- Delivered record annual results in TSS and APM driven by strong secular tailwinds
According to the company’s website press release on February 9, 2023, the Chemours Company (“Chemours”) (NYSE: CC), a global chemistry company with leading market positions in Titanium Technologies, Thermal & Specialized Solutions, and Advanced Performance Materials announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2022.
Full Year 2022 Results
- Net Sales of $6.8 billion, up 7% year-over-year
- Net Income of $578 million with EPS1 of $3.65, up $0.05 year-over-year
- Adjusted Net Income* of $738 million with Adjusted EPS* of $4.66, up $0.66 year-over-year
- Adjusted EBITDA* of $1,361 million, up 4% year-over-year
- Free Cash Flow* of $447 million, delivered over $1.5 billion in Free Cash Flow over the last three years
- Repurchased $495 million of stock, including $144 million in Q4
Fourth Quarter 2022 Results & Highlights
- Net Sales of $1.3 billion, down (15)% year-over-year
- Net Loss of $(97) million with EPS of $(0.65), down $(2.05) year-over-year
- Adjusted Net Income* of less than $1 million with Adjusted EPS* of $0.00, down $(0.81) year-over-year
- Adjusted EBITDA* of $120 million, down (61)% year-over-year
- Announced Villers-St.-Paul, France as the location of the $200 million Nafion™ expansion investment
- On February 6, 2023, the Company's Board of Directors approved a first quarter dividend of $0.25 per share
Full Year 2023 Outlook
- Adjusted EBITDA* between $1.20 billion and $1.30 billion
- Adjusted EPS* between ~$3.80 and $4.29
- Free Cash Flow* of greater than $350 million, including CAPEX of approximately $400 million to support TSS and APM growth investments
“We delivered growth in Net Sales and Adjusted EBITDA in 2022 despite a challenging fourth quarter during which we faced higher raw material costs and demand weakness in Europe and Asia, leading to lower operating rates. In 2022, we achieved a number of milestones, including record Net Sales and Adjusted EBITDA in both our TSS and APM segments,” said Chemours President and CEO Mark Newman. “I am immensely proud of how our global team responded to the challenges we faced while consistently serving our customers at the highest level. We executed on our growth strategies in our TSS and APM segments, met our commitments to TT customers, and returned significant cash to shareholders. I would like to thank our 6,600 employees whose focus on innovative chemistry, our customers, and execution excellence has supported our improved performance in 2022.”
2022 Net Sales were $6.8 billion, up 7%, or $0.4 billion, from 2021. Net Sales rose on a year-over-year basis driven by strong pricing, partially offset by lower TT volume, especially in the second half of the year, and currency headwinds.
2022 Net Income of $578 million resulted in EPS of $3.65. Adjusted Net Income rose 9% to $738 million, while Adjusted EPS rose $0.66 to $4.66 for the full year. Adjusted EBITDA for 2022 was $1,361 million, up 4% from 2021. Free Cash Flow was $447 million, demonstrating our continuing ability to generate strong Free Cash Flow.
Fourth quarter 2022 Net Sales were $1.3 billion, (15)% lower than the prior-year quarter. Higher pricing was more than offset by lower volume and currency headwinds, leading to the decline in results on a year-over-year basis.
Fourth quarter Net Loss was $(97) million, resulting in EPS of $(0.65). Adjusted Net Income was less than $1 million. Adjusted EPS was $0.00, down $(0.81) vs. the prior-year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter 2022 was $120 million in comparison to $307 million in the prior-year fourth quarter, a result of lower volumes and cost headwinds related to raw material cost inflation and logistics, partially offset by pricing. Currency headwinds due to a stronger USD and portfolio change, driven by the sale of our Mining Solutions business in 2021, were headwinds of $31 million and $12 million, respectively, to fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA on a year-over-year basis.
