Achieved Net Income of $41.8 million, or $0.80 per diluted share

Generated Adjusted EBITDA of $78.5 million

Produced first development tons at Blue Creek within budget and on schedule

BROOKWOOD, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 2024-- Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (NYSE: HCC) (“Warrior” or the “Company”) today announced results for the third 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 third quarter of 2024 of $41.8 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, a decrease from net income of $85.4 million, or $1.64 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2023. Adjusted net income per share for the third quarter of 2024 was $0.80 per diluted share compared to adjusted net income per share of $1.85 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2023. The Company reported Adjusted EBITDA of $78.5 million in the third quarter of 2024 compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $145.8 million in the third quarter of 2023.

Third Quarter Highlights

• Commenced continuous miner development of the first longwall panel at the world-class Blue Creek growth project, producing the first development tons of 39 thousand short tons;
• Completed the installation of the service cage, slope belt, slope car and raw coal belt at Blue Creek, and made significant progress on the preparation plant, the overland clean coal belt and the rail and barge loadouts. Further development progress remains on track, with the preparation plant expected to be completed in the middle of 2025 and the longwall startup expected in the second quarter of 2026;
• Invested $93.8 million in the continued development of Blue Creek, which brings the year-to-date project spend to $246.4 million and the total project spend to $612.4 million; and
• Recorded $62.2 million of cash provided by operating activities despite weaker demand in the global markets and a 12.5% decrease in Platts Premium Low Vol FOB Australian index price from the previous quarter.

“During the third quarter, high-quality steelmaking coal prices reached a three-year low primarily driven by a confluence of weaker demand, excess Chinese steel exports into our customers' markets, and ample supply of steelmaking coals,” commented Walt Scheller, CEO of Warrior. “We believe that current prices are below the global cost curve and are not sustainable. While we wait for market conditions to improve, we are carefully managing spot opportunities and are strategically exercising patience with certain geographies. Despite the external factors impacting our results, the third quarter represented a significant and positive milestone for Warrior as we produced the first development tons from our world-class Blue Creek growth project, on time and within budget.”

“While we expect steelmaking coal prices to improve slightly in the fourth quarter, we believe the pricing environment will remain under pressure due to the persistent weakness in the global steel markets and delayed infrastructure spending in India. With our world-class asset base, highly flexible cost structure, and a high-performing workforce, we are well-positioned to capitalize on improved global steel demand when the market turns, while moving forward with our highly disciplined approach to completing the Blue Creek project on time and within budget,” Mr. Scheller concluded.

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.

Operating Results

Sales volume in the third quarter of 2024 was 1.9 million short tons compared to 2.3 million short tons in the third quarter of 2023, representing an 17.5% decrease. This 17.5% decrease in sales volume was driven by us being selective with spot sales and exercising patience while we wait for market conditions to improve.

The Company produced 1.9 million short tons of steelmaking coal in the third quarter of 2024, compared to 2.0 million short tons in the third quarter of 2023, representing a 3.8% decrease. The timing of a scheduled longwall move in the third quarter slipped to early fourth quarter. Inventory levels increased to 915 thousand short tons as of September 30, 2024 from 895 thousand short tons as of June 30, 2024.

Additional Financial Results

Total revenues were $327.7 million for the third quarter of 2024, which compares to total revenues of $423.5 million in the third quarter of 2023. The average net selling price of the Company's steelmaking coal decreased 6.9% from $184.71 per short ton in the third quarter of 2023 to $171.92 per short ton in the third quarter of 2024. Our average gross selling price realization was approximately 93% of the Platts Premium Low Vol FOB Australian index price for the third quarter of 2024.

Cost of sales for the third quarter of 2024 were $231.6 million compared to $260.4 million for the third quarter of 2023. Cash cost of sales (free-on-board port) for the third quarter of 2024 were $229.7 million, or 71.8% of mining revenues, compared to $258.8 million, or 62.1% of mining revenues in the same period of 2023. Cash cost of sales (free-on-board port) per short ton increased to $123.45 in the third quarter of 2024 from $114.66 in the third quarter of 2023, driven primarily by lower sales volumes of 17.5% offset partially by an increase in production costs driven by increased headcount and supply costs.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2024 were $11.4 million, or 3.5% of total revenues and were slightly higher than the same period last year of 2.6% due to higher employee-related costs.

Depreciation and depletion expenses for the third quarter of 2024 were $36.6 million, or 11.2% 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. Warrior achieved net interest income of $7.3 million during the third quarter of 2024, which is consistent with the prior year. Interest income earned on our cash investments continues to exceed interest expense on our outstanding notes and equipment leases.

Income tax expense was $4.6 million in the third quarter of 2024 on pre-tax income of $46.4 million primarily driven by an income tax benefit for foreign-derived intangible income and depletion expense. This compares to an income tax expense of $16.8 million on income of $102.2 million in the third quarter of 2023.

Cash Flow and Liquidity

The Company generated cash flows of $62.2 million from operating activities in the third quarter of 2024, compared to $138.6 million in the third quarter of 2023. Capital expenditures and mine development for the third quarter of 2024 were $122.8 million compared to $112.3 million in the third quarter of 2023, primarily reflecting the continued development of the Blue Creek growth project. Free cash flows in the third quarter of 2024 were negative $60.6 million compared to free cash flows of $26.2 million in the third quarter of 2023.

Net working capital, excluding cash, for the third quarter of 2024 decreased by $4.4 million from the second quarter of 2024, primarily reflecting lower sales volumes, lower steelmaking coal prices, lower net accounts payable and accrued expenses and higher inventories.

