Whitehaven Coal has delivered managed run-of-mine (ROM) production and coal sales at the top end of its 2025-26 financial year guidance, with a strong June quarter recovery in Queensland helping the company overcome weather-related disruptions earlier in the year.
The company produced 10.7 million tonnes (Mt) of managed ROM coal during the June quarter, up 13 per cent from the March quarter. This takes full-year production to 40.3Mt, a three per cent increase on FY25. Equity sales of produced coal reached 6.3Mt for the quarter and 26Mt for FY26.
Queensland operations rebounded strongly after weather impacts in the March quarter, with managed ROM production rising 41 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 5.7Mt. New South Wales operations produced 5Mt during the quarter, down eight per cent due to lower longwall production at Narrabri, but still finished the financial year at the top end of guidance.
Whitehaven chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director Paul Flynn said the company had finished the financial year on a strong note.
“Both Queensland and New South Wales operations achieved ROM production and sales outcomes at the top end of guidance, demonstrating the quality and resilience of our asset portfolio,” Flynn said.
The company also reported improved safety performance, achieving its best total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR) of 3.3 for the expanded business, down from 4.6 in FY25.
Whitehaven expects unaudited unit costs of approximately $132 per tonne and capital expenditure of around $350 million, both towards the low end of guidance, while delivering annualised cost savings within its $60p80 million target range.
Whitehaven ended the financial year with net debt of approximately $1.3 billion after making the second deferred acquisition payment of US$500 million (around AU$714.5 million) to BMA and refinancing its debt facilities during the quarter. The company will provide FY27 guidance alongside its FY26 full-year financial results on August 19.
