Intrepid Potash, Inc. (IPI), founded in 2000 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is a diversified mineral company primarily engaged in the extraction, production, and sale of potassium-based products. As the only U.S. producer dedicated solely to muriate of potash (potassium chloride) and sulfate of potash magnesia (under the Trio brand), ...Intrepid Potash, Inc. (IPI), founded in 2000 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is a diversified mineral company primarily engaged in the extraction, production, and sale of potassium-based products. As the only U.S. producer dedicated solely to muriate of potash (potassium chloride) and sulfate of potash magnesia (under the Trio brand), Intrepid plays a critical role in the domestic agricultural input supply chain. Its operations are organized into three main segments: Potash, Trio, and Oilfield Solutions. The Potash segment produces muriate of potash used in fertilizers, drilling and fracturing fluids for oil and gas, industrial processes, and animal feed supplements. The Trio segment offers a unique fertilizer product that delivers potassium, sulfate, and magnesium in a single particle, enhancing crop yield and quality. The Oilfield Solutions segment provides essential support to the oil and gas industry, including water supply, real-time potassium chloride mixing for hydraulic fracturing, and trucking services. Additionally, Intrepid produces salt for various applications (animal feed, de-icing, pool maintenance), magnesium chloride for road deicing and dust control, brines for well development, and a specialized metal recovery salt for aluminum recycling. Financially, the company reported a market capitalization of approximately $468 million as of the latest data, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.4 and a return on equity of 5.3%. The company has a strong balance sheet with minimal debt, evidenced by a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.006 and a current ratio of 6.33. Intrepid's gross profit margin stands at 19.8%, and it maintains a positive free cash flow, indicating operational efficiency. Under the leadership of CEO Kevin S. Crutchfield, who has extensive experience in the mining and energy sectors, and with a workforce of approximately 480 employees, Intrepid continues to focus on operational excellence and strategic growth. The company's commitment to innovation and sustainability is reflected in its diverse product portfolio and its role in supporting the agricultural and energy industries. Looking ahead, Intrepid aims to leverage its unique market position and expand its product offerings to meet growing demand for specialty fertilizers and oilfield services, while maintaining financial discipline and shareholder value.
Operator: Thank you for standing by. This is the conference operator. Welcome to Intrepid Potash, Inc. first quarter 2026 Results Conference Call. As a reminder, all participants are in listen-only mode and the conference is being recorded. After the presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Should you need assistance during the conference call, you may signal an operator by pressing star. I would now like to turn the conference over to Ryan Schulz, interim investor relations manager. Please go ahead. Good morning, everyone.
Ryan Schulz: Thank you for joining us to discuss and review Intrepid Potash, Inc.’s first quarter 2026 results. With me today is Intrepid Potash, Inc.’s CEO, Kevin S. Crutchfield, our chief accounting officer, Chris Engold, our VP of sales and marketing, Zachry Adams, and our VP of operations, Rick Kim. Please be advised that comments we will make today include forward-looking statements as defined by U.S. securities laws. These are based upon information available to us today, are subject to risks that are described in the reports we file with the SEC, and could cause our actual results to be different from those currently anticipated. We assume no obligation to update them. During today's call, we will also refer to certain non-GAAP financial and operational measures. Reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are included in today's press release and along with our SEC filings. SEC filings are available at intrepidpotash.com. I will now turn the call over to our CEO, Kevin S. Crutchfield.
Kevin S. Crutchfield: Thank you, Ryan, and good morning, everyone. We appreciate your interest in joining today’s earnings call. I am pleased to report that 2026 is off to a strong start, with solid first quarter results. Our adjusted net income from continuing operations for the first quarter of $8.2 million and adjusted EBITDA of $19 million is a significant improvement from last year's first quarter adjusted net income of $3.9 million and adjusted EBITDA of $14.6 million, and we are looking forward to capitalizing on this momentum for the rest of the year. Our performance is a reflection of the hard work of all of our employees, and I would like to thank our entire team for their commitment to safety and consistent execution across our core fertilizer business. Our first quarter performance was driven by several factors. First, supportive pricing and resilient demand across our fertilizer products. In the first quarter, our average potash net realized sales price was $353 per ton, and our average Trio net realized sales price was $387 per ton. This represents a 13% increase year over year for potash, up from $312 per ton, and a 12% increase for Trio, up from $345 per ton. Second, sales volumes remained strong with our second-highest quarterly sales total since idling the West Mine in 2016. Combined potash and Trio sales volumes were 211,000 tons in the first quarter, with potash sales volumes of …