AMSTERDAM, Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OCI Global reports Q3 2024 trading update.
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Hassan Badrawi, CEO of OCI Global:
"During the course of the third quarter and the quarter to date, OCI has achieved significant milestones in its strategic transformation. We announced the sale of OCI Methanol to Methanex for a consideration of USD 2.05 billion, and successively closed the sales of IFCo to Koch Industries for USD 3.6 billion, Fertiglobe to ADNOC for USD 3.62 billion, and Clean Ammonia to Woodside for USD 2.35 billion. These are remarkable achievements for the OCI team, further demonstrating our execution capabilities and our commitment to OCI's strategic roadmap for value creation. We believe these transactions provide highly valuable liquidity for significant capital returns to shareholders as a priority, alongside future investment capacity.
Following these milestones, OCI will pay an interim extraordinary distribution of EUR 14.50 per share in aggregate (~USD 3.3 billion) on 14 November 2024 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on 29 October 2024. The distribution will be made as a repayment of capital or, at the election of the shareholder, as a payment from the profit reserve. This brings total distributions to OCI shareholders in the past four years to USD 5.4 billion. Looking back at our history as a listed vehicle since 1999, OCI has returned more than USD 20 billion to its shareholders via buybacks, share and cash distributions, representing an IRR of approximately 40%. We will continue to build upon this track record and seek to deliver sustainable value creation for our shareholders, partners and employees.
OCI expects to make an estimated further extraordinary distribution of approximately USD 1 billion through a repayment of capital during H1 2025. This will be subject to continued progress on the execution of the announced transactions and the strategic review.
Finally, we were deeply impacted by the tragic incident in early October at the Beaumont Clean Ammonia site, which resulted in the death of a subcontractor. The safety and well-being of all employees and contractor employees is of paramount importance to OCI, and we are cooperating fully with the local authorities to investigate and understand the circumstances regarding the incident. Our thoughts and deepest condolences remain with our colleague's family, friends, and local communities."
Key Financial Highlights
-- Continuing Operations Adjusted EBITDA for Q3 2024, which now solely
includes European Nitrogen and Corporate Entities, showed a similar
small loss to Q3 2023:
-- Notwithstanding improved sales volumes, margins at European Nitrogen
were negatively impacted by higher natural gas pricing, higher EUA
provisions and other costs.
-- The weaker comparative performance within European Nitrogen was
partially offset by lower Group costs and eliminations.
-- Given the recent divestments, the current corporate cost base of
Continuing Operations does not yet fully reflect the reduced scope and
scale of OCIs continuing business. OCI continues to make substantial
progress in right-sizing its corporate cost base to better serve the
current structure and scale of the business. OCI expects to beat its
previously guided target of USD 30 - 40 million of run-rate corporate
costs by 2025.
-- Within Discontinued Operations, adjusted EBITDA for OCI's Methanol
business showed a marked improvement year-on-year reflecting increased
methanol and ammonia prices, reduced natural gas costs, and robust
operational performance.
-- Net cash from Continuing Operations stood at USD 1,855 million as of 30
September 2024 compared to a net debt position of USD 2,194 million as
of 30 June 2024[1]. The end-Q3 net cash position precedes closing of the
Fertiglobe transaction and payment of the announced EUR 14.50
extraordinary distribution.
Key Strategic and Business Highlights
-- Effective 15 October 2024, Mr. Hassan Badrawi was appointed Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of OCI, previously OCI's Chief Financial Officer
(CFO) and a 23-year OCI veteran. Mr. Beshoy Guirguis assumed the role of
CFO of OCI, formerly OCI's Vice President of Global Growth and
Transformation, and CFO of OCI US Nitrogen, after joining OCI in 2010.
Concurrently, Mr. Ahmed El-Hoshy stepped down as CEO of OCI and
continues in his full-time role as CEO of Fertiglobe.
-- In September 2024, OCI announced that it had entered into a binding
equity purchase agreement for the sale of 100% of the equity interests
in its global methanol business ("OCI Methanol") to Methanex Corporation
("Methanex") for a purchase price consideration of USD 2.05 billion on a
cash-free debt-free basis. The transaction is expected to close in H1
2025. Following the announcement of the sale of OCI Methanol, OCI
repurchased its 11% and 4% minority stakes in OCI Methanol from Alpha
Dhabi Holding PJSC and ADQ, respectively.