Cash flows used in financing activities for the third quarter of 2024 were $8.1 million, primarily due to the payment of a regular quarterly dividend of $4.2 million and principal repayments of financing lease obligations of $3.8 million.

The Company’s total liquidity as of September 30, 2024 was $746.4 million, consisting of cash and cash equivalents of $583.2 million, long-term investments of $49.7 million and available liquidity under its ABL Facility of $113.5 million, net of outstanding letters of credit of $2.5 million.

Capital Allocation

On October 25, 2024, our Board declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.08 per share, totaling approximately $4.2 million, which will be paid on November 12, 2024, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on November 5, 2024.

Company Outlook

The Company re-affirmed its guidance for the full year 2024. 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:

• Two planned longwall moves remaining 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 units 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.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This release contains the use of certain non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures are provided as supplemental information for financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide additional insights into the performance of the Company, and they reflect how management analyzes Company performance and compares that performance against other companies. These non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures used by other entities. The definition of these non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP financial measures is provided in the financial tables section of this release.

Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call to discuss its third quarter 2024 results today, October 30, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. ET. To listen to the event, live or access an archived recording, please visit http://investors.warriormetcoal.com. Analysts and investors who would like to participate in the conference call should dial 1-844-340-9047 (domestic) or 1-412-858-5206 (international) 10 minutes prior to the start time and reference the Warrior Met Coal conference call. Telephone playback will also be available from 6:30 p.m. ET on October 30, 2024 until 6:30 p.m. ET on November 6, 2024. The replay will be available by calling: 1-877-344-7529 (domestic) or 1-412-317-0088 (international) and entering passcode 6016502.

About Warrior

Warrior is a U.S.-based, environmentally and socially minded supplier to the global steel industry. It is dedicated entirely to mining non-thermal metallurgical (met) steelmaking coal used as a critical component of steel production by metal manufacturers in Europe, South America and Asia. Warrior is a large-scale, low-cost producer and exporter of premium quality met coal, also known as hard-coking coal (HCC), operating highly efficient longwall operations in its underground mines based in Alabama. The HCC that Warrior produces from the Blue Creek coal seam contains very low sulfur and has strong coking properties. The premium nature of Warrior’s HCC makes it ideally suited as a base feed coal for steel makers. For more information, please visit www.warriormetcoal.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains, and the Company’s officers and representatives may from time to time make, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding 2024 guidance, sales and production growth, ability to maintain cost structure, demand, pricing trends, management of liquidity, cash flows, expenses and expected capital expenditures, the Company's future ability to create value for stockholders, as well as statements regarding production, inflationary pressures, the development of the Blue Creek project, and the terms of any new labor contract. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” “project,” “target,” “foresee,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “potential,” “outlook,” “guidance” or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements represent management’s good faith expectations, projections, guidance, or beliefs concerning future events, and it is possible that the results described in this press release will not be achieved. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, fluctuations or changes in the pricing or demand for the Company’s coal (or met coal generally) by the global steel industry; the impact of global pandemics, such as the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic, on its business and that of its customers, including the risk of a decline in demand for the Company's met coal due to the impact of any such pandemic on steel manufacturers; the impact of inflation on the Company, the impact of geopolitical events, including the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war; the inability of the Company to effectively operate its mines and the resulting decrease in production; the inability of the Company to transport its products to customers due to rail performance issues or the impact of weather and mechanical failures at the McDuffie Terminal at the Port of Mobile; federal and state tax legislation; changes in interpretation or assumptions and/or updated regulatory guidance regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017; legislation and regulations relating to the Clean Air Act and other environmental initiatives; regulatory requirements associated with federal, state and local regulatory agencies, and such agencies’ authority to order temporary or permanent closure of the Company’s mines; operational, logistical, geological, permit, license, labor and weather-related factors, including equipment, permitting, site access, operational risks and new technologies related to mining and labor strikes or slowdowns; the timing and impact of planned longwall moves; the Company’s obligations surrounding reclamation and mine closure; inaccuracies in the Company’s estimates of its met coal reserves; any projections or estimates regarding Blue Creek, including the expected returns from this project, if any, and the ability of Blue Creek to enhance the Company's portfolio of assets, the Company's expectations regarding its future tax rate as well as its ability to effectively utilize its net operating losses to reduce or eliminate its cash taxes; the Company's ability to develop Blue Creek; the Company’s ability to develop or acquire met coal reserves in an economically feasible manner; significant cost increases and fluctuations, and delay in the delivery of raw materials, mining equipment and purchased components; competition and foreign currency fluctuations; fluctuations in the amount of cash the Company generates from operations, including cash necessary to pay any special or quarterly dividend; the Company’s ability to comply with covenants in its ABL Facility or indenture relating to its senior secured notes; integration of businesses that the Company may acquire in the future; adequate liquidity and the cost, availability and access to capital and financial markets; failure to obtain or renew surety bonds on acceptable terms, which could affect the Company’s ability to secure reclamation and coal lease obligations; costs associated with litigation, including claims not yet asserted; and other factors described in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The Company’s filings with the SEC are available on its website at www.warriormetcoal.com and on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all such factors.

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For Investors:
Dale W. Boyles, 205-554-6129
dale.boyles@warriormetcoal.com

For Media:
D'Andre Wright, 205-554-6131
dandre.wright@warriormetcoal.com

Source: Warrior Met Coal, Inc.