Acquisition of Remaining Joint Venture Interest in LPC

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2025

Acquisition of Remaining Joint Venture Interest in LPC

Acquisition of Remaining Joint Venture Interest in LPC

Note 18 – Acquisition of Remaining Joint Venture Interest in LPC:

Effective July 16, 2024 (“Acquisition Date”), Kronos acquired the 50% joint venture interest in LPC previously held by Venator Investments, Ltd. (“Venator”). Prior to the acquisition, Kronos held a 50% joint venture interest in LPC and LPC was operated as a manufacturing joint venture between Kronos and Venator. Kronos acquired the 50% joint venture interest in LPC for consideration of $185 million less a working capital adjustment. An additional earn-out payment of up to $15 million may be required if Kronos’ aggregate consolidated net income before interest expense, income taxes and depreciation and amortization expense, or EBITDA, during a two-year period comprising calendar years 2025 and 2026 exceed certain thresholds as described below. Kronos accounted for the acquisition of the interest in LPC as a business combination and, as a result of obtaining full control, LPC became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kronos. The acquisition was financed through a borrowing of $132.1 million under Kronos’ Global Revolver and the remainder paid with cash on hand.

For financial reporting purposes, the assets acquired and liabilities assumed of LPC have been included in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025 and the results of operations and cash flows of LPC have been included in our Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income and Cash Flows in 2025.

The potential earn-out payment of up to $15 million is based on aggregate Kronos consolidated EBITDA tiers for 2025 and 2026 of $650 million and $730 million, with $5 million of the earn-out payable if Kronos achieves $650 million in aggregate consolidated EBITDA, and a maximum of $15 million payable if aggregate EBITDA is $730 million or greater for the period. If Kronos achieves aggregated consolidated EBITDA between $650 million and $730 million, the payment of the additional $10 million is prorated between the two targets. The earn-out is payable at the earliest in April 2027. The estimated fair value of the earn-out as of December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025 is included in other noncurrent liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and is the line item captioned earn-out liability in Note 9. The fair value measurement is based on significant inputs not observable in the market and therefore represents a Level 3 measurement as defined in ASC 820. The earn-out liability will be re-measured at fair value on a recurring basis and the change to the liability, if any, would be recorded in cost and expenses in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Accretion of the earn-out liability was not material in the first quarter of 2025. There has been no other activity subsequent to the Acquisition Date impacting the fair value of the acquisition earn-out liability.

Kronos remeasured its existing ownership interest in LPC to its estimated fair value at the Acquisition Date in accordance with ASC 805-10-25, for a business combination achieved in stages (because Kronos previously had an ownership interest in LPC). As a result of such remeasurement, we recognized a pre-tax gain of approximately $64.5 million in the third quarter of 2024. See Note 3 of our Consolidated Financial Statements included in our 2024 Annual Report for additional information.

The following table summarizes the aggregate fair value of the consideration transferred to gain control of LPC, the current estimate for the fair value of Kronos’ existing ownership interest in LPC and the amounts assigned to the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the Acquisition Date. The estimated purchase price allocation is based upon management’s estimate of the fair value of the acquired assets and assumed liabilities using independent third-party appraiser valuation techniques including income, cost, and market approaches. The total consideration was allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the excess of the consideration over the estimated fair value of the net assets acquired recorded as goodwill.

Subject to final determination, which is expected to occur within 12 months of the Acquisition Date, the provisional fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the acquisition are as follows:

	Amount
	(In millions)
Consideration:
Cash consideration	$	185.0
Working capital adjustment		(11.0)
Earn-out liability		4.2
Total fair value of consideration		178.2
Fair value of investment in TiO2 manufacturing joint venture		178.2
Total	$	356.4
Allocation of purchase price to identifiable     assets acquired and liabilities assumed:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	21.3
Restricted cash		1.3
Accounts and other receivables, net		.2
Inventories, net		82.0
Prepaid expenses and other		.6
Other assets		10.7
Property and equipment		268.5
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(21.7)
Other noncurrent liabilities		(6.4)
Deferred tax liability		(2.7)
Total net identifiable assets acquired		353.8
Goodwill		2.6
Total	$	356.4

Property and equipment will be depreciated over useful lives of 5 years to 20 years. Goodwill is related to the benefits expected as a result of the acquisition, and of the $2.6 million recorded as goodwill, $.1 million is expected to be deductible for tax purposes.