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Chemours Co.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 lowered, 9 new, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales roughly flat at $1.4 billion: Net sales were $1,381 million against $1,368 million a year earlier, up 1%. Price added 2% and currency 3%, offset by volume down 4%. Source
  • Net loss widened on financing and SG&A: Net loss attributable to Chemours was $29 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, against $5 million, or $0.03, a year earlier. The company cited financing costs from a debt offering and higher SG&A. Source
  • TSS sales rose 22% to record: TSS net sales reached $568 million, which the company called a record first quarter. Freon refrigerant sales rose 67% and Opteon Refrigerants rose 12%. Source
  • TT sales and EBITDA declined sharply: TT net sales were $559 million, down 6%, with volume down 7%. Adjusted EBITDA fell to $18 million, margin 3%, on lower sales, unfavorable ore mix and mining footprint changes. Source
  • APM sales and EBITDA fell on outage: APM net sales were $243 million, down 17%. Adjusted EBITDA was $5 million, margin 2%, with the Washington Works outage and lower volumes costing about $25 million combined. Source
  • Company volume down 4%: Volume fell 4% company-wide. The decline came from the APM outage and weaker cyclical end markets in TT and APM, offset by TSS volume from Opteon and Freon sales. Source
  • Free cash use narrowed year on year: Free cash flow use was $93 million, against $196 million a year earlier. Operating cash use was $44 million, and capital expenditures were $49 million, down from $84 million. Source
  • Net leverage about 4.9 times: Gross debt was $4.2 billion and net debt $3.6 billion after $563 million of cash. Total liquidity was $1.5 billion, including $953 million of revolver capacity. Source

“Chemours exceeded overall expectations in the first quarter, achieving strong outcomes from both our TSS and TT businesses”

Denise Dignam, Chemours President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales, second quarter SourceQ2 2026 vs Q1 2026increase of 15% to 20% sequentiallyNew
Adjusted EBITDA, second quarter SourceQ2 2026$220 million to $250 millionNew
Corporate expenses, second quarter SourceQ2 2026$45 million to $50 millionNew
Capital expenditures, second quarter SourceQ2 2026approximately $50 millionNew
Free cash flow, second quarter SourceQ2 2026at least $100 millionNew
TSS Adjusted EBITDA, second quarter SourceQ2 2026$210 million to $225 millionNew
TT Adjusted EBITDA, second quarter SourceQ2 2026$40 million to $50 millionNew
APM Adjusted EBITDA, second quarter SourceQ2 2026$12 million to $18 millionNew
Net sales growth, full year SourceFY 2026 vs FY 20253% to 5%Kept
Adjusted EBITDA, full year SourceFY 2026$800 million to $900 millionKept
Capital expenditures, full year SourceFY 2026$275 million to $325 millionKept
Free cash flow conversion, full year SourceFY 2026above 20%Lowered from above 25%
Free cash flows, full year SourceFY 2026$170 million to $240 millionLowered from $200 million to $270 million
Net leverage ratio, year end SourceEnd of 2026less than 3.8x
Adjusted net income, full year SourceFY 2026$130 million to $180 millionKept
Interest expense and depreciation, full year SourceFY 2026interest $275 million to $285 million; D&A $315 million to $325 millionKept
Income tax cash outflow, Kuan Yin proceeds SourceFY 2026approximately $30 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 consolidated and segment ranges were given for the first time. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year free cash flow conversion now above 20%, previously above 25%. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year net sales growth, Adjusted EBITDA and capital expenditure ranges were kept from the prior release. Source
  • New: Net leverage ratio of less than 3.8x by end of 2026 was added as an update to previous expectations. Source
  • New: Nine of ten Kuan Yin land parcels sold in April 2026, with the tenth still pending. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales roughly flat at $1.4 billion: Net sales were $1,381 million against $1,368 million a year earlier, up 1%. Price added 2% and currency 3%, offset by volume down 4%. Source
  • Net loss widened on financing and SG&A: Net loss attributable to Chemours was $29 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, against $5 million, or $0.03, a year earlier. The company cited financing costs from a debt offering and higher SG&A. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up to $169 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $169 million, compared with $166 million a year earlier and $128 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted earnings fell from prior year: Adjusted Net Income was $8 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, against $19 million, or $0.13. Adjusted figures exclude litigation settlements and other unallocated items. Source

