
The Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) share price is in focus today as the company released its December 2025 quarterly activities report, highlighting group gold production of 76,520 ounces and a $12 million underlying free cash flow for the quarter.
What did Vault Minerals report?
- Gold production of 76,520 ounces for the December quarter; YTD production of 168,607 ounces
- Gold sales of 77,798 ounces at an average realised price of A$4,582/oz; YTD sales of 169,274 ounces at A$4,508/oz
- All-in Sustaining Cost (AISC) of A$3,160/oz for the quarter; YTD AISC of A$2,865/oz
- Quarter-end cash and bullion balance of $537 million (excluding $45 million of gold in circuit and concentrate)
- Quarterly underlying free cash flow of $12 million; $5 million spent on share buybacks
- Growth capital expenditure of $82 million, primarily for KoTH plant expansion and Deflector mining fleet acquisition
What else do investors need to know?
The company remains on track with the Stage 1 expansion of the King of the Hills (KoTH) processing plant, expected to integrate by the end of March, with throughput ramping up throughout the final quarter of FY26. Transition to owner-operator mining at Deflector is progressing well, with the fleet ramp-up on schedule for steady state production in Q4.
Vault made significant progress with exploration and resource definition at Leonora, Mount Monger, and Deflector, aiming to extend mine lives and improve mill grades. Drilling at the TT8 target near Sugar Zone will commence in Q3, pending receipt of permits.
The company settled all gold forward sales contracts for the second half of FY26 and is now materially unhedged, providing full exposure to current gold prices. The share buy-back program saw 1.02 million shares repurchased during the quarter, with more capacity set aside for future periods.
What did Vault Minerals management say?
Managing Director Luke Tonkin said:
Our strong results this quarter demonstrate the benefits of our diversified portfolio and commitment to building long-term value. As our major investments in processing and fleet upgrades near completion, we are well positioned to deliver increased free cash generation and capitalise fully on the gold price.
What’s next for Vault Minerals?
Vault reiterated its FY26 group production guidance of 332,000 to 360,000 ounces with a clear pathway to growth. As capital projects at KoTH and Deflector progress, the business anticipates a step change in operational performance from the second half of FY26, with a targeted ~11% lift in gold production by FY28.
Ongoing exploration across key regions is expected to underpin extended mine lives and further production growth. The upcoming period will also see updates from the Leonora drilling program and commencement of drilling at new Deflector and Sugar Zone targets.
Vault Minerals share price snapshot
Over the past 12 months, Vault Minerals shares have risen 153%, strongly outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has climbed 5% over the same period.
The post Vault Minerals delivers strong gold production and cash flow in December quarter appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
Should you invest $1,000 in Vault Minerals right now?
Before you buy Vault Minerals shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Vault Minerals wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
* Returns as of 1 Jan 2026
.custom-cta-button p {
margin-bottom: 0 !important;
}
More reading
- Paladin Energy lifts uranium output and sales in December quarter
- Lynas Rare Earths reports 43% sales growth, CEO to retire
- Evolution Mining posts record cash flow in December quarter
- Rio Tinto posts strong 2025 Q4 production results
- Meridian Energy reports record hydro inflows and rising customer growth
Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.
Leave a Reply