Equinox approves 50% quarterly dividend increase after Orla merger

Notably, the guidance includes only five months of production from Orla's portfolio, including from the Musselwhite and Camino Rojo mines. For context, consolidated full-year production from both companies would have been 1.1-million ounces of gold.

The Equinox board has approved a 50% increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.0225 apiece (or $0.09 on an annualised basis), which reflects the strength of its balance sheet following the merger, as well as its growing free cashflow generation and the company's commitment to meaningful shareholder returns.

CEO Darren Hall says construction of a Phase 2 expansion worth $436-million at the Valentine mine has been approved, which will increase processing capacity to about 13 600 t/d, or five-million tonnes a year, for average yearly gold production of 223 000 oz. This will unlock the full long-term value of this cornerstone Canadian mine, Hall states, adding that construction of the expansion should be completed late in 2028.

In the second quarter, Equinox produced 176 836 oz of gold, including 64656 oz from the Greenstone mine, 32617 oz from the Valentine mine, 18572 oz from the Mesquite mine, 59476 oz out of Nicaragua and 1515 oz from Castle Mountain.

The company reported adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation from all operations of $358-million in the second quarter, with net income having amounted to $230-million, or $0.29 apiece, on a basic basis. Adjusted net income from all operations totalled $123-million, or $0.16 apiece.

Equinox plans to advance organic growth projects, with between $105-million and $120-million in growth capital having been allocated to studies, and engineering, procurement and construction of projects such as South Railroad in the US, Los Filos in Mexico and Valentine Phase 2.

The company's consolidated 2026 growth capital guidance is between $600-million and $650-million.