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Koppers Holdings Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 lowered, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted EBITDA fell 7.9 percent to $71 million: Adjusted EBITDA declined $6.1 million to $71.0 million in Q2 2026 from $77.1 million in Q2 2025. Decline was driven by higher raw material costs, unfavorable pricing in RUPS, higher freight and legal costs, and impact of 2025 divestitures, partly offset by lower operating costs. Source
  • PC adjusted EBITDA jumped 31.4 percent: Performance Chemicals adjusted EBITDA surged $9.0 million to $37.7 million in Q2 2026 from $28.7 million in Q2 2025, up 31.4 percent. Increase driven by higher sales volumes and lower raw material costs of $1.3 million, partly offset by increased logistics expenses. Source
  • RUPS adjusted EBITDA fell 18.7 percent: RUPS adjusted EBITDA declined $5.9 million to $25.7 million in Q2 2026 from $31.6 million in Q2 2025. Decline driven by net sales price decreases and unfavorable mix, higher raw material costs and lower maintenance-of-way activity, partly offset by North American utility pole volume gains. Source
  • CMC adjusted EBITDA crashed 54.8 percent: Carbon Materials and Chemicals adjusted EBITDA plummeted $9.2 million to $7.6 million in Q2 2026 from $16.8 million in Q2 2025. Decline driven by higher raw material, operating and SG&A expenses, partly offset by cost savings from discontinuing phthalic anhydride production. Source
  • Operating cash flow hit record $96.3 million: Operating cash flow for first half 2026 reached record $96.3 million, up from $27.8 million in first half 2025. Primary cash sources were net income excluding non-cash items and improved working capital management. Source
  • Free cash flow doubled to record $72.6 million: Free cash flow for first half 2026 reached record $72.6 million, more than 50 times the $1.4 million in first half 2025, after capital expenditures of $23.7 million. Source
  • Accelerating Stickney CMC plant closure: Company is accelerating previously announced closure of Carbon Materials and Chemicals plant at Stickney, Illinois to reduce operating costs and improve capital efficiency in response to challenging market conditions. Source
  • RUPS network optimization advancing utilization: Company is advancing RUPS network optimization efforts to improve facility utilization and reduce operating costs across the railroad and utility products segment. Source

“We have made meaningful progress on the actions within our control while navigating continued pressure in certain markets during the second quarter. The benefits from our Catalyst transformation initiative have partly offset the impact of weaker market conditions and our teams delivered volume gains in the competitive markets we serve.”

Leroy Ball, Chief Executive Officer and Chair

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EBITDA Source2026$240 - $250 millionLowered from $240 - $260 million
Adjusted EPS Source2026$3.80 - $4.20Lowered from $3.80 - $4.60
Operating cash flow Source2026$165 - $185 millionKept
Free cash flow Source2026$110 - $130 millionKept
Net sales Source2026$1.9 - $2.0 billionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Upper end of adjusted EBITDA guidance reduced from $260 million to $250 million for 2026, reflecting persistent margin pressure and cost headwinds expected through remainder of year. Source
  • New: Company accelerating previously announced closure of Carbon Materials and Chemicals plant at Stickney, Illinois to improve operating costs and reduce footprint amid challenging carbon compounds market conditions. Source
  • New: Company advancing RUPS network optimization efforts to improve facility utilization and reduce operating costs in response to lower activity in maintenance-of-way businesses and market pressures. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Upper end of adjusted EPS guidance cut from $4.60 to $4.20 for 2026 due to expected lower profitability from input cost inflation and unfavorable pricing. Source

Second Quarter Sales and Results

  • Sales grew 3.0 percent despite M&A headwinds: Net sales increased $15.3 million to $520.1 million in Q2 2026 versus $504.8 million in Q2 2025. Excluding unfavorable M&A impact of $16.3 million, underlying sales growth was 5.1 percent, primarily from Performance Chemicals and utility pole volumes. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell 7.9 percent to $71 million: Adjusted EBITDA declined $6.1 million to $71.0 million in Q2 2026 from $77.1 million in Q2 2025. Decline was driven by higher raw material costs, unfavorable pricing in RUPS, higher freight and legal costs, and impact of 2025 divestitures, partly offset by lower operating costs. Source
  • Adjusted EPS declined to $1.37 from $1.48: Diluted adjusted EPS fell to $1.37 in Q2 2026 from $1.48 in Q2 2025, down 7.4 percent. Decline reflects lower adjusted EBITDA and margin pressures across segments, partially offset by lower share count. Source
  • Impairment charges drove net loss of $147.5 million: Net loss reached $147.5 million in Q2 2026 versus net income of $16.4 million in Q2 2025, primarily due to $215.8 million of impairment and restructuring charges related to plant closures and asset write-downs. Source

Performance Chemicals Accelerating

  • PC sales grew 11.5 percent to $168.2 million: Performance Chemicals net sales increased $17.4 million to $168.2 million in Q2 2026 from $150.8 million in Q2 2025, driven by 11 percent volume increase primarily in Americas, partly offset by lower prices in Europe. Source
  • PC adjusted EBITDA jumped 31.4 percent: Performance Chemicals adjusted EBITDA surged $9.0 million to $37.7 million in Q2 2026 from $28.7 million in Q2 2025, up 31.4 percent. Increase driven by higher sales volumes and lower raw material costs of $1.3 million, partly offset by increased logistics expenses. Source
  • Copper hedging program aided cost reductions: Lower raw material costs in Performance Chemicals were favorably impacted by copper hedging program benefits net of increased scrap copper costs, contributing to margin expansion. Source

“On the cost side, we are accelerating the previously announced closure of our Carbon Materials and Chemicals CMC plant located at Stickney, Illinois, and advancing the Railroad and Utility Products and Services RUPS network optimization efforts to improve utilization and reduce operating costs.”

