Quaker Chemical Corporation Q1 2023 Earnings Call
Greetings and welcome to the Quaker Houghton first quarter 2023 earnings Conference call. A brief question and answer session will follow the formal presentation.
If anyone should require operator assistance during the conference. Please press star zero on your telephone keypad.
Mind you. This conference is being recorded I would now like to turn the call over to Jeffrey Schnell, Vice President of Investor Relations. Mr. Smith, you may begin.
Thank you Melissa good morning, and welcome to our first quarter 2020 earnings conference call joining.
Joining us on the call today are Andy Thomas our President and Chief Executive Officer, Shane Hostetter, Our executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Robert Traub, Our General Counsel.
Our comments relate to the financial information released after the close of the U S markets yesterday may four 2023.
Our press release and accompanying slides can be found on our investor website.
Both the prepared commentary and discussion during this call may contain forward looking statements, reflecting the company's current view of future events and their potential effect on Quaker houghton's operating and financial performance.
These statements involve uncertainties and risks, which may cause actual results to differ.
The company is under no obligation to provide subsequent updates to these forward looking statements.
The presentation also contains certain non-GAAP financial measures and the company has provided reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures in the appendix of the presentation materials, which are available on our website for additional information.
Information, please refer to our filings with the SEC.
Now, it's my pleasure to hand, the call over to <unk>.
Thank you, Jeff and good morning, everyone in.
In the first quarter, we delivered record net sales, while continuing to manage through significant uncertainty and persistent macroeconomic challenges.
We drove a recovery in margins and double digit increases in adjusted EBITDA and adjusted earnings per share compared to the prior year quarter.
We also generated strong operating cash flow in the quarter, driven by our improved performance and working capital efficiencies.
Strengthening our balance sheet.
I am very pleased with the financial and operational execution in the first quarter and excited about the momentum we have built in the organization.
Delivering results by controlling what we can control.
Compared to the prior year net sales in the first quarter increased 5% to a record $500 million the.
The year over year improvement in net sales was primarily driven by execution on our value based pricing initiatives, which were implemented across all regions to offset the continued inflationary pressures impacting our cost to serve.
The volumes declined compared to the prior year they increased sequentially.
Volumes continued to be impacted by a continuation of softer end market conditions, primarily in the steel and industrial markets and were offset by some improvement in auto.
We also have declined some incremental volumes in the quarter consistent with our ongoing margin improvement initiatives.
In total and taking into account our customer mix, we are still trending directionally in line with the specific end markets and regions we serve.
We're pleased to see the benefits of the diversification of our portfolio, which continues to drive targeted and valuable new business growth regardless of market trends.
Our gross margin recovery also continues.
Gross margins of 34.7% improved approximately four percentage points compared to the prior year quarter, and two five percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.
The sustained focus on balancing the solutions, we provide and the total cost to serve are helping us to continue our journey to recover our margins and heightening our ability to deliver exceptional value to our customers.
In the first quarter, we generated $79 million of adjusted EBITDA.
And $1 89.
Adjusted diluted earnings per share of <unk>.
Double digit increase in both compared to the prior year and prior quarter.
This was primarily driven by the ongoing recovery in our gross margins and despite the uneven market conditions.
While we have not yet recovered back to our historical margin levels, we are making good progress on this top financial priority.
Balancing customer relationships and the long term profitable growth aspirations of our business.
In the first quarter, we also generated $38 million of operating cash flow and strengthened our balance sheet, reducing our leverage towards our target.
We continue to anticipate an improvement in cash conversion in 2023 versus recent years.
These results are a solid start to the year.
Turning to our segments once again price capture was strong across all of our segments on a year over year basis.
Volumes declined in all segments compared to the prior year, but increased sequentially in the Americas, and EMEA, which benefit from an improvement in manufacturing activity.
At a low base.
I will quickly highlight some of the volume drivers.
We continue to see softer end market activity across all regions and at varying degrees. However, our volume growth in the Americas and EMEA segments are in line with their respective market growth rates led by new business wins.
Asia Pacific segments segment volumes, however are trending slightly behind the broader markets due to customer mix and our focus on services and solutions.
The greatest benefit and value for our customers.
I am very proud of our global teams resolve strengthening of our portfolio and focusing on our high value solutions for problems our customers face.
