Underscores unique position as a vertically integrated, diversified global producer of lithium chemicals with low-cost and high-quality assets
Details ongoing expansion programs expected to more than double total sales volumes by 2028 across multiple products and regions
Outlines path to Adjusted EBITDA1 of $1.3 billion by 2028 supported by strong and flexible balance sheet with peak net leverage of 2.1x1,2
Reaffirms significant expansion potential of one of the largest and most diverse resource bases in the industry
Accelerating plan to deliver $125 million of merger-related cost savings roughly two years ahead of initial target
Executed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Toyota Tsusho in key step to unlocking further synergies
Arcadium Lithium plc (NYSE: ALTM, ASX: LTM, "Arcadium Lithium" or the "Company"), a leading global lithium chemicals producer, today provided a number of strategic updates at its inaugural 2024 Investor Day. During the event, the Company reviewed its operating, commercial and growth strategies while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability leadership. The Company also discussed its plans for disciplined volume expansion and provided a long-term financial view.
"We have a clear and compelling plan to deliver significant growth over the coming years, leveraging the size and quality of our portfolio of assets and expansion projects," said Arcadium Lithium president and chief executive officer Paul Graves. "Our vertically integrated operating network, broad range of high-performance lithium products, and deep technical know-how allow us to maximize the value of each unit of lithium we deliver to customers. This is complemented by a disciplined commercial strategy that provides greater visibility and profitability throughout market cycles and allows us to confidently invest to meet the growing long-term demand needs of our customers. This plan has the potential to double our sales volumes by 2028 while reaching an expected $1.3 billion in Adjusted EBITDA based on analyst consensus pricing forecasts. I am excited by the opportunities ahead and the highly experienced team we have in place to execute our long-term vision."
Multi-Year Volume Growth Arcadium Lithium expects 25% higher combined lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide volumes in 2024 and 2025 from expansion projects at Fénix and Olaroz that have already been completed, are in operation and have no further capital requirements. Beyond this, the Company continues to develop its world class portfolio of resources and is doing so on a timeline supported by the market and its customers.
Arcadium Lithium outlined two waves of expansions across its large, high-quality and low-cost assets in Argentina and Canada. The first wave of four existing projects at various stages of advancement is expected to be fully completed, in stages, by 2028 and more than double sales volumes from today.
The second wave of projects are at the development and planning stage and this wave offers the Company the opportunity to increase production capacity beyond 2028 by a further 125,000 metric tons (LCE3) to 295,000 metric tons (LCE3) total. The size and quality of Arcadium Lithium's portfolio of resources means it is not constrained in its ability to continue to grow organically.
Earnings Growth Supported by Flexible Balance Sheet Arcadium Lithium outlined a path to an expected $1.3 billion in Adjusted EBITDA1 by 2028, subject to certain assumptions, with margins continuing to be supported by low-cost positions and multi-year customer agreements. This growth is underpinned by higher volumes from expansion, and by consensus expectations for pricing to move higher than current levels towards prices that are needed to incentivize industry supply growth4. It is supported by a strong balance sheet, with peak net leverage not expected to exceed 2.1x1,2. The Company believes it has attractive internal and external funding alternatives that provide flexibility to promptly adapt to evolving market conditions as needed.
Accelerating Cost Savings Since the January 2024 merger of Allkem and Livent creating Arcadium Lithium, the Company has taken actions to drive cost reductions throughout the organization. The benefits of these actions are already being seen, with post-merger cost savings coming in higher and quicker than initial forecasts.
Beyond expected cost savings of up to $80 million in 2024, the Company now expects to deliver close to its initial run-rate savings target of $125 million by the end of 2025, roughly two years ahead of plan. These savings are driven primarily by organizational restructuring, operational and supply chain synergies and a reduction in third-party and other services across the two legacy companies. The Company also believes the total longer-term savings opportunity to be greater than $125 million.
