AMBP Ardagh Metal Packaging SA

LUXEMBOURG, Oct. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. (NYSE: AMBP) today announced results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021.

Oliver Graham, CEO of Ardagh Metal Packaging, said

"We delivered strong earnings growth in the quarter, with Adjusted EBITDA increasing by 17% to $176 million. AMP's diversified customer base and end markets, as well as our operational agility, served us well in the quarter and enabled us to manage softness in the hard seltzer end market. We are modestly raising our full year 2021 earnings outlook, despite a highly inflationary environment for costs. We are committing to strategic new growth initiatives in the United Kingdom and the southwestern United States as we respond to strong demand for sustainable metal packaging. Both projects involve multi-line beverage can production facilities, with production commencing in 2023 and 2024."

• Revenue growth of 14% at constant exchange rates to $1,038 million, with Americas increasing by 16% and Europe by 11%.
• Adjusted EBITDA growth for the quarter of 15% to $176 million at constant currency, with the Americas increasing by 28% as a result of favorable mix. Europe Adjusted EBITDA was modestly higher, reflecting a strong prior year third quarter. LTM Adjusted EBITDA to September 30, 2021 increased to $637 million, from $545 million at December 31, 2020. Adjusted EBITDA margin for the quarter increased to 17.0% (Q3 2020: 16.8%).
• Global beverage can shipments were 6% lower in the quarter, of which over 3% was attributable to the residual impact of the cyber security incident. Excluding this, Americas shipments declined by low-single digits, principally due to hard seltzer weakness in North America and some market softness in the winter season in Brazil relative to a strong comparable. In response, AMP successfully pivoted to other stronger-growing beverage markets during the quarter. In Europe, where we are capacity constrained until 2022 pending new capacity coming online, lower shipments reflected a very strong prior year comparable, with growth of 10%.
• Specialty cans represented 44% of shipments during the quarter.
• Growth investment program largely on track, despite global supply chain challenges, and set to deliver significant additional capacity for 2022 and beyond. Olive Branch (MS) ramp up of two new high-speed lines is well advanced, while Winston Salem (NC) can lines will commence production around year end. Huron (OH) brownfield facility to begin ends production later this quarter, with can production commencing in early-2022. Third quarter growth investment spend of $121 million.
• Strategic additional growth initiatives planned in the United Kingdom and the southwestern United States. Both projects involve multi-line beverage can production facilities, with production commencing in 2023 and 2024.
• Total liquidity in excess of $0.8 billion at September 30, 2021, including a newly executed $325 million ABL facility.
• Full year 2021 Adjusted EBITDA to be at least $660 million compared with the previously-guided at least $654 million.

Review of the three months ended September 30, 2021

Group

Revenue in the three months ended September 30, 2021 increased by $139 million, or 15%, to $1,038 million, compared with $899 million in the three months ended September 30, 2020. The increase in revenue is primarily driven by favorable volume/mix effects, which includes an impact of the Group's growth investment program and the pass through to customers of higher metal costs and favorable foreign currency translation effects of $14 million.

Adjusted EBITDA in the three months ended September 30, 2021 increased by $25 million, or 17%, to $176 million, compared with $151 million in the three months ended September 30, 2020. The increase was primarily driven by favorable volume/mix effects, which includes an impact of the Group's growth investment program and favorable foreign currency translation effects of $2 million. Included within Adjusted EBITDA in the three months ended September 30, 2021 are losses and incremental costs relating to the previously-reported cyber security incident of $11 million ($7 million in Americas and $4 million in Europe), which are fully compensated by Ardagh under the indemnity agreement in place.

Americas

Revenue increased by $77 million, or 16%, to $555 million in the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared with $478 million in the three months ended September 30, 2020. The increase in revenue principally reflected the pass through of higher metal costs and favorable volume/mix effects.

Adjusted EBITDA increased by $22 million, or 28%, to $100 million in the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared with $78 million in the three months ended September 30, 2020. The increase was mainly driven by favorable volume/mix effects, which includes an impact of the Group's growth investment program.

Europe

Revenue increased by $62 million, or 15%, to $483 million in the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared with $421 million in the three months ended September 30, 2020. Excluding favorable foreign currency translation effects of $14 million, revenue increased by $48 million, mainly due to favorable volume/mix effects and the pass through of higher metal costs.

Adjusted EBITDA increased by $3 million, or 4%, to $76 million in the three months ended September 30, 2021, compared with $73 million in the three months ended September 30, 2020. Excluding favorable foreign currency translation effects of $2 million, Adjusted EBITDA increased by $1 million, principally reflecting favorable volume/mix effects, including a positive impact from the Group's growth investment program, partly offset by increased costs.

Earnings Webcast and Conference Call Details

Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. (NYSE: AMBP) will hold its third quarter 2021 earnings webcast and conference call for investors at 9.00 a.m. EST (2.00 p.m. BST) on October 28, 2021. Please use the following webcast link to register for this call:

Webcast registration and access:

https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1502997&tp_key=acbc8f17b7

Conference call dial in:

United States: +1 323 794 2093
International: +44 330 336 9105
Participant pin code: 3746074

Slides

Supplemental slides to accompany this release are available at https://www.ardaghmetalpackaging.com/corporate/investors

About Ardagh Metal Packaging
Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) is a leading global supplier of infinitely recyclable, sustainable, metal beverage cans and ends to brand owners. A subsidiary of sustainable packaging business Ardagh Group, AMP is a leading industry player across Europe and the Americas with innovative production capabilities. AMP operates 23 production facilities in nine countries, employing close to 5,000 employees and had sales of approximately $3.5 billion in 2020.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which may be beyond our control. We caution you that the forward-looking information presented in this press release is not a guarantee of future events, and that actual events may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Any forward-looking information presented herein is made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures 
This press release may contain certain financial measures such as Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted operating cash flow, Adjusted free cash flow, net debt and ratios relating thereto that are not calculated in accordance with IFRS or US GAAP. Non-GAAP financial measures may be considered in addition to GAAP financial information, but should not be used as substitutes for the corresponding GAAP measures. The non-GAAP financial measures used by AMP may differ from, and not be comparable to, similarly titled measures used by other companies.

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SOURCE Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A.