Smart Sand, Inc. (NASDAQ: SND) (the "Company" or "Smart Sand"), a fully integrated frac and industrial sand supply and services company, a low-cost producer of high quality Northern White frac sand, a proppant logistics solutions provider through both its in-basin transloading terminals and SmartSystems™? products and services and a provider of industrial product solutions, today announced results for the second quarter of 2024.
"Smart Sand had a strong second quarter" stated Charles Young, Smart Sand's Chief Executive Officer. "We implemented several efficiency measures during the quarter to reduce our production costs and administrative expenses that led to our contribution margin, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow all improving compared to first quarter 2024 results.
"Currently we continue to see strong demand in the main operating basins we serve. However, natural gas prices remain at low levels and exploration and production are continuing their recent trends of front-loading budget spending. So, we are keeping a close eye on activity levels and are prepared to right size our operations as needed should we see a slowdown in activity. We returned to being free cash flow positive in the second quarter and we expect to be free cash flow positive for 2024. While we could see some slowdown in activity in natural gas basins in the second half of the year, we believe long-term fundamentals for natural gas activity remain strong and we are well positioned to take advantage of expected increased activity in natural gas basins in 2025. Additionally, we expect to start marketing sand in the Utica shale formation in the third quarter through our new terminals in northeast Ohio. Activity in this basin is targeting oil opportunities and increased activity in this market will help balance our sales volumes between oil and gas markets. We continue to strengthen our balance sheet as we refinanced and extended the terms our existing Oakdale Equipment financing under a new $10 million, four year equipment financing. Our liquidity levels are strong, our leverage levels remain low. We remain focused on generating positive free cash flow on a consistent basis going forward."
Second Quarter 2024 Highlights
Tons sold were approximately 1,274,000 in the second quarter of 2024, compared to approximately 1,336,000 tons in the first quarter of 2024 and 1,084,000 tons in the second quarter of 2023, a 5% decrease sequentially and 18% increase over the comparable period in 2023.
Revenues were $73.8 million in the second quarter of 2024, compared to $83.1 million in the first quarter of 2024 and $74.8 million in the second quarter of 2023. Revenues decreased in the second quarter of 2024, compared to the first quarter of 2023, primarily due to lower total sand sales. Second quarter 2024 revenues were relatively consistent compared to second quarter 2023, due to higher total sand sales, which were offset by lower average selling prices.
For the second quarter of 2024, we had net income before income tax of $1.9 million, compared to a net income before income tax of $0.4 million, for the first quarter of 2024 and net income before income tax of $3.0 million, for the second quarter of 2023. Income tax expense and benefits distorts our results of operations. We do not expect to make payments for federal income tax in 2024. For the second quarter of 2024, we had higher net income before income tax expense as compared to the first quarter of 2024, primarily due to realized savings on cost-saving measures to reduce our overall operating costs. The net income before income taxes in the second quarter of 2024 as compared to the second quarter of 2023 was lower primarily due to the loss on extinguishment of debt in the current period.
Second quarter 2024 contribution margin of $19.8 million, or $15.53 per ton sold, was an increase compared to $18.5 million, or $13.85 per ton sold, for the first quarter of 2024, and second quarter 2023 contribution margin of $19.0 million, or $17.57 per ton sold. The increase in contribution margin, compared to the first quarter of 2024, was due primarily to improved production costs realized from cost cutting measures, which led to higher contribution margin per ton sold, partially offset by lower total volumes. The increase in total contribution margin in the second quarter 2024 as compared to the second quarter 2023, was primarily due to higher utilization of our SmartSystems fleet and an increase in total volumes sold, along with lower production costs in the current period, partially offset by lower average selling prices.
Adjusted EBITDA was $11.9 million for the second quarter of 2024, compared to $9.3 million for the first quarter of 2024 and $11.3 million for the second quarter of 2023. The increase in adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the prior quarter was primarily due to higher contribution margin per ton sold in the current period, partially offset by lower total volumes sold. The slight increase in the current period compared to the same period in the prior year was primarily due to higher volumes of sand sold and increased utilization of our SmartSystems fleet, offset by lower average selling prices.
Net cash provided by operating activities was $14.9 million in the second quarter of 2024, compared to net cash used in operating activities of $(3.9) million in the first quarter of 2024 and net cash provided by operating activities of $16.1 million in the second quarter of 2023. The increase in cash flow from operations in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2024 was primarily due to decreased working capital pressure driven by consistently strong sales over the first half of 2024. The decline in cash flows from operating activities from the same period in the prior year was due to lower average selling prices in the current period.
Free cash flow was $13.5 million for the second quarter of 2024. Net cash provided by operating activities was $14.9 million and capital expenditures were $1.4 million in the second quarter of 2024. We currently estimate that full year 2024 capital expenditures will be between $10.0 million and $13.0 million.
Liquidity
Our primary sources of liquidity are cash on hand, cash flow generated from operations and available borrowings under our ABL Credit Facility. As of June 30, 2024, cash on hand was $6.3 million and we had $18.0 million in undrawn availability on our ABL Credit Facility.
