SunCoke Energy, Inc. Reports Strong Second Quarter 2021 Results

LISLE, Ill., July 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SunCoke Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SXC) today reported results for the second quarter 2021, reflecting continued strong performance in both the Domestic Coke and Logistics segments.

"We are pleased with our second quarter results and the successful execution of our Company's debt refinancing. This refinancing significantly lowers our cost of debt, extends debt maturities and aligns with the Company's long term goal of gross leverage ratio of three times or lower." said Mike Rippey , President and Chief Executive Officer of SunCoke Energy, Inc. "The strength in the global coke market along with strong operating performance are the key drivers of our excellent financial results in the Domestic Coke segment. Our Logistics business performance was driven by increased shipments from our Convent Marine Terminal. Record first half performance and the expected strength in steel and coal markets for the remainder of the year, leads us to significantly increase our full year Adjusted EBITDA guidance."

SECOND QUARTER CONSOLIDATED RESULTS

Revenues in the second quarter of 2021 increased $26.3 million as compared to the prior year period, reflecting higher volumes in our Domestic Coke and Logistics segment partially offset by the pass through of lower costs in our Domestic Coke segment.

Net income attributable to SXC decreased $15.3 million as compared to the prior year period, reflecting a $22.7 million, net of tax impact of debt extinguishment costs related to our debt refinancing, which more than offset our improved operating results.

Adjusted EBITDA increased $9.0 million as compared to the prior year period primarily driven by higher volumes in the Logistics segment.

SECOND QUARTER SEGMENT RESULTS

Domestic Coke
Domestic Coke consists of cokemaking facilities and heat recovery operations at our Jewell, Indiana Harbor, Haverhill, Granite City and Middletown plants.

Revenues increased $15.1 million largely due to higher volumes as well as higher energy revenue partially offset by  pass through of lower coal costs as well as lower coal pricing

Adjusted EBITDA decreased by $0.2 million. Higher volumes and energy revenues were more than offset by higher operating and maintenance cost and lower coal-to-coke yields resulting from the lower coal pricing discussed above.

Logistics
Logistics consists of the handling and mixing services of coal and other aggregates at our Convent Marine Terminal ("CMT"), Lake Terminal, Kanawha River Terminals ("KRT") and Dismal River Terminal ("DRT").

Revenues and Adjusted EBITDA increased by $9.4 million and $8.4 million, respectively, as compared to the same prior year period driven by continued improvement in the export coal market, which resulted in higher throughput volumes at CMT as well as higher iron ore volumes.

Brazil Coke
Brazil Coke consists of a cokemaking facility in Vitória, Brazil, which we operate for an affiliate of ArcelorMittal.

Revenues and Adjusted EBITDA were $9.0 million and $4.0 million, respectively, during the second quarter 2021, which were higher than revenues and Adjusted EBITDA of $7.2 million and $3.2 million, respectively, during the second quarter 2020. The increase was driven by higher volumes as compared to the same prior year period as well as production bonuses for meeting certain volume targets during the current year period.

Corporate and Other
Corporate and other expenses, which include activity from our legacy coal mining business, was $8.8 million during second quarter 2021, consistent with the prior year period. Lower legacy related expenses of $0.9 million and the absence of $0.6 million of foundry related research and development costs incurred during the second quarter of 2020 were offset by higher employee related costs during the second quarter of 2021.

2021 REVISED OUTLOOK

Our 2021 revised guidance is based on higher margin and volume in our Domestic Coke plants driven by export and foundry coke sales. It also assumes higher Logistics volumes.

Our 2021 revised guidance is as follows:

• Domestic Coke total production is expected to be approximately 4.15 million tons
• Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be $255 million to $265 million
• Capital expenditures are projected to be approximately $90 million
• Cash generated by operations is estimated to be $208 million to $223 million
• Cash taxes are projected to be $5 million to $10 million

RELATED COMMUNICATIONS

We will host our quarterly earnings call at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time (9:30 a.m. Central Time) today. The conference call will be webcast live and archived for replay in the Investors section of www.suncoke.com. Investors and analysts may participate in this call by using the following link:
http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/9691477
Upon registration, each participant will be emailed a confirmation, dial-in details, and a registrant ID.

SUNCOKE ENERGY, INC.

