AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. Reports Second Quarter 2021 Results
Strategic Highlights
The construction of AMG Vanadium’s second spent catalyst recycling facility in Zanesville, Ohio, AMG’s largest capital project, is proceeding as planned.
In Nuremberg, Germany, AMG Titanium Alloys & Coatings has started the construction of a plant to produce vanadium electrolytes from spent catalysts, targeting the vanadium battery market.
AMG Engineering is building AMG’s first industrial battery, a Hybrid Lithium Vanadium Redox Flow Battery System for use in one of our operating units to flatten production-driven spikes in electricity demand and thereby reduce CO2 emissions and energy costs.
The new all-solid-state-battery (ASSB) materials pilot plant of AMG Lithium in Frankfurt, Germany, has provided samples to all of the major battery manufacturers working on the emerging transformation to ASSB technology.
Financial Highlights
Revenue increased by 44% to $298.4 million in the second quarter 2021 from $207.6 million in the second quarter 2020.
EBITDA was $31.4 million in the second quarter of 2021, over four times higher than second quarter 2020 EBITDA of $7.8 million, marking the fourth straight quarter of sequential improvement.
Cash from operating activities was $23.0 million in the second quarter of 2021, and $42.9 on a year-to-date basis, more than double the total cash from operating activities for full year 2020.
Net income attributable to shareholders was $3.6 million in the second quarter of 2021 compared to a net loss of $12.5 million in the second quarter of 2020.
AMG’s liquidity as of June 30, 2021, was $511 million, with $341 million of unrestricted cash and $170 million of revolving credit availability.
AMG declares an interim dividend of €0.10 per ordinary share, to be paid in the third quarter of 2021.
In April 2021, AMG issued 3.1 million new shares, generating $119 million of net proceeds and increasing liquidity to approximately $500 million. With this equity raise, in combination with cash on hand and strong projected cash flow from operations, AMG can fully fund its current strategic projects while maintaining strong liquidity.
AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. (“AMG”, EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: “AMG”) reported second quarter 2021 revenue of $298.4 million, a 44% increase over $207.6 million in the second quarter of 2020. EBITDA for the second quarter of 2021 was $31.4 million, the fourth straight quarter of sequential growth after the pandemic low point of $7.8 million in the second quarter of 2020.
Dr. Heinz Schimmelbusch, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO, said, “With regard to COVID, active cases at AMG have receded to a very low level; however it is with our deepest regret that I have to inform you that AMG experienced its first COVID-related fatality. We continue to apply all safety measures at our disposal with the highest degree of attention in order to ensure our employees are working in the lowest risk environment possible.
“All three of AMG’s segments performed well in the second quarter, and global demand for our products continued to strengthen throughout the first half of 2021.
“Market prices for materials across the Company’s portfolio have continued to increase, most notably for our Clean Energy Materials segment, which has delivered EBITDA growth of more than 22% quarter-over-quarter for each of the last five quarters.
“EBITDA for the AMG Critical Materials Technologies segment was $9.6 million for the quarter, the fourth straight quarter of sequentially increasing EBITDA, while achieving a consistent book to bill ratio despite ongoing weakness of the aerospace sector.
“In 2007 we introduced AMG to the public markets as a producer of “critical” materials. The real meaning of “criticality” has become more apparent over time, and in particular, materials associated with electricity storage are now perceived as especially critical, because increased electricity storage is required in order to enable higher utilization of renewable energy production.
“All of AMG’s strategic projects cluster in our Clean Energy Materials segment and all of these projects are proceeding as planned. Each of these projects is oriented toward growing our production of electricity storage materials or increasing our footprint in the circular economy.
AMG Vanadium’s second spent catalyst recycling facility in Zanesville, Ohio, the largest capital project AMG has undertaken to date, is scheduled to come in on time and on budget.
AMG Lithium has signed the engineering contracts and has purchased the site and long-lead items for the battery grade lithium hydroxide refinery in Bitterfeld, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany.