Toyota Tsusho Memorandum of Understanding Arcadium Lithium announced the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its long-time partner Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC), a key initial step in providing greater flexibility for Arcadium Lithium to optimize its global integrated operating network and to contribute its production expertise to Naraha. This includes using technical grade lithium carbonate produced at Olaroz to feed the Company's existing downstream lithium hydroxide network, thus allowing more battery grade lithium carbonate produced at Fénix to be sold directly to customers. This is expected to have a positive impact on the Company's earnings and to be achievable as early as 2026.
Event Replay Information A full replay of Arcadium Lithium's Investor Day is available on the Company's Investor Relations website. For further details and access to the webcast replay and presentation materials, visit ir.arcadiumlithium.com.
Denotes non-GAAP financial term. Although Arcadium Lithium provides estimates, the Company is not able to do so for the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Certain elements of the composition of the GAAP amount are not predictable, making it impractical for the Company to provide an outlook for such GAAP measure or to reconcile corresponding non-GAAP financial measure to such GAAP measure without unreasonable efforts. For the same reason, the Company is unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information. As a result, no GAAP equivalent outlook is provided for these metrics.
Adjusted Net Debt / Adjusted EBITDA. Debt includes amounts outstanding under revolving credit facility, project loan facilities and convertible notes and excludes customer prepayment obligations and affiliate loans. Cash excludes Nemaska Lithium.
Lithium Carbonate Equivalents.
Based on consensus price expectations using analyst research as of 9/11/2024.
Supplemental InformationIn this press release, Arcadium Lithium uses the financial measures Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Debt. These terms are not calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Definitions of these terms, as well as a reconciliation to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, are provided on our website: ir.arcadiumlithium.com and elsewhere in this press release or the financial tables that accompany this press release.
About Arcadium Lithium Arcadium Lithium is a leading global lithium chemicals producer committed to safely and responsibly harnessing the power of lithium to improve people's lives and accelerate the transition to a clean energy future. We collaborate with our customers to drive innovation and power a more sustainable world in which lithium enables exciting possibilities for renewable energy, electric transportation and modern life. Arcadium Lithium is vertically integrated, with industry-leading capabilities across lithium extraction processes, including hard-rock mining, conventional brine extraction and direct lithium extraction (DLE), and in lithium chemicals manufacturing for high performance applications. We have operations around the world, with facilities and projects in Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. For more information, please visit us at www.ArcadiumLithium.com.
Important Information and Legal Disclaimer: Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, we have identified forward-looking statements by such words or phrases as "will likely result," "is confident that," "expect," "expects," "should," "could," "may," "will continue to," "believe," "believes," "anticipates," "predicts," "forecasts," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "intends" or similar expressions identifying "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the negative of those words and phrases. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current views and assumptions regarding future events, future business conditions and the outlook for Arcadium Lithium based on currently available information. There are important factors that could cause Arcadium Lithium's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including a failure to reach a binding agreement with TTC pursuant to the MoU, the supply and demand in the market for our products as well as pricing for lithium and high-performance lithium compounds; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the integration of the businesses of Livent and Allkem or of any future acquisitions; our ability to acquire or develop additional reserves that are economically viable; the existence, availability and profitability of mineral resources and mineral and ore reserves; the success of our production expansion efforts, research and development efforts and the development of our facilities; our ability to retain existing customers; the competition that we face in our business; the development and adoption of new battery technologies; additional funding or capital that may be required for our operations and expansion plans; political, financial and operational risks that our lithium extraction and production operations, particularly in Argentina, expose us to; physical and other risks that our operations and suppliers are subject to; our ability to satisfy customer qualification processes or customer or government quality standards; global economic conditions, including inflation, fluctuations in the price of energy and certain raw materials; the ability of our joint ventures, affiliated entities and contract manufacturers to operate according to their business plans and to fulfill their obligations; severe weather events and the effects of climate change; extensive and dynamic environmental and other laws and regulations; our ability to obtain and comply with required licenses, permits and other approvals; and other factors described under the caption entitled "Risk Factors" in Arcadium Lithium's 2023 Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 29, 2024, as well as Arcadium Lithium's other SEC filings and public communications. Although Arcadium Lithium believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, Arcadium Lithium cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Moreover, neither Arcadium Lithium nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Arcadium Lithium is under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this news release to conform its prior statements to actual results or revised expectations.
