Universal Corporation Reports Second Quarter Results

RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 2, 2023

"Strong demand for leaf tobacco from our customers and a favorable tobacco product mix benefited our results for the first half of fiscal year 2024. Leaf tobacco margins improved in the first half of fiscal year 2024, despite lower leaf tobacco sales volumes, as we had fewer shipments of lower margin tobacco, compared to the first half of fiscal year 2023. Segment operating income for our Tobacco Operations segment was up 46% and 55% for the six months and quarter ended September 30, 2023, respectively, compared to the six months and quarter ended September 30, 2022. Our uncommitted tobacco inventory level of 12% at September 30, 2023, remained low, and global leaf tobacco supply continues to be tight for all types of tobacco. Looking ahead, we continue to expect that similar to fiscal year 2023, our tobacco shipments will be strongly weighted to the second half of the fiscal year 2024. We also believe our uncommitted tobacco inventory levels will remain low for the rest of fiscal year 2024.

"We were pleased to see demand from certain customers for our ingredients products stabilizing in the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Although results for the Ingredients Operations segment were lower in the six months ended September 30, 2023, compared to the six months ended September 30, 2022, we believe that our customers have been working through their excess inventory levels, and raw material prices, such as apple prices, are coming down. While navigating evolving market dynamics, we remain focused on and encouraged by both our core and new business opportunities with existing and first-time ingredients customers. We continue to strongly believe that our commercial and research and development efforts coupled with our expanded range of capabilities that we can offer our customers due to our ongoing investments in our ingredients platform will strengthen our business for the future.

"Our costs continued to be elevated in the first half of fiscal year 2024, compared to the first half of fiscal year 2023. Interest expense was up over $13 million primarily on higher interest rates, and green tobacco prices were also higher. Despite the higher costs, we have been able to reduce our debt levels in fiscal year 2024. At September 30, 2023, our net debt levels, which we define as the sum of notes payable and overdrafts, long-term debt, and customer advances and deposits, less cash and cash equivalents, declined by about $70 million, compared to our net debt levels at September 30, 2022.

"Universal has a fundamental responsibility to its stakeholders to achieve high standards of environmental performance to support sustainable operations, which we demonstrate through our supplier engagement and disclosures on climate change, water stewardship, and forestry. Our record is highlighted by 15 years of participation in CDP disclosure, the establishment of science-based targets, and recognition by CDP as a Supplier Engagement Leader. To add to our commitment to environmental sustainability, we have committed to water stewardship throughout our operations. To Universal, water stewardship is water usage that is socially and culturally equitable, environmentally sustainable, economically beneficial, and achieved through a multi–stakeholder process. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and our management team have approved a Water Stewardship policy to guide and publicly commit to water stewardship through our global operations."