CVR PARTNERS, LP 10-K

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition, results of operations and cash flow should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes and with the statistical information and financial data included elsewhere in this Report. References to CVR Partners, the Partnership, “we”, “us”, and “our” may refer to consolidated subsidiaries of CVR Partners or one or both of the facilities, as the context may require. This discussion and analysis covers the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 and discusses year-to-year comparisons between such periods. The discussions of the year ended December 31, 2019 and year-to-year comparisons between the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 that are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 filed on February 23, 2021, and such discussions are incorporated by reference into this Report. Reflected in this discussion and analysis is how management views the Partnership’s current financial condition and results of operations along with key external variables and management actions that may impact the Partnership. Understanding significant external variables, such as market conditions, weather, and seasonal trends, among others, and management actions taken to manage the Partnership, address external variables, among others, which will increase users’ understanding of the Partnership, its financial condition and results of operations. This discussion may contain forward looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to those discussed below and elsewhere in this Report. Strategy and Goals Mission and Core Values Our Mission is to be a top tier North American nitrogen-based fertilizer company as measured by safe and reliable operations, superior performance and profitable growth. The foundation of how we operate is built on five core Values: • Safety - We always put safety first. The protection of our employees, contractors and communities is paramount. We have an unwavering commitment to safety above all else. If it’s not safe, then we don’t do it. December 31, 2021 | 28 Table of Contents • Environment - We care for our environment. Complying with all regulations and minimizing any environmental impact from our operations is essential. We understand our obligation to the environment and that it’s our duty to protect it. • Integrity - We require high business ethics. We comply with the law and practice sound corporate governance. We only conduct business one way—the right way with integrity. • Corporate Citizenship - We are proud members of the communities where we operate. We are good neighbors and know that it’s a privilege we can’t take for granted. We seek to make a positive economic and social impact through our financial donations and the contributions of time, knowledge and talent of our employees to the places where we live and work. • Continuous Improvement - We believe in both individual and team success. We foster accountability under a performance-driven culture that supports creative thinking, teamwork, diversity and personal development so that employees can realize their maximum potential. We use defined work practices for consistency, efficiency and to create value across the organization. Our core Values are driven by our people, inform the way we do business each and every day and enhance our ability to accomplish our mission and related strategic objectives. Strategic Objectives We have outlined the following strategic objectives to drive the accomplishment of our mission: Safety - We aim to achieve continuous improvement in all environmental, health, and safety areas through ensuring our people’s commitment to environmental, health and safety comes first, the refinement of existing policies, continuous training, and enhanced monitoring procedures. Reliability - Our goal is to achieve industry-leading utilization rates at both of our Facilities through safe and reliable operations. We are focusing on improvements in day-to-day plant operations, identifying alternative sources for plant inputs to reduce lost time due to third-party operational constraints, and optimizing our commercial and marketing functions to maintain plant operations at their highest level. Market Capture - We continuously evaluate opportunities to improve the facilities’ realized pricing at the gate and reduce variable costs incurred in production to maximize our capture of market opportunities. Financial Discipline - We strive to be efficient as possible by maintaining low operating costs and disciplined deployment of capital. Achievements We successfully executed a number of achievements in support of our strategic objectives shown below through the date of this filing despite the challenges experienced by the industry during 2021 as a result of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic: Safety Reliability Market Capture Financial Discipline Operated both facilities safely and reliably and at high utilization rates ü ü ü Achieved reductions in environmental events and process safety management tier 1 incidents of 67% and 73%, respectively, compared to 2020 ü Achieved record truck shipments from the Coffeyville Facility in March 2021 ü ü ü Achieved record ammonia production at the Coffeyville Facility in September 2021 and at the East Dubuque Facility in November 2021 ü ü December 31, 2021 | 29 Table of Contents Safety Reliability Market Capture Financial Discipline Utilized downtime throughout the year to proactively complete maintenance work at the Coffeyville Facility, enabling the deferral of the planned turnaround from Fall 2021 to Summer 2022 ü ü ü Increased UAN production capacity at Coffeyville by 100 tons per day through the installation of a CO2 compressor and ammonia pump ü Reduced CVR Partners’ annual cash interest expense by over 33% through refinancing a substantial portion of the 2023 Notes and subsequently redeeming $30 million of the remaining balance of the 2023 Notes ü Declared total cash distributions of $9.89 per common unit related to 2021 ü Environmental, Social & Governance (“ESG”) Highlights In the past year, we achieved numerous milestones through our commitment to sustainability, including environmental and safety stewardship, diversity and inclusion, community outreach and sound corporate governance. We have also established our ESG priorities, which will serve as a guide to the development of our ESG strategy and our first ESG report, which we target for publication in 2022 based on the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board standards. The following highlights some key achievements of 2021: Environmental & Safety Stewardship ü Mitigated >1mm metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO 2 e)/year ü Manufactured hydrogen and ammonia that qualifies as “blue” with carbon capture and sequestration through enhanced oil recovery ü Reduced process safety Tier 1 incident rate by 73% Building Inclusive Communities ü Diversity is key component of