– Enters CO2 Transportation and Sequestration Agreement with Vault 44.01 –
PEKIN, Ill., Nov. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alto Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTO), a leading producer and distributor of specialty alcohols, renewable fuels and essential ingredients, reported its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. In a separate press release, the company announced it entered into a CO2 Transportation and Sequestration Agreement (TSA) with Vault 44.01 to transport, inject and sequester carbon from the company’s Pekin campus into the Mt. Simon sandstone formation in Illinois.
Bryon McGregor, President and CEO of Alto Ingredients, said, “Our team is committed to delivering the highest quality products to our customers while improving profitability on a consistent basis. In Q3 2024, we increased the production capabilities and uptime at our Pekin campus, compared to the prior year quarter, reflecting the success of our scheduled repairs and maintenance outage in Q2. As a result, specialty alcohol sold increased by 4 million gallons compared to last year, positively shifting our sales mix. Consolidated gross profit for the quarter improved over 40% year-over-year to $6.0 million despite fluctuating market conditions.
“We are managing through the current market dynamics and positioning the company to leverage the opportunities presented by our unique facilities. In addition, consistent with our strategy to lower our carbon footprint, we entered into an agreement for the safe transportation and storage of our CO2 emissions from our Pekin campus. While we await EPA submission and approval, address financing and source equipment, the TSA marks a significant milestone on our path toward a more sustainable and prosperous future.”
Financial Results for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 Compared to 2023
Net sales were $251.8 million, compared to $318.1 million.Cost of goods sold was $245.9 million, compared to $314.0 million.Gross profit was $6.0 million, including $3.6 million in realized gains on derivatives, compared to a gross profit of $4.2 million, including $6.2 million in realized gains on derivatives.Selling, general and administrative expenses were $7.5 million, compared to $8.5 million.Gain on sale of certain idled assets was $0.8 million, compared to none in the prior year period.Income from cash grant was $2.8 million in 2023, while none in 2024 as the USDA closed out the Biofuel Producer Program associated with the pandemic.Net loss available to common stockholders was $2.8 million, or $0.04 per share, compared to $3.8 million, or $0.05 per share.Adjusted EBITDA was positive $12.2 million, including $3.6 million in realized gains on derivatives, compared to positive $13.6 million, including $6.2 million dollars in realized gains on derivatives and $2.8 million income from cash grant.
Cash and cash equivalents were $33.6 million at September 30, 2024, compared to $30.0 million at December 31, 2023. At September 30, 2024, the company’s borrowing availability was $92.2 million including $27.2 million under the company’s operating line of credit and $65.0 million under its term loan facility, subject to certain conditions.
Financial Results for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 Compared to 2023
Net sales were $728.9 million, compared to $949.3 million.Net loss available to common stockholders was $18.2 million, or $0.25 per share, compared to $10.0 million, or $0.14 per share.Adjusted EBITDA was negative $0.8 million, including $0.9 million in realized gains on derivatives and $5.4 million in costs related to the biennial outage in the second quarter, compared to positive $17.2 million, including $4.0 million in realized gains on derivatives and the aforementioned $2.8 million USDA cash grant.
Third Quarter 2024 Results Conference Call
Management will host a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time / 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, and will deliver prepared remarks via webcast followed by a question-and-answer session.
The webcast for the conference call can be accessed from Alto Ingredients’ website at www.altoingredients.com. Alternatively, to receive a number and unique PIN by email, register here. To dial directly up to twenty minutes prior to the scheduled call time, please dial (833) 630-0017 domestically and (412) 317-1806 internationally. The webcast will be archived for replay on the Alto Ingredients website for one year. In addition, a telephonic replay will be available at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, through 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. To access the replay, please dial (877) 344-7529. International callers should dial 00-1 412-317-0088. The pass code will be 8828903.
