GrafTech Reports Third Quarter 2023 Results
Results and Near-term Outlook Reflect Persistent Softness in the Commercial Environment
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, Ohio–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE: EAF) (“GrafTech” or the “Company”) today announced unaudited financial results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2023.
Third Quarter 2023 Highlights
- Net loss of $23 million, or $0.09 per share(1)
- Adjusted EBITDA(2) of $1 million
- Sales volume of 24 thousand metric tons (“MT”)
- Production volume of 23 thousand MT
- Net cash provided by operating activities of $51 million
- Adjusted free cash flow of $43 million(2)
CEO Comments
“Third quarter results fell short of our expectations, primarily as a result of lower industry demand,” said Marcel Kessler, Chief Executive Officer and President. “While we are not satisfied with this financial performance, I remain proud of our team’s efforts as they continue to work diligently to navigate the current market conditions. This includes our disciplined approach to managing costs and working capital levels, such as proactively reducing our production volume to align with our demand outlook. These efforts are evident in the strong cash flow generated in the quarter.”
“At the same time, we continue to make targeted investments to further improve our operational flexibility, commercial capabilities and product offerings,” said Mr. Kessler. “These initiatives support our ability to provide a compelling value proposition to our customers, with a comprehensive offering of products, service and technical support to meet their needs. While we will remain focused on managing through the current challenges, we are confident that the actions we are taking will further improve our strategic positioning and support GrafTech’s ability to capitalize on industry tailwinds to deliver long-term growth.”
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Third Quarter 2023 Financial Performance |
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(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) |
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Nine Months Ended |
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September 30, |
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Q3 2023 |
Q2 2023 |
Q3 2022 |
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2023 |
2022 |
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Net sales |
$ |
158,992 |
|
$ |
185,561 |
|
$ |
303,840 |
|
$ |
483,355 |
|
$ |
1,033,731 |
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Net (loss) income |
$ |
(22,621 |
) |
$ |
(7,851 |
) |
$ |
93,451 |
|
$ |
(37,841 |
) |
$ |
332,631 |
|||
|
(Loss) earnings per share(1) |
$ |
(0.09 |
) |
$ |
(0.03 |
) |
$ |
0.36 |
|
$ |
(0.15 |
) |
$ |
1.28 |
|||
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
$ |
51,495 |
|
$ |
(9,024 |
) |
$ |
68,166 |
|
$ |
67,269 |
|
$ |
274,605 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Adjusted net (loss) income(2) |
$ |
(20,866 |
) |
$ |
(5,768 |
) |
$ |
93,883 |
|
$ |
(32,183 |
) |
$ |
334,905 |
|||
|
Adjusted (loss) earnings per share(1)(2) |
$ |
(0.08 |
) |
$ |
(0.02 |
) |
$ |
0.37 |
|
$ |
(0.13 |
) |
$ |
1.29 |
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Adjusted EBITDA(2) |
$ |
919 |
|
$ |
26,022 |
|
$ |
128,567 |
|
$ |
42,056 |
|
$ |
456,363 |
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Adjusted free cash flow(2) |
$ |
42,997 |
|
$ |
281 |
|
$ |
57,428 |
|
$ |
46,435 |
|
$ |
233,529 |
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Net sales for the third quarter of 2023 were $159 million, a decrease of 48% compared to $304 million in the third quarter of 2022. The decline reflected industry-wide softness in demand for graphite electrodes, a shift in the mix of our business from volume derived from our take-or-pay agreements that had initial terms of three-to-five years (“LTA”) to volume derived from short-term agreements and spot sales (“non-LTA”), and a decrease in the weighted-average realized price for both non-LTA and LTA volume.
Net loss for the third quarter of 2023 was $23 million, or $0.09 per share, for a net loss margin of 14%. This compares to net income of $93 million, or $0.36 per share, in the third quarter of 2022. Adjusted EBITDA(2) was $1 million in the third quarter of 2023, compared to $129 million in the third quarter of 2022, with the decline reflecting lower sales volume, higher costs on a per MT basis, the shift in the mix of our business from LTA volume to non-LTA volume and lower weighted-average realized prices. Adjusted EBITDA margin(3) was 1% for the third quarter of 2023.
In the third quarter of 2023, net cash provided by operating activities was $51 million and adjusted free cash flow(2) was $43 million. The cash flow performance reflected our ongoing focus on managing working capital levels, including a reduction in inventories during the third quarter of 2023.
