Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE: MLM) reported Q1 EPS of $1.04, $0.54 better than the analyst estimate of $0.50. Revenue for the quarter came in at $982.4 million versus the consensus estimate of $910.4 million.

Ward Nye, Chairman and CEO of Martin Marietta, stated, “Following record performance in 2020, our Company is off to a strong start to what we expect to be another outstanding year for Martin Marietta. For the first three months of 2021, we delivered solid operational and financial performance, establishing first-quarter records for revenues, profits and safety. These results are a testament to our differentiated business model and dedication to our proven Strategic Operating Analysis and Review (SOAR) plan.

“The Company expanded consolidated gross margin 290 basis points to 17.8 percent on 2.5-percent top-line improvement and generated record Adjusted EBITDA of $204 million, primarily driven by pricing gains achieved by our upstream aggregates and cement businesses and disciplined cost management across the enterprise. Importantly, the Building Materials business benefitted from widespread strengthening in product demand, notwithstanding the disruptions from February’s unprecedented winter ice storm in Texas, our largest revenue-generating state. Looking ahead, we remain confident that long-term secular demand trends and the rapidly recovering U.S. economy will drive aggregates-intensive construction growth in our key geographies.

“We are equally excited to announce the strategic, value-enhancing acquisition of Tiller Corporation. Tiller is the leading aggregates and FOB hot mix asphalt supplier in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region, notably enhancing Martin Marietta’s high-margin, upstream materials business in one of the largest and fastest growing midwestern metropolitan areas. We expect this SOAR-aligned acquisition to be immediately accretive to earnings and cash flow, and contribute $170 million of product revenues and $60 million of Adjusted EBITDA for the remaining eight months of 2021.”

Mr. Nye concluded, “Our record-setting first-quarter results underpin our confidence in Martin Marietta’s ability to continue delivering sustainable growth and superior shareholder value creation in 2021 and beyond. The Company’s unrivaled growth opportunities and steadfast commitment to disciplined pricing and operational excellence, combined with emerging demand tailwinds that are expected to support construction activity over the long term, firmly and uniquely position Martin Marietta to SOAR to a Sustainable Future.”

GUIDANCE:

Martin Marietta Materials sees FY2021 revenue of $4.51-4.7 billion, versus the consensus of $4.68 billion.

Martin Marietta remains confident that favorable pricing dynamics will continue, supported by the Company’s locally-driven pricing strategy. Additionally, the Company anticipates single-family housing growth, expanded infrastructure investment and notable heavy industrial projects of scale will drive increased shipment levels. Martin Marietta expects these demand drivers, combined with the ancillary construction necessary for housing community buildouts and the potential for increased infrastructure investment from a comprehensive federal surface transportation package, to result in sustained, multi-year growth in product demand.

The Company’s full-year 2021 guidance provided below is unchanged from the guidance provided in February 2021. This guidance excludes the expected contribution of the Tiller acquisition as well as any benefit from additional fiscal stimulus, relief funds beyond those already enacted or a potential successor federal surface transportation bill. The Company will revisit its 2021 guidance when it reports half-year results.

For earnings history and earnings-related data on Martin Marietta Materials (MLM) click here.