Business Breakdowns
Episode 132 Olin: Chemistry and Cash Flow
Business Breakdowns

Episode 132: Olin: Chemistry and Cash Flow

Business Breakdowns

Episode 132

Olin: Chemistry and Cash Flow

Yinan Zhao is a Principal at Pzena Investment Management. We cover the chemical processes behind the manufacture of Olin's industrial chemicals, the downstream uses of these in everyday products, and how Olin's low-cost structure boosts margins and insulates against cyclicality.

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(00:02:48) - (First question) - An elevator pitch for Olin

(00:04:11) - Investors looking at DuPont also look at Olin from a subsector perspective 

(00:05:10) - A brief history of Olin’s business

(00:08:55) - The process of creating Chloralkali and its uses

(00:12:40) - The similarities and differences when comparing the crude oil refining process and the creation of Chloralkali

(00:13:36) - The use of Olin’s chlorine in residential public pools 

(00:14:03) - The breakdown of manufacturing operations of Olin, control versus outsourcing

(00:19:29) - A snapshot of the revenue percentages of Olin’s businesses

(00:20:28) - The percentage range of Olin’s cyclical commodities 

(00:21:21) - The end markets that Olin integrates itself in

(00:24:02) - A background on CEO Scott Sutton and the shift in operating philosophy

(00:30:24) - Olin’s confidence in its new optimization strategies

(00:35:04) - The downside risk to Olin’s new business model

(00:37:08) - A breakdown of Olin’s CapEx spending 

(00:38:32) - The margin profile and EBITDA growth, historically and how it looks now

(00:39:35) - The difficulties in forecasting and similarities with oil refinery volatility

(00:41:17) - Market futures activity and hedging

(00:43:04) - The Winchester business and its position within the overall Olin pie

(00:45:04) - The announcement to the departure of Scott Sutton and the risks posed

(00:49:26) - Other potential risks to Olin’s business moving forward

(00:50:26) - A look at Olin’s ESG ranking 

(00:52:50) - Valuing the business and what investors might think about Olin

(00:54:27) - Lessons learned from researching Olin

Olin: Chemistry and Cash Flow

Introduction

Matt
This is Matt Reustle, and today, we are breaking down Olin Corp. Did you ever wondered when that high school chemistry class would come in handy? Now is the time. Olin is a key player in industrial chemicals, but many of those chemicals are used in products that we interact with or see on a day-to-day basis.

To break down Olin, I'm joined by Yinan Zhao from Pzena Investment Management. Together, we cover the core alkaline market. What it means to be the lowest cost producer of a given commodity, and how Olin has shifted its business model and shifted its operational model to help sustain earnings through cycles. Please enjoy this Breakdown of Olin Corp.

The Elevator Pitch for Olin Corp

Matt
Sure. So I think like you, most of your listeners probably have never heard of Olin. The only consumer-facing product that Olin does have in its portfolio that some of your listeners may be familiar with is Winchester, and that's the brand under which Olin manufactures and sells ammunition. But outside of Winchester, Olin's portfolio primarily consists of nonconsumer-facing industrial chemicals. And so it's certainly not a household name.

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