Use of Non-GAAP Measures
Management believes that certain financial measures not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) are useful measures of operations. The company defines Adjusted EBITDA as unaudited consolidated net income (loss) before interest expense, interest income, provision for income taxes, asset impairments, unrealized derivative gains and losses, acquisition-related expense and depreciation and amortization expense. A table is provided at the end of this release that provides a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to its most directly comparable GAAP measure, net income (loss). Management provides this non-GAAP measure so that investors will have the same financial information that management uses, which may assist investors in properly assessing the company’s performance on a period-over-period basis. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) or any other measure of performance under GAAP, or to cash flows from operating, investing or financing activities as an indicator of cash flows or as a measure of liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider this measure in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the company’s results as reported under GAAP.
About Alto Ingredients, Inc.
Alto Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTO) produces and distributes specialty alcohols, essential ingredients and renewable fuels. Leveraging the unique qualities of its facilities, the company serves customers in a wide range of consumer and commercial products in the Health, Home & Beauty; Food & Beverage; Industry & Agriculture; Essential Ingredients; and Renewable Fuels markets. For more information, please visit www.altoingredients.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Statements and information contained in this communication that refer to or include Alto Ingredients’ estimated or anticipated future results or other non-historical expressions of fact are forward-looking statements that reflect Alto Ingredients’ current perspective of existing trends and information as of the date of the communication. Forward-looking statements generally will be accompanied by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “could,” “should,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “guidance,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” or other similar words, phrases or expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning Alto Ingredients’ projected outlook and future performance; Alto Ingredients’ repair and maintenance programs, plant improvements and other capital projects, including its carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, and their financing, costs, timing and effects; and Alto Ingredients’ other plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. It is important to note that Alto Ingredients’ plans, objectives, expectations and intentions are not predictions of actual performance. Actual results may differ materially from Alto Ingredients’ current expectations depending upon a number of factors affecting Alto Ingredients’ business and plans. These factors include, among others adverse economic and market conditions, including for specialty alcohols, renewable fuels and essential ingredients ; export conditions and international demand for the company’s products; fluctuations in the price of and demand for oil and gasoline; raw material costs, including production input costs, such as corn and natural gas; adverse impacts of inflation and supply chain constraints; and the cost, ability to fund, timing and effects of, including the financial and other results deriving from, Alto Ingredients’ repair and maintenance programs, plant improvements and other capital projects, including CCS, and other business initiatives and strategies. These factors also include, among others, the inherent uncertainty associated with financial and other projections and large-scale capital projects, including CCS; the anticipated size of the markets and continued demand for Alto Ingredients’ products; the impact of competitive products and pricing; the risks and uncertainties normally incident to the alcohol production, marketing and distribution industries; changes in generally accepted accounting principles; successful compliance with governmental regulations applicable to Alto Ingredients’ facilities, products and/or businesses; changes in laws, regulations and governmental policies, including with respect to the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax and other benefits Alto Ingredients expects to derive from CCS; the loss of key senior management or staff; and other events, factors and risks previously and from time to time disclosed in Alto Ingredients’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, specifically, those factors set forth in the “Risk Factors” section contained in Alto Ingredients’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 8, 2024.
