August 2, 2024 - Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (NYSE: HCC) has announced results for the second quarter of 2024. Warrior is the leading dedicated U.S.-based producer and exporter of high-quality steelmaking coal for the global steel industry.

Warrior reported net income for the second quarter of 2024 of $70.7 million, or $1.35 per diluted share, a decrease from net income of $82.1 million, or $1.58 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2023. Adjusted net income per share for the second quarter of 2024 was $1.35 per diluted share compared to adjusted net income per share of $1.64 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2023. The Company reported Adjusted EBITDA of $115.9 million in the second quarter of 2024 compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $130.0 million in the second quarter of 2023.

Second Quarter Highlights

• Recorded an 18% increase in sales volumes despite weaker demand in the global markets and a 13% increase in production volumes, resulting in largest quarterly production in over three years

• Invested $84.1 million in the continued development of the world-class Blue Creek growth project and $25.8 million in sustaining capital expenditures, funded through $147.0 million of cash flows from operations

• Completed major components for seam access at Blue Creek, which includes the production slope, service shaft and ventilation shaft and fan and allows for the initial development of the longwall panel with the first continuous miner unit expected to begin in the third quarter of 2024

• Re-affirmed outlook for 2024, with a non-material change to interest expense

“Our ability to deliver a very strong second quarter performance despite a soft global market reflects our continued success in maximizing sales and production volumes and generating significant cash flow from operations,” commented Walt Scheller, CEO of Warrior. “We anticipate the benefits of our high-quality assets and our ability to develop Blue Creek from cash from operations to continue to drive value for stockholders regardless of market factors.”

“Looking ahead, we believe the Company is well positioned to capitalize on improving global demand if it materializes, especially in India, in the second half of the year combined with a potential improvement in steelmaking coal prices from expected tightness in global supply driven by constraints of Australian longwall moves, mine maintenance and recent mine fires,” Mr. Scheller concluded.

Operating Results

Sales volume in the second quarter of 2024 was 2.1 million short tons compared to 1.8 million short tons in the second quarter of 2023, representing an 18% increase. This 18% increase in sales volume was driven by higher production from both Mine No. 4 and Mine No. 7 operating at higher capacity levels in 2024 compared to 2023. We continued to transport more volume by rail to the port during the second quarter of 2024 without any delays due to the failure of a lock and dam system on the Tombigbee River that occurred in January, which slightly increased our transportation costs. The lock and dam system was repaired and returned to service in late May.

The Company produced 2.2 million short tons of steelmaking coal in the second quarter of 2024, resulting in the largest quarterly production in over three years, compared to 1.9 million short tons in the second quarter of 2023, representing a 13% increase. Inventory levels increased slightly to 895 thousand short tons as of June 30, 2024 from 892 thousand short tons as of March 31, 2024.

Additional Financial Results

Total revenues were $396.5 million for the second quarter of 2024, which compares to total revenues of $379.7 million in the second quarter of 2023. The average net selling price of the Company's steelmaking coal decreased 11% from $208.56 per short ton in the second quarter of 2023 to $186.09 per short ton in the second quarter of 2024. Our average gross selling price realization was approximately 90% of the Platts Premium Low Vol FOB Australian index price for the second quarter of 2024.

Cost of sales for the second quarter of 2024 were $261.3 million compared to $230.5 million for the second quarter of 2023. Cash cost of sales (free-on-board port) for the second quarter of 2024 were $259.7 million, or 67% of mining revenues, compared to $229.0 million, or 62% of mining revenues in the same period of 2023. Cash cost of sales (free-on-board port) per short ton decreased to $123.78 in the second quarter of 2024 from $128.70 in the second quarter of 2023, driven primarily by lower steelmaking coal prices and its effect on our variable cost structure, primarily for wages, transportation and royalties and the increase in tons produced.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were $15.4 million, or 3.9% of total revenues and were slightly higher than the same period last year of 3.5% due to higher employee-related compensation costs.

Depreciation and depletion expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were $38.1 million, or 9.6% of total revenues and were slightly higher than the same period last year of 8.0% of total revenues primarily due to depreciation expense recognized on additional assets placed into service and higher sales volumes. Warrior achieved net interest income of $8.3 million during the second quarter of 2024, which compares to net interest income in the same period of last year of $6.2 million. Interest income earned on our cash investments continues to exceed interest expense on our outstanding notes and equipment leases.

Income tax expense was $8.5 million in the second quarter of 2024 on pre-tax income of $79.2 million primarily driven by an income tax benefit for foreign-derived intangible income and depletion expense. This compares to an income tax expense of $14.5 million on income of $96.6 million in the second quarter of 2023.