our Mission & Values ü Site-Level Community Impact Committees steer local contributions, sponsorships and volunteer activities ü Paid time off pursuant to Volunteerism Policy ü Launched Company-wide Diversity & Inclusion training ü Implemented Remote Work Policy supporting employee engagement and retention Leadership Accountability ü Board-level ESG oversight ü Average tenure of directors is less than 8 years ü Standing EH&S Committee with a majority of independent members ü Annual Code of Ethics & Business Conduct Acknowledgement ü More than 75% of CEO compensation is variable and tied to the Partnership’s performance We make modern life possible through the products we manufacture while contributing to the economic well-being of our employees and the communities where we operate. Industry Factors and Market Conditions Within the nitrogen fertilizer business, earnings and cash flows from operations are primarily affected by the relationship between nitrogen fertilizer product prices, utilization, and operating costs and expenses, including pet coke and natural gas feedstock costs. The price at which nitrogen fertilizer products are ultimately sold depends on numerous factors, including the global supply and demand for nitrogen fertilizer products which, in turn, depends on, among other factors, world grain demand and December 31, 2021 | 30 Table of Contents production levels, changes in world population, the cost and availability of fertilizer transportation infrastructure, weather conditions, the availability of imports, and the extent of government intervention in agriculture markets. Nitrogen fertilizer prices are also affected by local factors, including local market conditions and the operating levels of competing facilities. An expansion or upgrade of competitors’ facilities, new facility development, political and economic developments, and other factors are likely to continue to play an important role in nitrogen fertilizer industry economics. These factors can impact, among other things, the level of inventories in the market, resulting in price volatility and a reduction in product margins. Moreover, the industry typically experiences seasonal fluctuations in demand for nitrogen fertilizer products. General Business Environment Throughout 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and actions taken by governments and others in response thereto negatively impacted the worldwide economy, financial markets, and the agricultural industry, resulting in significant business and operational disruptions. Consequently, the U.S. demand for liquid transportation fuels, including ethanol (the production of which is a significant driver of demand for corn), declined, causing many refineries and plants to reduce production or idle. During 2021, government restrictions eased, vaccines became available, and demand for transportation fuels increased. Demand for ethanol for fuels blending has largely recovered to pre-COVID-19 levels, although an increase in outbreaks of any variant of COVID-19 could reverse this recovery . Concerns over the long-term negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic and business prospects across the world have contributed to increased market and grain price volatility and have diminished expectations for the global economy. The Partnership believes the general business environment in which it operates will continue to remain volatile into 2022, driven by uncertainty around the availability and prices of its feedstocks, demand for its products, and global supply disruptions. As a result, future operating results and current and long-term financial conditions could be negatively impacted if economic conditions decline, remain volatile, and do not return to pre-pandemic levels. Due to the uncertainty of the global recovery, including its duration, timing, and strength, the Partnership is not able at this time to predict the extent to which these events may have a material, or any, effect on its financial or operational results in future periods. Market Indicators While there is risk of shorter-term volatility given the inherent nature of the commodity cycle, the Partnership believes the long-term fundamentals for the U.S. nitrogen fertilizer industry remain intact. The Partnership views the anticipated combination of (i) increasing global population, (ii) decreasing arable land per capita, (iii) continued evolution to more protein-based diets in developing countries, (iv) sustained use of corn and soybeans as feedstock for the domestic production of ethanol and other renewable fuels, and (v) positioning at the lower end of the global cost curve should provide a solid foundation for nitrogen fertilizer producers in the U.S. over the longer term. Corn and soybeans are two major crops planted by farmers in North America. Corn crops result in the depletion of the amount of nitrogen within the soil in which it is grown, which in turn, results in the need for this nutrient to be replenished after each growing cycle. Unlike corn, soybeans are able to obtain most of their own nitrogen through a process known as “N fixation.” As such, upon harvesting of soybeans, the soil retains a certain amount of nitrogen which results in lower demand for nitrogen fertilizer for the following corn planting cycle. Due to these factors, nitrogen fertilizer consumers generally operate a balanced corn-soybean rotational planting cycle as evident through the chart presented below for 2021, 2020, and 2019. The relationship between the total acres planted for both corn and soybean has a direct impact on the overall demand for nitrogen products, as the market and demand for nitrogen increases with increased corn acres and decreases with increased soybean acres. Additionally, an estimated 11 billion pounds of soybean oil is expected to be used in producing cleaner biodiesel in marketing year 2021/2022. Multiple refiners have announced renewable diesel expansion projects for 2022 and beyond, which will only increase the demand for soybeans and potentially for corn and canola. Due to the uncertainty of how these factors will truly affect the grain markets, it is not yet known how the nitrogen business will be impacted. The 2021 United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) reports on corn and soybean acres planted indicated farmers planted 93.4 million acres of corn, representing an increase of 3.0% in corn acres planted as compared to 90.7 million corn acres in 2020. Planted soybean acres are estimated to be 87.2 million acres, representing a 4.6% increase in soybean acres planted as compared to 83.4 million soybean acres in 2020. The combined corn and soybean planted acres of 180.6 million is December 31, 2021 | 31 Table of Contents the highest in history. Based on current grain inventories and crop prices, farm economics are expected to continue to be very attractive in 2022. Ethanol is blended with gasoline to meet renewable fuel standard requirements and for its octane value. Ethanol production