Ardagh Metal Packaging has announced results for Q3 2021.

Oliver Graham, CEO of Ardagh Metal Packaging, said: “We delivered strong earnings growth in the quarter, with Adjusted EBITDA increasing by 17% to $176 million. AMP’s diversified customer base and end markets, as well as our operational agility, served us well in the quarter and enabled us to manage softness in the hard seltzer end market.

“We are modestly raising our full year 2021 earnings outlook, despite a highly inflationary environment for costs. We are committing to strategic new growth initiatives in the United Kingdom and the southwestern United States as we respond to strong demand for sustainable metal packaging. Both projects involve multi-line beverage can production facilities, with production commencing in 2023 and 2024.”

The results can be summarised as follows:

• Revenue growth of 14% at constant exchange rates to $1,038 million, with Americas increasing by 16% and Europe by 11%.
• Adjusted EBITDA growth for the quarter of 15% to $176 million at constant currency, with the Americas increasing by 28% as a result of favourable mix. Europe Adjusted EBITDA was modestly higher, reflecting a strong prior year third quarter. LTM Adjusted EBITDA to September 30, 2021 increased to $637 million, from $545 million at 31 December 2020. Adjusted EBITDA margin for the quarter increased to 17.0% (Q3 2020: 16.8%).
• Global beverage can shipments were 6% lower in the quarter, of which over 3% was attributable to the residual impact of the cyber security incident. Excluding this, Americas shipments declined by low-single digits, principally due to hard seltzer weakness in North America and some market softness in the winter season in Brazil relative to a strong comparable. In response, AMP successfully pivoted to other stronger-growing beverage markets during the quarter. In Europe, where we are capacity constrained until 2022 pending new capacity coming online, lower shipments reflected a very strong prior year comparable, with growth of 10%.
• Speciality cans represented 44% of shipments during the quarter.
• Growth investment programme largely on track, despite global supply chain challenges, and set to deliver significant additional capacity for 2022 and beyond. Olive Branch (MS) ramp up of two new high-speed lines is well advanced, while Winston Salem (NC) can lines will commence production around year end. Huron (OH) brownfield facility to begin ends production later this quarter, with can production commencing in early-2022. Third quarter growth investment spend of $121 million.
• Strategic additional growth initiatives planned in the United Kingdom and the southwestern United States. Both projects involve multi-line beverage can production facilities, with production commencing in 2023 and 2024.
• Total liquidity in excess of $0.8 billion at September 30, 2021, including a newly executed $325 million ABL facility.
• Full year 2021 Adjusted EBITDA to be at least $660 million compared with the previously-guided at least $654 million.