BALL Corp (BALL) FY 2023 MD&A

Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

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Management’s discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (annual report), which include additional information about our accounting policies, practices and the transactions underlying our financial results. The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes, including various claims and contingencies related to lawsuits, taxes, environmental and other matters arising during the normal course of business. We apply our best judgment, our knowledge of existing facts and circumstances and actions that we may undertake in the future in determining the estimates that affect our consolidated financial statements. We evaluate our estimates on an ongoing basis using our historical experience, as well as other factors we believe appropriate under the circumstances, such as current economic conditions, and adjust or revise our estimates as circumstances change. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results may differ from these estimates. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries are referred to collectively as “Ball Corporation,” “Ball,” “the company,” “we” or “our” in the following discussion and analysis.

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OVERVIEW

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Business Overview and Industry Trends

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Ball Corporation is one of the world’s leading aluminum packaging suppliers. Our packaging products are produced for a variety of end uses, are manufactured in facilities around the world and are competitive with other substrates, such as plastics and glass. In the aluminum packaging industry, sales and earnings can be increased by reducing costs, increasing prices, developing new products, expanding volumes and making strategic acquisitions. We also provide aerospace and other technologies and services to governmental and commercial customers. In the third quarter of 2023, Ball entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with BAE Systems, Inc. (BAE), to sell all of the outstanding equity interests in Ball’s aerospace business to BAE. On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of the aerospace business. See Note 4 for further details.

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We sell our aluminum packaging products mainly to large, multinational beverage, personal care and household products companies with which we have developed long-term relationships. This is evidenced by our high customer retention and our large number of long-term supply contracts. While we have a diversified customer base, we sell a significant portion of our packaging products to major companies and brands, as well as to numerous regional customers. The overall global aluminum beverage and aerosol container industries are growing and are expected to continue to grow in the medium to long term. The primary customers for the products and services provided by our aerospace segment are U.S. government agencies or their prime contractors.

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We purchase our raw materials from relatively few suppliers. We also have exposure to inflation, in particular the rising costs of raw materials, as well as other direct cost inputs. We mitigate our exposure to the changes in the costs of aluminum through the inclusion of provisions in contracts covering the majority of our volumes to pass through aluminum price changes, as well as through the use of derivative instruments. The pass through provisions generally result in proportional increases or decreases in sales and costs with a greatly reduced impact, if any, on net earnings; however, there may be timing differences of when the costs are passed through. Because of our customer and supplier concentration, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected by the loss, insolvency or bankruptcy of a major customer or supplier or a change in a supply agreement with a major customer or supplier, although our contract provisions generally mitigate the risk of customer loss, and our long-term relationships represent a known, stable customer base.

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The majority of our aerospace business involves work under contracts, generally from one to five years in duration, as a prime contractor or subcontractor for various U.S. government agencies. Intense competition and long operating cycles are key characteristics of the company’s aerospace and defense industry where it is common for work on major programs to be shared among a number of companies. A company competing to be a prime contractor may, upon ultimate award of the contract to a competitor, become a subcontractor for the ultimate prime contracting company.

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

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Management’s discussion and analysis for our results of operations on a consolidated and segment basis include a quantification of factors that had a material impact. Other factors that did not have a material impact, but that are significant to understand the results, are qualitatively described.

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Refer to Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed on February 21, 2023, for a comparison of our 2022 results of operations to the 2021 results.

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Global Economic Environment

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Recent data has indicated continued high inflation in the regions where we operate. Current and future inflationary effects may continue to be impacted by, among other things, supply chain disruptions, governmental stimulus or fiscal and monetary policies, changes in interest rates, and changing demand for certain goods and services. We cannot predict with any certainty the impact that rising interest rates, a global or any regional recession, or higher inflation may have on our customers or suppliers. Additionally, we are unable to predict the potential effects that any future pandemic, or the continuation or escalation of global conflicts, including the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the rising instability in the Middle East, and related sanctions or market disruptions, may have on our business. It remains uncertain how long any of these conditions may last or how severe any of them may become.

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Consolidated Sales and Earnings

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Sales in 2023 were $1,320 million lower compared to 2022 primarily due to a $554 million decrease from the 2022 sale of the Russian aluminum beverage packaging business, a $514 million decrease from lower volumes and a $305 million decrease from lower sales prices resulting mainly from lower aluminum prices net of the annual pass-through of inflationary costs.

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Net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation in 2023 were $12 million lower compared to 2022 primarily due to an $129 million increase in interest expense, an $124 million decrease from lower volumes, an $86 million decrease from the 2022 sale of the Russian aluminum beverage packaging business and an $82 million increase in business consolidation costs and other activities, partially offset by an $184 million increase from higher sales prices resulting mainly from the annual pass-through of inflationary costs net of current year inflation, $80 million of cost savings from rightsizing production, a $49 million increase from contract mix and operational performance in the aerospace segment and a $36 million decrease in the income tax provision.

