ICL Group's Earnings Surpass Estimates, Revenues Lag in Q1

Core Viewpoint - ICL Group Ltd reported a decline in profits for the first quarter of 2025, with adjusted earnings per share beating estimates despite lower overall sales [1][2]. Financial Performance - ICL recorded profits of $91 million or 7 cents per share, down from $109 million or 8 cents in the same quarter last year [1]. - Adjusted earnings per share were 9 cents, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 8 cents [1]. - Sales increased approximately 2% year-over-year to $1,767 million, slightly missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,770.3 million [1]. Segment Performance - Sales in the Industrial Products segment rose roughly 3% year-over-year to $344 million, driven by improved volumes in flame retardants [2]. - The Potash segment saw a decline of around 4% year-over-year to $405 million, impacted by lower potash prices [3]. - Sales in the Phosphate Solutions segment increased approximately 3% year-over-year to $573 million, supported by strength in commodities [3]. - The Growing Solutions segment's sales grew around 3% year-over-year to $495 million, with increases in Brazil, North America, and Asia, partially offset by a decrease in Europe [4]. Financial Position - At the end of the quarter, ICL had cash and cash equivalents of $312 million, down about 14% year-over-year [5]. - Long-term debt was reported at $1,856 million, a decrease of nearly 1% year-over-year [5]. - Net cash provided by operating activities was $165 million for the quarter [5]. Guidance - ICL expects the EBITDA for specialties-driven segments to be between $0.95 billion and $1.15 billion for 2025 [6]. - For potash, the company anticipates sales volumes to be between 4.5 million metric tons and 4.7 million metric tons in 2025 [6]. Stock Performance - ICL's shares have increased by 37.4% over the past year, significantly outperforming the Zacks Fertilizers industry's growth of 5.3% [7].