FMC Corporation announces new strategic growth plan

FMC Corporation hosted its Investor Day on November 16 at FMC corporate headquarters in Philadelphia where the company introduced its new strategic growth plan, reviewed three-year financial goals and longer-term financial aspirations through 2033, and provided its preliminary outlook for 2024. The company also outlined cost savings targets and key elements that will drive sustained profitable growth. FMC’s strategic plan is anchored in three core ambitions: to strengthen the company’s relationship with growers, ensuring they receive sound, accurate and timely guidance about the right products and technologies that best address their needs; to deliver superior growth and returns; and to maintain the company’s leadership in safety, sustainability and innovation. Actions and specific plans that drive each ambition are summarized in eight strategic imperatives. “We were pleased to host a strong turnout and communicate our path to profitable growth anchored by strategic imperatives,” said Mark Douglas, president and CEO. “These range from strengthening our relationship with growers to ensure they have the best guidance on using the right technologies that address their needs, growing our leading Plant Health business, accelerating the discovery and commercialization of our R&D pipeline, and increasing operating leverage that leads to a leaner organization. Executing on these initiatives will provide more valuable tools to growers to protect their crops while FMC achieves growth on the top and bottom line.” Development and commercial launch of new products was a significant Investor Day theme, with Diane Allemang, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, presenting new patented formulations and mixtures of existing molecules, including FMC’s industry-leading diamides, as key drivers of revenue growth. Dr. Seva Rostovstev, vice president and chief technology officer, provided details on the R&D pipeline including four new active synthetic ingredients that are expected to provide approximately $2 billion of revenue by 2033. New products and innovation were also key themes presented by vice president and global Plant Health business director Dr. Benedicte Flambard, who outlined the company’s plan to grow FMC’s biologicals platform to approximately $2 billion in revenue by 2033. Ronaldo Pereira, executive vice president and president of Americas, discussed how strengthening FMC’s relationship as a trusted advisor to growers will help support the new product introductions in the years to come. Vice President of Procurement, Logistics and Global Facilities, Thaisa Hugenneyer reviewed how a resilient, agile, cost-efficient supply chain will support existing as well as new products throughout the strategic plan timeframe. Andrew Sandifer, executive vice president and CFO, provided an overview of mid-term financial goals and longer-term aspirations, as well as expectations for leverage levels. He also provided a preliminary outlook for 2024. “We expect 2024 to be a year of substantial cash generation driven by improved earnings and a release of working capital,” Sandifer said. “Over the next 18 to 24 months we anticipate significant free cash flow and a return to more normal leverage levels with a new average net leverage target of approximately 2 times adjusted EBITDA.”