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Cost of Sales (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization)

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Cost of sales, excluding depreciation and amortization, was $11,359 million in 2023 compared to $12,766 million in 2022. These amounts represented 81 percent and 83 percent of consolidated net sales for the years ended 2023 and 2022, respectively. The decrease year-over-year is primarily due to lower manufacturing costs, including lower aluminum costs of $1.29 billion, and lower freight expenses of $176 million. We took actions to normalize inventory levels and reduce fixed and variable costs in 2023 that improved financial results.

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Depreciation and Amortization

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Depreciation and amortization expense was $686 million in 2023 compared to $672 million in 2022. These amounts represented 5 percent and 4 percent of consolidated net sales for the years ended 2023 and 2022, respectively. Amortization expense in 2023 and 2022 included $135 million for the amortization of acquired Rexam intangibles. The increase compared to the same period in 2022 is primarily due to the company’s larger depreciable asset base, partially

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offset by revised estimated useful lives of the company’s manufacturing equipment, buildings and certain assembly and test equipment, as well as the sale of the Russian aluminum beverage packaging business. See Note 10 of these consolidated financial statements for additional discussion of the reduction in depreciation resulting from the 2022 revised estimated useful lives. See Note 4 for details and quantification regarding the sale of the Russian operations.

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Selling, General and Administrative

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Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $558 million in 2023 compared to $626 million in 2022. These amounts represented 4 percent of consolidated net sales for the years ending 2023 and 2022. The decrease in SG&A expenses was primarily due to a $26 million increase in foreign exchange gains and a $23 million decrease in professional service costs.

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Business Consolidation Costs and Other Activities

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Business consolidation and other activities resulted in charges of $153 million in 2023 compared to charges of $71 million in 2022. These amounts represented 1 percent and less than 1 percent of consolidated net sales for 2023 and 2022, respectively. The amounts in 2023 included facility shutdown costs, transaction costs related to the sale of the aerospace business and a foreign exchange loss associated with the company’s Argentina business. The amounts in 2022 included impairment losses on Russia’s long-lived asset group, the gain on sale of Ball’s Russian aluminum beverage packaging business, the gain on sale of Ball’s remaining equity method investment in Ball Metalpack, facility shutdown costs and a charge related to a donation to the Ball Foundation. Further details and quantification regarding business consolidation costs and other activities are provided in Note 6.

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Interest Expense

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Total interest expense was $459 million in 2023 compared to $330 million in 2022. Interest expense, excluding the effect of debt refinancing and other costs, as a percentage of average borrowings increased by approximately 140 basis points from 3.5 percent in 2022 to 4.9 percent in 2023 due to an increase in global interest rates. As such, the increase in interest expense was primarily driven by an $132 million increase from higher weighted average interest rates on outstanding debt during the year, along with a $15 million increase from a larger amount of weighted average principal outstanding during the year.

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Tax Provision

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The company’s effective tax rate is affected by recurring items such as income earned in non-U.S. jurisdictions with tax rates that differ from the U.S. tax rate and by discrete items that may occur in any given year but are not consistent from year to year.

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The 2023 effective income tax rate was 15.1 percent compared to 18.0 percent for 2022. As compared with the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate of 21 percent, the 2023 effective income tax rate was reduced by 8.2 percent for the impact of the U.S. research and development credit, by 4.7 percent for non-U.S. rate differences including tax holidays, and by 4.7 percent for the impact of U.S. taxes on non-U.S. earnings including the foreign tax credit. These reductions were partially offset by an increase of 13.0 percent for changes in valuation allowances. While these items are expected to recur, the potential magnitude of each item is uncertain.

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Further details of taxes on income are provided in Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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RESULTS OF BUSINESS SEGMENTS

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Segment Results

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Ball’s operations are organized and reviewed by management along its product lines and geographical areas, and its operating results are presented in the four reportable segments discussed below.

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Beverage Packaging, North and Central America

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Ball permanently ceased production at its Phoenix, Arizona aluminum beverage can manufacturing facility in the fourth quarter of 2022, permanently ceased production at its aluminum beverage can manufacturing facility in St. Paul, Minnesota in the first quarter of 2023 and permanently ceased production at its aluminum beverage can manufacturing facility in Wallkill, New York in the third quarter of 2023. Additionally, the company announced it will permanently cease production at its aluminum beverage can manufacturing facility in Kent, Washington in the first half of 2024, and has permanently discontinued plans to construct the North Las Vegas beverage can plant.

