-oriented investors. In 2024, the company returned $277 million to shareholders and has already guaranteed a $225 million dividend for 2025, with additional share buybacks expected.

Driving Endeavour's growth strategy is the Assafou project in Côte d'Ivoire, described as "the best discovery in West Africa over the last decade." This tier-one asset holds 4.3 million ounces in reserves with a 15-year mine life and is expected to produce over 350,000 ounces annually at an all-in sustaining cost below $1,000 per ounce.

Exploration remains central to the company's approach, having discovered nearly 20 million ounces in the past eight years at under $25 per ounce. Current production stands at approximately 1.2 million ounces annually from five mines across three West African jurisdictions, with plans to reach 1.5 million ounces per year by 2030.

While acknowledging perceived risks in West Africa, Cockerill emphasizes Endeavour's long-standing local relationships and operational stability. The company's valuation gap has been narrowing since Q4 2024 as market confidence grows in both its current performance and future prospects.

View Endeavour Mining's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/endeavour-mining

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