We remain confident in our ability to continue to grow profitably above our underlying markets.
Earnings increased in all segments compared to the prior year and prior quarter largely due to recovery in margins in all segments, especially in EMEA, where margins have improved in the first quarter compared to the lows in the second half of 2022.
This was a result of price actions, which have begun to offset some raw material cost inflation as well as cost management.
And while we are exhibiting momentum recovering our margins, we still need to do more to offset the total inflationary pressures on our business.
Therefore, we've identified approximately $20 million of savings as part of the global cost and optimization program that was announced in the fourth quarter of 2022. These.
These initiatives are aimed at improving our cost structure and driving a more profitable and productive organization.
We expect the benefits of this program to be more heavily weighted to 2024 and will include a range of actions to improve our footprint optimize our go to market strategy simplify the portfolio and organization and enable the company to successfully deliver its strategic plan.
Turning to the outlook, the current uneven and uncertain macroeconomic environment and operating challenges that we've experienced for the last several quarters are likely to remain as we progress through 2023.
Despite these headwinds we remain committed to balancing the near term needs of our customers and our business with our collective long term objectives.
Focusing and executing on what we can control.
In the second quarter, we expect adjusted EBITDA to be similar to the first quarter translating into strong year over year growth.
We are cautiously optimistic that demand will improve from first quarter levels, primarily driven by the reopening in China and resilience in Europe and the Americas.
We anticipate some continued momentum on our margin recovery journey balancing the value of the services and solutions, we provide with the total cost to serve including raw material costs, which remain very elevated.
As expected we will also onboard some additional SG&A expense, primarily due to labor inflation.
For the full year visibility remains limited and despite the uncertain an uneven macro backdrop, we continue to expect to deliver earnings growth and improved free cash flow in 2023 compared to 2022.
We will also maintain our focus on strengthening the organization to be ready to capitalize on an improvement in underlying market growth rates as well as our targeted profitable growth areas.
Stepping back Quaker Houghton's growth culture is healthy with a foundation built on earning value through differentiated customer intimacy.
We continue to build on our key profitable growth themes, using our global scale effectively investing in digitization and leading in sustainability for our customers our company and stakeholders.
Beginning in the first quarter, we updated our reportable segments to three regional segments supported by global functions. This better reflects the alignment of our executive team and business structure.
We believe our updated structure provides for deeper accountability closer to our customers and will help us leverage our scale and capabilities to accelerate the growth of our business.
Consistent with our globalization thing.
There is considerable value we can gain as we deepen our relationships with new and existing customers accelerate the realization of cross selling opportunities and target new profitable growth areas.
We are also making progress on our other growth themes are fluid trend platform provides opportunities to use technology to advance customer intimacy.
We now have completed a phased launch of the latest iteration of the platform within our internal global fluid analysis labs, a significant milestone in our multiyear journey to.
To transform how we deliver customer intimacy with digitization for the future of our business.
Also of note last week, we published our 2022 sustainability report, which details some of the achievements and milestones since the inception of our comprehensive program in late 2021.
Including adopting green chemistry guidelines investing in data management capabilities and renewable energy.
These are exciting and important achievements as we also further build out our portfolio of sustainable solutions being a leader in the industry and enabling our customers to achieve their sustainability goals.
To summarize in the quarter, we delivered strong results building on the progress made in 2022 and executing on our communicated priorities.
As a leadership team, we continue to challenge ourselves and our colleagues to work together to deliver results, serving our customers regardless of the operating environment.
We remain committed to unlocking the earnings power and cash flow generation potential of the organization.
We are investing to advance our growth initiatives and developed supply chain and digital capabilities to redefine how we most effectively deliver customer intimacy.
Through innovation, we are developing our portfolio of sustainable solutions to support our customers in achieving their sustainability goals.
And we're being prudent with our investments managing our costs and improving our profitability to better position the company for future success.
I am confident in our strategy and I have continued conviction that we will continue to execute to achieve our goals.
With that I'd like to pass it over to Shane to discuss the financials.
Thanks, Andy and good morning, everyone.
In the first quarter, we delivered net sales of $500 million, which was a 5% increase compared to the prior year.
This was driven by a 19% increase in price and mix, partially offset by a 11% decline in total sales volumes and a 3% unfavorable impact from foreign exchange.