After extensive tests, a new plant to produce vanadium oxide and vanadium electrolyte materials from spent catalysts is under construction at AMG Titanium Alloys & Coatings in Nuremberg, Germany.
AMG Engineering is building AMG’s first industrial battery, a Hybrid Lithium- Vanadium Redox Flow Battery System for use in one of our operating units to flatten production-driven spikes in electricity demand and thereby reduce CO2 emissions and energy costs. The market potential for this battery concept is very large.”
AMG Clean Energy Materials’ revenue increased by $37.1 million, or 70%, to $90.1 million, driven mainly by higher sales volumes of vanadium, tantalum and lithium concentrate, as well as higher prices in vanadium and lithium concentrate.
Gross profit before non-recurring items during the quarter increased by $12.1 million compared to the same period in the prior year, largely due to the improving price environment and increasing global demand for our products.
SG&A expenses in the second quarter of 2021 were $9.6 million, $2.3 million higher than the second quarter of 2020 due to higher strategic project costs and increased variable compensation expense.
During the quarter, AMG discovered additional slag quantities at its decommissioned site in New Jersey. This material was primarily located below surface level and was inconsistent with earlier estimates. As such, AMG recorded an adjustment to its environmental provision of $11.7 million associated with these higher quantities, and management does not expect any additional remediation to be required. This adjustment negatively impacted operating loss for the period.
AMG Critical Minerals’ revenue increased by $28.9 million, or 60%, to $76.8 million, driven by higher sales volumes and higher sales prices across all three business units.
Gross profit before non-recurring items increased by 117% in the second quarter due to increased revenue from each business unit.
SG&A expenses in the second quarter of 2021 increased by $1.9 million, to $6.8 million, primarily due to higher personnel costs in the current period.
AMG Critical Materials Technologies’ second quarter 2021 revenue increased by $24.8 million, or 23% compared to the same period in 2020. This increase was due to higher revenue from engineering and heat treatment services businesses, and higher sales volumes of titanium aluminides and chrome metal, both of which have begun to recover from the second quarter 2020 pandemic low. Consequently, second quarter 2021 gross profit before non-recurring items increased by $8.0 million, or 61%, to $21.1 million.
SG&A expenses increased by $1.9 million, or 12%, in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, due to higher personnel costs and higher professional fees during the quarter.
AMG Critical Materials Technologies’ EBITDA increased to $9.6 million during the quarter, compared to $2.8 million in the second quarter of 2020. This was primarily due to higher profitability related to increased activity in the engineering and heat treatment services businesses, as well as the higher sales volumes of titanium aluminides and chrome metal. Since the second quarter of 2020, AMG Critical Materials Technologies’ EBITDA has experienced sequential growth quarter-over-quarter.
Order backlog was $190.6 million as of June 30, 2021, in line with $190.7 million as of March 31, 2021. The Company signed $57.3 million in new orders during the second quarter of 2021, representing a 0.92x book to bill ratio. The quarter benefited from strong orders of remelting and induction furnaces.
AMG had a net debt position of $219.9 million as of June 30, 2021. This decrease was mainly due to the additional issuance of shares which generated $119 million of net proceeds offset by the significant investment in growth initiatives during the quarter, especially in our vanadium expansion in Ohio.
AMG continued to maintain a strong balance sheet and adequate sources of liquidity during the second quarter. As of June 30, 2021, the Company had $341 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and $170 million available on its revolving credit facility. As such, AMG had $511 million of total liquidity as of June 30, 2021.
Net Finance Costs
AMG’s second quarter 2021 net finance costs were $4.8 million compared to $6.3 million in the second quarter of 2020. This decline was mainly driven by favorable foreign exchange movements.
AMG capitalized $3.8 million of interest costs in the second quarter of 2021 compared to $3.7 million in the prior year, driven by interest associated with the Company’s tax-exempt municipal bond supporting the vanadium expansion in Ohio.
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