Compass Minerals Reports Fiscal 2025 Third-Quarter Results

Compass Minerals (NYSE:CMP), a leading global provider of essential minerals, today reported fiscal 2025 third-quarter results.

Unless otherwise noted, it should be assumed that time periods referenced below are on a fiscal-year basis.

MANAGEMENT COMMENTARY

"Compass Minerals had a strong third quarter that saw year-over-year improvement on a number of performance measures," said Edward C. Dowling Jr., president and CEO. "In the Salt business, while pricing was relatively flat in both the highway deicing and C&I businesses, costs declined which allowed for adjusted EBITDA margin expansion and per-ton growth compared to the same period last year. Our ramp up of highway deicing production is underway as we prepare for the coming deicing season. North American bid season is going well and we are seeing improvements in pricing and commitment sizes compared to last year. The Plant Nutrition business is benefiting from stronger sales volumes and lower production costs, which drove improvements in segment level operating income and adjusted EBITDA. On the financial front, we took steps in the third quarter with our refinancing activities to enhance our financial flexibility. We further reduced net debt and strengthened our balance sheet with the sale of certain assets related to Fortress during the quarter. We continue to execute on our back-to-basics strategy and the results from the quarter reflect the progress we are making."

QUARTERLY HIGHLIGHTS

• Net loss of $17.0 million for the third quarter of 2025, inclusive of loss on extinguishment of debt, improved from net loss in prior year of $43.6 million;

• Total company adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of 2025 of $41.0 million, up 25% year over year;

• Salt business operating earnings and adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of 2025 increased 4% and 6%, respectively, on a per-ton basis; Salt sales volumes up 4% year over year; and

• Plant Nutrition sales volumes in third quarter of 2025 up 21% from comparable prior year period; realized increases in operating earnings and adjusted EBITDA on both absolute and per-ton bases.

QUARTERLY FINANCIAL RESULTS

SALT BUSINESS COMMENTARY

Salt revenue totaled $166.0 million and was up 3% year over year, driven by a 4% year-over-year sales volume increase, partially offset by a 1% decrease in average sales price. In the highway deicing business, year over year the company realized a 1% increase in average highway deicing selling price while sales volumes increased 5%. Consumer and Industrial (C&I) pricing decreased 1% year over year to approximately $193 per ton and sales volumes increased by 2%.

Distribution costs per ton were flat year over year, while all-in product costs (defined at the segment level as sales to external customers less distribution costs less operating earnings) per ton declined 2% from the comparable prior-year quarter.

Operating earnings for the quarter increased by 9% to $28.1 million from the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $45.8 million, up 10% from the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA per ton increased 6% to $29.66.

PLANT NUTRITION BUSINESS COMMENTARY

Plant Nutrition revenue for the quarter totaled $44.8 million, up 15% year over year on improved sales volumes. The average segment sales price for the quarter was down 5% year over year to approximately $659 per ton, reflecting supply conditions of potassium-based fertilizers globally. Per-unit distribution costs for the quarter increased 10% year over year supporting sales in markets further from the company's core western U.S. markets. Reported all-in product costs per ton decreased of 23% year over year to approximately $484 per ton.

Operating earnings in the Plant Nutrition business was $5.2 million for the quarter, compared to operating loss of $1.4 million in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA improved to $11.4 million versus $7.2 million last year.

CASH FLOW AND FINANCIAL POSITION

Net cash provided by operating activities amounted to $204.6 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2025, compared to $27.1 million in the prior year. A significant reduction in North American salt inventory driven by stronger winter weather and strategic positioning of inventory levels was the primary contributor to the significant improvement year over year.

Net cash used in investing activities was $34.7 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2025, down from $95.0 million in the prior year principally driven by lower capital spending and proceeds from the sale of Fortress North America (Fortress) assets. Total capital spending for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 was $53.8 million. In the third quarter, the company sold certain assets and intellectual property for net proceeds of $19.6 million related to the previously announced exit of its fire retardant business.

Net cash used in financing activities was $111.5 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2025, which included net debt payments of $87.0 million. In the prior year, net cash provided by financing activities reflected net borrowings of $69.5 million. Current year results reflect the previously disclosed debt financing activities that occurred in June of 2025. Compass Minerals recognized a loss from extinguishment of debt of $7.6 million due to the redemption of a portion of the outstanding 6.75% senior unsecured notes and modifications to the company's credit agreement.

The company ended the quarter with $388.7 million of liquidity, comprised of $79.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and $309.3 million of availability under its $325 million revolving credit facility.

UPDATED FISCAL 2025 OUTLOOK

The company's salt and sulfate of potash production in Canada is qualified under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement. Accordingly, Compass Minerals' exports from Canada into the United States continue to be exempt from tariffs at this time.

The company's guidance has been refined to reflect the completion of three quarters of the year.

Guidance for the Plant Nutrition segment has been adjusted to reflect the completion of three quarters of the year. Positive production trends in 2025 have allowed the company to pursue business beyond normally serviced markets, leading to incremental sales.

Guidance for Corporate includes corporate expenses in support of the company's core businesses, Fortress financial results, and the results of DeepStore, the company's records services business in the U.K. The outlook reflect previously announced actions to align the company's cost structure with current business needs. Included in the above is $7.9 million of non-cash gain related to the decline in the fair value of the Fortress contingent consideration that resulted from the winding down of the Fortress business. The company's guidance has been refined to reflect the completion of three quarters of the year.

Total planned capital expenditures are unchanged from the company's previously provided guidance.