SunCoke Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SXC) supplies high-quality coke to the integrated steel industry under long-term, take-or-pay contracts that pass through commodity and certain operating costs to customers.  We utilize an innovative heat-recovery cokemaking technology that captures excess heat for steam or electrical power generation. Our cokemaking facilities are located in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and Brazil. We have more than 60 years of cokemaking experience serving the integrated steel industry. In addition, we provide export and domestic material handling services to coke, coal, steel, power and other bulk and liquids customers. Our logistics terminals have the collective capacity to mix and transload more than 40 million tons of material each year and are strategically located to reach Gulf Coast, East Coast, Great Lakes and international ports. To learn more about SunCoke Energy, Inc., visit our website at www.suncoke.com.

SunCoke routinely announces material information to investors and the marketplace using press releases, Securities and Exchange Commission filings, public conference calls, webcasts and SunCoke's website at http://www.suncoke.com/English/investors/sxc. The information that SunCoke posts to its website may be deemed to be material. Accordingly, SunCoke encourages investors and others interested in SunCoke to routinely monitor and review the information that SunCoke posts on its website, in addition to following SunCoke's press releases, Securities and Exchange Commission filings and public conference calls and webcasts.

DEFINITIONS

• Adjusted EBITDA represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"), adjusted for any impairments, restructuring costs and gains or losses on extinguishment of debt. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not represent and should not be considered alternatives to net income or operating income under GAAP and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures in other businesses. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA is an important measure in assessing operating performance. Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to investors because it highlights trends in our business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on GAAP measures and because it eliminates items that have less bearing on our operating performance. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, and they should not be considered a substitute for net income or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP. Additionally, other companies may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure.
• Adjusted EBITDA attributable to SXC represents Adjusted EBITDA less Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release and related conference call contain "forward-looking statements" (as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended).  Such forward-looking statements include statements that are not strictly historical facts, and include, among other things, statements regarding: our expectations of financial results, condition and outlook; anticipated effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and  responses thereto, including the pandemic's impact on general economic and market conditions, as well as on our business, our customers, our results of operations and financial condition; anticipated actions to be taken by management to sustain SunCoke during the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic and related business actions; and anticipated actions by governments to contain the spread of COVID-19 or mitigate the severity thereof.

Forward-looking statements often may be identified by the use of such words as "believe," "expect," "plan," "project," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "may," "will," "should," or the negative of these terms, or similar expressions.  Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties (many of which are beyond the control of SunCoke) that could cause actual results to differ materially.  Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to domestic and international economic, political, business, operational, competitive, regulatory and/or market factors affecting SunCoke, as well as uncertainties related to: pending or future litigation, legislation or regulatory actions; liability for remedial actions or assessments under existing or future environmental regulations; gains and losses related to acquisition, disposition or impairment of assets; recapitalizations; access to, and costs of, capital; the effects of changes in accounting rules applicable to SunCoke; and changes in tax, environmental and other laws and regulations applicable to SunCoke's businesses.

Currently, such risks and uncertainties also include: SunCoke's ability to manage its business during and after the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SunCoke's results of operations, revenues, earnings and cash flows; SunCoke's ability to reduce costs and capital spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; SunCoke's balance sheet and liquidity throughout and following the COVID-19 pandemic; SunCoke's prospects for financial performance and achievement of strategic objectives following the COVID-19 pandemic; capital allocation strategy following the COVID-19-related outbreak; and the general impact on our industry and on the U.S. and global economy resulting from COVID-19, including actions by domestic and foreign governments and others to contain the spread, or mitigate the severity, thereof.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, but are based upon the current knowledge, beliefs and expectations of SunCoke management, and upon assumptions by SunCoke concerning future conditions, any or all of which ultimately may prove to be inaccurate. The reader should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. SunCoke does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update or alter its forward-looking statements (or associated cautionary language), whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this press release except as required by applicable law.

In accordance with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, SunCoke has included in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission cautionary language identifying important factors (but not necessarily all the important factors) that could cause actual  results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by SunCoke. For information concerning these factors, see SunCoke's Securities and Exchange Commission filings such as its annual and quarterly reports and current reports on Form 8-K, copies of which are available free of charge on SunCoke's website at www.suncoke.com. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by such cautionary statements. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed in this release also could have material adverse effects on forward- looking statements.

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SOURCE SunCoke Energy, Inc.