Core Viewpoint - NewMarket reported a decline in net income and earnings per share for both the fourth quarter and full year of 2025, primarily due to a higher effective tax rate impacting profitability [5][8]. Financial Performance - Fourth-quarter 2025 net income was $81 million, or $8.65 per share, down from $111 million, or $11.56 per share, in the same period of 2024 [3][8]. - For the full year 2025, net income totaled $419 million, or $44.44 per share, compared to $462 million, or $48.22 per share, in 2024 [3][8]. - Pre-tax income for Q4 2025 was $113 million, down from $134 million in Q4 2024, while full-year pre-tax income was $561 million, a 4% decline from $584 million in 2024 [4][8]. Segment Performance - The Petroleum Additives segment saw Q4 sales decrease to $585 million from $626 million, with operating profit falling to $107 million from $136 million, attributed to a 6% decline in shipments, lower selling prices, and higher unit costs [7][9]. - Full-year sales for Petroleum Additives were $2.5 billion, down from $2.6 billion in 2024, with operating profit declining to $520 million from $592 million [8][9]. - Specialty Materials segment experienced growth, with Q4 sales rising to $49 million from $27 million in 2024, driven by increased volume at AMPAC and the acquisition of Calca [11][12]. Cash Flow and Capital Allocation - NewMarket generated solid cash flows in 2025, enabling $183 million in shareholder returns through share repurchases and dividends [14][15]. - The company reduced total debt by $88 million compared to 2024, with net debt to EBITDA at 1.1 times as of December 31, 2025 [14]. Strategic Outlook - Looking ahead, NewMarket anticipates continued strength in both Petroleum Additives and Specialty Materials, focusing on long-term value creation for shareholders and customers [16].

Core Insights - Valvoline reported a strong first quarter for fiscal 2026, with system-wide same-store sales increasing by 5.8% and net sales reaching $462 million, reflecting an 11% increase on a reported basis and a 15% increase when adjusted for refranchising impacts [4][7][10] Financial Performance - The company achieved a gross margin of 37.4%, up 50 basis points year-over-year, attributed to labor and product cost leverage, despite rising service delivery costs [10] - Adjusted EBITDA margin increased by 60 basis points to 25.4%, while the company reported a GAAP loss of $32.2 million primarily due to divestitures required by the FTC [12] - Operating cash flow improved to $64.8 million, with free cash flow increasing by approximately $20 million year-over-year to $7.4 million [13] Store Expansion and Acquisitions - The acquisition of Breeze added 162 stores, significantly increasing the store base, while Valvoline also opened 38 net new stores in the quarter, including 10 from franchise partners [6][8] - The company aims to add 250 new units by fiscal 2027, with a healthy pipeline for both company and franchise development [8] Customer Engagement and Market Trends - Valvoline's mobile service delivery initiative contributed about 20 basis points to same-store sales, focusing on consumer and fleet convenience [1] - The company reported strong customer feedback, with a 4.7-star rating across the network and Net Promoter Scores over 80% [7] Operational Initiatives and Technology - Management is implementing a multi-year technology strategy, including a new CRM system and cloud migration, which is expected to improve efficiencies and reduce maintenance costs over time [19] - Marketing initiatives, such as the "Instant Transfer Portal" campaign, have generated strong engagement, and the company is exploring a national advertising fund starting in fiscal 2027 [18] Financial Strategy and Leverage - Valvoline's leverage ratio stands at 3.3x net debt to adjusted EBITDA, with plans to reduce it to approximately 2.5x before resuming share repurchases [5][14] - The company anticipates a pre-tax interest expense increase of about $33 million in fiscal 2026 due to a new Term Loan B [14]