Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

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Operator: Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Jerry Revich with Goldman Sachs. Your line is now open.

Jerry Revich: I wonder if we could just continue that conversation around the volume comps in the first half of the year, you had an outstanding first quarter of ’22, seasonally adjusted run rate was closer to 218 million tons versus the 208 million tons run rate that we’re looking for in the guide for ’23. So, correct me if I’m wrong, Jim, it sounds like we should be expecting volumes to be down year-over-year just based on the comps through at least the first quarter if not the second quarter. I just want to make sure we’re calibrated on the volume cadence over the course of ’23.

Jim Nickolas: Yes, that’s right, that’s right. But the bigger difference is for Q1 outperformance relative to history for ’23 is in the price cost spread again versus last quarter. So, that’s right. Q1 slightly down, but then growing and exceeding prior year for the remaining three quarters of the year.

Ward Nye: And Jerry, if you reflect on the way these public dollars are going to come through. I think that’s actually pretty consistent with what we said last year on how we thought the year would likely build throughout the year. So to Jim’s point, we’re talking two different things, one, volume, the other is financially, and I think to Jim’s point, we’re going to see a much better year financially each quarter. I think we’re going to see a very attractive sequential build each quarter relative to volumes, and again, I think that’s pretty consistent with where we’ve been and I’d be surprised if you’re surprised by that.

Jerry Revich: Super. Appreciate the discussion and outstanding performance, gross profit per ton by the team. Thanks everyone.

Operator: Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Phil Ng with Jefferies. Your line is now open.

Ward Nye: Phil, are you on-mute?

Operator: Phil Ng, your line is open, please check your mute button. Our next question comes from the line of Tyler Brown with Raymond James. Your line is now open.

Tyler Brown: I was just hoping to unpack the non-aggregates gross profit guidance. I think it implies maybe $50 million in growth at the midpoint, if my math is right, but conceptually, got a lot of pricing momentum in cement, natural gas has really rolled over from when we talked back in October. So if you add that backdrop, shouldn’t we see really strong gross profit growth in cement midyear in a hedge position that I’m missing. But does that imply that the downstream business maybe you’re expecting gross profit dollars to maybe be flat or down or is that not the case?

Ward Nye: All right. I think in large measure what you’re saying is right. You’re going to see very attractive growth in cement. Number two, remember, we divested about 3 million cubic yards of ready mixed last year and the other thing that has weighed on the downstream businesses have been the input costs, among them aggregates and cement. So in many respects, we have by design pushed a lot of that to our upstream business. So again, you’re seeing a business overall that’s much more narrow and downstream, much more focused, as we’ve long been on upstream. I do believe your points around cement are really well taken. I think we anticipate a very impressive cement business this year in Dallas and in San Antonio and in Austin. So, I hope that answers your question specifically. Did I hit what you needed?

Tyler Brown: Yes. That is exactly what I needed. Thank you.

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