• Third quarter 2020 reported and adjusted EPS* were $1.36 and $1.77, respectively, compared with $1.47 and $1.86 in the third quarter 2019, respectively
• Year-to-date 2020 reported and adjusted EPS were $3.45 and $4.50, respectively, compared with $4.51 and $5.06 in the year-ago period, respectively
• The Company expects to increase its investment in Verdient Foods Inc. by acquiring 100% ownership, further bolstering its plant-based proteins portfolio

WESTCHESTER, Ill., Nov. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR), a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to the food and beverage manufacturing industry, today reported results for the third quarter 2020. The results, reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for 2020 and 2019, include items that are excluded from the non-GAAP financial measures that the Company presents.

“We are pleased with our operational execution and financial performance for the third quarter. We experienced sequential improvement over second quarter 2020 in customer volume demand across all four of our regions, driven by increased consumer activity in response to easing of COVID-19 restrictions,” said Jim Zallie, Ingredion’s president and chief executive officer. “Reported and adjusted operating income were up 35% and 41%, respectively, from the second quarter. Our intense focus on servicing customers and operational execution, enabled us to deliver year-over-year profit growth in most of our regions.”

“As we continue to navigate the different economic environments around the world, we remain focused on the resilience of our workforce, the responsibility to the communities in which we operate and ensuring business continuity for our customers. Our teams displayed great agility and creativity to advance our go-to-market strategy with customers, and I am incredibly proud of them. As part of new ways of working, we are leveraging new forms of digital collaboration to connect, innovate and co-create with our customers. Around the world, we are moving our Idea Labs to virtual interactive studios to bring the innovation process to our customers, wherever they are,” Zallie continued.

“Today, we announced another strategic step to advance our Driving Growth Roadmap with the pending acquisition of Verdient Foods Inc., bringing our ownership to 100%. This transaction enables us to accelerate net sales growth, further expand our manufacturing capacity and better manage our supply network to serve the increasing demand for plant-based proteins. During the quarter, we also further enhanced our sugar reduction capabilities by integrating PureCircle’s global team and operations.”

“We are well positioned to effectively manage through the uncertainties due to the pandemic and successfully support our customers and their changing needs. We remain confident in the relevance of our strategy to grow our business and deliver value for shareholders,” concluded Zallie.

*Adjusted diluted earnings per share (“adjusted EPS”), adjusted operating income, adjusted effective income tax rate and adjusted cash flow from operations are non-GAAP financial measures. See section II of the Supplemental Financial Information entitled “Non-GAAP Information” following the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this press release for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measures.

Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS)

Estimated factors affecting change in reported and adjusted EPS

**Totals may not foot due to rounding

Financial Highlights

• At September 30, 2020, total debt and cash and short-term investments were $2.2 billion and $553 million, respectively, versus $1.8 billion and $268 million, respectively, at December 31, 2019. The increase in total debt and cash and short-term investments was primarily due to the Company's sale of $1.0 billion of senior notes in the second quarter 2020, partially offset by the redemption of $400 million of November 2020 senior notes in July.
• Net financing costs were $22 million, which includes $5 million for interest payments associated with the early retirement of the senior notes in July. Net financing costs were $2 million lower in the third quarter from the year-ago period. The decrease resulted from lower net interest expense due to lower interest rates.
• Reported and adjusted effective tax rates for the quarter were 30.1 percent and 26.2 percent, respectively, compared to 27.1 percent and 23.2 percent, respectively, in the year-ago period. The increase in reported and adjusted tax rates resulted primarily from US foreign tax credits, country earnings mix, and other one-time adjustments.
• Year-to-date capital expenditures were $250 million, up $19 million from the year-ago period.

Business Review

Total Ingredion

Reported Operating Income

Adjusted Operating Income

Net Sales

• Third quarter net sales were down from the year-ago period. The decrease was driven by foreign exchange impacts in South America and sales volume declines in North America. Excluding foreign exchange impacts, net sales were down 2 percent for the quarter.
• Year-to-date net sales were down from the year-ago period. The decrease in year-to-date net sales was driven by sales volume declines in North America and South America and foreign exchange impacts in South America which were partially offset by favorable pricing. Excluding foreign exchange impacts, net sales were down 3 percent year-to-date.

