Financial Performance - Worldwide sales decreased 2% in 2024 to 2.119billioncomparedto2.170 billion in 2023[199] - Consolidated income from operations was 286.5millionin2024,upfrom171.8 million in the prior year, with a net income of 167.1millioncomparedto84.1 million in 2023[199] - Income from operations in 2024 was 286.5million,representing13.5171.8 million (7.9% of sales) in 2023[217] - Consolidated net income attributable to shareholders was 170.9millionin2024,includinga31.7 million charge, compared to 88.3millionin2023withan85.8 million charge[228] - Non-operating deductions in 2024 were 62.9million,slightlydownfrom64.1 million in 2023, with net interest expense decreasing to 56.4millionfrom59.2 million[219] Sales Performance - Net sales in the United States decreased 4.8% to 1.089billionin2024,representing51.01.029 billion in 2024, representing 49.0% of consolidated net sales[209] - The Consumer & Specialties segment reported net sales of 1,140.2millionin2024,adecreaseof1.71,160.2 million in 2023, while income from operations surged to 165.5millionfrom41.6 million[231] - Household & Personal Care sales in the Consumer & Specialties segment increased by 2.4% to 530.0millionin2024,drivenbystrongdemandforpetlitterproducts[231]−TheEngineeredSolutionssegment′snetsalesdecreasedby3.1978.3 million in 2024, but income from operations increased to 174.0million,representing17.8236.4 million, with cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments totaling 337.1millionasofDecember31,2024[202]−Cashprovidedfromcontinuingoperationsin2024was236.4 million, slightly up from 233.6millionintheprioryear,primarilyusedforcapitalexpendituresanddebtrepayment[244]−TheCompanyanticipatescapitalexpendituresfor2025tobebetween90 million and 100million,primarilytoimproveoperationsandmeetstrategicgrowthobjectives[253]DebtandFinancing−TheCompanyrefinanceditsseniorsecuredrevolvingcreditfacility,increasingcommitmentsto400 million and extending maturities to 2029[200] - The Company entered into a Refinancing Facility Agreement, establishing a new senior secured revolving credit facility with commitments of 400millionandaseniorsecuredtermloanfacilitywithcommitmentsof575 million[245] - As of December 31, 2024, the Company had 4.5millioninloansand9.1 million in letters of credit outstanding under the Revolving Facility[247] - The Company has a financial covenant requiring a maximum Net Leverage Ratio of 4.00 to 1.00 for each four fiscal quarter period[250] - The Company assumed 1.9millioninlong−termdebtaspartoftheConceptPetacquisition,withrepaymentsof0.3 million made during 2024[252] Tax and Regulatory Matters - Provision for taxes on income was 59.4millionin2024,withaneffectivetaxrateof26.675 million at an average price of approximately 72.48pershareunderasharerepurchaseprogramthatisnowcomplete[256]−TheCompanyhasauthorizedanewsharerepurchaseprogramofupto200 million, with 2.8millionspentonrepurchasing34,934sharesasofDecember31,2024[257]−TheCompanydeclaredaregularquarterlydividendof0.11 per share on January 22, 2025[258] Pension and Employee Benefits - The Company recognized pension expense of 1.9millionin2024comparedto5.7 million in 2023[276] - Total actuarial losses recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive loss for pension plans were 1.3millionattheendof2024,downfrom32.1 million in 2023[276] - The average rate of return on pension plan assets from inception through December 31, 2024, was approximately 9%[275] - The Company has approximately 55% of its pension assets in equity securities, 33% in fixed income securities, and 12% in other securities as of December 31, 2024[275] Asset Management - The Company recorded a 12.3millionnetgainonthesaleofassetsin2024,contributingtotheincreaseinincomefromoperationsintheEngineeredSolutionssegment[238]−TheCompanyusesdiscountedcashflowmodelsorcostapproachtoestimatethefairvalueofproperty,plant,andequipment[269]InterestRateandCreditLosses−Aonepercentagepointchangeininterestrateswouldcost4.3 million in incremental interest charges on an annual basis[290] - The Company recorded a provision for credit loss of 30millioninthesecondquarterof2024[292]−TheCompanyrecordeda30.0 million provision for credit losses in connection with the Debtor-in-Possession Credit Agreement[214] Interest Rate Swaps - The Company entered into a floating to fixed interest rate swap for a notional amount of $150 million in the second quarter of 2023[290] Qualitative Assessments - The Company performed a qualitative assessment of its reporting units and determined that it was not more likely than not that the fair value of any reporting unit was less than their carrying values[267]