Core Viewpoint - Braskem and Fitesa are expanding their influence in the non-woven fabric market by introducing Braskem's "I'm green™" bio-based high-density polyethylene (HDPE), specifically developed for non-woven fabric production [1][2]. Group 1: Product Development - The bio-based HDPE is derived from sugarcane bioethanol and is reported to have a negative carbon footprint, enhancing the bio-based content in the global hygiene product supply chain [1]. - This material is optimized for spunbond processes, exhibiting better processing performance and higher spinning stability [1]. Group 2: Material Characteristics - The "I'm green™" bio-based polyethylene has a melting point and Vicat softening point suitable for producing high-strength filaments [1]. - It possesses the same durability and performance as traditional polyethylene and can be fully recycled within existing polyethylene recycling processes [2]. Group 3: Industry Commitment - Braskem's bio-polymer business development director emphasized the commitment to innovation and sustainability with the launch of the next-generation "I'm green™" bio-based HDPE product [2].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Westlake Partners reported a net income of $5 million or $0.14 per unit for Q1 2025, which is $10 million lower than Q1 2024 due to lower production and sales volume from the planned turnaround at Petro one [6][7] - Consolidated net income, including OpCo's earnings, was $42 million on consolidated net sales of $238 million [7] - Distributable cash flow for the quarter was $5 million or $0.13 per unit, a decrease of $12 million compared to Q1 2024 [7][8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The planned turnaround at the Petro one ethylene unit in Lake Charles, Louisiana, resulted in lower production and sales volume, impacting overall earnings [6][7] - The partnership maintained a strong leverage ratio of approximately one times, with long-term debt at $400 million [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted that global trade tensions have intensified, creating uncertainty for businesses and investors, which may lead to market volatility [10][11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to evaluate growth opportunities through increasing ownership interest in OpCo, acquiring other qualified income streams, and organic growth opportunities such as facility expansions [11] - The ethylene sales agreement provides a predictable fee-based cash flow structure, supporting financial performance and distributions [10][11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the stability of cash flows due to the fixed margin ethylene sales agreement, which mitigates market volatility [6][10] - The company anticipates solid production levels following the successful completion of the Petro one turnaround [10] Other Important Information - The partnership has maintained a cumulative distribution coverage ratio of approximately 1.1 times since its IPO in 2014, with 43 consecutive quarterly distributions [8][9] - The first quarter distribution of $0.04 per unit will be paid on May 29, 2025 [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: The financial impact of the Q1 turnaround at TETRA one seems significant. Can you explain? - Management indicated that the impact was as planned, with the unit down for February and March, and elevated interest rates may also be a factor affecting financial performance [15][16] Question: Is there still enough valuation difference to justify keeping Westlake healthy around? - Management noted that while the parent company has seen some valuation compression, the value proposition remains strong over the business cycle [17][18]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Westlake Partners reported a net income of $5 million or $0.14 per unit for Q1 2025, which is $10 million lower than Q1 2024 due to lower production and sales volume from the planned turnaround at Petro one [6][7] - Consolidated net income, including OpCo's earnings, was $42 million on consolidated net sales of $238 million [7] - Distributable cash flow for the quarter was $5 million or $0.13 per unit, a decrease of $12 million compared to Q1 2024 [7][8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The planned turnaround at the Petro one ethylene unit in Lake Charles, Louisiana, resulted in lower production and sales volume, impacting overall earnings [6][7] - The partnership maintained a strong leverage ratio of approximately one times, with long-term debt at $400 million [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The partnership's predictable fee-based cash flow structure continues to provide stability amid global trade tensions and market volatility [10][11] - The ethylene sales agreement with Westlake ensures predictable cash flows, covering 95% of OpCo's production [10][11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to evaluate growth opportunities through increasing ownership interest in OpCo, acquiring other qualified income streams, and organic growth through facility expansions [11] - The focus remains on providing long-term value and distributions to unitholders while maintaining safe operations and environmental stewardship [11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged intensified global trade tensions creating uncertainty but emphasized the stability provided by the ethylene sales agreement [10] - The successful completion of the Petro one turnaround positions the company for solid production levels in the future [10][11] Other Important Information - The partnership has maintained 43 consecutive quarterly distributions since its IPO in July 2014, with a cumulative distribution coverage ratio of approximately 1.1 times [8][9] - The first quarter distribution of $0.04 per unit will be paid on May 29, 2025, to unitholders of record on May 13, 2025 [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: Financial impact of the Q1 turnaround at TETRA one - Management indicated that the impact was as planned, with the unit down for February and March, and elevated interest rates may have affected loan obligations [15][16] Question: Evaluation difference between Westlake and Westlake LP - Management noted that while the parent company has seen valuation compression, the value proposition remains strong over the business cycle, and the valuation differential remains elevated [17][18]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Westlake Partners reported a net income of $5 million or $0.14 per unit for Q1 2025, which is $10 million lower than Q1 2024 due to lower production and sales volume from the planned turnaround at Petro one [6][8] - Consolidated net income, including OpCo's earnings, was $42 million on consolidated net sales of $238 million [8] - Distributable cash flow for the quarter was $5 million or $0.13 per unit, a decrease of $12 million compared to Q1 2024 [8][10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The planned turnaround at the Petro one ethylene unit in Lake Charles, Louisiana, resulted in lower production and sales volume, impacting overall earnings [6][8] - The partnership maintained a strong leverage ratio of approximately one times, with long-term debt at $400 million [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted that global trade tensions have intensified, creating uncertainty for businesses and investors, which may lead to market volatility [11] - The ethylene sales agreement provides a predictable fee-based cash flow structure, supporting financial performance despite market conditions [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to evaluate growth opportunities through increasing ownership interest in OpCo, acquisitions of other income streams, and organic growth through facility expansions [12] - The focus remains on maintaining a strong balance sheet and conservative financial metrics while providing long-term value and distributions to unitholders [12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the stability of cash flows due to the fixed margin ethylene sales agreement, which mitigates market volatility [6][11] - The successful completion of the Petro one turnaround positions the company for solid production levels in the future [12] Other Important Information - The partnership has made 43 consecutive quarterly distributions since its IPO in July 2014, with a cumulative distribution coverage ratio of approximately 1.1 times [10][12] - The first quarter distribution of $0.04 per unit will be paid on May 29, 2025 [10] Q&A Session Summary Question: The financial impact of the Q1 turnaround at TETRA one seems significant. Can you explain? - Management indicated that the impact was as planned, with the unit down for February and March, and elevated interest rates may have also affected performance [17][18] Question: Is there still enough valuation difference to justify keeping Westlake healthy around? - Management noted that while the parent company has seen some valuation compression, the value proposition remains strong over the business cycle [19][20]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales for the first quarter of 2025 were $378 million, representing a 12% increase year-over-year [11] - Sales volume increased by approximately 7%, driven by improved operational performance and higher granular ammonium sulfate sales [11] - Adjusted EBITDA was $52 million with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 13.7% [12] - Adjusted earnings per share increased to $0.93, up $1.49 compared to the prior year [12] - Free cash flow was negative $23 million, an improvement of $49 million year-over-year [13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Plant Nutrients segment, ammonium sulfate prices increased by 34% year-over-year, supported by higher energy costs and tighter supply-demand conditions [18] - The nylon business experienced a slow start but saw orders and pricing pick up, with stable domestic demand amid macroeconomic factors [21] - In Chemical Intermediates, acetone prices declined sequentially and year-over-year, but remained above cycle averages [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The North American corn planting season is expected to reach 95 million acres, supporting strong nutrient demand [19] - Domestic nylon demand remained stable, but global oversupply conditions continued to pressure pricing [22] - Acetone demand is expected to improve in the second quarter following downstream turnarounds and seasonal improvements [25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on operational excellence and maintaining high utilization rates to capture competitive cost advantages [6] - Continued investment in growth and enterprise initiatives is aimed at sustainably improving through-cycle profitability [9] - The company is well-positioned as a U.S.