Similar to recent quarter themes, our value based pricing initiatives were the primary driver to increased net sales.
Compared to the prior year the decline in volumes was primarily driven by softer market conditions and our value based pricing actions as well as the ongoing conflict between Russia, and Ukraine, the wind down of previous toll volumes, we divested as part of the combination.
And the direct and indirect effects of the pandemic in China.
On a sequential basis sales increased approximately 3%, including an increase in volumes of 1% and a benefit from foreign exchange of 2%.
Volumes increased in our Americas, and EMEA segments, but were offset by continued soft conditions in Asia Pacific.
Further we have continued to implement targeted price actions consistent with our value based pricing initiatives.
Gross margins in the first quarter increased to 34, 7%.
This was compared to 38% in the prior year and 32, 2% in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The 400 basis point improvement year over year at 250 basis point improvement sequentially.
Continued execution on our pricing actions and relatively stable raw materials.
Overall, our raw material costs still remain at historically elevated levels and while supply chain and logistic challenges either through they remain.
Therefore, we will mean agile implementing additional actions inefficiencies as necessary.
Looking at our SG&A, excluding onetime items, we had an increase of approximately $10 million or 10% compared to the prior year period.
This primarily reflects year over year inflation on our labor costs as well as the timing and levels of our annual incentive compensation. We continue to expect mid single digit inflation on our labor costs in 2023.
As mentioned last quarter, we've implemented a range of targeted cost actions and operational efficiencies to further improve our profitability and productivity.
We have identified approximately $20 million of annualized improvement actions, which will be implemented by the end of 2020.
We expect to incur restructuring cash costs of approximately one to one five times the annual savings over the course of the program.
We delivered 79 million of adjusted EBIT in the first quarter, which was an increase of 30% compared to the prior year at 16% compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.
Adjusted EBITDA margins also expanded to 15, 8% or 300 basis points over the prior year and approximately 180 basis points compared to the fourth quarter.
This positive result, primarily reflects the ongoing recovery in our gross margins.
Switching to our segments.
As a reminder, beginning this quarter, we changed our reportable segments to better reflect the widening of our new executive management and business structure.
Our updated structure consists of three regional segments, which includes the results of the previous global specialty businesses within those respective geographies.
The Americas segment delivered double digit year over year sales growth driven.
Driven by a double digit increase in price and mix, partially offset by a modest decline in volumes.
The biggest neatest segment also delivered positive year over year, driven by a double digit increase in price and mix, partially offset by a decline in volumes and a mid single digit foreign currency.
In the Asia Pacific segment sales did decline due to lower volumes, which reflects softer end market conditions, a slower than expected recovery following the lunar new year as well as impacts due to our ongoing value based pricing initiatives.
We also had a mid single digit headwind from foreign currency translation.
All of these impacts more than offset our continuing pricing momentum as well as positive new business points.
Sequentially net sales increased 3%.
Our volumes increased compared to the fourth which was driven by an increase in the Americas and EMEA segments, partially offset by a decline in Asia Pacific.
Price and mix were consistent with the prior quarter, while foreign currency was a low single digit tailwind to our net sales compared to the fourth quarter.
We delivered a strong double digit year over year increase in operating earnings in all segments, primarily as a result of our ongoing margin recovery efforts.
Covered thus far demonstrates that we're on the right path to recovering our margins globally, but we have more work, especially in EMEA.
Compared to the fourth quarter segment earnings increased in the Americas, and EMEA segments, but declined in the Asia Pacific segment.
Momentum from our ongoing margin recovery efforts continue to be no segments Asia Pacific earnings was impacted by overall softer volumes.
Below the line, both our interest expense and other expense or higher in the first quarter compared to prior year, but were largely in line sequentially.
And then there's the companys interest rate sensitivity during the first quarter, we entered into 300 million notional amounts of three year interest rate swaps converting about a third of the company's variable rate borrowings into an average fixed rate obligation all told our cost of debt was approximately five 8% in the first quarter.
Okay.
Our effective tax rate, excluding nonrecurring and non core items was approximately 27% consistent.
Consistent with our expectations and in line with our full year 2022 tax rate.