has historically consumed approximately 35% of the U.S. corn crop, so demand for corn generally rises and falls with ethanol demand. There was a decline in ethanol demand that began in 2020 and continued through 2021 due to decreased demand for transportation fuels as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the lower ethanol demand did not alter the spring 2021 planting decisions by farmers as evidenced in the charts below. (1) Information used within this chart was obtained from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (“EIA”). (2) Information used within this chart was obtained from the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Services. Weather continues to be a critical variable for crop production. Grain prices rose significantly from the summer of 2020 into the spring of 2021, leading to higher planted acreage for corn and soybeans. Even with higher planted acres and trendline yields per acre, inventory levels for corn and soybeans remain below historical levels and prices have remained elevated. The higher grain prices and historically low crop inventories are leading to strong farm economics in advance of spring 2022. These conditions are expected to drive strong demand for nitrogen fertilizer, as well as other crop inputs. Fertilizer prices have risen significantly since January 1, 2021 due to strong grain prices, the strong spring 2021 planting season, and lower fertilizer supply due to nitrogen fertilizer production outages during Winter Storm Uri and Hurricane Ida and significant escalation in global feedstock costs for nitrogen fertilizer production. While natural gas prices were at historical lows across the world in 2020, they have escalated significantly since the summer of 2021, causing nitrogen fertilizer production to be reduced or shut-in in Europe. In addition to escalating coal and LNG prices in China, nitrogen fertilizer exports have been reduced significantly in the second half of 2021 and are expected to continue to be reduced through the first half of 2022. On June 30, 2021, CF Industries Nitrogen, L.L.C., Terra Nitrogen, Limited Partnership, and Terra International (Oklahoma) LLC filed petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce (“USDOC”) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (the “ITC”) requesting the initiation of antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on imports of UAN from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago (“Trinidad”). In August 2021, USDOC decided to pursue an investigation to determine the extent of dumping and unfair subsidies associated with imports from Russia and Trinidad, and the ITC initiated a concurrent investigation to determine whether such imports materially injure the U.S. industry. On November 30, 2021, USDOC determined that UAN imports from Russia are unfairly subsidized at rates ranging from 9.66% to 9.84% and UAN imports from Trinidad are unfairly subsidized at a rate of 1.83%. On January 27, 2022, USDOC found that Russian UAN imports are sold at less than fair value into the U.S. market at rates ranging from 9.15% to 127.19% and that Trinidadian UAN imports at a rate of 63.08%. As a result of these determinations, USDOC will impose cash deposit requirements on imports of UAN from Russia and Trinidad based on the preliminary rates of antidumping duties. We believe that if the antidumping and countervailing duty preliminary determinations are confirmed by USDOC, there will likely be lower amounts of imported UAN from Russia and Trinidad. December 31, 2021 | 32 Table of Contents The tables below show relevant market indicators by month through December 31, 2021: (1) Information used within these charts was obtained from various third-party sources including Green Markets (a Bloomberg Company), Pace Petroleum Coke Quarterly, and the EIA, amongst others. Results of Operations The following should be read in conjunction with the information outlined within the previous sections of this Part II, Item 7, and the financial statements and related notes thereto in Part II, Item 8 of this Report. The chart presented below summarizes our ammonia utilization rates on a consolidated basis for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019. Utilization is an important measure used by management to assess operational output at each of the Partnership’s facilities. Utilization is calculated as actual tons of ammonia produced divided by capacity adjusted for planned maintenance and turnarounds. Utilization is presented solely on ammonia production rather than each nitrogen product as it provides a comparative baseline against industry peers and eliminates the disparity of facility configurations for upgrade of ammonia into other nitrogen products. With efforts primarily focused on ammonia upgrade capabilities, we believe this measure provides a meaningful view of how well we operate. December 31, 2021 | 33 Table of Contents On a consolidated basis, utilization decreased 6% to 92% for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This decrease was primarily due to downtime associated with the Messer air separation plant at the Coffeyville Facility in January, June, August, October, and November of 2021 (the “Messer Outages”), downtime at the East Dubuque Facility due to Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, downtime at the Coffeyville Facility and East Dubuque Facility in July and September 2021, respectively, due to externally driven power outages (the “Power Outages”), and downtime at the East Dubuque Facility in October 2021 for an R2 repair (the “R2 Outage”). Sales and Pricing per Ton - Two of our key operating metrics are total sales volumes for ammonia and UAN, along with the product pricing per ton realized at the gate. Total product sales volumes were unfavorable, driven by lower production due to the Messer Outages, Winter Storm Uri, Power Outages, and the R2 Outage. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the lower sales volumes were more than offset by improved prices of 92% for ammonia and 74% for UAN. Ammonia and UAN sales prices were favorable primarily due to higher crop pricing coupled with lower fertilizer supply driven by production outages from Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 and Hurricane Ida in August and September 2021, as well as increased industry turnaround activity and lower global fertilizer production due to higher natural gas prices in Europe and Asia. Product pricing at the gate represents net sales less freight revenue divided by product sales volume in tons and is shown in order to provide a pricing measure comparable across the fertilizer industry. Production Volumes - Gross tons produced for ammonia represent the total ammonia produced, including ammonia produced that was upgraded into other fertilizer products. Net tons available for sale represent the ammonia available for sale that was not upgraded into other fertilizer products. Production for the year ended December 31, 2021 was impacted