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1 Earnings per share (EPS) on diluted basis
Titanium Technologies (TT)
Delivering high-quality Ti-Pure™ pigment through customer-centered innovation and sustainability leadership
Titanium Technologies segment full year 2022 Net Sales were $3.4 billion, roughly flat to full year 2021. Results reflect a 17% increase in price offset by a (14)% volume decline and (2)% currency headwind. Positive price was the result of contractual price increases throughout 2022, along with higher year-over-year average price with our Flex customers and Distribution partners. Volume declines were the result of output constraints due to ore shortages in the first half of the year and demand weakness in the second half of the year. Demand started to weaken, particularly in Europe and Asia Pacific, in the third quarter of 2022, and weakened further in the fourth quarter. Adjusted EBITDA fell $(198) million to $601 million, with Adjusted EBITDA Margin down (600) basis points to 18% for the full year. The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin was primarily attributable to the aforementioned decrease in sales volumes, higher ore costs due to ore supply disruptions in the first half of 2022, lower fixed cost absorption from lower operating rates due to demand weakness in the second half of 2022, and higher other raw material and energy costs.
Segment Net Sales in the fourth quarter were $606 million, down (30)% in comparison to $865 million in the prior-year quarter. Price rose 7% on a year-over-year basis and was relatively flat on a sequential basis. Volume declined (35)% vs. the prior-year quarter and (30)% on a sequential basis due to softer demand, primarily in Europe and Asia Pacific. Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $42 million resulted in fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 7%, reflecting the aforementioned decrease in sales volume, lower fixed cost absorption due to lower operating rates, and the impact of the winter storm in December, along with higher raw materials, energy and logistics costs.
Chemours’ Ti-Pure Value Stabilization (TVS) strategy continues to provide customers with a market-leading combination of product quality, supply certainty, and reduced pricing volatility, enabled by our world-class pigment technology.
Thermal & Specialized Solutions (TSS)
Driving innovation in low GWP thermal management solutions to support customer transitions to more sustainable products
Thermal & Specialized Solutions delivered record Net Sales and Adjusted EBITDA performance in 2022. Full year 2022 Net Sales were $1.7 billion, up $423 million, or 34%, from 2021 driven by increase in price of 28% and volume of 8%, with currency a slight (2)% headwind. Prices increased in most markets across the business due to changing market and regulatory dynamics and steady value-based pricing growth within our refrigerants portfolio. Volumes increased due to the continued adoption of Opteon™ and other specialized solutions. Adjusted EBITDA improved $202 million to $603 million, with Adjusted EBITDA Margin up 400 basis points to 36% for the full year. The increase in Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin was primarily attributable to the aforementioned increase in price and volume, including favorable product-mix, partially offset by higher raw material and logistics costs.
Segment Net Sales in the fourth quarter were $320 million, up 8% in comparison to $295 million in the prior-year quarter. Price contributed 6% to the improved top line results on a year-over-year basis. Volume was up 4% from the prior-year quarter, driven by increased adoption of Opteon™ solutions. Price and volume declined (6)% and (17)%, respectively, on a sequential basis. Sequential declines were reflective of typical seasonality compounded by unfavorable product-mix. Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $54 million resulted in fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 17%. Sequential margin decline was driven by higher raw material cost concentration and increased other costs due in part to the winter storm in December, alongside softer margins consistent with typical seasonality. For full year 2023, we anticipate Adjusted EBITDA Margin to be in line with long-term guidance of greater than 30%.
Customer demand and market adoption of low GWP Opteon™ solutions remains strong. TSS remains well positioned to help customers transition from HFC products.
Advanced Performance Materials (APM)
Powering clean energy, advanced electronics, and more sustainable technologies
Advanced Performance Materials delivered record Net Sales, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin performance in 2022. Full year 2022 Net Sales of $1.6 billion increased by $221 million, or 16%, from 2021 driven by increase in price of 18% and volume of 2%, with currency a (4)% headwind. Global average selling price increased due to increasing sales in high-value end-markets, including advanced electronics, and clean energy, as well as customer level pricing actions to offset increased raw material and energy costs. Volume increased due to higher global customer demand across key markets, partially offset by supply chain challenges and lower demand in non-strategic end-markets where fade has been anticipated given our strategy to drive higher value, differentiated product offerings. Adjusted EBITDA improved $83 million to $367 million, with Adjusted EBITDA Margin up 300 basis points to 23% for the full year, driven by aforementioned increase in price and volume, high operating leverage of the segment, partially offset by raw material inflation.
