TAMPA, Fla., April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CCK) today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024. Net sales in the first quarter were $2,784 million compared to $2,974 million in the first quarter of 2023 reflecting higher beverage can shipments in Americas and European Beverage and favorable foreign currency of $10 million, offset by the pass through of $130 million in lower material costs and lower volumes in most other businesses. Income from operations was $245 million in the first quarter compared to $269 million in the first quarter of 2023.  Segment income in the first quarter of 2024 was $308 million compared to $320 million in the prior year first quarter driven by improved results in global beverage offset by lower volumes in most other businesses and $12 million in higher corporate costs which includes $8 million of costs related to a facility fire. Commenting on the quarter, Timothy J. Donahue, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "The Company began the year with strong performances in each of the beverage can businesses.  Americas Beverage, European Beverage and Asia Pacific combined segment incomes advanced 11% over the prior year's first quarter.  Global beverage shipments increased 2.5% over the prior year first quarter led by 7% growth in North America and 5% growth in Europe.  Transit Packaging performed as expected during the period with demand anticipated to improve in the back half of the year. "With both the Mesquite, Nevada and Peterborough, U.K. plants in start-up, the Company has completed its beverage can expansion program that began in 2019 and is now focused on continuous operational improvement. The Company remains well positioned to service current and future demand from its expanded industrial base and, as a result, expects capital expenditures to be no more than $500 million in each of 2024 and 2025.  Our operating teams continue to utilize the Company's capital wisely as reflected in a $296 million improvement in free cash flow during the first quarter."  Net income attributable to Crown Holdings in the first quarter was $67 million compared to $102 million in the first quarter of 2023.  Reported diluted earnings per share were $0.56 in the first quarter of 2024 compared to $0.85 in 2023.  Adjusted diluted earnings per share were $1.02 compared to $1.20 in 2023. Net cash used for operating activities was $102 million in the first quarter of 2024 compared to $235 million in the first quarter of 2023.  Adjusted free cash flow for the quarter improved by $296 million driven by improved cash from operations, the result of lower working capital, and lower capital spending.  The Company's adjusted net leverage ratio improved to 3.4 times for the twelve months ended March 31, 2024, compared to 4.1 times for the twelve months ended March 31, 2023. OutlookWe affirm our full year 2024 guidance of $5.80 to $6.20 of adjusted diluted earnings per share.  The Company expects the adjusted effective income tax rate to be approximately 25% and adjusted net leverage to be at the low end of the target range of 3.0x to 3.5x. Second quarter adjusted diluted earnings per share is expected to be in the range of $1.55 to $1.65. Non-GAAP MeasuresSegment income, adjusted free cash flow, adjusted net leverage ratio, adjusted net income, the adjusted effective tax rate, adjusted diluted earnings per share, net interest expense, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are not defined terms under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (non-GAAP measures).  Non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for income from operations, cash flow, leverage ratio, net income, effective tax rates, diluted earnings per share or interest expense and interest income prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and may not be comparable to calculations of similarly titled measures by other companies. The Company views segment income as the principal measure of the performance of its operations and adjusted free cash flow and adjusted net leverage ratio as the principal measures of its liquidity.  The Company considers all of these measures in the allocation of resources.  Adjusted free cash flow has certain limitations, however, including that it does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures since other non-discretionary expenditures, such as mandatory debt service requirements, are not deducted from the measure.  The amount of mandatory versus discretionary expenditures can vary significantly between periods.  The Company believes that adjusted free cash flow and adjusted net leverage ratio provide meaningful measures of liquidity and a useful basis for assessing the Company's ability to fund its activities, including the financing of acquisitions, debt repayments, share repurchases or dividends.  The Company believes that adjusted net income, segment income, the adjusted effective tax rate and adjusted diluted earnings per share are useful in evaluating the Company's operations as these measures are adjusted for items that affect comparability between periods.  Segment income, adjusted free cash flow, adjusted net leverage ratio, adjusted net income, the adjusted effective tax rate, adjusted diluted earnings per share, net interest expense, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are derived from the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations, Cash Flows and Consolidated Balance Sheets, as applicable, and reconciliations to segment income, adjusted free cash flow, adjusted net leverage ratio, adjusted net income, the adjusted effective tax rate, adjusted diluted earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA can be found within this release.  