by the Messer Outages, Winter Storm Uri, the Power Outages, and the R2 Outage. The table below presents these metrics for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019: Year Ended December 31, (in thousands of tons) 2021 2020 2019 Ammonia (gross produced) 807 852 766 Ammonia (net available for sale) 275 303 223 UAN 1,208 1,303 1,255 Feedstock - Our Coffeyville Facility utilizes a pet coke gasification process to produce nitrogen fertilizer. Our East Dubuque Facility uses natural gas in its production of ammonia. The table below presents these feedstocks for both facilities for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020, and 2019. December 31, 2021 | 34 Table of Contents Year Ended December 31, 2021 2020 2019 Pet coke used in production (thousand tons) 514 523 535 Pet coke (dollars per ton) $ 44.69 $ 35.25 $ 37.47 Natural gas used in production (thousands of MMBtu) (1) 8,049 8,611 6,856 Natural gas used in production (dollars per MMBtu) (1) $ 3.95 $ 2.31 $ 2.88 Natural gas in cost of materials and other (thousands of MMBtu) (1) 7,848 9,349 6,961 Natural gas in cost of materials and other (dollars per MMBtu) (1) $ 3.83 $ 2.35 $ 3.08 (1) The feedstock natural gas shown above does not include natural gas used for fuel. The cost of natural gas used for fuel is included in Direct operating expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization). Financial Highlights Overview - For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Partnership’s operating income and net income were $134.5 million and $78.2 million, respectively, a $169.4 million increase from an operating loss and a $176.4 million increase from a net loss, respectively, compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. Beyond the goodwill impairment of $41.0 million negatively impacting the 2020 period, these income improvements were driven primarily by higher ammonia and UAN sales prices in 2021, partially offset by higher feedstock costs and operating expenses. (1) See “Non-GAAP Reconciliations” section below for reconciliations of the non-GAAP measure shown above. December 31, 2021 | 35 Table of Contents Net Sales - Net sales increased by $182.6 million to $532.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to favorable sales pricing contributing $205.1 million in higher revenue, offset by decreased sales volumes resulting in $35.4 million of lower revenue as compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, net sales included $31.4 million and $33.3 million in freight revenue, respectively, and $10.3 million and $10.1 million in other revenue, respectively. The following table demonstrates the impact of changes in sales volumes and pricing for the primary components of net sales, excluding urea products, freight, and other revenue, for the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. (in thousands) Price Variance Volume Variance UAN $ 135,191 $ (17,448) Ammonia 69,943 (17,920) For the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020, ammonia and UAN sales prices were favorable primarily due to higher crop pricing coupled with lower fertilizer supply driven by production outages from Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 and Hurricane Ida in August and September 2021, as well as increased industry turnaround activity and lower global fertilizer production due to higher natural gas prices in Europe and Asia during 2021. Total product sales volumes were unfavorable driven by lower production due to the Messer Outages, Winter Storm Uri, the Power Outages, and the R2 Outage. (1) Exclusive of depreciation and amortization expense. Cost of Materials and Other - Cost of materials and other for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $98.3 million, compared to $91.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The $7.2 million increase was comprised primarily of a $12.0 million increase in natural gas costs at our East Dubuque Facility due to higher natural gas prices, $4.5 million increase in pet coke costs at our Coffeyville Facility related to higher third-party coke pricing caused by higher crude oil prices and higher related party pet coke pricing due to the UAN-indexed pricing formula, and $1.5 million increase in purchases of hydrogen. These increases were offset by a decrease in freight expenses and distribution costs of $4.0 million due to downtime in October and November 2021 and a discontinuation of the Gavilon Railcar Lease in April 2021, a decrease related to a build in our ammonia and UAN inventories contributing $3.5 million, and a decrease in ammonia purchases of $3.3 million. Direct Operating Expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) - For the year ended December 31, 2021, direct operating expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) were $198.7 million as compared to $157.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The $40.8 million increase was primarily due to higher personnel costs for labor of $4.6 million and share-based compensation expenses of $15.6 million as a result of higher market prices for CVR Partners’ units, higher electrical provider pricing and usage of $13.7 million, higher natural gas prices of $9.9 million, higher insurance costs of $2.4 million, and increased turnaround expenses of $2.2 million. These costs were partially offset by a decrease related to a build in ammonia and UAN inventories of $7.8 million. December 31, 2021 | 36 Table of Contents Depreciation and Amortization Expense - Depreciation and amortization expense decreased $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020, primarily as a result of inventory changes offset by increases in accelerated depreciation related to projects to be completed by 2025 that will retire assets earlier than their original expected useful life. Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses, and Other - Selling, general and administrative expenses and other increased approximately $8.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was primarily related to higher personnel costs in 2021 due to an increase in share-based compensation expenses resulting from the increase in CVR Partners’ unit price. Other Income, Net - Other income, net for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $4.7 million, compared to $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was due to sales of natural gas volumes at the East Dubuque Facility in February 2021. Non-GAAP Measures Our management uses certain non-GAAP performance measures, and reconciliations to those measures, to evaluate current and past performance and prospects for the future to supplement our financial information presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures are important factors in assessing our operating results and profitability and include the performance and liquidity measures defined below. Beginning with the second quarter of 2021, management began reporting Adjusted EBITDA, as defined below. We believe the presentation of this non-GAAP measure is meaningful to compare our operating results between periods and peer companies. All prior periods presented have been conformed to the definition below. The following are non-GAAP measures we present for the year ended December 31, 2021: EBITDA - Net income (loss) before (i) interest expense, net, (ii) income tax expense (benefit) and (iii) depreciation and amortization expense. Adjusted EBITDA - EBITDA adjusted for certain significant non-cash items and items that management believes are not attributable to or indicative of our on-going operations or that may obscure our underlying results and trends. Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided By Operating Activities to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA - Net cash provided by operating activities reduced by (i) interest expense, net, (ii) income tax expense (benefit), (iii) change in working capital, and (iv) other non-cash adjustments. Available Cash for Distribution - EBITDA for the quarter excluding non-cash income or expense items (if any), for which adjustment is deemed necessary or appropriate by the board of directors of our general partner (the “Board”) in its sole discretion, less (i) reserves for maintenance capital expenditures, debt service and other contractual obligations, and (ii) reserves for future operating or capital needs (if any), in each case, that the Board deems necessary or appropriate in its sole discretion. December 31, 2021 | 37 Table of Contents Available cash for distribution may be increased by the release of previously established cash reserves, if any, and other excess cash, at the discretion of the Board. We present these measures because we believe they may help investors, analysts, lenders, and ratings agencies analyze our results of operations and liquidity in conjunction with our U.S. GAAP results, including, but not limited to, our operating performance as compared to other publicly traded companies in the fertilizer industry, without regard to historical cost basis or financing methods, and our ability to incur and service debt and fund capital expenditures. Non-GAAP measures have important limitations as analytical tools because they exclude some, but not all, items that affect net earnings and operating income. These measures should not be considered substitutes for their most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measures. Refer to the “Non-GAAP Reconciliations” included herein for reconciliation of these amounts. Due to rounding, numbers presented within this section may not add or equal to numbers or totals presented elsewhere within this document. Factors Affecting Comparability of Our Financial Results Our historical results of operations for the periods presented may not be comparable with prior periods or to our results of operations in the future for the reasons discussed below. Major Scheduled Turnaround Activities Coffeyville Facility - The next planned turnaround at the Coffeyville Facility is expected to commence in the summer of 2022. Additionally, the Coffeyville Facility had planned downtime which was completed during the fourth quarter of 2021 at a cost of $2.0 million. For the year ended December 31, 2021, we also incurred turnaround expense of $0.3 million, related to planning for the Coffeyville Facility’s expected turnaround in the summer of 2022. East Dubuque Facility - The next planned turnaround at the East Dubuque Facility is expected to occur in the summer of 2022. For the year ended December 31, 2021, we incurred turnaround expense of $0.6 million, related to planning for the East Dubuque Facility’s expected turnaround in the summer of 2022. Goodwill Impairment As a result of lower expectations for market conditions in the fertilizer industry during 2020, the market performance of the Partnership’s common units, a qualitative analysis, and additional risks associated with the business, the Partnership performed an interim quantitative impairment assessment of goodwill for the Coffeyville Facility reporting unit as of June 30, 2020. The results of the impairment test indicated the carrying amount of this reporting unit exceeded the estimated fair value, and a full, non-cash impairment charge of $41.0 million was required. Non-GAAP Reconciliations Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Year Ended December 31, (in thousands) 2021 2020 2019 Net income (loss) $ 78,155 $ (98,181) $ (34,969) Interest expense, net 60,978 63,428 62,636 Income tax expense (benefit) 57 30 (18) Depreciation and amortization 73,480 76,077 79,839 EBITDA 212,670 41,354 107,488 Goodwill impairment — 40,969 — Adjusted EBITDA $ 212,670 $ 82,323 $ 107,488 December 31, 2021 | 38 Table of Contents Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided By Operating Activities to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Year Ended December 31, (in thousands) 2021 2020 2019 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 188,725 $ 19,740 $ 39,157 Non-cash items: Loss on extinguishment of debt (8,462) — — Goodwill impairment — (40,969) — Other (26,958) (6,630) (10,503) Adjustments: Interest expense, net 60,978 63,428 62,636 Income tax expense (benefit) 57 30 (18) Change in assets and liabilities (1,670) 5,755 16,216 EBITDA 212,670 41,354 107,488 Goodwill impairment — 40,969 — Adjusted EBITDA $ 212,670 $ 82,323 $ 107,488 Reconciliation of EBITDA to Available Cash for Distribution Year Ended December 31, (in thousands) 2021 2020 2019 EBITDA $ 212,670 $ 41,354 $ 107,488 Non-cash items: Goodwill impairment — 40,969 — Current (reserves) adjustments for amounts related to: Net cash interest expense (excluding capitalized interest) (50,562) (59,995) (59,997) Debt service (30,000) — — Financing fees (4,627) — — Maintenance capital expenditures (16,226) (11,649) (18,247) Utility pass-through 4,013 — — Common units repurchased (529) (7,076) — Other (reserves) releases: Reserve for recapture of prior negative available cash (14,980) (5,917) — Future turnaround (10,750) (4,500) — Previously established cash reserves — — 25,433 Reserve for repayment of current portion of long-term debt — (2,240) — Cash reserves for future operating needs 5,308 (5,308) (28,000) Major scheduled expenditures 2,240 2,567 — Available cash for distribution (1) (2) $ 96,557 $ (11,795) $ 26,677 Common units outstanding 10,681 10,706 11,328 (1) Amount represents the cumulative available cash based on full year results. However, available cash for distribution is calculated quarterly, with distributions (if any) being paid in the period following declaration. (2) The Partnership did not declare a cash distributions for the first quarter of 2021, declared and paid a $1.72 and $2.93 cash distribution related to the second and third quarter of 2021, respectively, and declared a cash distribution of $5.24 per common unit related to the fourth quarter of 2021. December 31, 2021 | 39 Table of Contents Liquidity and Capital Resources Our principal source of liquidity has historically been and continues to be cash from operations, which can include cash advances from customers resulting from prepay contracts. Our principal uses of cash are for working capital, capital expenditures, funding our debt service obligations, and paying distributions to our unitholders, as further discussed below. