Up 194% in a year, why is this ASX All Ords gold stock lifting off again on Friday?

The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.3% in early trade today, while ASX All Ords gold stock St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) is marching higher.

St Barbara shares closed yesterday trading for 75.5 cents. In morning trade on Friday, shares are swapping hands for, well, 76.5 cents each, up 1.3%

This sees the St Barbara share price up a jaw dropping 194.2% since this time last year, racing ahead of the 8.0% one-year gains delivered by the benchmark index.

Today the miner released its half year results for the six months to 31 December (H1 FY 2026).

Here are the highlights.

ASX All Ords gold stock swings back to profit

The St Barbara share price is marching higher with the company reporting a 32% year on year increase in revenue from ordinary activities to $128.8 million.

The ASX All Ords gold stock also notched a big improvement in earnings, with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) coming in at $8.56 million, up from a loss of $39.8 million in H1 FY 2025.

On the cost front, the miner spent $40.5 million on growth capital, studies and exploration expenditure, up from the $23.9 million expenditure in H1 FY 2025.

And investors will have noted that the miner has swung to a profit, with underlying profit after tax of $1.3 million, up from a loss of $48.1 million in the prior corresponding half.

St Barbara's statutory loss after tax of $249,000 was also a big improvement from the $48.5 million loss reported a year ago.

The ASX All Ords gold stock's focus remains the development of its New Simberi Gold Project, located in Papua New Guinea, and the development of its 15 Mile Processing Hub Project, located in Canada.

Turning to the balance sheet, St Barbara had cash on hand of $74.8 million as at 31 December.

What did management say?

Commenting on the results that are helping to boost the ASX All Ords gold stock today, St Barbara CEO Andrew Strelein said:

We have delivered a number of project milestones in the first half with the delivery of the Feasibility Study for the New Simberi Gold Project, the Touquoy Restart Pre-Feasibility and, subsequent to the end of the December half year we announced the results of Pre-Feasibility Study for 15-Mile Processing Hub

In December, the company announced combined agreements with Lingbao Gold and the PNG government owned Kumul Minerals enabling the New Simberi Gold Project to progress to FID, with St Barbara to be fully funded for its share of development costs whilst retaining a 40% attributable share in the expanded operation.

St Barbara also updated its Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves Statement this morning.

The ASX All Ords gold stock reported Total Ore Reserves of 3.8 million ounces of contained gold and Total Mineral Resources of 7.9 million ounces of contained silver.

"For the first time at Simberi we have also reported Mineral Resources of 15.3 million ounces of contained silver and Ore Reserves of 4.5 million ounces of contained silver," Strelein said.

The post Up 194% in a year, why is this ASX All Ords gold stock lifting off again on Friday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.

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