Leroy Ball, Chief Executive Officer and Chair

RUPS Segment Facing Headwinds

  • RUPS sales declined 1.8 percent to $245.9 million: Railroad and Utility Products and Services net sales fell $4.5 million to $245.9 million in Q2 2026 from $250.4 million in Q2 2025. Decline reflected lower activity in maintenance-of-way businesses and price decreases across multiple markets, particularly for crossties. Source
  • RUPS adjusted EBITDA fell 18.7 percent: RUPS adjusted EBITDA declined $5.9 million to $25.7 million in Q2 2026 from $31.6 million in Q2 2025. Decline driven by net sales price decreases and unfavorable mix, higher raw material costs and lower maintenance-of-way activity, partly offset by North American utility pole volume gains. Source
  • Utility pole volumes surged 16 percent: Domestic utility pole volumes increased 16 percent in Q2 2026, including acquisition of western U.S. pole procurement business, providing partial offset to price and mix pressures in segment. Source

Carbon Materials and Chemicals Under Pressure

  • CMC adjusted EBITDA crashed 54.8 percent: Carbon Materials and Chemicals adjusted EBITDA plummeted $9.2 million to $7.6 million in Q2 2026 from $16.8 million in Q2 2025. Decline driven by higher raw material, operating and SG&A expenses, partly offset by cost savings from discontinuing phthalic anhydride production. Source
  • Carbon pitch prices down two percent globally: Carbon pitch selling prices declined approximately two percent globally in Q2 2026, driven by market dynamics particularly in Australasia, offsetting volume gains for the product. Source

“At the same time, record year-to-date operating and free cash flow performance enabled us to reduce debt and return capital to shareholders through share repurchases and quarterly dividends.”

Leroy Ball, Chief Executive Officer and Chair

Record Cash Generation Performance

  • Operating cash flow hit record $96.3 million: Operating cash flow for first half 2026 reached record $96.3 million, up from $27.8 million in first half 2025. Primary cash sources were net income excluding non-cash items and improved working capital management. Source
  • Free cash flow doubled to record $72.6 million: Free cash flow for first half 2026 reached record $72.6 million, more than 50 times the $1.4 million in first half 2025, after capital expenditures of $23.7 million. Source
  • Shareholders received $47.4 million in returns: Company returned $47.4 million to shareholders year-to-date through share repurchases and quarterly dividends, up from $32.4 million in prior year period, demonstrating capital allocation discipline. Source
  • Working capital improvements drove cash generation: Working capital usage improved in first half 2026 primarily from better timing of receipts and payments and reduction in inventory, contributing to record operating cash flow. Source

Transformation and Cost Reduction Actions

  • Accelerating Stickney CMC plant closure: Company is accelerating previously announced closure of Carbon Materials and Chemicals plant at Stickney, Illinois to reduce operating costs and improve capital efficiency in response to challenging market conditions. Source
  • RUPS network optimization advancing utilization: Company is advancing RUPS network optimization efforts to improve facility utilization and reduce operating costs across the railroad and utility products segment. Source
  • Catalyst transformation initiative offsetting pressure: Benefits from Catalyst transformation initiative partly offset impact of weaker market conditions and helped deliver volume gains in competitive markets served by company. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 August 2026

  • Accelerating Stickney plant closure execution: Company will accelerate closure of CMC plant at Stickney, Illinois with benefits beginning in 2027 from elimination of ongoing operating costs and footprint reduction. Source
  • RUPS network optimization to improve efficiency: Company will continue advancing RUPS network optimization efforts to improve facility utilization and reduce operating costs across railroad and utility products segment. Source
  • Working capital initiatives generating additional cash: Company expects several working capital initiatives to generate additional cash flow in coming quarters, supporting maintenance of cash flow guidance. Source

In management's words

“We remain confident that our strategy and ongoing transformation initiatives position Koppers to unlock significant and sustainable improvements in earnings and cash flow. Our near-term priorities remain reducing debt and returning capital to shareholders, while continuing to execute a disciplined approach to long-term value creation.”

Leroy Ball, Chief Executive Officer and Chair

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Freight and logistics costs remain elevated and are expected to continue pressuring margins through remainder of 2026. Source
  • Demand: Lower activity in maintenance-of-way businesses and competitive pressures in crosstie markets continue to create volume and pricing headwinds for RUPS segment. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Company is accelerating closure of CMC plant at Stickney, Illinois that was previously announced, with benefits expected in 2027 from cost reductions. Source
  • On track: Company is advancing RUPS network optimization initiatives to improve facility utilization and reduce operating costs as committed. Source
  • On track: Company maintaining operating and free cash flow guidance of $165-$185 million and $110-$130 million respectively for 2026 supported by working capital initiatives. Source
  • On track: Management confident that Catalyst transformation strategy and optimization initiatives will drive step-change improvement in profitability and earnings in 2027. 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.