Segments and regions

  • TSS sales rose 22% to record: TSS net sales reached $568 million, which the company called a record first quarter. Freon refrigerant sales rose 67% and Opteon Refrigerants rose 12%. Source
  • TSS Adjusted EBITDA rose 35%: TSS Adjusted EBITDA was $190 million, with margin at 33% against 30%. Higher automotive Freon pricing and a more favorable Opteon blend mix drove the increase. Source
  • TT sales and EBITDA declined sharply: TT net sales were $559 million, down 6%, with volume down 7%. Adjusted EBITDA fell to $18 million, margin 3%, on lower sales, unfavorable ore mix and mining footprint changes. Source
  • APM sales and EBITDA fell on outage: APM net sales were $243 million, down 17%. Adjusted EBITDA was $5 million, margin 2%, with the Washington Works outage and lower volumes costing about $25 million combined. Source
  • Other segment small contribution: The Performance Chemicals and Intermediates business in the other non-reportable segment had $11 million in net sales and $3 million in Adjusted EBITDA. Source

“While the wider economic landscape remains uncertain, Chemours continues to drive full-year growth while remaining steadfast in prioritizing flexible commercial and operational strategies”

Denise Dignam, Chemours President and CEO

Margins, costs and pricing

  • Corporate expenses fell about $10 million: Corporate expenses were $47 million, about $10 million lower than a year earlier, mainly from lower legacy litigation activity costs. Source
  • SG&A rose, gross profit fell: Selling, general and administrative expense was $147 million, up from $123 million. Gross profit was $212 million, down from $236 million, on cost of goods sold of $1,169 million. Source
  • TiO2 prices rose sequentially 3%: The company achieved a 3% sequential increase in TiO2 price within net sales. Year over year, TT pricing was down 2%. Source

Demand and volumes

  • Company volume down 4%: Volume fell 4% company-wide. The decline came from the APM outage and weaker cyclical end markets in TT and APM, offset by TSS volume from Opteon and Freon sales. Source
  • TSS volume rose on seasonality: Sequentially, TSS net sales rose 28%, with volume up 22% on seasonal patterns across refrigerants and price up 6%. Source
  • APM volume fell 22% sequentially: APM net sales fell about 22% sequentially on a 22% volume drop, from the Washington Works outage and contractual sales timing across both product groups. Source

“These achievements demonstrate our dedication to our Pathway to Thrive strategy and highlight the importance we place on effective execution.”

Denise Dignam, Chemours President and CEO

Cash, debt and capital

  • Free cash use narrowed year on year: Free cash flow use was $93 million, against $196 million a year earlier. Operating cash use was $44 million, and capital expenditures were $49 million, down from $84 million. Source
  • Net leverage about 4.9 times: Gross debt was $4.2 billion and net debt $3.6 billion after $563 million of cash. Total liquidity was $1.5 billion, including $953 million of revolver capacity. Source
  • Euro term loan partly repaid in April: In April 2026 the company paid down €140 million of tranche B-3 Euro term loans due August 2028, using part of the Kuan Yin proceeds and cash on hand. Source

Strategy, pricing and legacy escrow

  • Pathway to Thrive debt goal: In February the company tied its capital allocation priorities under Pathway to Thrive to a long-term net leverage objective below three times Adjusted EBITDA.
  • TiO2 price increase announced: The company announced a global TiO2 price increase effective April 1, 2026, continuing the December pricing actions. Source
  • Restricted cash held for MOU escrow: Restricted cash was about $53 million at quarter end, mainly escrow payments under the MOU with DuPont, Corteva and EID. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 May 2026

  • Remaining Kuan Yin parcel sale: The tenth Kuan Yin parcel is expected to close by end of 2026 for about $55 million gross. Source
  • Further debt repayments in 2026: Management expects further debt repayments during 2026, following the April euro term loan paydown. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total volume change, Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025 Source-4%
TSS volume change, Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025 Source+9%
TT volume change, Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025 Source-7%
APM volume change, Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025 Source-19%
Customers served Sourceapproximately 2,400

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management cited an uncertain wider economic landscape as a condition for the business. Source
  • Regulatory: Litigation charges for the twelve months included settlement and related amounts, which are excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Operational: Higher input costs for R32, a key component of stationary Opteon blends, partly offset TSS margin gains in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management tied its results to the Pathway to Thrive strategy and to execution discipline. Source
  • Ahead: Management said the first quarter exceeded its overall expectations. Source
  • Not stated: Management said the cash flow dynamics would produce a net leverage ratio below 3.8x by end of 2026. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.