Reconciliations of estimated adjusted diluted earnings per share, the adjusted effective tax rates and adjusted net leverage ratio for the second quarter and full year of 2024 to estimated diluted earnings per share, the effective tax rate and income from operations on a GAAP basis are not provided in this release due to the unavailability of estimates of the following, the timing and magnitude of which the Company is unable to reliably forecast without unreasonable efforts, which are excluded from estimated adjusted diluted earnings per share, the adjusted effective tax rates and adjusted net leverage ratio, and could have a significant impact on earnings per share, the effective tax rate and income from operations on a GAAP basis: gains or losses on the sale of businesses or other assets, restructuring and other costs, asset impairment charges, asbestos-related charges, losses from early extinguishment of debt, pension settlement and curtailment charges, the tax and noncontrolling interest impact of the items above, and the impact of tax law changes or other tax matters. Conference CallThe Company will hold a conference call tomorrow, April 30, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. (EDT) to discuss this news release.  Forward-looking and other material information may be discussed on the conference call.  The dial-in numbers for the conference call are 630-395-0194 or toll-free 888-324-8108 and the access password is "packaging."  A live webcast of the call will be made available to the public on the internet at the Company's website, www.crowncork.com.  A replay of the conference call will be available for a one-week period ending at midnight on May 7, 2024.  The telephone numbers for the replay are 203-369-3810 or toll free 800-551-8152. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsExcept for historical information, all other information in this press release consists of forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the Company's ability to continue to operate its plants, distribute its products, and  maintain its supply chain; the future impact of currency translation; the continuation of performance and market trends in 2024, including consumer preference for beverage cans and global beverage can demand; the future impact of inflation, including the potential for higher interest rates and energy prices and the Company's ability to recover raw material and other inflationary costs; future demand for food cans; the Company's ability to deliver continuous operational improvement; future demand in the Transit Packaging segment; and the Company's ability to decrease capital expenditures and increase cash flow and to further reduce net leverage, that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements.  Important factors that could cause the statements made in this press release or the actual results of operations or financial condition of the Company to differ are discussed under the caption "Forward Looking Statements" in the Company's Form 10-K Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in subsequent filings made prior to or after the date hereof.  The Company does not intend to review or revise any particular forward-looking statement in light of future events. Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of packaging products for consumer goods and industrial products.  World headquarters are located in Tampa, Florida. For more information, contact:Kevin C. Clothier, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, (215) 698-5281Thomas T. Fischer, Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs, (215) 552-3720 Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations, Balance Sheets, Statements of Cash Flows, Segment Information and Supplemental Data follow.   Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)(in millions, except share and per share data)  Three Months Ended    March 31, 2024 2023 Net sales $2,784 $ 2,974     Cost of products sold 2,247 2,411     Depreciation and amortization 115 123     Selling and administrative expense 154 160     Restructuring and other 23 11 Income from operations (1) 245 269     Other pension and postretirement 11 11     Foreign exchange 7 4 Earnings before interest and taxes 227 254     Interest expense 113 102     Interest income (20) (9) Income from operations before income taxes 134 161     Provision for income taxes 40 42     Equity earnings (1) 3 Net income 93 122     Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 26 20 Net income attributable to Crown Holdings $67 $   102 Earnings per share attributable to Crown Holdings  common shareholders:  Basic $  0.56 $  0.86  Diluted $  0.56 $  0.85  Weighted average common shares outstanding:  Basic 119,574,366 119,238,117  Diluted 119,815,849 119,643,244  Actual common shares outstanding at quarter end 120,780,403 120,101,710 (1)  Reconciliation from income from operations to segment income follows.   Consolidated Supplemental Financial Data (Unaudited)(in millions) Reconciliation from Income from Operations to Segment IncomeThe Company views segment income, as defined below, as a principal measure of performance of its operations and for the allocation of resources.  Segment income is defined by the Company as income from operations adjusted to exclude intangibles amortization charges and provisions for restructuring and other. Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 2023 Income from operations                               $ 245 $ 269 Intangibles amortization 40 40 Restructuring and other 23 11 Segment income $ 308 $ 320     Segment Information Net Sales Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 2023 Americas Beverage $ 1,222 $ 1,261 European Beverage 482 479 Asia Pacific 279 338 Transit Packaging 520 564 Other (1) 281 332        Total net sales $ 2,784 $ 2,974 Segment Income  Americas Beverage $ 189 $ 178