Operational and Commercial Update
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Key operating metrics |
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Nine Months Ended |
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September 30, |
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(in thousands, except percentages) |
Q3 2023 |
Q2 2023 |
Q3 2022 |
2023 |
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2022 |
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Sales volume (MT) |
24.2 |
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26.4 |
|
35.7 |
|
67.5 |
|
121.3 |
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Production volume (MT)(4) |
22.7 |
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25.2 |
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37.7 |
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63.7 |
|
127.7 |
|
|||||
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Total production capacity (MT)(5)(6) |
55.0 |
|
58.0 |
|
55.0 |
|
171.0 |
|
171.0 |
|
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Total capacity utilization(6)(7) |
41 |
% |
43 |
% |
69 |
% |
37 |
% |
75 |
% |
|||||
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Production capacity excluding St. Marys (MT)(5)(8) |
48.0 |
|
51.0 |
|
48.0 |
|
150.0 |
|
150.0 |
|
|||||
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Capacity utilization excluding St. Marys(7)(8) |
47 |
% |
49 |
% |
79 |
% |
42 |
% |
85 |
% |
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Sales volume for the third quarter of 2023 was 24.2 thousand MT, consisting of 7.7 thousand MT of LTA volume and 16.5 thousand MT of non-LTA volume, and decreased 32% compared to the third quarter of 2022.
For the third quarter of 2023, the weighted-average realized price for our LTA volume was $8,650 per MT. For our non-LTA volume, the weighted-average realized price for graphite electrodes delivered and recognized in revenue in the third quarter of 2023 was approximately $5,400 per MT, compared to a weighted-average realized price of approximately $6,000 per MT in the third quarter of 2022, with the decline reflecting the soft commercial environment.
Production volume was 22.7 thousand MT in the third quarter of 2023, a decrease of 40% compared to the third quarter of 2022, as we proactively reduced our production volume to align with our evolving demand outlook and to manage our working capital levels.
The table of estimated shipments of graphite electrodes under existing LTAs has been updated as follows, reflecting our current expectations for the full years of 2023 and 2024:
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2023 |
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2024 |
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Estimated LTA volume (in thousands of MT) |
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28 – 29 |
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13 – 16 |
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Estimated LTA revenue (in millions) |
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$245 – $255 |
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$100 – $135(9) |
Capital Structure and Capital Allocation
As of September 30, 2023, we had liquidity of $285 million, consisting of $112 million of availability under our revolving credit facility and cash and cash equivalents of $173 million. As of September 30, 2023, we had gross debt(10) of $950 million and net debt(11) of approximately $777 million. The Company’s current capital allocation approach is focused on maintaining sufficient liquidity as we navigate the persistent softness in the commercial environment. In addition, we are making targeted investments to further improve our operational flexibility and support long-term growth. We continue to anticipate our full-year capital expenditures will be in the range of $55 million to $60 million in 2023.
Outlook
We expect demand for graphite electrodes in the near term will remain weak, reflecting persistent softness in the commercial environment as steel industry production remains constrained by global economic uncertainty. As a result, sales volume in the fourth quarter of 2023 is expected to decline modestly compared to sales volume in the third quarter of 2023.
We expect our cash cost of goods sold per MT in the fourth quarter of 2023 will be below the level recognized in the third quarter of 2023, but will be higher compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. As a result, for the full year of 2023, we continue to expect a significant year-over-year increase in our cash cost of goods sold per MT as (1) fixed costs are recognized over a smaller volume base, (2) excess fixed costs that would have otherwise been inventoried are recognized when incurred due to reduced production levels and (3) reflecting the full-year impact of higher raw material costs that increased throughout 2022. We continue to closely manage our operating costs and capital expenditures, as well as our working capital levels.
Looking ahead, we remain confident in our ability to overcome near-term challenges and are optimistic about the long-term outlook for our business. We anticipate the steel industry’s accelerating efforts to decarbonize will lead to increased adoption of the electric arc furnace method of steelmaking, driving long-term demand growth for graphite electrodes. We also anticipate the demand for petroleum needle coke, the key raw material we use to produce graphite electrodes, to accelerate driven by its utilization in producing synthetic graphite for use in lithium-ion batteries for the growing electric vehicle market. We believe that the actions we are taking, supported by a distinct set of capabilities, including our substantial vertical integration into petroleum needle coke via our Seadrift facility, will optimally position GrafTech to benefit from these sustainable industry tailwinds.
