• Revenue: $548 million, down approximately 4% on an organic basis.
• Adjusted EBITDA: $67 million, impacted by negative FX and divestiture impacts of $7 million.
• Adjusted Diluted Loss Per Share: $0.18, excluding special items.
• Adjusted Free Cash Flow: Negative $13 million for the quarter.
• Clean Earth Revenue: $235 million, with adjusted EBITDA of $38 million, a 12% increase.
• Harsco Environmental Revenue: $243 million, with adjusted EBITDA of $39 million.
• Rail Revenue: $70 million, with an adjusted EBITDA loss of $2 million.
• Clean Earth Margins: Grew by over 100 basis points, exceeding 16%.
• Full Year EBITDA Guidance: $305 million to $325 million.
• Full Year Free Cash Flow Guidance: $30 million to $50 million.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with NVRI.

Release Date: May 01, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

• Clean Earth delivered double-digit earnings growth and record first-quarter results.
• Cash flow exceeded expectations, supporting full-year guidance of $30 million to $50 million.
• Successful renegotiation of a major ETO contract in the Rail segment reduced future risk.
• Harsco Environmental managed well despite challenging conditions in the global steel market.
• Investments in commercial resources for Clean Earth are yielding positive results with a robust business pipeline.

Negative Points

• Rail segment experienced soft financial results as anticipated.
• Global steel market challenges persist, with excess capacity and diminished demand.
• Economic uncertainty and potential impacts from global trade issues remain a concern.
• Adjusted free cash flow for the quarter was negative $13 million, traditionally a weak cash flow period.
• Harsco Environmental faced lower volumes due to site exits and closures, impacting earnings.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you provide an overview of the environmental segment's performance and outlook, considering the current economic conditions and tariffs? A: F. Nicholas Grasberger, CEO, noted that Clean Earth is now comparable to Harsco Environmental in terms of profitability and cash flow. They expect slight volume growth for Harsco Environmental, aided by currency benefits and efficiency programs, which should offset the impact of site shutdowns. The wave of site closures is believed to be over, and the segment performed as expected in Q1.

Q: What are your expectations for Clean Earth's performance, particularly in terms of volume and economic conditions? A: Grasberger stated that they anticipate volume to be a larger contributor to earnings growth this year. They have not yet seen signs of an economic slowdown affecting Clean Earth, and they have levers to mitigate potential impacts. The One Clean Earth IT initiative is expected to drive significant benefits.

Q: Could you elaborate on the renegotiation of the Rail ETO contract and the remaining risks? A: Tom Vadaketh, CFO, explained that the amendment with Deutsche Bahn accounts for cost inflation and includes a new delivery schedule, reducing penalty risks. The main risk remains until the first vehicles are tested and accepted, expected by mid to Q3 next year. The customer has been closely involved, minimizing risks.

Q: How sustainable is the margin expansion in Clean Earth, and what impact will IT improvements have? A: Grasberger highlighted that Clean Earth's margins have been steadily improving, with expectations now above the previously projected 17% by 2027. The IT improvements are expected to drive significant efficiencies, and Clean Earth compares favorably in EBITDA minus CapEx margins against peers.

Q: What are the current challenges and expectations for the steel industry, particularly regarding excess capacity? A: Grasberger noted that excess capacity, especially from China, has been a long-standing issue. Encouraging signs in the EU could improve customer profitability, but demand for steel remains lackluster. They expect a stronger second half for Harsco Environmental, driven by new sites, favorable comparisons, and operational improvements.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.