Operating income

• Reported and adjusted operating income for the quarter were $153 million and $179 million, respectively, both of which decreased by 7 percent, from the year-ago period. The decreases were largely attributable to lower sales volumes in North America and the inclusion of PureCircle results. Excluding foreign exchange impacts, reported and adjusted operating income were both down 4 percent from the same period last year.
• Year-to-date reported and adjusted operating income were $419 million and $473 million, respectively, decreases of 15 percent and 12 percent, respectively, from the year-ago period. The decreases were largely attributable to lower sales volumes in North America and higher corporate costs due to continued investments to drive business and digital transformation. Excluding foreign exchange impacts, reported and adjusted operating income were down 11 percent and 8 percent, respectively, from the same period last year.
• Third quarter and year-to-date reported operating income were lower than adjusted operating income by $26 million and $54 million, respectively, due to asset closures and restructuring costs related to Cost Smart, acquisition and integration costs, and the impact of the August storm damage in Iowa.
   

North America

Net Sales

Segment Operating Income

Operating income

• Third quarter operating income was $132 million, a decrease of $13 million from the year-ago period. The decrease was driven by lower volumes, as COVID-19 continued to impact away-from-home consumption across the region, and unfavorable mix in the U.S. and Canada.
• Year-to-date operating income was $358 million, a decrease of $51 million from the year-ago period. The decrease was driven by significantly lower away-from-home consumption across the region and the shutdown of brewery customers in Mexico in the second quarter.

South America
Net Sales

Segment Operating Income

Operating income

• Third quarter operating income was $29 million, an increase of $2 million from the year-ago period. The increase was driven by strong price mix which was partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency impacts. Excluding foreign exchange impacts, segment operating income was up 30 percent.
• Year-to-date operating income was $68 million, an increase of $7 million from the year-ago period due to strong price mix which was partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency impacts and lower sales volumes. Excluding foreign exchange impacts, segment operating income was up 33 percent. Results for Argentina are accounted for in U.S. dollars under hyper-inflationary accounting.

Asia-Pacific

Net Sales

Segment Operating Income

Operating income

• Third quarter operating income was $18 million, down $4 million from the year-ago period driven by $5 million of operating loss from PureCircle. Excluding PureCircle, third quarter operating income was $23 million, up $1 million from the year-ago period driven by lower input costs and operating expenses.
• Year-to-date operating income was $60 million, a decrease of $5 million from the year-ago period. PureCircle results reduced year-to-date operating income by $5 million. Excluding PureCircle results, year-to-date operating income was flat to the same period in the prior year as lower input costs and favorable operating expenses offset lower sales volumes in the first half due to the impact of stay-at-home orders. Excluding foreign currency impacts, segment operating income was down 6%.

Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA)

Net Sales

Segment Operating Income

Operating income

• Third quarter operating income was $25 million, up $1 million from the year-ago period. The increase was largely attributable to favorable price mix in Pakistan and lower operating expenses in Europe.
• Year-to-date operating income was $73 million, an increase of $2 million from a year ago. The increase was largely attributable to Pakistan pricing actions, solid EMEA specialty sales volume, and lower operating expenses in Europe, partially offset by the impacts of stay-at-home orders on Pakistan production and sales volume in the first half and negative foreign currency impacts. Excluding foreign currency impacts, segment operating income was up 8 percent.

Dividends

In September 2020, the Company increased the quarterly dividend to $0.64 per share from $0.63 per share, and paid dividends of $45 million in the third quarter and $132 million year-to-date.

2020 Outlook

Due to continued uncertainty of COVID-19 impacts, the Company cannot reasonably estimate full-year results at this time and guidance remains withdrawn.

The Company anticipates continued impacts from COVID-19 on net sales volume across our operating segments in the fourth quarter, with recovery in net sales generally correlated with increased consumer activity. With pandemic case rates rising and falling across many geographies, we expect away-from-home consumption to continue to fluctuate, suppressing volume demand for ingredients that are formulated in food and beverages consumed away-from-home. We anticipate modestly higher demand for food consumed in home, increasing volumes for ingredients that are part of the recipes for these meals.

For the full year, we expect a reported tax rate of 32 percent to 36 percent and an adjusted effective tax rate in the range of approximately 27 percent to 28 percent.

Capital expenditures are anticipated to be between $290 million and $310 million, of which more than $100 million is being invested to drive Specialty growth.