Company IR and Media Contact:
Michael Kramer, Alto Ingredients, Inc., 916-403-2755, Investorrelations@altoingredients.com
IR Agency Contact:
Kirsten Chapman, LHA Investor Relations, 415-433-3777, Investorrelations@altoingredients.com
ALTO INGREDIENTS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)
Three Months Ended
September 30, Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024 2023 2024 2023 Net sales$251,814 $318,127 $ 728,911 $ 949,315 Cost of goods sold 245,854 313,966 717,798 931,137 Gross profit 5,960 4,161 11,113 18,178 Selling, general and administrative expenses (7,510) (8,488) (24,403) (24,281)Gain on sale of assets 830 — 830 — Asset impairments — — — (574)Loss from operations (720) (4,327) (12,460) (6,677)Interest expense, net (1,867) (2,000) (5,170) (5,299)Income from cash grant — 2,812 — 2,812 Other income, net 146 26 358 104 Loss before provision for income taxes (2,441) (3,489) (17,272) (9,060)Provision for income taxes — — — — Net loss$(2,441)$(3,489)$ (17,272)$ (9,060)Preferred stock dividends$(319)$(319)$ (950)$ (946)Net loss available to common stockholders$(2,760)$(3,808)$ (18,222)$ (10,006)Net loss per share, basic and diluted$ (0.04)$ (0.05)$ (0.25)$ (0.14)Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic and diluted 73,835 73,191 73,364 73,464
ALTO INGREDIENTS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(unaudited, in thousands, except par value)
ASSETSSeptember 30,
2024 December 31,
2023Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents$33,591 $30,014Restricted cash4,903 15,466Accounts receivable, net52,038 58,729Inventories48,014 52,611Derivative instruments36 2,412Other current assets6,568 9,538Total current assets145,150 168,770Property and equipment, net238,892 248,748Other Assets:Right of use operating lease assets, net19,283 22,597Intangible assets, net8,057 8,498Other assets6,029 5,628Total other assets33,369 36,723Total Assets$417,411 $454,241
ALTO INGREDIENTS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (CONTINUED)
(unaudited, in thousands, except par value)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
September 30,
2024 December 31,
2023 Current Liabilities: Accounts payable$ 17,205 $ 20,752 Accrued liabilities 14,255 20,205 Current portion – operating leases 4,440 4,333 Derivative instruments 3,394 13,849 Other current liabilities 5,808 6,149 Total current liabilities 45,102 65,288 Long-term debt, net 83,342 82,097 Operating leases, net of current portion 15,740 19,029 Other liabilities 9,302 8,270 Total Liabilities 153,486 174,684 Stockholders’ Equity: Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000 shares authorized; Series A: no shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 Series B: 927 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 1 1 Common stock, $0.001 par value; 300,000 shares authorized; 76,625 and 75,703 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively 77 76 Non-voting common stock, $0.001 par value; 3,553 shares authorized; 1 share issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 — — Additional paid-in capital 1,043,501 1,040,912 Accumulated other comprehensive income 2,481 2,481 Accumulated deficit (782,135) (763,913)Total Stockholders’ Equity 263,925 279,557 Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
$417,411 $454,241
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Loss
Three Months Ended
September 30, Nine Months Ended
September 30, (in thousands) (unaudited) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Net loss$(2,441)$(3,489)$(17,272)$(9,060)Adjustments: Interest expense, net 1,867 2,000 5,170 5,299 Interest income (194) (179) (519) (590)Unrealized derivative (gains) losses 6,199 8,917 (8,079) 1,517 Acquisition-related expense 675 700 2,025 2,100 Asset impairments — — — 574 Depreciation and amortization expense 6,058 5,647 17,860 17,382 Total adjustments 14,605 17,085 16,457 26,282 Adjusted EBITDA$12,164 $13,596 $ (815)$17,222
