v3.25.1
Restructuring Charges and Asset Write-Offs
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]  
Restructuring Charges and Asset Write-Offs Restructuring Charges and Asset Write-offs:
Second Half 2024 Restructuring
In July 2024, the Company announced a comprehensive review of its cost and operating structure to proactively respond to ongoing industry headwinds, particularly in the lithium value chain, and to maintain a competitive position. As part of this review, the Company made the decision to stop construction of Kemerton Train 3 in Western Australia, and put Kemerton Train 2 into care and maintenance, as the Company determined the current lithium price environment makes it less economical to expand conversion in Australia. Kemerton Train 1 will continue to operate and activity around it is currently focused on commercialization efforts. Subsequently, in early 2025, the Company announced its additional decision to put the Chengdu, China conversion plant into care and maintenance by mid-year 2025. Production from the Chengdu site will be transferred to another processing facility in China.
The Company’s actions regarding Kemerton are part of a broader effort focused on preserving its world-class resource advantages, optimizing its global conversion network, improving the Company’s cost competitiveness and efficiency by
lowering operating costs, reducing capital intensity and enhancing the Company’s financial flexibility. As part of this effort, effective November 1, 2024, the Company transitioned its operating structure to a fully integrated functional model (excluding Ketjen) from a global business unit model. As a result, the Company implemented a global workforce reduction that impacted 6-7% of total headcount during the second half of 2024.
Since inception the Company has recorded charges for this plan consisting of asset write-offs of $725.7 million, severance and employee benefits of $52.9 million, contract cancellation costs of $35.5 million and other (primarily consisting of the reclassification of the related dedesignated cash flow hedge from Accumulated other comprehensive loss) of $36.2 million. Charges related to Second Half 2024 Restructuring were primarily recorded in the Energy Storage segment, with the exception of severance and employee benefits, which were recorded globally in Corporate and all segments. The Company expects to record additional decommissioning costs related to the Second Half 2024 Restructuring in the range of $20 million to $25 million for the remainder of 2025, after which the Company expects the actions to be substantially completed.
First Half 2024 Restructuring
In January 2024, the Company announced measures to unlock near-term cash flow and generate long-term financial flexibility by re-phasing organic growth investments and optimizing its cost structure. As part of these measures, during the second quarter of 2024, the Company indefinitely suspended construction of Kemerton Train 4, as well as deferred spending and investments with respect to certain other capital projects, primarily within the Energy Storage segment. In addition, the Company recorded severance costs for employees in Corporate and each of the businesses as part of these announced measures. As a result, since inception the Company has recorded charges for this plan consisting of asset write-offs of $280.6 million, severance and employee benefits of $18.9 million, contract cancellation costs of $24.9 million and other (primarily consisting of the reclassification of the related dedesignated cash flow hedge from Accumulated other comprehensive loss) of $5.4 million. No further costs associated with the First Half 2024 Restructuring are expected to be recorded as this restructuring plan was completed in the first half of 2024.
Detail of Restructuring Charges and Reserves
The following table provides details of our restructuring related charges for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 (in thousands):
Three Months Ended March 31, 2025
Asset Write-offs(a)
Severance and Employee Benefits(b)
Contract Cancellation Costs(c)
Other(d)
Total
Second Half 2024 Restructuring(e)
(7,248)1,620 (1,826)6,621 (833)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2024
Asset Write-offs(a)
Severance and Employee Benefits(b)
Contract Cancellation Costs(c)
Other(d)
Total
First Half 2024 Restructuring(e)
$— $16,336 $17,200 $2,749 $36,285 
(a)    In the first quarter of 2025, the Company received proceeds for certain Kemerton equipment and updated its estimates concerning the progress of construction activities and related contractual obligations, resulting in a favorable adjustment of asset write-offs. This favorable adjustment to asset write-off charges was recorded in Restructuring charges and asset write-offs.
(b)    Severance and employee benefit charges for global employees terminated during the various restructuring programs were recorded in Restructuring charges and asset write-offs.
(c)    Includes cancellation fees for contractors and required payments under take or pay contracts. In the first quarter of 2025, the Company successfully negotiated revised contract cancellation costs with key suppliers to result in a favorable adjustment. All contract cancellation costs and favorable adjustments were recorded in Restructuring charges and asset write-offs.
(d)    Other includes costs to put Kemerton Train 2 and the Chengdu, China conversion plant into care and maintenance and similar restructuring costs, and are recorded in Restructuring charges and asset write-offs. In addition, Other also includes the reclassification of the related dedesignated cash flow hedge from Accumulated other comprehensive loss. $0.2 million recorded in Other income, net for the three-month period ended March 31, 2025 related to the Second Half 2024 Restructuring and $2.7 million recorded in Other income, net for the three-month period ended March 31, 2024 related to the First Half 2024 Restructuring.
(e)    Severance and employee benefits related to Corporate and all segments. All other restructuring costs were primarily recorded in the Energy Storage segment.
The following tables summarize the changes in restructuring liabilities for the three-month period ended March 31, 2025 (in thousands):
Second Half 2024 RestructuringAsset Write-offsSeverance and Employee BenefitsContract Cancellation CostsOtherTotal
Beginning balance at December 31, 2024
$— $15,867 $32,479 $8,811 $57,157 
2025 charges2,142 5,398 — 6,621 14,161 
Change in estimate(a)
(9,390)(3,778)(1,826)— (14,994)
Cash payments— (6,758)(5,090)(3,520)(15,368)
Asset write-off/hedge dedesignation7,248 — — (6,621)627 
Foreign currency translation adjustments— 103 — — 103 
Ending balance at March 31, 2025(b)
$— $10,832 $25,563 $5,291 $41,686 
First Half 2024 RestructuringAsset Write-offsSeverance and Employee BenefitsContract Cancellation CostsOtherTotal
Beginning balance at December 31, 2024
$— $— $2,767 $— $2,767 
Cash payments— — (1,738)— (1,738)
Ending balance at March 31, 2025(b)
$— $— $1,029 $— $1,029 
(a)    In the first quarter of 2025, the Company received proceeds for certain Kemerton equipment and updated its estimates concerning the progress of construction activities and related contractual obligation, as well as updated estimates of severance charges in the U.S., resulting in a favorable adjustment of asset write-offs and severance and employee benefits. Additionally, the Company successfully negotiated revised contract cancellation costs with key suppliers to result in a favorable adjustment of the restructuring related charges.
(b)    Approximately $30.3 million of the remaining balance is expected to be paid in the next twelve months and are recorded in Accrued expenses as of March 31, 2025. $12.4 million of the liability is recorded in Other noncurrent liabilities as of March 31, 2025, and relates to certain take or pay liabilities that will be paid in line with the terms of the original contract through 2027.