PresentationMichael DossPresident, CEO & Director Thank you, Phil, and good morning, everybody. It's nice to be here. I appreciate the invitation to come to the industrial conference. And first we're first up on presenting this morning on the packaging side, which is great. We appreciate that and your interest in Graphic Packaging. I'm going to start by basically through the safe harbor statements, making the case for why Graphic. And that's really what I want to do over the next 20, 25 minutes in my prepar ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fiscal year 2025 revenue reached a record $2.3 billion, slightly up from the previous year, primarily due to higher prices across all business lines, partially offset by lower sales volumes in Cement, Concrete, and Aggregates [21][22] - Diluted earnings per share for the full fiscal year increased by 1% to $13.77, attributed to a reduced share count from the share repurchase program [21][22] - Fourth quarter revenue decreased by 1% to $470 million, mainly due to lower sales volumes in Cement and Gypsum Wallboard, offset by higher prices [21][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Heavy Materials sector revenue declined by 2% to $1.4 billion, reflecting a 5% decrease in cement sales volume, partially offset by higher prices [23] - Light Materials sector revenue increased by 3% to $969 million, driven by higher wallboard sales prices and record recycled paperboard sales volume [24] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adverse weather conditions in the fourth quarter caused production interruptions, impacting Cement and Concrete and Aggregates businesses [15][22] - Despite recent challenges, demand and supply dynamics in the sector remain favorable, with no material disruption in public infrastructure project funding [15][16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on health, safety, sustainability, and strategic investments to enhance its competitive position [19][20] - Significant capital investments include modernization projects at the Mountain Cement plant and the Duke wallboard facility, expected to improve energy efficiency and production capacity [12][25] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating economic uncertainties, emphasizing a steady focus on investing through cycles [13][19] - The outlook for cement and wallboard demand remains cautiously optimistic, with expectations for a rebound in single-family housing starts despite current pressures [16][18] Other Important Information - The company completed over $175 million in M&A transactions and returned $332 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends [13][27] - The appointment of David Rush to the Board of Directors was announced, bringing valuable industry experience [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Thoughts on capital deployment for modernization and expansion projects - Management highlighted a focus on high-return projects with internal hurdle rates of 15% cash on cash after tax [29][31] Question: Impact of alternative fuels on cost management - The company is utilizing alternative fuels like tire chips to enhance flexibility and reduce CO2 emissions [34][36] Question: Wallboard pricing trends and freight costs - Management noted that higher freight costs contributed to sequential pricing declines, with plans for a price increase in the spring [39][40] Question: Demand outlook for private non-residential markets - The private non-residential market remains steady, with a variety of large multi-year projects ongoing [48][49] Question: Expectations for cement pricing and cost visibility - Management anticipates continued margin improvement, driven by volume recovery and stable energy costs [55][56] Question: Production downtimes during Duke Wallboard facility modernization - Existing lines will operate normally until the new line is complete [81] Question: Future acquisition plans in aggregates - The company remains open to aggregate acquisitions that align with its strategic criteria [82]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fiscal year 2025 revenue reached a record $2,300 million, up slightly from the prior year, primarily due to higher prices across all business lines, partially offset by lower sales volume in Cement and Concrete and Aggregates [22][24] - Diluted earnings per share for the full fiscal year increased 1% to $13.77, driven by a reduced share count from the share repurchase program [22][23] - Fourth quarter revenue decreased 1% to $470 million, mainly due to lower Cement and Gypsum Wallboard sales volumes, offset by higher prices [22][23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Heavy materials sector revenue declined 2% to $1,400 million, reflecting a 5% decrease in cement sales volume, partially offset by higher sales prices [24] - Light materials sector revenue increased 3% to $969 million, driven by higher wallboard sales prices and record recycled paperboard sales volume [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The cement sector experienced no material disruption in public infrastructure project funding, with healthy bidding activities reported by customers [16][17] - Residential market pressures from high mortgage rates and housing affordability challenges continue, but there is pent-up demand for new housing [17][19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on health, safety, sustainability, and strategic investments to enhance operational efficiency and competitive positioning [20][21] - Significant capital investments include the modernization of the Mountain Cement plant and the Duke wallboard facility, expected to enhance capacity and efficiency [26][28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that adverse weather impacted fourth quarter performance but underlying fundamentals in the sector remain solid [16][19] - There is optimism regarding a rebound in single-family housing starts, with expectations that demand and supply dynamics will support business growth in the coming years [17][19] Other Important Information - The company completed over $175 million in M&A transactions and returned $332 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends [14][29] - The appointment of David Rush to the Board of Directors was announced, bringing valuable industry experience [20][21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Capital deployment philosophy for modernization and expansion projects - Management emphasized a focus on high return projects with internal hurdle rates of 15% cash on cash after tax [31][33] Question: Alternative fuels utilization in cement operations - Management discussed the use of tires and other alternative fuels to improve cost management and reduce CO2 emissions [35][37] Question: Wallboard pricing trends and freight costs - Management indicated that higher freight costs contributed to sequential pricing declines, but a price increase is planned for spring [41][42] Question: Demand outlook for private non-residential markets - Management noted steady demand in private non-residential sectors, with large multi-year projects contributing to growth [49][50] Question: Cement pricing and cost visibility - Management expects to improve margins over the next year, despite some cost pressures, with a focus on volume recovery [54][56] Question: Production downtimes during Duke Wallboard facility modernization - Existing lines will continue to operate until the new line is complete, similar to the Mountain Cement project [82][83] Question: Future acquisition plans in aggregates - Management remains open to pursuing aggregate acquisitions that align with strategic criteria and offer strong financial returns [84]