We continue to expect our 2023 adjusted effective tax rate to be roughly in line with our full year 2022 adjusted rate pending any changes to domestic or foreign legislation.
Our first quarter GAAP diluted earnings per share was $1 64, and our non-GAAP diluted earnings per share was $1 89, which is an increase of 33% year over year, reflecting the improvement in our operating earnings.
Switching to liquidity, we generated $38 million of cash from operations before this.
This was a strongest especially when considering that the first quarter is typically impacted by seasonal working capital cash outflows were.
We're off to a good start with our cash flow generation and conversion due to our strong earnings and improved working capital efficiency.
We invested $6 million of capital expenditures in the quarter and we also paid 8 million in dividends are.
Our anticipated Capex spend remains unchanged in the range of one 5% to 2% of net sales for the full year 2023.
We will be prudent with these vessels balancing the macroeconomic environment with our overall strategic outlook.
Our balance sheet and liquidity remains strong net debt at the end of the fourth quarter was $753 million and our net leverage ratio improved to two seven times adjusted EBITDA.
While significant uncertainty exists, we are well positioned with ample opportunities within our various end markets to drive sustainable long term profitable growth.
We are confident in the earnings power of this organization and we continue to emphasize margin recovery to price and cost actions to deliver improved earnings and cash flows in 2023 and beyond.
With that I'll turn it back over to Andy.
Thank you Shane the positive momentum in our business is evident in the entire Quaker Houghton team is very focused on executing for our customers and our company.
With that we'd be happy to address your questions.
Thank you.
If you'd like to ask a question. Please press star one on your telephone keypad, a confirmation tone will indicate your line is in the question. Kim You May press star two if you'd like to remove your question from the queue for participants using speaker equipment. It may be necessary to pick up your handset before pressing the star keys.
First question comes from the line of Mike Harrison with Seaport Research Partners. Please proceed with your question.
Hi, good morning.
Good morning, Mike.
Congratulations on the strong start to the year in terms of gross margin trajectory.
You got to a level here in Q1 that.
I think a lot of US didn't think you would attain maybe for several quarters can you give us a little bit more color.
How you achieve that.
Is there anything unusual or unsustainable in the Q1 performance.
Where does the margins go from here as you look at Q2 and the rest of the year.
Thanks, Mike.
Of course, our gross margin recovery has been a journey, we've been talking about for quite some time and as we've said it'll be a continuous progression, but it may not always be at the same pace or necessarily linear.
We're really in the first quarter was a combination of us continuing on our value based pricing with some targeted actions and some minor raw material easing.
Unpacking those two points just a little bit on the pricing, we continue to focus on and where we're adding value for customers. We took we sell against the value in use proposition.
And then we did in fact actually see some benefits from that and some increased price on the raw materials side, just as a reminder, we have about 4000 different raw materials that we provide and so.
So we're not seeing a broad.
Change your broad deflation however, some of them.
Have a have started to ease a little bit so we're at least seeing some stability.
But still at extremely high levels.
We anticipate we're going to continue to use those same levers going forward.
In the second quarter and beyond again, I would highlight that it's not necessarily going to be a smooth path, but we're still working on margin recovery and we will continue to interact with our customers, making sure that we're striking the right balance on the value, we're providing against the cost to serve.
Alright, Thank you for that and then in terms of the EMEA performance.
Kind of stood out.
To us on both the revenue and margin front can you talk about what you saw in Q1 in terms of kind of underlying metalworking and primary metals demand and are you guys, having a good place now on price versus cost now that energy costs have come off the peak levels in Europe .
Yeah. Thanks, Mike. So it is true we did see some volume improvements in.
In EMEA in fact in line with what we believe the underlying markets are doing part of that was building off of some of the shutdowns that had occurred at the end of last year and early into this year, but EMEA is still at a relatively low base.
We anticipate there'll be some rebuild resilience as we continue to go forward, but there could be some unevenness and how that resilience develops.
As far as margin goes we obviously made a lot of progress on our value based pricing initiatives across the entire portfolio, but made significant progress in EMEA.
Coming out of 2022 and into into 2023, we still have some work to do on that but again.
Improvements in the value that we're seeing some optimism about volumes as we go forward.
We anticipate Europe could continue to improve.
Alright, and then my last question for now is on the full year outlook.