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a reduction in U.S. economic activity in 2020 and 2021. These effects caused significant volatility and disruption of the financial markets, and we have observed adverse impacts to our business and financial performance, of which the nature and extent of such impacts remains uncertain. In early 2021, as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic started to recover, Winter Storm Uri and Hurricane Ida caused unprecedented disruptions to natural gas and electricity supply throughout the Midwest and Gulf Coast regions, leading to lower fertilizer supply due to production outages which increased the price of fertilizer. This period of extreme economic disruption may continue to have an impact on our business, results of operations, and access to sources of liquidity. While we believe demand for our fertilizer products is stable, there is still uncertainty on the horizon as COVID-19 vaccines are distributed and countries and states continue to monitor their efforts against the virus, and variants thereof, and weigh further lock-down measures. In executing financial discipline, we have successfully implemented and are maintaining the following measures: • Taking advantage of downtime to perform maintenance activities which enabled us to defer the East Dubuque Facility turnaround from 2021 to 2022; and • Reducing the amount of maintenance capital expenditures to only include those projects which are a priority to support continuing safe and reliable operations, or which we consider are critical to support future activities. When paired with the actions outlined above, we believe that our cash from operations and existing cash and cash equivalents, along with borrowings, as necessary, will be sufficient to satisfy anticipated cash requirements associated with our existing operations for at least the next 12 months. However, our future capital expenditures and other cash requirements could be higher than we currently expect as a result of various factors including, but not limited to, rising material and labor costs and other inflationary pressures. Additionally, our ability to generate sufficient cash from our operating activities and secure additional financing depends on our future performance, which is subject to general economic, political, financial, competitive, and other factors, some of which may be beyond our control. Depending on the needs of our business, contractual limitations, and market conditions, we may from time to time seek to issue equity securities, incur additional debt, issue debt securities, or otherwise refinance our existing debt. There can be no assurance that we will seek to do any of the foregoing or that we will be able to do any of the foregoing on terms acceptable to us or at all. On June 23, 2021, the Partnership and certain of its subsidiaries completed a private offering of $550.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due June 2028 (the “2028 Notes”), which mature on June 15, 2028, and partially redeemed the Partnership’s 9.25% Senior Notes due June 2023 (the “2023 Notes”) in the amount of $550.0 million. On September 23, 2021 and December 22, 2021, the Partnership redeemed an additional $15.0 million and $15.0 million, respectively, in aggregate principal of the 2023 Notes. On February 22, 2022, the Partnership redeemed the remaining $65 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Notes. Collectively, these transactions represent a significant and favorable change in the Partnership’s cash flow and liquidity position, with an annual savings of approximately $26.0 million in future interest expense, as compared to our 2020 Form 10-K. Additionally, on September 30, 2021, the Partnership entered into a new credit agreement with an aggregate principal amount of up to $35.0 million with a maturity date of September 30, 2024 (the “ABL Credit Facility”) and terminated its $35.0 million ABL Credit Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2016, as amended (the “2016 ABL Credit Agreement”). The Partnership and its subsidiaries were in compliance with all applicable covenants under their respective debt instruments as of December 31, 2021. Refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 5 (“Long-Term Debt”) of this Report for further information. We do not have any “off-balance sheet arrangements” as such term is defined within the rules and regulations of the SEC. December 31, 2021 | 40 Table of Contents Cash and Other Liquidity As of December 31, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents of $112.5 million, including $34.2 million of customer advances. Combined with $35.0 million available under our ABL Credit Agreement, we had total liquidity of $147.5 million as of December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2020, we had $30.6 million in cash and cash equivalents, including $7.6 million of customer advances. December 31, (in thousands) 2021 2020 9.25% Senior Secured Notes, due June 2023 (1) $ 65,000 $ 645,000 6.125% Senior Notes, due June 2028 550,000 — Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs (4,358) (11,058) Total long-term debt 610,642 633,942 Current portion of long-term debt (2) — 2,240 Total long-term debt, including current portion $ 610,642 $ 636,182 (1) The call price of the 9.25% Senior Secured Notes due June 2023 (the “2023 Notes”) decreased to par on June 15, 2021. On June 23, 2021, September 23, 2021, and December 22, 2021, the Partnership redeemed $550 million, $15 million, and $15 million, respectively, of the 2023 Notes, at par, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The remaining balance of $65 million was outstanding as of December 31, 2021. The $65 million outstanding balance of the 2023 Notes was paid in full on February 22, 2022 at par, plus accrued and unpaid interest. (2) The $2.2 million outstanding balance of the 6.5% Notes, due April 2021 (the “2021 Notes”) was paid in full on April 15, 2021. On June 23, 2021, the Partnership and its subsidiary, CVR Nitrogen Finance Corporation (“Finance Co.” and, together with CVR Partners, the “Issuers”), completed a private offering of $550 million aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 (the “2028 Notes”). The net proceeds from the 2028 Notes, plus cash on hand, were used to redeem $550 million aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Notes. On September 23, 2021 and December 22, 2021, the Partnership redeemed $15 million and $15 million aggregate principal amount of the outstanding 2023 Notes, respectively. On September 30, 2021, the Partnership entered into the ABL Credit Agreement and terminated its 2016 ABL Credit Agreement. As of December 31, 