Segment Net Sales in the fourth quarter were $382 million, up 10% in comparison to $346 million in the prior-year quarter. Strong year-over-year sales growth in the quarter was driven by growth in key markets we serve. Price contributed 17%, while volumes were relatively flat, with currency a (6)% headwind. Sequential volume declined by (15)% due to the combination of seasonality and lower volume in non-strategic end-markets, while price was relatively flat. Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $61 million resulted in Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 16%. Sequential Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin declines were primarily driven by the aforementioned decline in sales, and raw material inflation catching up with pricing actions implemented by the business throughout the year.
APM technologies are fundamental to the future of clean energy and advanced electronics – and we continue to invest behind these key growth themes.
Other Segment
The remaining Chemical Solutions business in Other Segment had Net Sales and Adjusted EBITDA for the full year 2022 of $116 million and $2 million, respectively.
Other Segment Net Sales and Adjusted EBITDA were $30 million and $1 million, respectively, in the fourth quarter 2022.
Corporate and Other
Corporate and Other was an offset to Adjusted EBITDA of $212 million for the full year 2022, down from $220 million offset in the prior year, primarily driven by lower performance-related compensation, and higher Qualified Spend recovery from DuPont and Corteva, partially offset by higher costs related to legacy environmental issues.
Corporate and Other was an offset to fourth quarter 2022 Adjusted EBITDA of $38 million, down from $61 million in the prior-year fourth quarter, primarily driven by lower legacy environmental and legal costs and lower performance-based compensation.
Liquidity
As of December 31, 2022, consolidated gross debt was $3.6 billion. Debt, net of $1.1 billion cash, was $2.5 billion, resulting in a net leverage ratio of approximately 1.9x times on a trailing twelve-month Adjusted EBITDA basis. Total liquidity was $1.9 billion, comprised of $1.1 billion cash, and $0.8 billion of revolving credit facility capacity, net of outstanding letters of credit.
Cash provided by operating activities was $754 million in 2022, down $(66) million from the prior-year. Capital expenditures were $307 million, lower than originally projected due to project delays driven by logistics and availability of material and labor resources in 2022. Free Cash Flow for the year 2022 was $447 million vs. $543 million in 2021.
During the year, we repurchased $495 million of common stock, various portions of our senior unsecured notes in the open market for $54 million, and funded our $100 million escrow payment as per the MOU agreement with DuPont and Corteva.
Cash provided by operating activities for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $161 million vs. $214 million in the prior-year quarter. Capital expenditures for the fourth quarter 2022 were $67 million vs. $83 million in the prior-year. Free Cash Flow for the fourth quarter of 2022 was $94 million vs. $131 million in the prior-year quarter. During the quarter, we repurchased $144 million of common stock.
Outlook
The Company expects to deliver 2023 Adjusted EBITDA within a range of $1.20 billion to $1.30 billion. Adjusted EPS is projected to be between $3.80 and $4.29. The Company expects Free Cash Flow of greater than $350 million, inclusive of approximately $400 million of capital expenditures.
Mr. Newman concluded, “Our outlook contemplates a weaker start to 2023 with conditions improving in the second half of the year and continued secular growth in key parts of our TSS and APM businesses. Longer term, we continue to focus on improving the earnings profile of our TT business, while investing to capture growth from mega-trends underpinning TSS and APM.”
Conference Call
As previously announced, Chemours will hold a conference call and webcast on February 10, 2023, at 8:00 AM EST. The webcast and additional presentation materials can be accessed by visiting the Events & Presentations page of Chemours' investor website, investors.chemours.com. A webcast replay of the conference call will be available on the Chemours’ investor website.