The consensus EBITDA number before you printed this strong quarter.
It was around 280 $285 million for EBITDA.
This quarter's performance you said that Q2 should look similar but it definitely suggests that you should be well north of $300 million in EBITDA for the full year. So as we're thinking about modeling the rest of the year should EBITDA will be higher in the second half than the first half maybe just some additional.
Color on the full year outlook, and where you have confidence where you're still seeing some uncertainties.
Yeah, Thanks, Mike So.
So first I'd like to start with we're really encouraged by the performance that we've seen over the last couple of quarters and here in the first quarter continuing to really Hum.
Deliver on the things and the priorities that we said we were going to the macro uncertainties still remain there and we're focused on controlling what we can control, but for the second quarter. We anticipate still continued margin recovery as I've highlighted before it doesn't necessarily mean it'll be at the same pace.
But we continue to balance that value and use pricing with our customers against the cost to serve and believe that we will continue to recover towards towards our historical margins overtime. The adjusted EBITDA.
In the second.
Second quarter, we anticipate to be similar in kind of unpack that just a little bit for.
Price in raws continue to.
Continue to move.
Manage the yield of that.
Anticipate that again, a little bit of expansion continues in gross margins.
Williams could slightly could show some slight improvement and that's really based upon expectations in China.
As we go forward and we're continuing with our focus on new business wins.
As we look beyond Q2.
No we have a lot of earnings power embedded in our portfolio and the activities that we've done but a lot of the uncertainties are still out there and we're focused on controlling what we can control so.
As we continue to implement the things we've been doing and anticipate continuing to do.
We will see continued margin recovery as we move through 2023.
That yields to earnings growth in 2023 over 2022.
Alright, thanks very much.
Thanks, Mike.
Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Laurence Alexander with Jefferies. Please proceed with your question.
Hi, everyone, it's Dan Rizzo on for Laurence how are you.
Hey, Dan Good day.
In Asia some of the comments you were talking to.
Hanging in verticals, whether they saw a surge coming out of Covid ended quickly. So it was kind of like a start stop I was wondering if you guys saw something similar or just any color on how demand trends are within the region.
Yeah. Thanks, Thanks, Dan So for sure as we are as we move through Q1, our volumes did decrease sequentially and we believe we're below the underlying end markets really the reason for that was related on a sequential basis with some of the lunar new year impact and.
And then an expectation that things might pick up a little bit quicker than they did.
We also had some money uneven customer order patterns.
That occurred and then finally, we had some volume China's probably the most sensitive.
Place with respect to pricing and as we continue to use our value and pricing.
We're choosing where we continue to serve business that valuable for customers and what we're seeing is a little bit of a ramp effect from the decisions. We made in 2022, we do have cautious optimism, though going forward coming out of the lockdown scenarios that were in place we are.
We're anticipating that volumes could improve and we're ready to serve them in Asia.
The optimism that you're.
Alluding to is that from just what you think's going to happen the reason or the order trends or customer comment.
Commentary that suggests that it is going to start to ramp up.
Yes, I think it's based upon the expectation of what the new policy will allow and remove some of the stops and starts but it happened before that should build some some momentum.
And of course, we're seeing we're seeing some stabilization as.
As well so it's a combination.
What we are seeing directly and hearing from customers and the general macro.
Okay, and then final question in terms of pricing.
If we hit a deflationary environment, where your costs are rolling over.
Is there an amount you can hold onto.
There are value add component that makes some of the pricing you've taken permanent.
Yeah. So first of all as we've talked previously our model on pricing is always around value and use.
And what we're actually adding from a value proposition to our customers.
And of course, we have to balance that against the cost to provide that value to them.
So that's part of the reason why we've been very programmatic as we've moved up in our pricing.
And that serves us that serves us well because we don't have the discussions based upon what's happening immediately and raw materials, it's really about the benefits that we're providing to customers in every.
Past cycle for Quaker Houghton.
We tend to hold on to that value and use pricing of course, depending upon what the what our rollover could look like or not with raw materials that could have some impact, but we believe we'll be able to maintain some of the gains we've made as a result of our value in use pricing.
Alright, Thank you very much.
Thanks.
Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of David Begleiter with Deutsche Bank. Please proceed with your question.
Thank you and good morning, and a very nice first quarter.
