Century Aluminum Company Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

CHICAGO, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Century Aluminum Company (NASDAQ: CENX) today announced its third quarter 2024 results.

Business Highlights

• Net sales of $539.1 million
• Realized LME aluminum price of $2,451/MT in third quarter is up $163/MT from prior quarter
• Reported net income attributable to Century stockholders of $47.3 million and adjusted EBITDA attributable to Century stockholders of $103.7 million¹
• Cash and cash equivalents of $32.6 million and strong liquidity of $278.9 million as of September 30, 2024
• Final Section 45X rules include direct and indirect material costs as eligible for 10% production tax credit, increasing Century benefit by $34.9 million

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Net sales for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024 decreased by $21.7 million sequentially primarily due to lower third-party alumina sales offset by higher LME aluminum price, regional and value-added product premiums.

Century reported net income attributable to Century stockholders of $47.3 million for the third quarter of 2024, a $49.8 million increase sequentially. The increase in net earnings during the third quarter of 2024 was primarily driven by the recognition of full year 2023 and year to date 2024 Inflation Reduction Act Advanced Manufacturing credits of $34.9 million, higher LME aluminum price realization of $31.0 million, partially offset by higher power prices of $2.9 million. Third quarter results were also impacted by $12.0 million of net exceptional items, in particular, $3.2 million of stock based compensation costs and $6.9 million of costs incurred following the impact of Hurricane Beryl in Jamaica. Therefore, Century reported an adjusted net income of $60.0 million for the third quarter of 2024, a $59.3 million improvement sequentially.

Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Century stockholders for the third quarter of 2024 was $103.7 million. This was an increase of $69.5 million from the prior quarter, primarily driven by favorable realized LME and regional price premiums of $31.7 million, and $34.9 million related to the recognition of 2023 and 2024 additional section 45X tax credits.

Century's liquidity position at September 30, 2024 was $278.9 million, comprised of cash and cash equivalents of $32.6 million and $246.3 million in combined borrowing availability.

“Strong global demand, continued supply-side challenges and supportive macroeconomic policy in China and the West led to rising aluminum and alumina prices in the third quarter,” noted Century President and CEO Jesse Gary. “With bauxite and alumina supply chains facing a number of challenges around the world, we are thrilled to have our own strategic supply of bauxite and alumina from our Jamalco operations following the acquisition last year. “

“We were very pleased with the final Section 45X rules issued earlier this month that increase the amount of production tax credit we will receive and further bolsters the competitiveness of our U.S. operations. When combined with benefits of our Jamalco acquisition and growing demand for aluminum around the world, we believe Century is well positioned to offer our customers a unique value proposition and superior returns for our shareholders.”

Fourth Quarter 2024 Outlook

The company expects fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA to range between $70 to $80 million driven by lower LME and regional premium prices offset by lower power costs.

About Century Aluminum Company

With its corporate headquarters located in Chicago, IL, Century Aluminum owns and operates primary aluminum smelting facilities in the United States and Iceland and is the majority owner and managing partner of the Jamalco alumina refinery in Jamaica. Visit www.centuryaluminum.com for more information.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted net income (loss), adjusted earnings (loss) 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 (loss), adjusted earnings (loss) 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. We do not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking Adjusted EBITDA because the corresponding forward-looking GAAP financial measures is not currently available and management cannot reliably predict all the necessary components of such forward-looking GAAP measures without unreasonable effort or expense due to the inherent difficulty of forecasting and quantifying certain amounts that are necessary for such a reconciliation, including adjustments that could be made for restructuring, the variability of our tax rate, the impact of foreign currency fluctuation, and other charges reflected in our historical results. The probable significance of each of these items is high and, based on historical experience, could be material.

Cautionary Statement
This 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, which are subject to the "safe harbor" created by section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). 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." Forward-looking statements, for example, may include statements regarding: Our assessment of global and local financial and economic conditions; Our assessment of the aluminum market and aluminum prices (including premiums); Our assessment of alumina pricing, energy prices, both in the United States and Europe, costs associated with our other key raw materials and supply and availability of those key raw materials, including power (and related natural gas and coal), and the likelihood and extent of any power curtailments; Our assessment of power prices and availability for our U.S. and European operations; The impact of the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East, including any related impacts on global energy markets and/or any sanctions and export controls targeting Russia and businesses tied to Russia and to sanctioned entities and individuals, including any possible impact on our business, operations, financial condition, results of operations, and global supply chains; The future financial and operating performance of the Company and its subsidiaries; Our ability to successfully manage market risk and to control or reduce costs; Our plans and expectations with respect to future operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, including any plans and expectations to curtail or restart production, including the expected impact of any such actions on our future financial and operating performance; Our plans and expectations with regards to future operations of our Mt. Holly smelter, including our expectations as to the restart of curtailed production at Mt. Holly including the timing, costs and benefits associated with restarting curtailed production; Our plans with regards to future operations of our Hawesville smelter; Our plans and expectations with regards to the Grundartangi casthouse project, including our expectations as to the costs and benefits associated with it; Our plans and expectations with respect to the acquisition of a 55% interest in Jamalco, including our expectations as to the costs and benefits associated with Jamalco's operations; Our ability to successfully obtain and/or retain competitive power arrangements for our operations; 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 or regulation, including, without limitation, sanctions or other similar remedies or restrictions or any changes in interpretation of existing laws or regulations; Our anticipated tax liabilities, benefits or refunds including the realization of U.S. and certain foreign deferred tax assets and liabilities; Our ability to qualify for and realize potential tax benefits under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the anticipated amounts of such benefits; Our ability to realize the full amount of the DOE $500 million grant, to negotiate favorable terms and conditions related to such grant, to raise additional capital through additional grants, incentives, subsidized loans and other debt and equity funding to support construction of a new aluminum smelter; 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; Our assessment and estimates of our pension and other postretirement liabilities, legal and environmental liabilities and other contingent liabilities; Our assessment of any future tax audits or insurance claims and their respective outcomes; Negotiations with current labor unions or future representation by a union of our employees; Our assessment of any information technology-related risks, including the risk from cyberattacks or other data security breaches, including the cybersecurity incident that occurred on February 16, 2022; Our plans and expectations regarding potential M&A and joint venture activity including our ability to consummate such transactions and our assessments of certain risks associated with the same, including, for example, unforeseen costs and expenses associated with unidentified liabilities, and difficulties integrating an acquired asset into our existing operations; 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, our 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, the reader is 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)

^{(1) _{Excludes scrap aluminum sales, purchased aluminum and alumina sales.}}

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

^{(1) _{This amount includes Century's 55% share of incremental costs incurred due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl at Jamalco. These costs include repair costs of the damaged port, costs of alternative shipping arrangements and fixed costs incurred while alumina production was impeded.}}

^{(2)  _{This amount includes Century's 100% share of incremental costs incurred due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl at Jamalco. These costs include repair costs of the damaged port, costs of alternative shipping arrangements and fixed costs incurred while alumina production was impeded.}}

Contact
Ryan Crawford
(Investors and media)
312-696-3132

Source: Century Aluminum Company