Earnings Labs

Braskem S.A. (BAK)

Q2 2021 Earnings Call· Sun, Aug 8, 2021

$3.44

+1.78%

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for holding. Welcome to the Braskem’s Conference Call to discuss the Results of the Second Quarter. Today, we have with us Mr. Roberto Simoes, the Company’s CEO; Pedro Freitas, the CFO; and Rosana Avolio, the Investor Relations Director. We would like to inform you that this event is being recorded and during the presentation, all participants will be in the listen-only mode. Ensuing this, we will begin the question-and-answer session when further instructions will be given. [Operator Instructions] Both, the audio and slide show for the presentation are being broadcast simultaneously via webcast and can be accessed through the website www.braskem-ri.com.br. Please bear in mind that forward-looking statements that may be made during this conference call regarding to the company’s business prospects, operating and financial projections are based on beliefs and assumptions of the company management as well as on information currently available to the company. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions as they refer to future events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur. General economic conditions, industry conditions and other operating factors may affect the company’s future results and the lead to results that differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. I would now like to turn the conference over to Rosana Avolio, Investor Relations Director. You may proceed, ma’am.

Rosana Avolio

Analyst

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for participating in Braskem’s earnings conference call. Today, we will present the results of the second quarter 2021. Let’s go on to the Slide number 3, where we will speak about the Petrochemical scenario in the quarter. In the second quarter of 2021, Petrochemical spreads continued to improve; this phenomenon is mainly explained by a healthy global demand in the period and supply constraints in the United States, following the Uri Winter Storm in the country’s Gulf Coast. In the second quarter of 2021, the company had recurring result of BRL1.8 billion, 198% higher than in the first quarter 2021, represents further BRL69 per common shares and Class A shares for the entire year until the end of the quarter 2021, Braskem had a net profit of BRL9.9 billion. I would like to highlight that in December 2020 the company had accrued losses at BRL12.5 billion at the end of July 2021, the company reversed a bit toward creating profit at BRL5.4 billion. We go on to the next slide. Slide number 6 shows you the highlights of the Brazilian operation. In the second quarter, the utilization rate of crackers in Brazil was 76%, down 6% to 1% vis-à-vis the first quarter of the year. This lower utilization rate is explained by the scheduled general maintenance at the ABC Petrochemical Complex at Sao Paulo and the Brazilian demand decreased in relation to the first quarter of the year due to the normalization of demand in the region but showed healthy level. On the other hand, exports improved during the quarter. The recurring operating results of Brazil was up around BRL1.1 billion, results 20% above the first quarter of the year. We go on to the next slide to speak about the latest…

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] The first question from Ricardo Rezende from JP Morgan.

Ricardo Rezende

Analyst

Hey, good afternoon, Rosana, Roberto and Pedro. The first question refers to your capital allocation. As you showed in the presentation and referring to your cash, it seems to have a very good outlook. You have a cumulative profit which is quite high. Therefore the natural question that emergent, is what should we expect in terms of dividends for the second semester, which is the discussion regarding this. The second question, you referred to the United States. And situation the that is happening there, there was an isolated event. If you have any plan and how are you going to work with the other market in reference to the United States and what are you going to do in terms of arbitrage?

Pedro Freitas

Analyst

Good afternoon, Ricardo. Thank you very much for your questions, actually when it comes to capital allocation as you mentioned, of course, it is necessary to think about higher dividends and continue on with our leverage policy. Now, we have made a decision that states that the payment will be below 2.5%. This will enable us to think about dividends so it will be above the minimum rate and at present, we are 1.1 which ensure it is very low, it is perhaps the lowest in our historical trend. Therefore, it is natural to pay out dividend, something that we have been doing. And I believe that it would be reasonable, if the scenario continues on as it is, to once again we revise this issue. We have as yet not made a decision. Once again, this is something that we are discussing. And once we come to an opinion, we will disseminate it. Regarding the price of PP, this mismatch comes about for a certain reason. The market there is somewhat weak because of some issues related to the pandemic and to other issues in Asia, for example, we have a greater availability of PP and what we are lacking are containers to – system, the area and in the United States, we have the situation where the market is quite balanced and the prices of course were reflective situation. We based ourselves on market prices, of course, the market is in a situation where the prices have increased and we’re as far as taking the most, the advances that had been higher margins in the United States. The market has become regionalized in terms of prices. Brazil, once again is still where it was, but the United States and others have taken off, they have become attached than…

Ricardo Rezende

Analyst

Thank you very much, Pedro. Thank you for the response.