And then just on <unk>.
On the Q2 guidance.
Given you should have some price cost tailwind.
Higher volumes.
Savings from our new cost program and lower SG&A costs.
I'm unclear why EBITDA would be flat quarter over quarter and that up even perhaps even meaningfully what else is there that often these are potential potential tailwind.
Okay.
Yes so.
David as I as I indicated we're anticipating some potential increases in volumes as we go forward.
And still gaining on some gross margins.
So that's the result that we think that we could could contribute at the gross margin line with some improvements we will have some of the sequential flow through on our SG&A inflationary spending.
Which will partially offset that.
Okay.
Just on the new cost program is the $20 million the entirety of the entirety of the savings.
And maybe just touch again on where exactly these things are coming from thank you.
Yeah, I'll start that one off David and then I'll ask Shayne to make a few comments. So there's a number of actions that we're doing in this restructuring program. This cost savings program, but theyre all in service of our growth strategy in the organization that we need to be able to implement that.
We're going to be driving both efficiency and effectiveness and the moves that we're making this is a global program and the immediate focus is on Europe , and we've already started to make some progress there.
We will be looking at organization optimization, as well as footprint and some supply chain efficiencies.
As well as redefining, how we exactly deliver customer intimacy in the most valuable way for our customers as we grow profitably.
Going into the specific numbers, David a little more color on that as.
As you mentioned the 20.
$20 million in annual run rate savings by the end of 2024.
To begin this in Q4 of last year, and we will continue to have some charges coming in the next quarters.
Our total costs, we expect that to be roughly one to one five times savings.
Is this really depends upon the nature of negotiations there too.
As I think about one one run rate benefit about three quarters of the run rate benefit probably would be in 2024 versus a quarter. This year.
As I think about I think you asked kind of way, we'd seen in going through Andy talked about it's a mixture of organ optimization footprint and supply chain. So we will see both reductions in SG&A as well as manufacturing costs.
And just to note.
Thus far having somewhat immaterial.
Thank you.
Thanks, David.
Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Arun Viswanathan with RBC capital markets. Please proceed with your question.
Great. Thanks for taking my question.
Maybe I'll just ask.
Similar kind of question on.
The Ah <unk>.
Price mix.
Very very strong performance.
Q1, 19%.
And Conversely, you had that the 11% volume decline. So was this kind of by design that you were maybe calling some lower margin lower mix volumes in that.
That drove.
And overall better mix and better margin for you.
How should we think about how volumes kind of trend through the year, maybe do they turn positive in <unk>.
In Q4.
And similarly, maybe your price mix wanes, as we get into Q2 and Q3.
Just.
Not only.
Mainly mathematically but.
Maybe you can just comment on your outlook for both price mix and volume as you go through the year.
Sure. Thanks Arun.
Sure.
As we've talked about.
In previous sessions, our value based pricing is focusing on the value that we're providing for our customers and.
And we realized that there could be some small amounts of business that may not be as high a value to the customers and so as we've been strategically targeting our price initiatives. We knew that there was likely going to be some amount of volume churn, but we were very careful not to be reckless and.
And we felt a little bit of churn.
Is actually healthy and Thats essentially essentially what we've done and we've seen a little bit of that rapid effect.
As we've come into some of the volumes in this year as we go forward, we'll continue to focus on that value based pricing taking into account of course, the cost to serve it kind.
Kind of being agile in managing against those two things. So that we continue to maintain and grow our gross margins as we go forward and then on the underlying volume side as I mentioned, we have some optimism that there could be some growth on those underlying.
<unk> and we know we're continuing to win new business at much more profitable levels and we're going to continue that focus on new business wins.
Okay, and just just to clarify though.
What would it take to reach.
We see volumes kind of.
Back in the low to mid single digit range is that.
It really dependent on a better environment.
Metalworking and steel or is it.
And aluminum or is it.
China and regionally based recovery in our bedroom.
Europe macro environment.
What are some of the drivers that.
You know maybe that are not under your control that need to improve for the volumes to get to sustainably better place.
Arun I'd start right with the part we can control and that is the new business wins and as I've highlighted in previous quarterly earnings calls, we continue to gain new business based on the value, we're offering to our customers and that will that will continue.
