Business
Orion S.A. Reports First Quarter Earnings; Increases Full Year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA Outlook
HOUSTON, May 06, 2026--Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a specialty chemical company, today reported First Quarter 2026 Net sales of $460 million, a 4% decrease from the prior year, consisting of a 11% reduction in price, predominantly from the pass-through effect of lower year-over-year oil prices, and 1% adverse mix, which was partly offset by 2% higher volumes and 6% favorable foreign currency translation. Our first quarter results improved as the quarter progressed, despite a slow start in January an
About this update from Orion S.a.
HOUSTON, May 06, 2026 --( BUSINESS WIRE )--Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a specialty chemical company, today reported First Quarter 2026 Net sales of $460 million, a 4% decrease from the prior year, consisting of a 11% reduction in price, predominantly from the pass-through effect of lower year-over-year oil prices, and 1% adverse mix, which was partly offset by 2% higher volumes and 6% favorable foreign currency translation. Our first quarter results improved as the quarter progressed, despite a slow start in January and February which our Rubber segment’s customers attributed to winter weather conditions. Demand picked up considerably during the month of March across both segments, particularly in our Specialty business. For the quarter, Orion generated a consolidated Net loss of $10 million, and Adjusted EBITDA of $46 million. Working capital utilization is typically the highest in our first quarter, resulting in an Operating cash use of $12 million and free cash outflow of $48 million. Orion responded quickly to the March surge in energy prices by accelerating cost actions and further optimizing working capital, while implementing targeted price increases and surcharges to protect margins in non-formula pass-through business. Other Highlights "We are pleased with our first quarter results, including Adjusted EBITDA of $46 million which was ahead of internal expectations. This was despite Rubber segment volumes which reflected continued sluggish Western Hemisphere tire build rates to start the year. The dynamic backdrop resulting from the Middle East conflict is a test of Orion’s agility, and I am proud of our team’s responsiveness – executing price increases and surcharges, flexing our supply chain to meet higher demand, and judiciously managing inventories," stated Corning Painter, Chief Executive Officer. "Despite uncertainties associated with the conflict, including its impact on energy prices and the global economy, our business’s resilience and asset footprint have enabled us to support customers during these dynamic times," continued Painter. "Orion’s products are essential, we are competitively positioned, and our customer relationships are enduring. Our healthy order book underscores the value of Orion’s local supply network." "In addition to normal first quarter seasonality, we experienced incremental working capital headwinds during the month of March due to higher crude oil prices," added Jon Puckett, Chief Financial Officer. "Contrary to the upward bias in EBITDA, working capital is pressured during periods of higher oil prices. Oil price volatility affects the timing of cash conversion but does not alter the long-term cash generation fundamentals of the business. Accordingly, we are amplifying efforts to mitigate the effects on working capital. Generating positive cash flow remains our number one financial priority," continued Puckett. First Quarter 2026 Overview: Specialty Carbon Black Specialty segment demand picked up considerably late in the first quarter, as supply chain uncertainty precipitated higher demand across most end-markets. Segment volumes increased 3% year over year, led by growth in the Americas, along with Europe, Middle East and Africa ("EMEA") more than offsetting slightly lower year-over-year demand in Asia Pacific ("APAC"). Net sales increased by $9 million, or 6%, year over year to $170 million, primarily due to higher volume, positive mix, and favorable foreign currency exchange impacts, more than offsetting unfavorable price, predominantly the pass-through effect of lower year-over-year oil prices. Segment Adjusted EBITDA increased 7%, driven primarily by higher volumes, positive product mix and favorable foreign currency impact, partially offset by lower fixed cost absorption related to an inventory draw. Rubber Carbon Black Rubber segment results were consistent with expectations, affected by calendar 2026 pricing agreements, as well as soft demand conditions in North America. Tire build rates were down in North America because of sluggish channel sell-through early in the year, partly related to adverse winter weather, in addition to lingering tire channel inventories resulting from the 2025 increase in low-value tire imports. Volume increased 1% year over year during the quarter, primarily due to higher demand in EMEA and APAC. Net sales decreased by 9% year over year on lower pricing, predominantly the pass-through effect of lower year-over-year oil prices, and adverse regional mix, only partly offset by higher volumes and favorable foreign currency translation. The segment’s Adjusted EBITDA decrease was driven primarily by the pricing outcome of calendar 2026 supply agreements, adverse impact from the pass-through effect of lower year-over-year raw material costs, and unfavorable regional mix, partially offset by higher volumes and favorable foreign currency translation. Cash Flow and Balance Sheet First Quarter 2026 operating cash use was $12 million on the seasonal working capital impacts of $54 million. After $36 million of capital expenditures, first quarter free cash outflow was $48 million. We finished the quarter with net debt of $965 million, and a net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA ratio of 4.2x. Outlook "The earnings resilience of our business is enhanced during periods of higher oil prices. This characteristic, coupled with our strong order trends, gives us confidence to increase our 2026 Adjusted EBITDA guidance range, which is now $170 to $210 million, up from $160 to $200 million. We do contemplate some moderation in both oil prices and demand in the second half of 2026," Painter concluded. Conference Call As previously announced, Orion will hold a conference call tomorrow, Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. (ET). The dial-in details for the live conference call are as follows: A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers Thursday, May 21, 2026: Additionally, an archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at www.orioncarbons.com . To learn more about Orion, visit the company’s website at www.orioncarbons.com , where we regularly post information including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, non-GAAP reconciliations, SEC filings and other information regarding our company, its businesses and the markets it serves. About Orion S.A. Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC) is a leading global supplier of carbon black, a solid form of carbon produced as powder or pellets. The material is made to customers’ exacting specifications for tires, coatings, ink, batteries, plastics and numerous other specialties, high-performance applications. Carbon black is used to tint, colorize, provide reinforcement, conduct electricity, increase durability and add UV protection. Orion has innovation centers on three continents and 14 plants worldwide, offering the most diverse variety of production processes in the industry. The company’s corporate lineage goes back more than 160 years to Germany, where it operates the world’s longest-running carbon black plant. Orion is a leading innovator, applying a deep understanding of customers’ needs to deliver sustainable solutions. For more information, please visit orioncarbons.com. 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For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their nearest comparable GAAP measures, see section "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below. These non-GAAP measures include, but are not limited to EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Free cash flow and adjusted earnings per share as well as Net income (loss) ("Adjusted Diluted EPS"). We define Adjusted EBITDA as Income from operations before depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, and non-recurring items (such as, restructuring expenses, Goodwill impairment, Loss (recovery) due to misappropriation of assets, net, etc.) plus Earnings in affiliated companies, net of tax. We define Free cash flow as Net cash provided by operating activities less Net cash used in investing activities . We define Net Debt as Total Gross debt less Cash and cash equivalents. We define Net Leverage Ratio as Net Debt divided by trailing twelve months Adjusted EBITDA. We define Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) as earnings, adjusted for stock-based compensation, non-recurring items (such as, restructuring expenses, Goodwill impairment, Loss (recovery) due to misappropriation of assets, net, etc.), intangible assets amortization, foreign exchange rate impacts and an estimated tax effect on add back items, divided by Weighted average number of diluted ordinary shares. Our operations are managed by senior executives who report to our Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), the chief operating decision maker ("CODM"). Adjusted EBITDA is used by our CODM to evaluate our operating performance and to make decisions regarding allocation of capital, because it excludes the effects of items that have less bearing on the performance of our underlying core business. We use this measure, together with other measures of performance under GAAP, to compare the relative performance of operations in planning, budgeting and reviewing our business. By eliminating potential differences in results of operations between periods caused by factors such as depreciation and amortization, historic cost and age of assets, financing and capital structures and taxation positions or regimes, we believe that Adjusted EBITDA provides a useful additional basis for evaluating and comparing the current performance of the underlying operations. We believe our non-GAAP measures are useful measures of financial performance in addition to Net income, Income from operations and other profitability measures under GAAP, because they facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period. In addition, we believe these non-GAAP measures aid investors by providing additional insight into our operational performance and help clarify trends affecting our business. Other companies and analysts may calculate non-GAAP financial measures differently, so making comparisons among companies on this basis should be done carefully. Non-GAAP measures are not performance measures under GAAP and should not be considered in isolation or construed as substitutes for Net sales, Net income, Income from operations, Gross profit and other GAAP measures as an indicator of our operations in accordance with GAAP. With respect to Adjusted EBITDA and Free cash flow outlook for 2026, we are not able to reconcile the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to the closest corresponding GAAP measure without unreasonable efforts because we are unable to predict the ultimate outcome of certain significant items. These items include, but are not limited to, significant legal settlements, tax and regulatory reserve changes, restructuring costs and acquisition and financing related impacts. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260506023695/en/ Contacts Investor Relations Christopher Kapsch +1 281-318-4413 [email protected] Media - U.S. William Foreman +1 832-445-3305 [email protected]