-- On 5 August 2024, OCI entered into a binding equity purchase agreement
for the sale of 100% of its equity interest in the Clean Ammonia project
currently under construction in Beaumont, Texas ("OCI Clean Ammonia" or
the "Project") to Woodside Energy Group Ltd ("Woodside") for a purchase
price consideration of USD 2.35 billion on a cash-free debt-free basis,
following a competitive process. On 30 September 2024, OCI announced the
successful closing of the transaction with the receipt of 80% of the
proceeds or approximately USD 1,880 million plus a USD 20 million
adjustment for certain pre-paid expenses, and a deferred consideration
of 20% or approximately USD 470 million to be received at Project
Completion[2], expected in H2 2025. OCI will continue to manage the
construction, commissioning, and start-up of the facility through
Project Completion and has a financial obligation to pay for the
remaining capital expenditure and costs to Project Completion.
Construction is well advanced today with USD 799 million cash spent as
of 30 September 2024 (including both historical capital expenditure and
certain pre-operating expenses). OCI expects a total investment cost
through Project Completion of approximately USD 1.55 billion, including
contingencies.
-- On 29 August 2024, OCI announced the successful completion of the sale
of 100% of its equity interests in Iowa Fertilizer Company LLC ("IFCo")
to Koch Ag & Energy Solutions ("KAES"). The transaction was valued at
USD 3.6 billion on a cash-free debt-free basis and followed a
competitive process. Net proceeds received by OCI amounted to
approximately USD 2.6 billion, after adjusting for bond defeasance, mark
to market on outstanding hedges, and other transaction related costs.|
-- On 15 October 2024, OCI announced the successful completion of the
divestment of its majority stake in Fertiglobe to Abu Dhabi National Oil
Company P.J.S.C. ("ADNOC"). The gross transaction consideration of USD
3.62 billion on a cash-free debt-free basis was impacted by USD 70
million in various closing adjustments and is further subject to any
materialization of certain indemnifications agreed as part of the
transaction that will only become quantifiable in due course.
-- The expected cumulative crystallization of approximately USD 11.6
billion of gross transaction proceeds from four transactions affords OCI
significant flexibility to deliver on its capital allocation priorities,
including deleveraging at a gross level as well as returning a
meaningful quantum of capital to shareholders:
-- All OCI NV bank debt has now been repaid, including the revolving
credit facility and bridge facility utilized during the transition
period. Total debt repayment in Q3 2024 amounted to USD 1,019
million. The USD 698 million 2025 Senior Secured Notes were redeemed
at par on 15 October. Remaining cash proceeds have been invested
whilst OCI NV currently retains gross debt of USD 600 million in the
form of its 2033 bonds, which may provide optionality and strategic
flexibility as part of a longer-term future capital structure, to be
decided.
-- Following the successful completion of the Fertiglobe and IFCo
transactions, OCI will pay an interim extraordinary distribution of
EUR 14.50 per share in aggregate (~USD 3.3 billion) on 14 November
2024 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on 29
October 2024. The distribution will be made as a repayment of
capital or, at the election of the shareholder, as a payment from
the profit reserve.
-- OCI expects to make an estimated further extraordinary distribution of
approximately USD 1 billion through a repayment of capital during H1
2025. This will be subject to continued progress on the execution of the
announced transactions and the strategic review.
-- With regards OCI's strategic review, the Company is actively engaged in
the evaluation of strategic alternatives for its continuing businesses.
Any future decisions will be made in the best interests of all
shareholders.
Continuing and Discontinued Operational Highlights
Further to the announcement of the expected divestiture of OCI's equity holdings in OCI Methanol, this segment is now classified as Discontinued Operations. Discontinued Operations for the third quarter of 2024 also include results for IFCo, Fertiglobe and OCI Clean Ammonia for the period preceding the closing of the respective transactions. Continuing Operations as presented in this trading update reflects costs associated with the Corporate Entities and the operational performance of the European Nitrogen segment.
