Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) reported Q1 EPS of ($0.60), $0.18 worse than the analyst estimate of ($0.42). Revenue for the quarter came in at $736 million versus the consensus estimate of $718.03 million.

"As expected, our first quarter results reflect a challenging global metallurgical coal market and the impact of rail performance issues," said John W. Eaves, Arch's president and chief executive officer. "At Arch, we are taking proactive steps to manage our controllable costs and capital spending, reduce our cash outflows and preserve our liquidity. Moreover, we are reducing our expected metallurgical coal sales volume by approximately 1 million tons for 2014 in response to soft market conditions and concentrating our metallurgical production in our lowest-cost assets in Appalachia. Based on the smooth start-up of the Leer longwall mine in the first quarter of 2014, we also are lowering our full year cost-per-ton guidance in Appalachia."

"At the same time, we are encouraged by the strengthening dynamics in the U.S. thermal market," added Eaves. "Positive electric generation and coal demand trends to date, declining U.S. coal generator stockpiles and higher competing fuel prices should provide the catalyst for improvement in our domestic thermal coal operations during 2014."

For earnings history and earnings-related data on Arch Coal, Inc. (ACI) click here.