Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity
Item 5. Market For Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Market Information
Our common stock began trading on the NYSE under the symbol “HCC” on April 13, 2017. Before then, there was no public market for our common stock.
Capital Allocation Policy
On May 17, 2017, the Board adopted a policy (the “Capital Allocation Policy”) of paying a quarterly cash dividend. In February 2022, we announced that the Board approved an increase in the regular quarterly cash dividend by 20%, from $0.05 per share to $0.06 per share. In February 2023, we announced that the Board approved an increase in the regular quarterly cash dividend by 17% from $0.06 per share to $0.07 per share. On February 9, 2024, we announced the Board approved an increase in the regular quarterly cash dividend by 14% from $0.07 per share to $0.08 per share and declared a special cash dividend of $0.50 per share. Our strategy continues to be focused on optimizing our capital structure to improve returns to stockholders, through special cash dividends, while allowing flexibility for us to develop our strategic growth project Blue Creek. We intend on returning cash to stockholders in stronger price markets where we are generating significant amounts of cash flow, and less cash to stockholders during weaker markets. We also intend on using stock repurchases when there is no short- or long-term use for additional cash that will deliver meaningful value to stockholders. We have paid a regular quarterly cash dividend every quarter since the Board adopted the Capital Allocation Policy.
The Capital Allocation Policy states the following: In addition to the regular quarterly dividend and to the extent that the Company generates excess cash that is beyond the then current requirements of the business, the Board may consider returning all or a portion of such excess cash to stockholders through a special dividend or implementation of a stock repurchase program. Any future dividends or stock repurchases will be at the discretion of the Board and subject to consideration of a number of factors, including business and market conditions, future financial performance and other strategic investment opportunities. We will also seek to optimize our capital structure to improve returns to stockholders while allowing flexibility for us to pursue very selective strategic growth opportunities that can provide compelling stockholder returns. Our ability to pay dividends on our common stock is limited by covenants in the ABL Facility and the Indenture and may be further restricted by the terms of any future debt or preferred securities. See “Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors—Risks Related to the Ownership of our Common Stock—Any declaration and payment of future dividends to holders of our common stock may be limited by restrictive covenants of our ABL Facility and the Indenture, and will be at the sole discretion of the Board and will also depend on many factors” and “Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operation—Liquidity and Capital Resources—ABL Facility” and “—Senior Secured Notes.”
During the year ended December 31, 2024, we paid $43.8 million of regular quarterly and special cash dividends under the Capital Allocation Policy.
Holders
As of January 21, 2025, we had approximately 372 holders of record of our common stock.
Stock Repurchases
There were no share repurchases of our common stock made during the quarter ended December 31, 2024.
Stock Performance Graph
The performance graph and the information contained in this section is not “soliciting material”, is being “furnished” not “filed” with the SEC and is not to be incorporated by reference into any of our filings under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language contained in such filing.
The following graph shows a comparison from December 31, 2019 through December 31, 2024 of the cumulative total return for our common stock, the S&P Metals and Mining Index and the Russell 3000 Stock Index. The graph assumes that $100 was invested on December 31, 2019 in our common stock and each index and that all dividends were reinvested.
68
Note that historical stock price performance is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.
ITEM 6. [Reserved]
69