Compass Minerals Announces the Company Will Not Secure a USFS Contract to Supply Magnesium Chloride-Based Aerial Fire Retardants for the 2024 Fire Season

Rhea-AI Summary

Compass Minerals (CMP) faces setback as USFS suspends contract for magnesium chloride-based fire retardants due to corrosion concerns. Fortress North America's products removed from use, prompting company to prioritize safety and develop alternative solutions.

Positive

• None.

Negative

• Suspension of USFS contract due to corrosion concerns impacting Compass Minerals' revenue and business prospects.
• Potential delay in securing new contracts and revenue streams for the company.
• Negative impact on stock performance due to uncertainty surrounding future contracts and product utilization.

Market Research Analyst

The decision by the U.S. Forest Service not to contract with Compass Minerals for magnesium chloride-based aerial fire retardants for the 2024 fire season could have significant implications for the company's revenue streams and market positioning. Compass Minerals, being a new entrant in the aerial fire retardant market, had the potential to diversify its portfolio and tap into the growing demand for wildfire management solutions. However, the corrosion issues raise questions about the product's viability and long-term sustainability.

The impact on the stock market could be multifaceted. Investors typically react to such news with concern, as it suggests potential future revenue losses and increased R&D costs. Moreover, the company's reputation as an innovator in fire retardant solutions might be at stake, which can influence investor confidence and stock valuation. The broader market implications involve the scrutiny of magnesium chloride-based solutions across other applications, potentially affecting the chemical industry segment.

Financial Analyst

From a financial perspective, the cancellation of a government contract is a significant event for Compass Minerals. The anticipated revenue from the U.S. Forest Service would have been factored into forecasts and valuations. The loss of this contract will likely necessitate revisions to sales projections and could lead to a short-term decline in stock price as the market adjusts to the new information.

Furthermore, the costs associated with the independent assessments by the NTSB and NIST, along with the potential need for product reformulation or even the development of a new product line, could strain the company's financial resources. These additional expenditures, coupled with the loss of expected income, may affect profit margins and could be a concern for shareholders focused on both quarterly results and long-term financial health.

Chemical Industry Analyst

The corrosion issues with Compass Minerals' magnesium chloride-based fire retardants highlight a critical challenge within the chemical industry: the need to balance effectiveness with safety and material compatibility. This incident underscores the importance of extensive testing beyond initial approval stages, especially for products used in demanding environments.

As Compass Minerals pivots towards non-magnesium chloride-based solutions, the industry will be observing how chemical formulations can be innovated to meet stringent safety standards without compromising on performance. This could set a precedent for other chemical manufacturers and influence future product development strategies. Stakeholders within the chemical sector might also experience increased regulatory scrutiny, which could lead to tighter controls and higher compliance costs.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP), a leading global provider of essential minerals, today announced that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has informed the company that it will not be entering into a contract for the use of magnesium chloride-based aerial fire retardants for the 2024 fire season.

During scheduled winter airtanker inspections as part of the USFS’ Integrated Operational Field Evaluation (I-OFE), it was discovered that certain airtankers that had flown Fortress North America’s (Fortress’) proprietary, magnesium chloride-based aerial fire retardants revealed significant signs of corrosion in areas where build-up of the retardant had occurred. The findings from this more extensive inspection raised aircraft safety concerns, prompting the USFS’ decision to inform Compass Minerals on March 22, 2024, that it would be “unable to define the scope and associated terms and conditions of a new contract” with the company until the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducted a coordinated, independent assessment of the findings.

“While we are disappointed with the findings of the initial inspection, we share the USFS’ prioritization of safety above all other factors,” said Edward C. Dowling Jr., president and CEO. “As we work collaboratively with the USFS, NTSB and NIST on the more detailed assessment to be conducted, we have to assume based on this new information that Fortress’ proprietary, magnesium chloride-based aerial fire-retardant formulation will not be utilized for the foreseeable future in the fight against wildfires.”

As previously announced, in December 2022, Fortress became the first new company in over two decades to have long-term aerial fire retardants added to the USFS’ Qualified Product List (QPL). Fortress’ FR-100 Powder and FR-200 Liquid Concentrate products met and exceeded the USFS’ rigorous testing criteria in such categories as environmental effects and toxicity to aquatic and mammalian species, corrosion on a variety of aircraft metals, burn retardation efficacy and the completion of a live wildfire operational field evaluation. In May 2023, Fortress entered into a contract with the USFS to provide up to five mobile-deployed fire-retardant air tanker bases during the 2023 wildfire season. The company was in the process of negotiating a USFS contract for the 2024 wildfire season when the new corrosion concerns were identified.

The company is currently working to achieve full qualification of proprietary, non-magnesium chloride-based aerial fire-retardant products.

About Compass Minerals

Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP) is a leading global provider of essential minerals focused on safely delivering where and when it matters to help solve nature’s challenges for customers and communities. The company’s salt products help keep roadways safe during winter weather and are used in numerous other consumer, industrial, chemical and agricultural applications. Its plant nutrition products help improve the quality and yield of crops, while supporting sustainable agriculture. Additionally, it is working to develop a next-generation, long-term fire-retardant business that offers more innovative and environmentally friendly products in the fight against wildfires. Compass Minerals operates 12 production and packaging facilities with nearly 2,000 employees throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Visit compassminerals.com for more information about the company and its products.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements about the company’s future performance or financial condition, expected revenue, operating profit, adjusted EBITDA and the company's efforts to optimize production, enhance value and drive sustainable free cash flow and earnings. These statements are based on the company’s current expectations, estimates and projections and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially. The differences could be caused by a number of factors including those factors identified in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of the company’s Annual and Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, including any amendments, as well as the company’s other SEC filings. Opinions expressed are current opinions as of the date hereof. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements and should rely on their own assessment of an investment. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect future events or developments, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240324410357/en/

Media Contact

Rick Axthelm

Chief Public Affairs and Sustainability Officer

+1.913.344.9198

MediaRelations@compassminerals.com

Investor Contact

Brent Collins

Vice President, Investor Relations

+1.913.344.9111

InvestorRelations@compassminerals.com

Source: Compass Minerals

Why did the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) inform Compass Minerals (CMP) about the suspension of the contract for magnesium chloride-based fire retardants?

The USFS discovered corrosion issues in airtankers using Fortress North America's products, leading to safety concerns.

What prompted the USFS' decision to suspend the contract with Compass Minerals?

Corrosion signs in airtankers using magnesium chloride-based fire retardants raised safety concerns, prompting the suspension.

What actions is Compass Minerals taking in response to the suspension of the contract?

Compass Minerals is collaborating with USFS, NTSB, and NIST for a detailed assessment and working on developing alternative fire-retardant products.

How did Fortress North America's products perform in USFS testing prior to the contract suspension?

Fortress' FR-100 Powder and FR-200 Liquid Concentrate products met and exceeded USFS testing criteria, but faced corrosion issues in airtankers.

What was Fortress North America's role in the contract with the USFS?

Fortress provided fire-retardant products to the USFS and had a contract for mobile-deployed fire-retardant air tanker bases during the 2023 wildfire season.