Conference Call Information
In connection with this earnings release, you are invited to listen to our earnings call being held on November 3, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The webcast and accompanying slide presentation will be available on our investor relations website at: http://ir.graftech.com. The earnings call dial-in number is +1 (888) 886-7786 toll-free in North America or +1 (416) 764-8658 for overseas calls, conference ID: 66467310. Archived replays of the conference call and webcast will be made available on our investor relations website at: http://ir.graftech.com. GrafTech also makes its complete financial reports that have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and other information available at: www.GrafTech.com. The information on our website is not part of this release or any report we file with or furnish to the SEC.
About GrafTech
GrafTech International Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of high-quality graphite electrode products essential to the production of electric arc furnace steel and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The Company has a competitive portfolio of low-cost, ultra-high power graphite electrode manufacturing facilities, including three of the highest capacity facilities in the world. We are the only large-scale graphite electrode producer that is substantially vertically integrated into petroleum needle coke, our key raw material for graphite electrode manufacturing. This unique position provides us with competitive advantages in product quality and cost.
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(1) |
(Loss) earnings per share represents diluted (loss) earnings per share. Adjusted (loss) earnings per share represents diluted adjusted (loss) earnings per share. |
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(2) |
A non-GAAP financial measure, see below for more information and reconciliations to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). |
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(3) |
A non-GAAP financial measure, adjusted EBITDA margin is calculated as adjusted EBITDA divided by net sales (Q3 2023 adjusted EBITDA of $1 million/Q3 2023 net sales of $159 million). |
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(4) |
Production volume reflects graphite electrodes we produced during the period. |
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(5) |
Production capacity reflects expected maximum production volume during the period depending on product mix and expected maintenance outage. Actual production may vary. |
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(6) |
Includes graphite electrode facilities in Calais, France; Monterrey, Mexico; Pamplona, Spain; and St. Marys, Pennsylvania. |
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(7) |
Capacity utilization reflects production volume as a percentage of production capacity. |
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(8) |
Our St. Marys, Pennsylvania facility graphitizes a limited number of electrodes and pins sourced from our Monterrey, Mexico facility. The remaining production processes at St. Marys were restarted in the second quarter of 2023, with activities expected to ramp up over time to support future demand. |
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(9) |
Includes expected termination fees from a few customers that have failed to meet certain obligations under their LTAs. |
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(10) |
Gross debt reflects the notional value of our outstanding debt and excludes unamortized debt discount and issuance costs. |
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(11) |
A non-GAAP financial measure, net debt is calculated as gross debt minus cash and cash equivalents (September 30, 2023 gross debt of $950 million less September 30, 2023 cash and cash equivalents of $173 million). |
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and related discussions may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, financial projections, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and future economic performance. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding future estimated volume, pricing and revenue, anticipated levels of capital expenditures, the suspension of our dividend, including the frequency and amount of any dividend we may pay, and guidance relating to earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking words such as “will,” “may,” “plan,” “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “foresee,” “intend,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “target,” “goal,” “continue to,” “positioned to,” “are confident,” or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon our historical performance and on our current plans, estimates and expectations considering information currently available to us. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be regarded as a representation by us that the future plans, estimates, or expectations contemplated by us will be achieved. Our expectations and targets are not predictions of actual performance and historically our performance has deviated, often significantly, from our expectations and targets. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, financial results, financial condition, business, prospects, growth strategy and liquidity. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to: our dependence on the global steel industry generally and the electric arc furnace steel industry in particular; the cyclical nature of our business and the selling prices of our products, which may decline in the future, may lead to periods of reduced profitability and net losses; the sensitivity of our business and operating results to economic conditions, including any recession, and the possibility others may not be able to fulfill their obligations to us in a timely fashion or at all; the possibility that we may be unable to implement our business strategies in an effective manner; the possibility that global graphite electrode overcapacity may adversely affect graphite electrode prices; the competitiveness of the graphite electrode industry; our dependence on the supply of raw materials, including decant oil and petroleum needle coke, and disruptions in supply chains for these materials; our reliance on one facility in Monterrey, Mexico for the manufacturing of connecting pins; the availability and cost of electric power and natural gas, particularly in Europe; our manufacturing operations are subject to hazards; the legal, compliance, economic, social and political risks associated with our substantial operations in multiple countries; the possibility that fluctuation of foreign currency exchange rates could materially harm our financial results; the possibility that our results of operations could deteriorate if our manufacturing operations were substantially disrupted for an extended period, including as a result of equipment failure, climate