Bay Street News

Century Aluminum Company Reports First Quarter 2020 Results

CHICAGO, April 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Century Aluminum Company (NASDAQ: CENX) today announced its first quarter 2020 results.
First Quarter 2020 Financial Results•         Shipments of 202,905 tonnes
•         Net sales of $421.2 million, a 3% decrease over prior quarter due to lower regional premiums
•         Net loss of $(2.7) million, or $(0.03) per share
•         Adjusted net income(1) of $1.0 million, or $0.01 per share
•         Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $28.1 million
In the first quarter of 2020, shipments of primary aluminum were 202,905 tonnes compared with 202,870 tonnes shipped in the fourth quarter of 2019. Net sales for the first quarter of 2020 were $421.2 million compared with $435.5 million for the fourth quarter of 2019, reflecting a 3% decrease over prior quarter due to lower regional premiums.Century reported a net loss of $(2.7) million for the first quarter of 2020 and $1.0 million net income on an adjusted basis. First quarter results were negatively impacted by $3.7 million of non-cash exceptional items, including a $12.1 million lower of cost or net realizable value inventory adjustment (net of tax), offset by $8.3 million of unrealized gains on forward derivative contracts. This result compares to a net loss of $(4.8) million for the fourth quarter of 2019, or $(9.0) million on an adjusted basis.Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of 2020 was $28.1 million, an increase of $14.8 million sequentially driven by favorable raw material prices, partially offset by falling regional premiums.Century’s cash position at quarter end was $147.6 million and revolver availability was $55.5 million. “It is with great sadness that we report the loss of a colleague in a workplace incident in the anode production facility at Sebree on April 8th,” commented Michael Bless, President and CEO.  “This loss of life has profoundly impacted our entire community, and has caused us to rededicate ourselves to our most critical responsibility to return each of our colleagues home safely at the end of his or her shift.  Our late colleague’s family remains firmly in our thoughts and prayers.”Mr. Bless continued, “We have taken a number of actions to protect the health of our employees and sustain our operations in this unprecedented environment.  Thus far we have recorded only one confirmed case of COVID-19, and have had a further handful of employees quarantined due to contact with infected persons.  Our plants remain fully operational.  We are grateful to our employees, who have displayed tremendous perseverance in the face of the hardships caused by the pandemic.  In addition, we are appreciative of the continuing partnership of our customers and suppliers, with whom we are in constant touch.”“Commodity prices have fallen at an unprecedented pace in reaction to the demand destruction caused by the health crisis,” added Mr. Bless.  “In addition, degradation in the order books of certain customers has caused us to move our product mix to a higher proportion of standard products, thus lowering somewhat the average premium we receive.  That said, our plants have maintained their production rates, and we continue to sell all of our metal essentially as it is cast; we have not observed a build of finished goods inventory and do not anticipate such a scenario.  In addition, we are seeing meaningful reductions in the price of key inputs, including alumina, and wholesale electric power.”Mr. Bless concluded, “We have continued the successful implementation of our cost reduction and cash flow enhancement measures.  We have an informed view of second quarter cash flow and possess ample liquidity for the foreseeable future, even if commodity prices were to remain at current levels.  We are continually assessing the environment and have myriad options to improve cash flow were we to determine that current (or worse) conditions could persist for a protracted period of time.  We intend to balance protection of the Company’s near-term financial strength and flexibility with the preservation of our ability to participate fully in the recovery which will come.”About Century Aluminum CompanyCentury Aluminum Company owns primary aluminum capacity in the United States and Iceland.  Century’s corporate offices are located in Chicago, IL. Visit www.centuryaluminum.com for more information.Non-GAAP Financial MeasuresAdjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures that management uses to evaluate Century’s financial performance.  These non-GAAP financial measures facilitate comparisons of this period’s results with prior periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that management does not believe are indicative of Century’s ongoing operating performance and ability to generate cash.  Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures enhance an overall understanding of Century’s performance and our investors’ ability to review Century’s business from the same perspective as management.  The tables below, under the heading “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures,” provide a reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.  Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, Century’s reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP.  In addition, because not all companies use identical calculations, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA included in this press release may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.  Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations in conjunction with the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures.Cautionary StatementThis press release and statements made by Century Aluminum Company management on the quarterly conference call contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Forward-looking statements are statements about future events and are based on our current expectations.  These forward-looking statements may be identified by the words “believe,” “expect,” “hope,” “target,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “estimate,” “potential,” “project,” “scheduled,” “forecast” or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “might,” or “may.”  Our forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements with respect to: the future financial and operating performance of Century and its subsidiaries, including financial and operating estimates or projections from the restart of curtailed capacity, as a result of future raw material costs or otherwise; our assessment of the aluminum market and aluminum prices (including premiums); our assessment of alumina pricing and costs associated with our other key raw materials, including power; our ability to successfully manage market risk and to control or reduce costs; our plans and expectations with respect to future operations, including any plans and expectations to curtail or restart production; our plans and ability to bring our Hawesville smelter back to full production and expectations as to the costs and benefits associated with this project, including expected incremental production or earnings and cash flow as well as benefits from investments in new technology and other production improvements; our ability to successfully obtain long-term competitive power arrangements for our operations, including at Mt. Holly; our assessment of global and local financial and economic conditions; the impact of Section 232 relief, including tariffs or other trade remedies, the extent to which any such remedies may be changed, including through exclusions or exemptions, and the duration of any trade remedy; the impact of any new or changed law, regulation, including, without limitation, sanctions or other similar remedies or restrictions; our anticipated tax liabilities, benefits or refunds including the realization of U.S. and certain foreign deferred tax assets and liabilities; our ability to access existing or future financing arrangements and the terms of any such future financing arrangements; our ability to repay or refinance debt in the future; our ability to recover losses from our insurance; estimates of our pension and other postretirement liabilities, legal and environmental liabilities and other contingent liabilities; our assessment of any future tax or insurance claims; negotiations with labor unions; the impact of the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, including any possible impact on our business, operations, financial condition, global supply chains or workforce; and our future business objectives, plans, strategies and initiatives, including our competitive position and prospects.Where we express an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis.  However, our forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by those forward-looking statements.  Important factors that could cause actual results and events to differ from those described in such forward-looking statements can be found in the risk factors and forward-looking statements cautionary language contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and in other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Although we have attempted to identify those material factors that could cause actual results or events to differ from those described in such forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.  Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict.  Given these uncertainties, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.  We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

CENTURY ALUMINUM COMPANY
SELECTED OPERATING DATA
(in millions, except shipments)
(Unaudited)

                               
CENTURY ALUMINUM COMPANY
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(in millions, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)

Contact
Peter Trpkovski
(Investors and media)
312-696-3112
Source: Century Aluminum Company

Bay Street News