Operator

Operator

The next question from Guilherme Levy from Morgan Stanley.

Guilherme Levy

Analyst

Hey, good afternoon and congratulations for your quarterly results. I have two questions, the first referring to cash generation. At the beginning of the year, we had a significant working capital and good cash generation. I would like to better understand what is happening with your consumption of working capital during the year? Do you still have very high spreads and I think that they have reached a peak during this semester. My second question, I would like to better understand what is it that motivated that very timely shut down in Mexico? And what is happening with that instability in terms of electrical energy and when we will have a resumption of two production there?

Pedro Freitas

Analyst

Thank you, Guilherme for your questions. When it comes to cash generation, as you mentioned, we have had important investments in working capital during this quarter. And of course, this is a fact and Rosana alluded to this in the presentation. As we have published several times, we have feedstock management policy and the feedstock that we import, we are able to obtain in the market with terms of up to 160 days. Historically, therefore, we are not making the most of this length in terms of payment that our suppliers have offered us. What happened is that, we are in this situation of a very strong cash generation, perhaps a cash surplus. We have paid down several debts to create our exposure but evidently, if you pay cash, you will obtain a discount. Therefore, we took the decision to look for side payments. There was no need to lengthen the payments and we decided not to lengthen payment to suppliers, we had reduced the payment term and this had a one-off impact on our working capital. The second point that was relevant and perhaps the most relevant of three points is the second and it refers to the price of resins and feedstock of raw material when we carry out our procurement, when we make up our feedstocks is the price increases is what demand greater working capital. In the third place, we had a refurbishment of stocks. As you will recall last year, we had a great deal of sales and the sales have been strong this year as well as last year. I will refer to Brazil, we sold more than 1,600 tons per quarter and in the second quarter we saw 1.5 million tons. When we look at this curve, we decreased our sales somewhat and…

Guilherme Levy

Analyst

Thank you very much.

Operator

Operator

Our next question from Pedro Soares of BTG Pactual.

Pedro Soares

Analyst

Good afternoon. Follow-up on dividends and capital allocations. I would like to see a number of points. Pedro, you have mentioned that you would pay something above the minimum – it will be leveraged before 2 times, 2.5 times; but we – but our spreads should come back to normal and this is something that you mentioned and that the leverage would increase on a very long level. But I would like to understand that in addition to your leverage target, is there an optimum level of gross debt in the long run? So, what are your priorities between paying out dividends and paying out taxes in some type of breakeven point here?

Rosana Avolio

Analyst

Well, this is a good question, Pedro, because we can discuss our financial strategy and how we see here our corporate leverage. If you’ve seen our history; so our net debt is between $5 billion and $6 billion we have been growing the Delta project. We’re providing a results for the 89% of occupation rate; so our margins are very high in the U.S. and very attractive. Now, we could even explore the higher net debt – we have that exchange between $5 billion and $6 billion; and it is used to this level. And now policy discussion with management that is highly conservative; I would say that rose that up to $7.5 billion. Give or take, it would be something reasonable. And I believe that we can coexist with this with no problem. You will see that there were moments where we exceed in $8 billion; but if you see our history $7 billion, $7.5 billion is, okay, and we can coexist with this level. Now, we ended the quarter with a gross debt of $6.8 billion; so it is below the level that I consider reasonable. We paid out $350 million in debt, and in July, after we paid things that we have a cash position that it’s slightly above the optimum point for that scheme. So when do you see $200 million to $300 million of surplus of cash, and the increase of our leveraged about $1 billion; I think this is an excellent structure of capital and this suit optimizes our equity. So, we do dividends on one side and we want to pay out our shareholders because from three years they haven’t received dividend in high time; they receive their dividends at the optimum capital structure. So we are under – so we’re not under leveraged, so you can see that there is space here; there is a lot we can do here, lots of the maneuvering.

Operator

Operator

Next question from Luiz Carvalho with UBS.

Luiz Carvalho

Analyst · UBS.