Guidance for the 2025 effective income tax rate reflects the income mix by country with income recognized in foreign jurisdictions offset by losses recognized in the U.S.

2025/2026 NORTH AMERICAN BID SEASON

Approximately 70% of the company's North American highway deicing bidding process for the upcoming winter season has been completed. Based on bid results to date, which include regional market conditions and competitive dynamics, the company expects its average contract selling price for the coming season to be approximately 2%-4% higher than prices in fiscal 2025. Committed bid volumes are expected to be up approximately 3%-5% compared to fiscal 2025. It is important to distinguish between committed bid volumes, which are used to establish minimum and maximum service levels for certain customers, and expected sales volumes, which will be driven ultimately by winter weather activity in the coming year.

CONFERENCE CALL

Compass Minerals will discuss its results on a conference call tomorrow morning, Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 9:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. CT). To access the conference call, please visit the company's website at investors.compassminerals.com or dial 800-715-9871. Callers must provide the conference ID number 7896827. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, callers may dial 646-307-1963. Replays of the call will be available on the company's website.

A supporting corporate presentation with 2025 third-quarter results is available at investors.compassminerals.com.

About Compass Minerals

Compass Minerals (NYSE:CMP) is a leading global provider of essential minerals focused on safely delivering where and when it matters to help solve nature's challenges for customers and communities. The company's salt products help keep roadways safe during winter weather and are used in numerous other consumer, industrial, chemical and agricultural applications. Its plant nutrition products help improve the quality and yield of crops while supporting sustainable agriculture. Compass Minerals operates 12 production and packaging facilities more than 1,800 employees throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Visit compassminerals.com for more information about the company and its products.

Forward-Looking Statements and Other Disclaimers

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements about the outcome of the North American bid season, including pricing and commitment sizes, the execution of back-to-basics strategy, competitive advantages, tariffs, tax rates, and the company's outlook for 2025, including its expectations regarding sales volumes, revenue, Adjusted EBITDA, depreciation, depletion, and amortization, interest expense, tax rates, and capital expenditures. Forward-looking statements are those that predict or describe future events or trends and that do not relate solely to historical matters. The company uses words such as "may," "would," "could," "should," "will," "likely," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "forecast," "outlook," "project," "estimate" and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events to identify forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. These statements are based on the company's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially. The differences could be caused by a number of factors, including without limitation (i) weather conditions, (ii) inflation, the cost and availability of transportation for the distribution of the company's products and foreign exchange rates, (iii) pressure on prices and impact from competitive products, and (iv) any inability by the company to successfully implement its strategic priorities or its cost-saving or enterprise optimization initiatives. For further information on these and other risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's business, see the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the company's Amended Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended Sept. 30, 2024, and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended Dec. 31, 2024, March 31, 2025, and June 30, 2025 filed or to be filed with the SEC, as well as the company's other SEC filings. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect future events or developments, except as required by law. Because it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors, this list cannot be considered a complete set of all potential risks or uncertainties.

Non-GAAP Measures

In addition to using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") financial measures, management uses a variety of non-GAAP financial measures described below to evaluate the company's and its operating segments' performance. While the consolidated financial statements provide an understanding of the company's overall results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, management analyzes components of the consolidated financial statements to identify certain trends and evaluate specific performance areas.

Management uses EBITDA, EBITDA adjusted for items which management believes are not indicative of the company's ongoing operating performance ("Adjusted EBITDA") and EBITDA margin to evaluate the operating performance of the company's core business operations because its resource allocation, financing methods and cost of capital, and income tax positions are managed at a corporate level, apart from the activities of the operating segments, and the operating facilities are located in different taxing jurisdictions, which can cause considerable variation in net earnings. Management also uses adjusted operating earnings, adjusted operating margin, adjusted net earnings, and adjusted net earnings per diluted share, which eliminate the impact of certain items that management does not consider indicative of underlying operating performance. The presentation of these measures should not be construed as an inference that future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Management believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide management and investors with additional information that is helpful when evaluating underlying performance. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA exclude interest expense, income taxes and depreciation, depletion and amortization, each of which are an essential element of the company's cost structure and cannot be eliminated. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin exclude certain cash and non-cash items, including stock-based compensation, impairment charges and certain restructuring charges. Consequently, any measure that excludes these elements has material limitations. The non-GAAP financial measures used by management should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net earnings, operating earnings, cash flows or other financial data prepared in accordance with GAAP or as a measure of overall profitability or liquidity. These measures are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies due to potential inconsistencies in the method of calculation. The calculation of non-GAAP financial measures as used by management is set forth in the following tables. All margin numbers are defined as the relevant measure divided by sales. The company does not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and reported in accordance with GAAP, as the company is unable to estimate significant non-recurring, unusual items and/or distinct non-core initiatives without unreasonable effort. The amounts and timing of these items are uncertain and could be material to the company's results.

Adjusted operating earnings, adjusted operating margin, adjusted net earnings (loss), and adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share are presented as supplemental measures of the company's performance. Management believes these measures provide management and investors with additional information that is helpful when evaluating underlying performance and comparing results on a year-over-year normalized basis. These measures eliminate the impact of certain items that management does not consider indicative of underlying operating performance. These adjustments are itemized below. Adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share is adjusted net earnings (loss) divided by weighted average diluted shares outstanding. You are encouraged to evaluate the adjustments itemized above and the reasons management considers them appropriate for supplemental analysis. In evaluating these measures you should be aware that in the future the company may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments presented below.

COMPASS MINERALS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

SEGMENT INFORMATION

(unaudited, in millions)

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