The challenge that has been here it's been in some of the underlying markets. We have served for the last couple of years. Several of those are still not at their historic levels.
We're optimistic that those will come with time automotive aerospace some of the primary metals and general industrials still have ample opportunity to be at higher levels. So as that continues to develop we're in a really good position to be able to service it.
Thanks, and just one more for me so <unk>.
You've talked in the past I think around.
You know the upper teens or mid to high teens is that EBITDA margin target.
Is that still how you're thinking and when you look into maybe is that kind of achievable in 'twenty four.
You know are already well on your way to that metric.
Now in Q1 here, but you.
You know, maybe you get into the 16% to 18% range in.
In 24 is that a fair assumption.
Yes, so I would I would say first of all we're really pleased with the progress that we're making.
And what we saw.
In previous quarters and in particular in the first quarter.
Our end goal remains the same.
Back into those high teen levels for EBITDA and the pace of that will be determined by a number of different factors, but that is our objective.
Thanks.
Yeah.
Thank you rune.
Thank you as a reminder, if you'd like to join the question queue. Please press star one on your telephone keypad. Our next question comes from the line of Jon <unk> with CJS Securities. Please proceed with your question.
Alright, Thanks for taking my questions and congrats on a really nice quarter and improvement in the gross margins.
Yes, if I could ask Andy for you to put your macro head on what where do you see the biggest risks in the coming quarters.
Assuming that we might potentially be heading into a broader recession.
Even with that it seems like Theres automotive aerospace onshoring infrastructure tailwind that may not really.
So much even in that case.
China looks like it's going to improve Europe was already a trough what do you see is actually coming off.
And in case, we had some more headwinds here just at a broader level on an economic standpoint.
Yes, John Thanks for that I mean, just building off of what I've already highlighted what we're seeing is actually improvements as I highlighted I think we're optimistic about the improvements that can come in China.
We believe that that Europe is.
A bit more resilient now and could be a little bit uneven going forward, but some of the previous.
Some of the previous headwinds are starting to mitigate and we're still seeing resilience within the Americas. So based upon our interactions with customers and what we see that's why we still have some cautious optimism.
Things will continue to be beneficial.
Could you give us some real time update as to what's going on in the ground in China today or are you actually seeing a pickup now or is that still on the come number one and then number two in Europe are there more mill restarts ahead of us that could help you improve sequentially.
Yes, I mean, the real time update on say John as we see.
Just order patterns, improving as I think about that side and we think it might ramp up.
Think about the back half.
So we're cautiously optimistic as Andy mentioned beforehand.
Okay, Okay and one for you just.
Had some nice free cash flow on the quarter, I think which was not seasonal for you.
What's the expectation for the rest of the year did you just pulling some working capital recovery or was there something else going on.
Help us understand what your expectations are going forward with.
The cash flow, maybe debt pay down another use of capital.
Sure Yes.
Yes, so as you mentioned, we generated pretty good operating cash flow in Q1.
Slight working capital outflows, which really just mirrored the growth in the quarter as well as some improvement in cash conversion as.
As we continue to manage safety stock on hand, which was a bit higher.
Previously due to issuing some supply.
As I look ahead I think we will continue to have some working capital outflows to support our growth.
But nothing like we've experienced over the last two years.
Therefore, as I sit today like Q1, I would expect our operating performance should generate a good amount of operating cash flow slightly offset by working capital investment in the quarters to come.
And from a cash flow perspective, where we could use niche we were able to delever in the first quarter from three to two seven times.
As we've talked about before our priorities with a capital allocation perspective is dividend payouts and then when you.
Payment and then investing in the business, both organically and Inorganically.
And our target remains to get below two five times and so given the strong cash flow conversion I would anticipate any of that.
Got it just one last quick one what are the expected cost of the.
The $20 million cost savings that you're expecting over the next few years.
So I mentioned it was about one to one five times of the savings.
Got it thank you so much.
Thanks, Joe.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen that concludes our question and answer session I'll turn the floor back to Mr comment just for any final comments.
Thank you.
Excited about the future and unlocking our growth potential like Quaker Houghton. We appreciate your continued interest in Quaker Houghton.
Please reach out to Jeff with any follow up questions. Thank you.
Thank you. This concludes today's conference call you may disconnect. Your lines at this time. Thank you for your participation.