Cash Flow and Liquidity

The Company generated cash flows of $147.0 million from operating activities in the second quarter of 2024, compared to $124.5 million in the second quarter of 2023. Capital expenditures and mine development for the second quarter of 2024 were $121.6 million compared to $147.4 million in the second quarter of 2023, primarily reflecting the continued development of the Blue Creek growth project. Free cash flows in the second quarter of 2024 were $25.4 million compared to negative free cash flows of $22.8 million in the second quarter of 2023.

Net working capital, excluding cash, for the second quarter of 2024 decreased by $28.7 million from the first quarter of 2024, primarily reflecting lower trade accounts receivable due to the timing of sales and lower steelmaking coal prices.

Cash flows used in financing activities for the second quarter of 2024 were $10.2 million, primarily due to the payment of a regular quarterly dividend of $5.6 million and principal repayments of financing lease obligations of $4.6 million.

The Company’s total liquidity as of June 30, 2024 was $816.4 million, consisting of cash and cash equivalents of $709.0 million and available liquidity under its ABL Facility of $107.4 million, net of outstanding letters of credit of $8.7 million.

Capital Allocation

On July 26, 2024, our Board declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.08 per share, totaling approximately $4.2 million, which will be paid on August 13, 2024, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 6, 2024.

Progress at Blue Creek

During the second quarter, Warrior invested $84.1 million on the continued development of the Blue Creek mine, which brings the year-to-date project spend to approximately $152.6 million and the total project spend to approximately $518.6 million. The Company expects to spend $325 to $375 million in 2024 on the continued development of the Blue Creek mine. As previously disclosed in early 2023, the Company initiated important and highly beneficial project scope changes that will require incremental capital expenditures over the life of the project while lowering operating costs, increasing flexibility to manage risks, and making better use of multi-channel transportation methods. At the same time, the Company effectively reset the original total baseline cost of the project to include these scope changes and the impact of inflationary cost increases ranging from 25 to 35 percent in both operating and capital expenditures in relation to labor, construction materials and certain equipment. There have been no changes to the reset baseline total project cost since that initial disclosure in 2023. The reset baseline total project cost ranges from $995 million to $1.075 billion.

“During the second quarter, we accomplished several critical milestones in the development of our world-class Blue Creek growth project,” Scheller said. “We completed major components for seam access, which includes the production slope, service shaft and ventilation shaft and fan. The next major step is completing the installation of the service cage and the slope belt. This will allow us to begin development of the initial longwall panel with the first continuous miner unit expected to begin in the third quarter of 2024. We also made significant progress on the preparation plant and the development of the rail and barge loadouts. We remain focused on tight capital discipline ensuring the project will be completed within budget and on time, including the longwall startup in the second quarter of 2026.”

With the addition of Blue Creek, Warrior expects to increase its annual High Vol A production by 4.8 million short tons; enhance its already advantageous position on the global cost curve; drive its cash costs further into the first quartile globally; improve its profitability and cash flow generation; and cement its position as a leading pure play steelmaking coal producer.

Company Outlook

The Company re-affirmed its guidance for the full year 2024 with a non-material change to interest expense as indicated below. The guidance is subject to many risks that may impact performance, such as market conditions in the steel and steelmaking coal industries and overall global economic and competitive conditions, all as more fully described under Forward-Looking Statements.

Key factors that may affect outlook include:

• Three planned longwall moves remaining (two in Q3 and one in Q4),
• HCC index pricing, geography of sales and freight rates,
• Exclusion of other non-recurring costs,
• Terms of any new labor contract, and
• Inflationary pressures.

The Company's guidance for its capital expenditures consists of sustaining capital spending of approximately $100 - $110 million, including regulatory and gas requirements, and capital spending of $325 - $375 million for the development of the Blue Creek reserves and $10 - $15 million for the final 4 North bunker construction.

The Company's production guidance contains approximately 200,000 short tons of High Vol A steelmaking coal in the second half of 2024 from the continuous miner unit from the Blue Creek reserves, which are expected to be sold in the second half of 2025 after the preparation plant comes online.

The Company does not provide reconciliations of its outlook for cash cost of sales (free-on-board port) to cost of sales in reliance on the unreasonable efforts exception provided for under Item 10(e)(1)(i)(B) of Regulation S-K. The Company is unable, without unreasonable efforts, to forecast certain items required to develop the meaningful comparable Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") cost of sales. These items typically include non-cash asset retirement obligation accretion expenses, mine idling expenses and other non-recurring indirect mining expenses that are difficult to predict in advance in order to include in a GAAP estimate. The unavailable information could have a significant impact on the Company's reported financial results.

To see the full results with financial figures included, click here.