Over to Pedro. Rosana, thank you and congratulations for your results. Two questions. Number one, after seeing your presentation, Slide 25 drew my attention, and you showed that gain clearly being a very important asset in terms of investments. And you showed – and it’s multiple remains discounted compared to it’s peers. So, if there is something the management could do to unlock the value perception? And is there something in the sales process; do you think that grafting would be sold as a whole or separately? What could – what could you tell us in terms of value perception? My second question is whether would you discuss this in other opportunities but we’re now – is there is a private investment – investor; is there – is there something that could be done jointly? Are there any potential opportunity or synergy to carry out joint businesses that could give you some type of additional return?

Pedro Freitas

Analyst · UBS.

Good afternoon. It’s good to talk to you, and thank you for your question. Regarding the peers discount, well you can just see the figures and the figures shows that there is a discount; just to little bit back, this discount was lower the path 10 years ago, but our payment had a discounter, but it was 10%. And Braskem was a company that was a 100% – visiting us 100%, phased and that’s diversified, and we went to after other forces with international exposure, with exposure to other types of feedstock. So our growth in the past years, in my view should have diminished this discount and the discount today is 40%. So we believe that this discount is not reasonable. I believe that the market caught up during the first quarter, in the beginning of the year there was a higher discounting as over 5 times the data, now we are at 3. What happened was the fierce multiple dropped; we continue believing that discount is not justified.

Roberto Simoes

Analyst · UBS.

Now, the – our logic – we follow a solid logic and we are strongly inserted in the petrochemical industries. We do not have never 30 times because this is a hide-and-seek type business with some dimension; but when we see our figures and we compare it to our history, this does not make sense. And perhaps, you know better than I do. There is an upper section of the investor. There was a rally of 150% during the first quarter; is this still going to go up? So perhaps this is what is happening. We’re trying to see why did app get distorted? Value perception demand; the shareholder market and we are a modern company. We have the best petrochemical producer in the world. In terms of safety, we are the best in the world with a great potential of growth. In recycling, we are thinking about the future with Braskem being about recycling that is an important platforms made it challenging. In some places they provides growth and we are positioning ourselves properly. And also renewables, we have a unique platform, nobody has what we have and the potential. Growth is overwhelming so the market, what we have to show the market that we have all the reasons and that for not having the discounters we have to give. Regarding, well, we know great part of the team that is assuming rollout many of them used to work here in the past. These are people who are very competent, and we are waiting for the right moment to talk to them. We believe that it still not about that and at the moment to embark and invest the compensation. But when we find the right moment, we will sit and talk to them in trying to find synergy. We already have an idea. We have some ideas. But of course, we want to listen to their ideas and as of there will be more potential in the more the eastern areas.

Luiz Carvalho

Analyst · UBS.

Thank you. Thank you very much for your response.

Operator

Operator

The next question is from Barbara from JPMorgan.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

Good afternoon. And thank you for taking my questions. I know that you have a goal, the final amount so that you can reduce your leverage. Thank you.

Pedro Freitas

Analyst

Hello, Barbara. How are you? To be very frank, we do not have a goal for gross debt. We do have an in-house goal for the net debt, but of course, this is not made public simply reference to help us in our financial management, the – we have communication with the market when it comes to dividends, because this is very important and our take you to leverage all dollar-wise terms, the figures, that we gave you are simply a benchmark for you to think about what would be a comfortable level for us, a comfortable limits for us.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] We have a question that came in through the chat from Ben Ivanson from Nova Scotiabank, who asked strategically we are interested in investing more in the regional diversification, or is there are some chemicals where we would like to have a greater exposure to these that be what we have at present.

Pedro Freitas

Analyst

Ben, thank you for the question. I would say the following, the regional diversification has been an important part of Braskem strategy. We have invested considerably outside of Brazil and we see our branches in Mexico, the new PP plant in the U.S. These are our largest investments abroad. We have also invested in Brazil doing that till in PBC by year. We are currently undergoing an expansion in the south of Brazil. We have balanced our investments both in Brazil and outside, but the magnitude of course have investments in Brazil was much greater than abroad. This because of our diversification logic. We are interested in continuing to follow-up on the Asian market. We have a good platform in the Americas significant operation in Europe, a sales operation that is greater than the industrial one and concentrated mainly in Holland and Germany, but extending throughout Europe as a whole and what we have that is proportionally smaller is Asia. We have an office in Singapore and other in India where we have our eye on Asia, and we consider a new potential source of investment if we think of the renewable products. Asia is very important for that and because of this we are thinking. As Paul said, these avenues for growth, our growth in renewables and PBS and well, Asia is very important when it comes to this product and along with this, a regional diversification based on products that we already have, but where we can foresee a significant growth potential. Especially in Asia, when we speak about other products we are always assessing new products that come about an acquisition, something novel, the new in-house processes of technology and innovation are mainly focused on renewables. We are speaking of new products and this is the type of development, but we are seeking. But we are open to partnerships in the regions where we already operate South America and we’re open to different products. It will depend on different opportunities. The strategy is not to diversify just to diversify we want to value what we have made, but we will be looking at what is available. If you look at the more of this projects that feedstocks in Brazil in the United States. This is what as of interest to us. We foresee great growth in new products that will be very much linked to renewables.

