Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
NACCO INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
(Tabular Amounts in Thousands, Except Per Share and Percentage Data)
to be partly offset by lower earnings at the unconsolidated mining operations due to reduced income associated with the wind down of reclamation services at Sabine.
While we expect modest year-over-year improvements at MLMC, the customer's power plant began a maintenance outage in mid-February 2026. The power plant is expected to resume operations in mid-March. Any delay or further changes in demand, dispatch and/or reduced mechanical availability at the power plant could decrease current expectations.
The Contract Mining segment, operated by North American Mining, serves as our primary mining growth platform. Through continued geographic and mineral expansion, we are building a growing portfolio of long-term contracts that strengthen the foundation for sustained profitability. In October 2025, we secured a multi-year dragline services contract as part of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construction project in Palm Beach County, Florida. We also anticipate commencing operations at a new limestone quarry in Arizona in 2026. We expect the segment to deliver a significant year-over-year increase in operating profit and Segment Adjusted EBITDA as a result of higher customer demand, earnings contributions from new contracts and continued momentum from 2025 activities.
Sawtooth, a North American Mining subsidiary, provides exclusive comprehensive mining services at Thacker Pass, which is owned by a joint venture led by Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC; NYSE: LAC). Sawtooth will supply all of the lithium-bearing ore requirements for our customer's Thacker Pass lithium processing facility, which is currently under construction. This project is providing stable income during construction and is expected to contribute increased income and long-term cash flows once lithium production commences, which is targeted for late 2027.
The Minerals and Royalties segment, managed by Catapult, has constructed a high-quality, diversified portfolio of oil and gas mineral and royalty interests in the United States. The Catapult team is expanding its portfolio by leveraging a data-driven approach to capital deployment that incorporates a longer-term view of production and development. We believe this provides a competitive advantage in the U.S. market.
In July 2025, Catapult completed a $4.2 million acquisition of mineral interests within the Permian Basin. The acquisition includes a mix of producing wells, as well as additional development opportunities with existing operators in the area. This segment also has an investment in a company that holds operated and non-operated working interests in oil and natural gas assets. While these investments are expected to contribute favorably to 2026, commodity price forecasts as well as development and production assumptions are expected to result in an overall year-over-year decrease in Minerals and Royalties' operating profit and Segment Adjusted EBITDA, particularly in the second half of the year. Our forecast was developed prior to recent events in the Middle East. Any changes in commodity prices or production as a result of this conflict could alter current expectations.
Mitigation Resources provides natural resource restoration and reclamation services that include stream and wetland mitigation solutions. Mitigation Resources is successfully leveraging its strong reputation and clear competitive strengths to expand into additional mitigation, restoration and reclamation markets. Mitigation Resources is expected to deliver increasing profitability over time from the sale of mitigation credits and as reclamation and restoration services expand. This business, while currently variable in performance due to permit and project timing, is expected to generate a profit in the second half of 2026 and move toward more consistent results over time as the business expands.
We continue to invest in our businesses to drive future growth. In 2026, we anticipate total capital expenditures of up to $89 million. The majority of these expenditures relate to business development opportunities and will only be made if the projects meet our growth investment criteria. These anticipated capital investments are expected to result in a use of cash before financing greater than in 2025.
Our businesses provide critical inputs for electricity generation, construction and development, and the production of industrial minerals and chemicals. As the need for uninterrupted energy grows, industry fundamentals for natural resources are expected to continue to strengthen, reinforcing the critical need to keep existing, reliable baseload resources online. In 2026, the National Coal Council, an advisory committee to the U.S. Secretary of Energy, was re-established. This council is focused on advising the Department of Energy on reinforcing coal’s strategic role in U.S. energy policy and providing actionable advice on sustaining coal plant operations and prioritizing coal to support grid reliability to support our country’s economic competitiveness and national security. The re-establishment of this council and the underlying improving regulatory
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Item 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
NACCO INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
(Tabular Amounts in Thousands, Except Per Share and Percentage Data)
environment reinforce our confidence in our prospects for 2026, our overall business trajectory and longer-term growth opportunities.
Our conservative approach to maintaining a strong capital structure and operating discipline minimizes risk, while the compounding effect of a growing portfolio of long-term contracts and deliberate growth investments create a robust foundation for cash flow growth. With a perspective that spans decades, we are methodically building a strong, stable business that is expected to deliver annuity-like returns. This long-term view allows us to leverage our core skills for strategic, measured expansion and pursue opportunities with longer-term horizons and higher returns. We pursue opportunities that other companies with shorter time horizons might overlook. Our commitment is to generate increasing cash flows and return value to stockholders, whether through reinvestment for growth or direct returns such as share repurchases and payment of dividends. We remain confident in our ability to drive growth, expand our capabilities and reward shareholders over the long run.
RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Form 10-K for a description of recently issued accounting standards including actual and expected dates of adoption and effects to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements contained in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and elsewhere throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are made subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. Among the factors that could cause plans, actions and results to differ materially from current expectations are, without limitation: (1) a significant reduction in demand by the Company's customers, (2) weather conditions, extended power plant outages, liquidity events or other events that would change the level of customers' coal or aggregates requirements, (3) changes to or termination of customer or other third-party contracts, or a customer or other third party default under a contract, (4) changes in the prices of hydrocarbons, particularly diesel fuel, natural gas, natural gas liquids and oil as a result of factors such as OPEC and/or government actions, geopolitical developments, economic conditions and regulatory changes, vehicle electrification, as well as supply and demand dynamics, (5) changes in development plans by third-party lessees of the Company's mineral interests, (6) failure or delays by the Company's lessees in achieving expected production of natural gas and other hydrocarbons; the availability and cost of transportation and processing services in the areas where the Company's oil and gas reserves are located; and the ability of lessees to obtain capital or financing needed for well-development operations and leasing and development of oil and gas reserves on federal lands, (7) any customer's premature facility closure or extended project development delay, (8) federal and state legislative and regulatory actions affecting fossil fuels, (9) supply chain disruptions, including price increases and shortages of parts and materials, inclusive of tariff effects, (10) failure to obtain adequate insurance coverages at reasonable rates, (11) changes in tax laws or regulatory requirements, including the elimination of, or reduction in, the percentage depletion tax deduction, changes in mining or power plant emission regulations and health, safety or environmental legislation, (12) impairment charges, (13) changes in costs related to geological and geotechnical conditions, repairs and maintenance, new equipment and replacement parts, fuel or other similar items, (14) equipment problems that could affect deliveries to customers, (15) changes in the costs to reclaim mining areas, (16) costs to pursue and develop new mining, mitigation, oil and gas and power generation development opportunities and other value-added service opportunities, (17) the ability to successfully evaluate investments and achieve intended financial results in new business and growth initiatives, (18) disruptions from natural or human causes, including severe weather, accidents, fires, earthquakes and terrorist acts, any of which could result in suspension of operations or harm to people or the environment, and (19) the ability to attract, retain, and replace workforce and administrative employees.
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Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
As a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, we are not required to provide this information.