Earnings Release • May 23, 2016
Earnings Release
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Trading Update – First Quarter 2016 Amsterdam, the Netherlands / 23 May, 2016
During the first quarter of 2016, product volumes were significantly higher than in the same quarter last year. Our own produced volumes increased by 37.1% to 1.5 million metric tons in the first quarter of 2016 compared to 1.1 million metric tons in the same period last year, largely due to production records for both methanol and ammonia at our operations in the United States and the return of natural gas supply feedstock to our Egyptian operations, further boosted by the first-time contribution of methanol and biomethanol producer BioMCN in the Netherlands.
In the first quarter of 2016, Egyptian Fertilizers Company (EFC) and Egypt Basic Industries Corporation (EBIC) achieved utilization rates significantly above the same period last year, with EFC in excess of 80%. Nevertheless, the natural gas supply situation in Egypt is monitored closely on an on-going basis, as it is expected to remain volatile in the shorter term, but prospects for future natural gas supply in Egypt are promising. It is expected that Egypt's domestic production of natural gas will improve from 2017, when two recent large discoveries of natural gas fields (ENI's Zohr and BP's West Nile Delta) are expected to start production.
Volumes sold increased despite lower calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) volumes in the Netherlands due to the previously mentioned shutdown following a fire incident in September 2015. Operations at the CAN facilities restarted successfully in February 2016, in time for the spring season in Europe.
Selling prices declined for most of our products compared to both the first and fourth quarters of 2015, due to an increase in global supply, relatively low demand in the beginning of the year and lower cash costs for
1 Quarterly figures are based on unaudited results
marginal producers. Melamine prices bucked the trend and improved compared to both the first and fourth quarter of 2015.
Favourable natural gas feedstock market prices and a high nitrate premium in Europe have cushioned the decline in product prices to a large extent and have helped boost our margins and global competitive position, nevertheless consolidated first quarter 2016 revenue and EBITDA were lower than the same period last year.
On the balance sheet side, lower net debt at our Algerian and Egyptian operations due to operational cash flows and currency devaluation was offset by an increase in debt related to our greenfield project Natgasoline in the United States. OCI N.V. consolidated net debt stood at c.\$4.6 billion as at 31 March 2016.
Our two expansion projects in the United States, Iowa Fertilizer Company and Natgasoline, are expected to start production this year and in 2017, respectively:
For 2016 / 2017, we expect to spend up to \$350 million on Iowa Fertilizer Company to complete the project, cover on-going overhead costs and fund debt service payments. OCI does not expect there to be further capital commitments from OCI for Natgasoline.
As a result of the lower capital expenditure requirements and operational cash flows, we expect a lower net debt at the end of 2016 compared to net debt of about \$4.3 billion as of 31 December 2015. With no further capital commitments for expansion projects expected, combined with the start of production at our greenfield projects, we expect a further deleveraging in 2017.
| '000 metric tons | Q1 2016 | Q1 2015 | % Δ | Q4 2015 | % Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Own Product | |||||
| Ammonia | 327.7 | 312.2 | 5.0% | 297.6 | 10.1% |
| Urea | 580.2 | 310.7 | 86.7% | 505.2 | 14.8% |
| Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) | 92.5 | 284.3 | -67.5% | 133.0 | -30.5% |
| Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN) | 150.4 | 86.4 | 74.1% | 119.9 | 25.4% |
| Total Fertilizer | 1,150.8 | 993.6 | 15.8% | 1,055.7 | 9.0% |
| Methanol | 300.8 | 53.0 | 467.5% | 211.3 | 42.4% |
| Melamine | 31.3 | 34.9 | -10.3% | 30.7 | 2.0% |
| Total Industrial Chemicals | 332.1 | 87.9 | 277.8% | 242.0 | 37.2% |
| Total Own Product | 1,482.9 | 1,081.5 | 37.1% | 1,297.7 | 14.3% |
| Traded Third Party | |||||
| Ammonia | 55.3 | 57.3 | -3.5% | 110.7 | -50.0% |
| Urea | 0.0 | 10.5 | -100.0% | 38.0 | -100.0% |
| UAN | 4.0 | 14.8 | -73.0% | 16.2 | -75.3% |
| Ammonium Sulphate (AS) | 405.2 | 376.7 | 7.6% | 415.8 | -2.5% |
| Total Traded Third Party Product | 464.5 | 459.3 | 1.1% | 580.7 | -20.0% |
| Total Own Product and Traded Third Party | 1,947.4 | 1,540.8 | 26.4% | 1,878.4 | 3.7% |
| Q1 2016 | Q1 2015 | % Δ | Q4 2015 | % Δ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granular Urea | Egypt, FOB | US\$/t | 231 | 336 | -31.3% | 270 | -14.4% |
| Ammonia | North West Europe, FOB | US\$/t | 354 | 506 | -30.0% | 453 | -21.9% |
| Ammonia | US Gulf Tampa | US\$/t | 323 | 498 | -35.1% | 416 | -22.4% |
| CAN | Germany, CIF | EUR/t | 227 | 267 | -15.0% | 233 | -2.6% |
| UAN | France, FOT | EUR/t | 164 | 231 | -29.0% | 181 | -9.4% |
| Melamine | Europe contract | EUR/t | 1,390 | 1,340 | 3.7% | 1,360 | 2.2% |
| Methanol | US Gulf Coast Contract, FOB | US\$/t | 249 | 426 | -41.5% | 350 | -28.9% |
| Methanol | US Gulf Coast Spot, FOB | US\$/t | 151 | 349 | -56.7% | 263 | -42.6% |
* % Change versus the same period last year. Note that AS is traded volume only
OCI N.V. (Euronext: OCI) is a global producer and distributor of natural gas-based fertilizers & industrial chemicals based in the Netherlands. OCI produces nitrogen fertilizers, methanol and other natural gas based products, serving agricultural and industrial customers from the Americas to Asia. OCI ranks among the world's largest nitrogen fertilizer producers, and can produce more than 8.4 million metric tons of nitrogen fertilizers and industrial chemicals at production facilities in the Netherlands, the United States, Egypt and Algeria. OCI is listed on Euronext in Amsterdam.
Hans Zayed Director Email: [email protected]
Tel: +31 (0) 6 18 251 367
For additional information on OCI:
OCI stock symbols: OCI / OCI.NA / OCI.AS / OCINY
Honthorststraat 19 1071 DC Amsterdam The Netherlands
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