Conference Call and Webcast Details
Ingredion will conduct a conference call on Monday, November 2, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. Central Time hosted by Jim Zallie, president and chief executive officer, and James Gray, executive vice president and chief financial officer. The call will be webcast in real time and will include a presentation accessible through the Company’s website at www.ingredion.com. The presentation will be available to download a few hours prior to the start of the call. A replay of the webcast will be available for a limited time at www.ingredion.com.

About the Company
Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With 2019 annual net sales over $6 billion, the Company turns grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant-based materials into value-added ingredients solutions for the food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing and industrial markets. With Ingredion Idea Labs^® innovation centers around the world and more than 11,000 employees, the Company co-creates with customers and fulfills its purpose of bringing the potential of people, nature and technology together to make life better. Visit ingredion.com for more information and the latest Company news.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company intends these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for such statements.

Forward-looking statements include, among others, any statements regarding the Company's expectations regarding impacts of COVID-19, and the Company's effective tax rates and capital expenditures for 2020 and any assumptions, expectations or beliefs underlying the foregoing. These statements can sometimes be identified by the use of forward looking words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "plan," "project," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "continue," "pro forma," "forecast," "outlook," "propels," "opportunities," "potential," "provisional," or other similar expressions or the negative thereof. All statements other than statements of historical facts in this release or referred to in this release are "forward-looking statements."

These statements are based on current circumstances or expectations, but are subject to certain inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are beyond our control. Although we believe our expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, investors are cautioned that no assurance can be given that our expectations will prove correct.

Actual results and developments may differ materially from the expectations expressed in or implied by our forward looking statements as a result of the following risks and uncertainties, among others: changing consumption preferences and perceptions, including those relating to high fructose corn syrup; the effects of global economic conditions and the general political, economic, business, and market conditions that affect customers and consumers in the various geographic regions and countries in which we buy our raw materials or manufacture or sell our products, including, particularly, economic, currency and political conditions in South America and economic and political conditions in Europe, and the impact these factors may have on our sales volumes, the pricing of our products, our access to credit markets and our ability to collect our receivables from customers; adverse changes in investment returns earned on our pension assets; future financial performance of major industries which we serve and from which we derive a significant portion of our sales, including the food, beverage, animal nutrition, and brewing industries; the uncertainty of acceptance of products developed through genetic modification and biotechnology; our ability to develop or acquire new products and services at rates or of qualities sufficient to meet expectations; changes in U.S. and foreign government policy, laws or regulations and costs of legal compliance; increased competitive and/or customer pressure in the corn-refining industry and related industries, including with respect to the markets and prices for our primary products and our co-products, particularly corn oil; the availability of raw materials, including potato starch, tapioca, gum Arabic and the specific varieties of corn upon which some of our products are based, and our ability to pass on potential increases in the cost of corn or other raw materials to customers; raw material and energy costs and availability; our ability to contain costs, achieve budgets and to realize expected synergies, including with respect to our ability to complete planned maintenance and investment projects on time and on budget, and to achieve expected savings under our Cost Smart program as well as with respect to freight and shipping costs; the impact of financial and capital markets on our borrowing costs, including as a result of foreign currency fluctuations, fluctuations in interest and exchange rates and market volatility and the associated risks of hedging against such fluctuations; the potential effects of climate change; our ability to successfully identify and complete acquisitions or strategic alliances on favorable terms as well as our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses or implement and maintain strategic alliances and achieve anticipated synergies with respect to all of the foregoing; operating difficulties at our manufacturing plants or with respect to boiler reliability; risks related to product safety and quality and compliance with environmental, health and safety, and food safety laws and regulations; economic, political and other risks inherent in operating in foreign countries with foreign currencies and shipping products between countries, including with respect to tariffs, quotas and duties; interruptions, security breaches or failures that might affect our information technology systems, processes and sites; our ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations; the impact that weather, natural disasters, war or similar acts of hostility, acts and threats of terrorism, the outbreak or continuation of pandemics such as COVID-19 and other significant events could have on our business; the potential recognition of impairment charges on goodwill or long lived assets; changes in our tax rates or exposure to additional income tax liabilities; and our ability to raise funds at reasonable rates to grow and expand our operations.

Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. If we do update or correct one or more of these statements, investors and others should not conclude that we will make additional updates or corrections. For a further description of these and other risks, see "Risk Factors" included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020 and in our subsequent reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K.

CONTACTS:
Investors:  Tiffany Willis, 708-551-2592
Media:  Becca Hary, 708-551-2602