change, regulatory issues, natural disasters, public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, political crises or other catastrophic events; the risks and uncertainties associated with litigation, arbitration, and like disputes, including disputes related to contractual commitments; our dependence on third parties for certain construction, maintenance, engineering, transportation, warehousing and logistics services; the possibility that we are subject to information technology systems failures, cybersecurity attacks, network disruptions and breaches of data security; the possibility that we are unable to recruit or retain key management and plant operating personnel or successfully negotiate with the representatives of our employees, including labor unions; the sensitivity of goodwill on our balance sheet to changes in the market; our dependence on protecting our intellectual property and the possibility that third parties may claim that our products or processes infringe their intellectual property rights; the impact of inflation and our ability to mitigate the effect on our costs; the impact of macroeconomic and geopolitical events, including developments arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, and the disruptions and inefficiencies in our supply chain that may occur as a result of such events; the possibility that our indebtedness could limit our financial and operating activities or that our cash flows may not be sufficient to service our indebtedness; the possibility that disruptions in the capital and credit markets could adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, or those of our customers and suppliers; the possibility that restrictive covenants in our financing agreements could restrict or limit our operations; recent increases in benchmark interest rates and the fact that any future borrowings may subject us to interest rate risk; changes in, or more stringent enforcement of, health, safety and environmental regulations applicable to our manufacturing operations and facilities; the possibility that the market price of our common stock could be negatively affected by sales of substantial amounts of our common stock, including by Brookfield Corporation and its affiliates (together, “Brookfield”); the fact that our stockholders have the right to engage or invest in the same or similar businesses as us; and the possibility that the cash dividends on our common stock, which are currently suspended, will remain suspended and we may not pay cash dividends on our common stock in the future.
These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the Risk Factors and other cautionary statements that are included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from what we may have expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We caution that you should not place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements. You should specifically consider the factors identified in this press release that could cause actual results to differ before making an investment decision to purchase our common stock. Furthermore, new risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict those events or how they may affect us.
Non‑GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to providing results that are determined in accordance with GAAP, we have provided certain financial measures that are not in accordance with GAAP. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net (loss) income, adjusted (loss) earnings per share, free cash flow, adjusted free cash flow, net debt and cash cost of goods sold per MT are non-GAAP financial measures.
We define EBITDA, a non‑GAAP financial measure, as net income or loss plus interest expense, minus interest income, plus income taxes and depreciation and amortization. We define adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, as EBITDA adjusted by any pension and other post-employment benefit (“OPEB”) plan expenses or benefits, adjustments for public offerings and related expenses, non‑cash gains or losses from foreign currency remeasurement of non‑operating assets and liabilities in our foreign subsidiaries where the functional currency is the U.S. dollar, stock-based compensation expense and related party payable – Tax Receivable Agreement adjustments. Adjusted EBITDA is the primary metric used by our management and our Board of Directors to establish budgets and operational goals for managing our business and evaluating our performance.
We monitor adjusted EBITDA as a supplement to our GAAP measures, and believe it is useful to present to investors, because we believe that it facilitates evaluation of our period‑to‑period operating performance by eliminating items that are not operational in nature, allowing comparison of our recurring core business operating results over multiple periods unaffected by differences in capital structure, capital investment cycles and fixed asset base. Adjusted EBITDA margin is also a non-GAAP financial measure used by our management and our Board of Directors as supplemental information to assess the Company’s operational performance and is calculated as adjusted EBITDA divided by net sales. In addition, we believe adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin and similar measures are widely used by investors, securities analysts, ratings agencies, and other parties in evaluating companies in our industry as a measure of financial performance and debt‑service capabilities.
Our use of adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are:
- adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;
- adjusted EBITDA does not reflect our cash expenditures for capital equipment or other contractual commitments, including any capital expenditure requirements to augment or replace our capital assets;
- adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the interest expense or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our indebtedness;
- adjusted EBITDA does not reflect tax payments that may represent a reduction in cash available to us;
- adjusted EBITDA does not reflect expenses or benefits relating to our pension and OPEB plans;
- adjusted EBITDA does not reflect public offerings and related expenses;
- adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the non‑cash gains or losses from foreign currency remeasurement of non‑operating assets and liabilities in our foreign subsidiaries where the functional currency is the U.S. dollar;
- adjusted EBITDA does not reflect stock-based compensation expense;
- adjusted EBITDA does not reflect related party payable – Tax Receivable Agreement adjustments; and
- other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin differently, which reduces its usefulness as a comparative measure.
We define adjusted net (loss) income, a non‑GAAP financial measure, as net (loss) income, excluding the items used to calculate adjusted EBITDA, less the tax effect of those adjustments.
Contacts
Michael Dillon
216-676-2000
investor.relations@graftech.com