2021, the Partnership had the remaining portion of the 2023 Notes, the 2028 Notes, and the ABL Credit Agreement, the proceeds of which may be used to fund working capital, capital expenditures, and for other general corporate purposes. On February 22, 2022, the Partnership redeemed the remaining $65 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Notes. Refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 5 (“Long-Term Debt”) of this Report for further information. Capital Spending We divide capital spending needs into two categories: maintenance and growth. Maintenance capital spending includes non-discretionary maintenance projects and projects required to comply with environmental, health, and safety regulations. Growth capital projects generally involve an expansion of existing capacity and/or a reduction in direct operating expenses. We undertake growth capital spending based on the expected return on incremental capital employed. Our total capital expenditures for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, along with our estimated expenditures for 2022 are as follows: Year Ended December 31, Estimated (in thousands) 2021 2020 2022 Maintenance capital $ 16,226 $ 11,651 $32,000 - 34,000 Growth capital 9,460 4,780 4,000 - 5,000 Total capital expenditures $ 25,686 $ 16,431 $36,000 - 39,000 Our estimated capital expenditures are subject to change due to unanticipated changes in the cost, scope, and completion time for capital projects. For example, we may experience unexpected changes in labor or equipment costs necessary to comply with government regulations or to complete projects that sustain or improve the profitability of the nitrogen fertilizer facilities. We may also accelerate or defer some capital expenditures from time to time. Capital spending for CVR Partners is determined December 31, 2021 | 41 Table of Contents by the Board. We will continue to monitor market conditions and make adjustments, if necessary, to our current capital spending or turnaround plans. The next planned turnaround is at the Coffeyville Facility and is expected to occur in the summer of 2022, with an estimated cost of $10 to $13 million. The turnaround at our East Dubuque Facility is expected to commence in the summer of 2022, with an estimated cost of $13 to $15 million. Additionally, the Coffeyville Facility had planned downtime for certain maintenance activities, which was completed in the fourth quarter of 2021 at a cost of $2.0 million. For the year ended December 31, 2021, we also incurred approximately $0.3 million and $0.6 million, in turnaround expense related to planning for the Coffeyville Facility’s and East Dubuque Facility’s expected turnarounds in 2022, respectively. Distributions to Unitholders The current policy of the Board is to distribute all Available Cash the Partnership generated on a quarterly basis. Available Cash for each quarter will be determined by the Board following the end of such quarter. Available Cash for each quarter is calculated as EBITDA for the quarter excluding non-cash income or expense items (if any), for which adjustment is deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board in its sole discretion, less (i) reserves for maintenance capital expenditures, debt service and other contractual obligations, and (ii) reserves for future operating or capital needs (if any), in each case, that the Board deems necessary or appropriate in its sole discretion. Available cash for distribution may be increased by the release of previously established cash reserves, if any, and other excess cash, at the discretion of the Board. Distributions, if any, including the payment, amount, and timing thereof, are subject to change at the discretion of the Board. The following table presents distributions paid by the Partnership to CVR Partners’ unitholders, including amounts paid to CVR Energy, as of December 31, 2021. Distributions Paid (in thousands) Related Period Date Paid Distribution Per Common Unit Public Unitholders CVR Energy Total 2021 - 2nd Quarter August 23, 2021 $ 1.72 $ 11,678 $ 6,694 $ 18,372 2021 - 3rd Quarter November 22, 2021 2.93 19,893 11,404 31,297 Total distributions $ 4.65 $ 31,571 $ 18,098 $ 49,669 There were no distributions declared or paid by the Partnership related to the first quarter of 2021 and fourth quarter of 2020, and no distributions were declared or paid during 2020. During the year ended December 31, 2019, CVR Partners paid distributions totaling $4.00 per common unit on a split-adjusted basis, or $45.3 million. Of these distributions, CVR Energy received $15.6 million. For the fourth quarter of 2021, the Partnership, upon approval by the Board on February 21, 2022, declared a distribution of $5.24 per common unit, or $56.0 million, which is payable March 14, 2022 to unitholders of record as of March 7, 2022. Of this amount, CVR Energy will receive approximately $20.4 million, with the remaining amount payable to public unitholders. Capital Structure On May 6, 2020, the Board, on behalf of the Partnership, authorized a unit repurchase program (the “Unit Repurchase Program”). The Unit Repurchase Program enables the Partnership to repurchase up to $10 million of the Partnership’s common units. On February 22, 2021, the Board authorized an additional $10 million for the Unit Repurchase Program. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Partnership repurchased 24,378 common units on the open market in accordance with a repurchase agreement under Rules 10b5-1 and 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, at a cost of $0.5 million, inclusive of transaction costs, or an average price of $21.70 per common unit. During the year ended December 31, 2020, as adjusted to reflect the impact of the 1-for-10 reverse unit split of the Partnership’s common units that was effective as of November 23, 2020, the Partnership repurchased 623,177 common units, respectively, at a cost of $7.1 million, inclusive of transaction costs, or an average price of $11.35 per common unit. As of December 31, 2021, the Partnership had $12.4 million in authority remaining under the Unit Repurchase Program. This Unit Repurchase Program does not obligate the Partnership to acquire any common units and may be cancelled or terminated by the Board at any time. December 31, 2021 | 42 Table of Contents Cash Flows The following table sets forth our cash flows for the periods indicated below: Year Ended December 31, (in thousands) 2021 2020 2019 Net cash provided by (used in): Operating activities $ 188,725 $ 19,740 $ 39,157 Investing activities (20,342) (18,550) (18,529) Financing activities (86,426) (7,625) (45,410) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 81,957 $ (6,435) $ (24,782) Operating Activities The change in net cash flows from operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2020 is primarily due to a $171.3 million increase in EBITDA, a $22.0 million net increase in non-cash share based compensation as a result of higher market prices for CVR