European Nitrogen
-- Own-produced sales were 499 thousand tonnes during the third quarter of
2024, representing a 37% increase over the same period last year and a
14% decline quarter-on-quarter. The year-on-year increase reflects
higher ammonia and nitrate volumes in the period, as well as an increase
in sales of premium industrial nitrogen products, melamine and
diesel-exhaust fluid (DEF). Whilst benchmark prices for nitrates were
lower in Q3 2024 compared to Q3 2023, they showed a sequential
improvement quarter-on-quarter.
-- Despite improved sales performance year-over-year, adjusted EBITDA
decreased compared to the same period last year due to higher European
natural gas prices, lower product pricing, increased provisions for
European emissions allowances, and other costs. The rise in other costs
is attributed to higher labor costs and one-off drivers such as elevated
maintenance expenses.
-- In August 2024, Chivas Brothers, the Pernod Ricard business dedicated to
Scotch whisky and makers of Chivas Regal and Ballantine's, along with
its distilling wheat supplier, Simpsons Malt Limited, announced
investment in Nutramon® Low Carbon, a low-carbon CAN fertilizer created
by OCI. A select number of farmers in the Chivas Brothers Wheat Growers
Group are currently trialing Nutramon® Low Carbon, as part of an
exclusive agreement. ISCC PLUS certified Nutramon® Low Carbon is
produced using certified biogas and is estimated to have a reduced
production carbon footprint of up to 50% compared to conventionally
produced fertilizers (cradle-to-gate). Through its low-carbon portfolio,
OCI aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the global food production
chain.
OCI Methanol
-- Own-produced methanol sales were 374 thousand tonnes in Q3 2024, 13%
lower than Q3 2023. Methanol asset utilization at OCI Beaumont and
Natgasoline averaged 85% and 80% in the quarter, respectively.
Own-produced ammonia sales were 77 thousand tonnes in Q3 2024, a
similarly robust performance to the 75 thousand tonnes of own-produced
ammonia sales achieved during Q3 2023.
-- Benchmark prices for methanol were materially improved in the quarter
compared to the same period last year. Spot US Gulf Coast methanol
prices averaged USD 347/t in Q3 2024, 46% higher than the USD 238/t
averaged in Q3 2023.
-- As a result of strong own-produced sales and higher pricing, adjusted
EBITDA for the business in Q3 2024 was materially higher than Q3 2023.
-- The Natgasoline methanol plant in Beaumont, Texas has been down since 29
September and is expected to resume operations in Q4.
Product sales volumes ('000 metric tonnes)
Benchmark Prices
Source: CRU, Bloomberg
Notes
This report contains unaudited third quarter highlights of OCI Global ('OCI,' 'the Group' or 'the Company'), a public limited liability company incorporated under Dutch law, with its head office located at Honthorststraat 19, 1071 DC Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
OCI Global is registered in the Dutch commercial register under No. 56821166 dated 2 January 2013. The Group is primarily involved in the production of nitrogen-based fertilizers and industrial chemicals.
Auditor
The reported data in this report have not been audited by an external auditor.
Investor and Analyst Conference Call
On 12 November 2024 at 15:00 CET (14:00 GMT), OCI will host a conference call for investors and analysts. Investors can find the details of the call on the Company's website at www.oci-global.com [https://www.oci-global.com/].
Market Abuse Regulation
This press release contains inside information as meant in clause 7(1) of the Market Abuse Regulation.
About OCI Global
Learn more about OCI at www.oci-global.com [https://www.oci-global.com/]. You can also follow OCI on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ociglobal/mycompany/].
Contact
OCI Global Investor Relations: Sarah Rajani, CFA
Email: sarah.rajani@oci-global.com [mailto:sarah.rajani@oci-global.com]
www.oci-global.com [https://www.oci-global.com/]
OCI stock symbols: OCI / OCI.NA / OCI.AS
[1] Continuing Operations net debt of USD 2,194 million as of 30 June 2024 has been restated for the deconsolidation of OCI's Methanol business
[2] Production of lower carbon ammonia is conditional on supply of carbon abated hydrogen and ExxonMobil's CCS facility becoming operational
[3] Including OCI's 50% share of Natgasoline volumes
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