-based manufacturer aligned with domestic supply chains and energy markets [10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the underlying industry fundamentals supporting nutrient demand despite higher raw material prices [19] - The company is navigating a dynamic environment while focusing on cash flow management and disciplined investments [30] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy balance sheet to enable strategic capital allocation [30] Other Important Information - The company received approximately $39 million in aggregated insurance proceeds related to the 2019 PES cumene supplier shutdown [9] - Capital expenditures for 2025 are forecasted to be between $145 million and $155 million, with a focus on maintaining operational safety and sustainability [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Tactical moves in response to uncertainty - Management indicated that they are focused on delivering for customers and right-sizing inventory buffers without increasing inventory levels [38][39] Question: Assurance of sulfur supply - Management stated that they have a broad supply mix for sulfur and anticipate that supply will be ample for their needs [42] Question: Outlook for ammonium sulfate post-spring demand - Management confirmed a robust order book and expects record volume for the fertilizer year, with a focus on domestic demand growth [66] Question: Nylon market share and tariffs - Management noted that while tariffs could lead to higher costs, they are monitoring the engineering plastic demand closely and focusing on execution [61][62] Question: CapEx and acquisition opportunities - Management expressed interest in evaluating inorganic opportunities as they expect to bring base CapEx back in line after completing larger projects [69]

Quaker Chemical (KWR) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 02, 2025 08:30 AM ET Company Participants Jeffrey Schnell - Vice President, Investor RelationsJoseph Berquist - President and Chief Executive OfficerTom Coler - Executive Vice President & Chief Financial OfficerKevin Estok - Equity Research Senior AssociateJon Tanwanteng - Managing Director Conference Call Participants Mike Harrison - Managing Director and Senior Chemicals AnalystArun Viswanathan - Senior Equity Analyst Operator As a reminder, this conference ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales for the first quarter of 2025 were $378 million, representing a 12% increase year-over-year, with sales volume up approximately 7% driven by improved operational performance and higher granular ammonium sulfate sales [9][10] - Adjusted EBITDA was $52 million with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 13.7%, while adjusted earnings per share increased to $0.93, up $1.49 from the prior year [10][11] - Free cash flow was negative $23 million, an improvement of $49 million compared to the prior year, with cash flow from operations increasing by $48 million [11][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Plant Nutrients segment, nitrogen fertilizer pricing increased amid higher energy costs, with ammonium sulfate prices up 34% year-over-year [16][17] - The nylon business experienced a slow start but saw orders and pricing pick up, supported by lower benzene costs [20][21] - Chemical Intermediates faced declining acetone prices due to higher input costs, but demand is expected to improve as downstream turnarounds complete [23][24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The North American corn planting season is expected to reach 95 million acres, supporting strong demand for ammonium sulfate [18][19] - Domestic nylon demand remained stable, but global oversupply conditions continue to pressure pricing [22][23] - The chemical intermediates market is mixed, with demand across ag chemicals, electronics, and European paints and coatings remaining varied [24] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on operational excellence and maintaining high utilization rates to capture competitive cost advantages [6][7] - Continued investment in growth and enterprise initiatives is aimed at sustainably improving through-cycle profitability [7][14] - The company is well-positioned as a U.S.