Partners’ units, favorable changes in working capital of $6.7 million, and a $8.5 million loss on extinguishment of debt primarily associated with the partial redemption of the 2023 Notes in June 2021. This activity is partially offset by a non-cash impairment of goodwill of $41.0 million recognized in 2020. Investing Activities The change in net cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020 was due to increased capital expenditures during 2021 of $2.0 million due to deferring certain capital projects from 2020 to 2021. Financing Activities The change in net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to the year ended December 31, 2020 was primarily due to the partial redemptions of the 2023 Notes of $580.0 million, cash distributions paid of $49.7 million, the payment of $3.9 million in deferred financing costs during the second and third quarters of 2021 related to the offering of the 2028 Notes and the ABL Credit Facility, and the redemption of the remaining 2021 Notes of $2.2 million. These decreases were partially offset by the Partnership’s June 2021 offering of $550.0 million of the 2028 Notes, coupled with a reduction of $6.5 million in repurchases of the Partnership’s common units in 2021 compared to 2020. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 2 (“Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”) of this Report for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements applicable to the Partnership. Critical Accounting Estimates We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requiring management to make judgments, assumptions, and estimates based on the best available information at the time. Accounting estimates are considered to be critical if (1) the nature of the estimates and assumptions is material due to the levels of subjectivity and judgment necessary to account for highly uncertain matters or the susceptibility of such matters to change; and (2) the impact of the estimates and assumptions on financial condition or operating performance is material. Actual results could differ from the estimates and assumptions used. Inventory Valuation The cost of our fertilizer product inventories is determined under the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Our FIFO inventories are carried at the lower of cost or net realizable value. We compare the estimated realizable value of inventories to their cost by product at each of our facilities. Depending on inventory levels, the per-ton realizable value of our fertilizer December 31, 2021 | 43 Table of Contents products is estimated using pricing on in-transit orders, pricing for open, fixed-price orders that have not shipped, and, if volumes remain unaccounted for, current management pricing estimates for fertilizer products. Management’s estimate for current pricing reflects up-to-date pricing in each facility’s market as of the end of each reporting period. Reductions to selling prices for unreimbursed freight costs are included to arrive at net realizable value, as applicable. During the year ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2019, there was no adjustment. For the year ended December 31, 2020, we recognized a loss on inventory to reflect net realizable value of $0.7 million. Due to the amount and variability in volume of fertilizer product inventories maintained, changes in production costs, and the volatility of market pricing for fertilizer products, losses recognized to reflect fertilizer product inventories at the lower of cost or net realizable value could have a material impact on the Partnership’s results of operations. Impairment of Long-lived Assets and Goodwill Long-lived assets used in operations are assessed for impairment whenever changes in facts and circumstances indicate a possible significant deterioration in future expected cash flows. If the sum of the undiscounted expected future cash flows of an asset group is less than the carrying value, including applicable liabilities, the carrying value is written down to its estimated fair value. Individual assets are grouped for impairment purposes based on a judgmental assessment of the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets (for example, at a fertilizer facility level). The Partnership tests goodwill for impairment annually on November 1 of each year, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate the asset might be impaired. One of our reporting units, the Coffeyville Facility, had a goodwill balance of $41.0 million at December 31, 2019. During the second quarter of 2020, following completion of the spring planting season, the market pricing for ammonia and UAN, which are the facility’s two primary products, experienced significant pricing declines driven by updated market expectations around supply and demand fundamentals which were expected to continue into the second half of 2020. Additionally, significant uncertainty remained as to the nature and extent of impacts to be seen on the overall demand for corn and soybean given reduced ethanol production and broader economic conditions which had negatively impacted demand. Therefore, in connection with the preparation of the financial statements for the three months ended June 30, 2020, given the pricing declines experienced in the second quarter of 2020, further muting of our near-term economic recovery assumptions, including management’s revised forecasts for product pricing in 2020 and beyond, and market price performance of our common units, we concluded an impairment indicator was present and a triggering event under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other , had occurred as of June 30, 2020 and an interim quantitative impairment assessment was performed. Significant assumptions inherent in the valuation methodologies for goodwill included, but are not limited to, prospective financial information, growth rates, discount rates, inflationary factors, and cost of capital. Based on the interim quantitative analysis, it was determined that the estimated fair value of the Coffeyville Facility reporting unit did not exceed its carrying value. As a result, we recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $41.0 million during 2020. There was no goodwill remaining as of December 31, 2020. We performed our annual impairment reviews of goodwill for 2019, on November 1 and concluded no impairments. For the period ended December 31, 2019, we performed a qualitative assessment and concluded there were no events or circumstances which would trigger the performance of a quantitative analysis after reviewing all factors impacting the Coffeyville Facility reporting unit, including improved market conditions and financial results in 2019 as compared to the financial forecasts from those used in the fair value analysis at December 31, 2018, where the estimated fair value of the Coffeyville Facility reporting unit exceeded its carrying value by approximately 36% based upon the results of our quantitative goodwill impairment test.