Operator

Operator

Our next question comes from Barbara from JPMorgan.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

If you allow me a follow-up, please, your sale of assets on the controlling company that is the vision that the company has in terms of the sale of assets. If there is any asset the present, we would not be deemed strategic that could be so that for sale. If you could give us more color on this, please.

Pedro Freitas

Analyst

Barbara, thank you once again for another question. I’m going to put that question in the context of what we observed last year in the second semester of last year we were at 7.1. And as you know, we were working with all the possible opportunities to reduce our leverage. We included the sale of assets and these possibilities. Now the assets that we understood that in a scenario of deleveraging we could disinvest from. We saw that that equation value and the impact on the company, and of course, we were not able to come to a conclusion. All of the Braskem assets internally are for sale, it all depends on the size of the check and the pressure that they bring to the table. And – well, this is how I would state this; Braskem does have a commitment with all of our shareholders and we’re going to do will be best for all of them. Now, if we receive an amount that we will think that is lower than the cheque that has been put on the table; as a natural part of the business, of course, we will assess this. Now on the other hand; if this doesn’t happen, there is no request from anybody to sell assets at present. We’re supporting the process that we’re thinking of a stake in Braskem and not selling off parts of Braskem. As you think this is the way that we are thinking, and this is the guidance that we have followed simply to complement this well this discussion is being held with the shareholders at Braskem. We continue to seek for all possible business opportunities to create value, to continue to manage our company; this is the greatest value. That is very clear and I have a last question a follow-up, perhaps on the appropriate level of debt. Obviously, the present day cycle will change going forward which would be the appropriate debt level if you could remark on this. We are comfortable because if you see our metric, they will play discount or upgrade, its own work. Our metrics today for being totally our and it’s comfortable with them at the investment grade and you see our metrics and figures. We – our – at level much, much better level than any investment grade company. So we believe that it should be well recognized by the rate buying the rating agency. We have been dialoging with them, at the end of line there, the one satisfy we’ll see the figures, we’ll see the pack. We analyze different scenarios than how we will able to lower our net debt and our gross debt. We are witnessing metrics of these agency and even though we’re paying out dividends.

Operator

Operator

[Operator Instructions] We are bringing to remove our Q&A session. I would like to give the floor back to the company for their final comments.

Roberto Simoes

Analyst

So I will like to thank all the participants for taking part on our earnings results call. And now I would like to [indiscernible] this was an additional good quarter in all the regions. And secondly, they continue with our trajectory to return to being investment grade. I would like to reinforce here that we have had significant deliveries that were presented this afternoon. With the reduction of our gross debt, representing $1.7 billion until the end of June and recording the lowest leveraging of the Braskem history of 1.1 times and in 12 years, the company labor talks with six part; and in the future, we will maintain a very sound position with a fairly good. We like profile for the debt as you could hear during the question-and-answer session. Additionally, to this our commitment with ESG exceeds and you can considerable strides and that area we have a change the Board. We have a compliance maybe and all of this has had a very positive impact. And we do have two independent members. And finally, we truly have confidence that the cash generation in the following quarters will be very good. Everything points to this and our operational cash will continue at the comfortable level. I would like to reiterate our continues commitment towards productivity and competitiveness of all of our operations, the cash generation of our business, and of course, we want to continue to work with all of our shareholders. Once again, we would like to express our thanks. And we hope to see you again during the released in the third quarter of this year. Thank you very much.

Operator

Operator

The Braskem conference call ends here. We would like to thank all of you for your participation. Have a good afternoon.