-based manufacturer aligned with domestic supply chains and energy markets [8][25] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating the current dynamic environment and emphasized the importance of cash flow management [28] - The company is monitoring potential impacts on demand across end markets and is focused on delivering on controllable factors [28] - There is optimism regarding the growth prospects in the Plant Nutrients business, particularly with the anticipated increase in corn acreage [19][20] Other Important Information - The company received approximately $39 million in insurance proceeds related to the 2019 PES cumene supplier shutdown, with a final settlement of $26 million in Q1 2025 [7][10] - The company is maintaining a healthy balance sheet and ample liquidity to support reinvestment and growth [13][14] Q&A Session Summary Question: Tactical moves in response to uncertainty - Management indicated that they are focused on delivering for customers and managing inventory levels without significantly increasing them [35][36] Question: Concerns about sulfur supply - Management stated that supply-demand conditions for sulfur are balanced, and they have a broad vendor mix to ensure supply [39] Question: Outlook for ammonium sulfate post-spring demand - Management confirmed that they are focused on maximizing granular sales during the current season and will evaluate fundamentals as the season progresses [41][42] Question: Adjusting marketing emphasis for nylon amid demand weakness - Management clarified that they are focused on serving domestic demand and optimizing their product mix to navigate the current oversupply environment [44][45] Question: Patent infringement proceedings regarding EZ Block additives - Management provided an overview of the patent protection for their EZ Block product and the ongoing legal proceedings [49][50] Question: Market share opportunities due to tariffs on nylon - Management noted that while tariffs could impact costs, they are monitoring the situation closely and focusing on execution for the remainder of the year [58][60] Question: Ammonium sulfate volume expectations - Management anticipates a record volume for the fertilizer year, driven by robust planting and application rates [63][64] Question: CapEx and acquisition opportunities - Management indicated that they are looking to align CapEx with organic opportunities while evaluating potential inorganic opportunities as well [66]

Financial Performance - Net sales were $2.846 billion, a decrease of 4% year-over-year (YoY) from $2.975 billion in 1Q 2024[6] - EBITDA was $288 million, a decrease of 47% YoY from $546 million in 1Q 2024[6] - The company has a strong cash position of $2.5 billion in cash, equivalents, and investments[4, 5, 8] - Westlake repurchased $30 million of shares of WLK common stock, with over $400 million share repurchase authorization remaining[8] Segment Performance - Housing and Infrastructure Products (HIP) - HIP segment sales were $996 million, a decrease of 5% YoY from $1.044 billion in 1Q 2024[10] - HIP segment EBITDA was $203 million, a decrease of 23% YoY from $264 million in 1Q 2024[6, 10] - The company expects 2025 HIP revenue and EBITDA margin to be towards the low ends of the previously-communicated ranges of $4.4 – $4.6 billion and 20% – 22%[11, 14] Segment Performance - Performance and Essential Materials (PEM) - PEM segment sales were $1.850 billion, a decrease of 4% YoY from $1.931 billion in 1Q 2024[15] - PEM segment EBITDA was $73 million, a decrease of 71% YoY from $253 million in 1Q 2024[6, 15] - Higher YoY prices for North American feedstocks and energy reduced EBITDA by approximately $100 million[8, 16] - Planned turnarounds and unplanned outages impacted EBITDA by approximately $80 million[5, 8, 16] Cost Savings and Capital Spending - Westlake achieved approximately $40 million of cost savings in 1Q 2025 and is raising its 2025 cost savings target by $25 million to $150 – $175 million[5] - The company is reducing its 2025 capital spending target by 10% to $900 million to support cash flows[5, 19]

Financial Performance - 1Q25 Sales reached $378 million, a 12% increase compared to $337 million in 1Q24[6, 9] - Adjusted EBITDA for 1Q25 was $52 million, significantly up from $1 million in 1Q24[6, 9] - Adjusted EBITDA Margin improved to 13.7% in 1Q25, compared to 0.2% in 1Q24[6, 9] - Adjusted EPS for 1Q25 was $0.93, a substantial increase from $(0.56) in 1Q24[6, 9] - Net Income for 1Q25 was $23.3 million, compared to a loss of $17.4 million in 1Q24[7, 9] Key Drivers and Factors - Operational performance and insurance proceeds supported higher 1Q25 results[7] - The company received an omnibus insurance settlement of approximately $26 million in 1Q25 related to a 2019 PES supplier shutdown[7, 13] - Volume increased by 7% and price increased by 5%, with market-based pricing contributing 4% and raw materials pass-through contributing 1% to the sales increase[11] Market Outlook - Strong sulfur nutrition demand and tight North American ammonium sulfate supply are expected to support sulfur premiums[7, 20] - The company anticipates higher raw material prices impacting fertilizer margins[7, 20] - Global oversupply conditions are impacting industry pricing dynamics in the nylon market[7, 26]

Ecovyst (ECVT) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 01, 2025 11:00 AM ET Company Participants Gene Shiels - Director of Investor RelationKurt Bitting - CEO & DirectorMike Feehan - CFOHamed Khorsand - Principal Conference Call Participants John McNulty - MD - Chemicals AnalystPatrick Cunningham - AnalystNone - AnalystDaniel Rizzo - Analyst Operator Good morning. My name is Madison, and I will be your conference operator today. Welcome to the ECOVIST First Quarter twenty twenty five Earnings Call and Webcast. Please not ...