NEWS & NOTEWORTHY

Compass Minerals hosted its fiscal 2026 second-quarter earnings call, reporting net income of $12.7 million for the second quarter of 2026, compared to a net loss of $32 million the prior year.   

“Consistent with our Back-to-Basics framework, during the quarter we took a significant step in strengthening our balance sheet by retiring the remaining $150 million of senior unsecured notes due in 2027 and removing our nearest debt maturity,” said Edward C. Dowling Jr., president and CEO. “We had a strong winter across much of North America, and our Salt platform delivered on a high level of sales commitments while continuing to realize pricing gains. Our Plant Nutrition segment delivered another strong quarter at Ogden, with meaningful year-over-year improvement in cost performance and margins. Total company adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $86.4 million, bringing us to $151.7 million for the first half of the year and on track to achieve our full-year outlook. We increased our Plant Nutrition guidance to reflect the strong results we continue to see in that operation, including higher expected sales volumes, better pricing and lower costs. We decreased our Salt guidance to reflect the differences in regional and product sales mix relative to forecast. Additionally, while we are seeing improvements in mine-level product costs, we have not yet achieved the level of production and efficiency gains in our mining operations that we had expected earlier in the year.”

“The hard work being done across the company is beginning to bear fruit. Some of this is manifesting itself currently in our financial results, while other initiatives will take a little more time. We know what we need to do and we are heading in the right direction, but there is more work to be done. We remain focused on reducing debt, improving our operations in all areas of the company, and building long-term value for shareholders.”

Other fiscal 2026 second-quarter results reported include:

• Goderich mine unionized employees ratified a three-year labor agreement.
  
• Operating earnings and adjusted EBITDA margins within the Salt business improved year over year; absolute operating earnings and adjusted EBITDA both declined 3% between comparative periods, driven principally by lower highway deicing sales volume.
  
• Continued improvements in pricing and cost structure increased Plant Nutrition segment operating earnings and adjusted EBITDA on both absolute and per-ton bases.
  
• Total debt declined 12% year over year to $713.0 million as March 31, 2026, while net debt decreased $119.2 million, or 16%, to $638.9 million over the same period.
• Mid-point of full-year 2026 guidance for total company adjusted EBITDA maintained within modified range of $212 million to $236 million, reflecting stronger-than-expected results in the Plant Nutrition segment and adjustments related to changes in sales mix and operational matters in the Salt segment.

You can find additional details in the press release and the Fiscal 2026 Second-Quarter Business Update posted in the Investor Relations section of the company’s website.