About The Chemours Company
The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) is a global leader in Titanium Technologies, Thermal & Specialized Solutions, and Advanced Performance Materials providing its customers with solutions in a wide range of industries with market-defining products, application expertise and chemistry-based innovations. We deliver customized solutions with a wide range of industrial and specialty chemicals products for markets, including coatings, plastics, refrigeration and air conditioning, transportation, semiconductor and consumer electronics, general industrial, and oil and gas. Our flagship products are sold under prominent brands such as Ti-Pure™, Opteon™, Freon™, Teflon™, Viton™, Nafion™, and Krytox™. The company has approximately 6,600 employees and 29 manufacturing sites serving approximately 2,900 customers in approximately 120 countries. Chemours is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and is listed on the NYSE under the symbol CC.
For more information, we invite you to visit chemours.com or follow us on Twitter @Chemours or LinkedIn.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We prepare our financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Within this press release, we may make reference to Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Adjusted Effective Tax Rate, Return on Invested Capital and Net Leverage Ratio which are non-GAAP financial measures. The company includes these non-GAAP financial measures because management believes they are useful to investors in that they provide for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision making.
Management uses Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EPS, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Adjusted Effective Tax Rate, Return on Invested Capital and Net Leverage Ratio to evaluate the company's performance excluding the impact of certain noncash charges and other special items which we expect to be infrequent in occurrence in order to have comparable financial results to analyze changes in our underlying business from quarter to quarter.
Accordingly, the company believes the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures, when used in conjunction with GAAP financial measures, is a useful financial analysis tool that can assist investors in assessing the company's operating performance and underlying prospects. This analysis should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. This analysis, as well as the other information in this press release, should be read in conjunction with the company's financial statements and footnotes contained in the documents that the company files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The non-GAAP financial measures used by the company in this press release may be different from the methods used by other companies. For more information on the non-GAAP financial measures, please refer to the attached schedules or the table, "Reconciliation of GAAP Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and materials posted to the company's website at investors.chemours.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to a historical or current fact. The words "believe," "expect," "will," "anticipate," "plan," "estimate," "target," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify "forward-looking statements," which speak only as of the date such statements were made. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, the outcome or resolution of any pending or future environmental liabilities, the commencement, outcome or resolution of any regulatory inquiry, investigation or proceeding, the initiation, outcome or settlement of any litigation, changes in environmental regulations in the U.S. or other jurisdictions that affect demand for or adoption of our products, anticipated future operating and financial performance for our segments individually and our company as a whole, business plans, prospects, targets, goals and commitments, capital investments and projects and target capital expenditures, plans for dividends or share repurchases, sufficiency or longevity of intellectual property protection, cost reductions or savings targets, plans to increase profitability and growth, our ability to make acquisitions, integrate acquired businesses or assets into our operations, and achieve anticipated synergies or cost savings, all of which are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that may not be accurate or realized, such as full year guidance relying on models based upon management assumptions regarding future events that are inherently uncertain. These statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties that are beyond Chemours' control. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the national and global economy and commodity and financial markets, which has had and we expect will continue to have a negative impact on our financial results. The full extent and impact of the pandemic is still being determined and to date has included significant volatility in financial and commodity markets and a severe disruption in economic activity. The public and private sector response has led to travel restrictions, temporary business closures, quarantines, stock market volatility, and interruptions in consumer and commercial activity globally. Matters outside our control, including general economic conditions, have affected or may affect our business and operations and may or may continue to hinder our ability to provide goods and services to customers, cause disruptions in our supply chains such as through strikes, labor disruptions or other events, adversely affect our business partners, significantly reduce the demand for our products, adversely affect the health and welfare of our personnel or cause other unpredictable events. Additionally, there may be other risks and uncertainties that Chemours is unable to identify at this time or that Chemours does not currently expect to have a material impact on its business. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. Chemours assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason, except as required by law.
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