Sales and Operating Metrics (unaudited)
Three Months Ended
September 30, Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023Alcohol Sales (gallons in millions) Pekin Campus renewable fuel gallons sold 31.1 34.4 93.6 104.4Western production renewable fuel gallons sold 18.0 22.2 38.2 46.6Third party renewable fuel gallons sold 25.2 21.9 89.3 82.4Total renewable fuel gallons sold 74.3 78.5 221.1 233.4Specialty alcohol gallons sold 22.5 18.6 69.8 56.6Total gallons sold 96.8 97.1 290.9 290.0 Sales Price per Gallon Pekin Campus$2.02 $2.48 $1.96 $2.46Western production$2.02 $2.57 $1.94 $2.63Marketing and distribution$2.17 $2.69 $2.01 $2.62Total$2.06 $2.56 $1.97 $2.53 Alcohol Production (gallons in millions) Pekin Campus 53.4 51.8 157.0 158.1Western production 19.2 22.5 37.5 47.3Total 72.6 74.3 194.5 205.4 Corn Cost per Bushel Pekin Campus$4.40 $6.29 $4.55 $6.72Western production$5.52 $7.37 $5.69 $7.91Total$4.68 $6.60 $4.76 $6.98
Sales and Operating Metrics (unaudited)
Three Months Ended
September 30, Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Average Market Metrics PLATTS Ethanol price per gallon$1.81 $2.29 $1.72 $2.32CME Corn cost per bushel$3.92 $4.98 $4.23 $5.94Board corn crush per gallons (1)$0.41 $0.51 $0.21 $0.20 Essential Ingredients Sold (thousand tons) Pekin Campus: Distillers grains 83.7 85.3 251.1 252.5CO2 53.5 48.9 135.9 139.0Corn wet feed 30.0 28.3 80.4 70.0Corn dry feed 26.5 22.1 65.2 67.3Corn oil and germ 18.8 17.8 54.1 55.6Syrup and other 8.0 9.2 28.6 28.5Corn meal 9.8 8.2 26.1 27.8Yeast 6.3 6.4 17.8 19.7Total Pekin Campus essential ingredients sold 236.6 226.2 659.2 660.4 Western production: Distillers grains 116.6 144.6 250.2 307.7CO2 14.7 14.9 43.1 41.7Syrup and other 21.4 35.2 37.6 71.6Corn oil 2.1 2.3 4.5 5.2Total Western production essential ingredients sold 154.8 197.0 335.4 426.2 Total Essential Ingredients Sold 391.4 423.2 994.6 1,086.6 Essential ingredients return % (2) Pekin Campus return 49.0% 44.8% 49.7% 44.1% Western production return 28.6% 31.3% 33.0% 32.3% Consolidated total return 42.8% 40.4% 46.0% 41.2%
(1) Assumes corn conversion of 2.80 gallons of alcohol per bushel of corn.(2) Essential ingredients revenues as a percentage of total corn costs consumed.
Segment Financials (unaudited, in thousands)
Three Months Ended
September 30, Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023Net Sales
Pekin Campus, recorded as gross: Alcohol sales$106,459 $128,554 $315,494 $388,629Essential ingredient sales41,217 51,634 127,297 169,220Intersegment sales321 363 927 1,120Total Pekin Campus sales147,997 180,551 443,718 558,969 Marketing and distribution: Alcohol sales, gross$54,531 $58,805 $179,118 $215,741Alcohol sales, net71 74 169 292Intersegment sales2,862 3,392 8,002 8,734Total marketing and distribution sales57,464 62,271 187,289 224,767 Western production, recorded as gross: Alcohol sales$36,395 $57,159 $74,084 $122,477Essential ingredient sales10,408 17,841 24,184 40,614Intersegment sales8 37 (122) 99Total Western production sales46,811 75,037 98,146 163,190 Corporate and other2,733 4,060 8,565 12,342Intersegment eliminations(3,191) (3,792) (8,807) (9,953)Net sales as reported$251,814 $318,127 $728,911 $949,315 Cost of goods sold: Pekin Campus$141,823 $179,995 $423,135 $546,591Marketing and distribution53,553 58,051 176,676 212,923Western production49,079 73,584 112,762 165,401Corporate and other2,952 3,538 8,690 9,322Intersegment eliminations(1,553) (1,202) (3,465) (3,100)Cost of goods sold as reported$245,854 $313,966 $717,798 $931,137 Gross profit (loss): Pekin Campus$6,174 $556 $20,583 $12,378Marketing and distribution3,911 4,220 10,613 11,844Western production(2,268) 1,453 (14,616) (2,211)Corporate and other(219) 522 (125) 3,020Intersegment eliminations(1,638) (2,590) (5,342) (6,853)Gross profit (loss) as reported$5,960 $4,161 $11,113 $18,178