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Segment sales in 2023 were $733 million lower compared to 2022 primarily due to a $408 million decrease from lower volumes and a $325 million decrease from lower sales prices resulting mainly from lower aluminum prices net of the annual pass-through of inflationary costs.

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Comparable operating earnings in 2023 were $68 million higher compared to 2022 primarily due to $54 million of fixed cost savings from rightsizing production through the facility actions noted above, $32 million of income recognized from the termination of a long term power supply contract that offsets higher energy costs, a $25 million increase from higher sales prices resulting mainly from the annual pass-through of inflationary costs net of current year inflation and $21 million of lower depreciation expense associated with the third quarter 2022 revision of estimated useful lives, partially offset by an $109 million decrease from lower volumes. Fixed and variable cost management and operational performance initiatives continue and are expected to improve results in 2024 and beyond.

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Beverage Packaging, EMEA

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Segment sales in 2023 were $459 million lower compared to 2022 primarily due to a $554 million decrease from the 2022 sale of the Russian aluminum beverage packaging business and a $77 million decrease from lower volumes, partially offset by an $168 million increase from higher sales prices resulting mainly from the annual pass-through of inflationary costs net of lower aluminum prices.

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Comparable operating earnings in 2023 were $4 million lower compared to 2022 primarily due to an $86 million decrease from the 2022 sale of the Russian aluminum beverage packaging business, a $46 million decrease from new facility start-up costs and a $27 million decrease from currency translation, partially offset by an $126 million increase from higher sales prices mainly from the annual pass-through of inflationary costs net of current year inflation.

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During the third quarter of 2022, and further to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the company sold its Russian business, composed of three manufacturing facilities, for total cash consideration of $530 million. The historical operations and results of the Russian aluminum beverage packaging business, including the gain on sale, are included in the beverage packaging, EMEA segment. See Note 4 of these consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report for additional discussion regarding the sale and its impact to Ball’s financial results.

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A summary of the results of the Russian aluminum beverage packaging business and the non-Russian components of the beverage packaging, EMEA, segment, for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, are shown below:

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The Russian sales and comparable operating earnings figures in the above table include historical support by Russia for non-Russian regions. See Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report for additional discussion regarding the sale.

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Beverage Packaging, South America

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Ball permanently ceased production at its Santa Cruz, Brazil, aluminum beverage can manufacturing facility in the third quarter of 2022.

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Segment sales in 2023 were $148 million lower compared to 2022 due to a decrease from lower sales prices resulting mainly from lower aluminum prices net of the annual pass-through of inflationary costs.

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Comparable operating earnings in 2023 were $9 million lower compared to 2022 primarily due to a $27 million decrease from unfavorable fixed cost absorption, partially offset by a $3 million increase from higher sales prices resulting mainly from the annual pass-through of inflationary costs net of current year inflation.

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Aerospace

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In the third quarter of 2023, Ball entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with BAE Systems, Inc. (BAE), to sell all of the outstanding equity interests in Ball’s aerospace business to BAE. On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of the aerospace business. See Note 4 for further details.

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Segment sales in 2023 were $10 million lower compared to 2022, primarily due to a $22 million decrease from backlog liquidation timing, partially offset by a $12 million increase from favorable contract mix. Comparable operating earnings were $49 million higher, primarily due to a $31 million increase from favorable contract mix and an $18 million increase from operational performance.

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Sales to the U.S. government, either directly as a prime contractor or indirectly as a subcontractor, represented 98 percent of segment sales in 2023 and 2022. The aerospace contract mix in 2023 consisted of 41 percent cost-type contracts, which are billed at our costs plus an agreed-upon and/or earned profit component, and 56 percent fixed-price contracts. The remaining sales were for time and materials contracts.

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Backlog for the aerospace segment at December 31, 2023 and 2022, was $2.98 billion and $2.97 billion, respectively. The actual amount of funding received in the future may be higher or lower than our estimate of potential contract value. The segment has numerous outstanding bids for future contract awards. The backlog at December 31, 2023, consisted of 52 percent cost-type contracts. Comparisons of backlog are not necessarily indicative of the trend of future operations due to the nature of varying delivery and milestone schedules on contracts, funding of programs and the uncertainty of timing of future contract awards.

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Management Performance Measures

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Management internally uses various measures to evaluate company performance such as comparable operating earnings (earnings before interest, taxes and business consolidation and other non-comparable costs); comparable net earnings (earnings before business consolidation costs and other non-comparable costs after tax); comparable diluted earnings per share (comparable net earnings divided by diluted weighted average shares outstanding); return on average invested capital (net operating earnings after tax over the relevant performance period divided by average invested capital over the same period); economic value added (EVA®) dollars (net operating earnings after tax less a capital charge on average invested capital employed); earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT); earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA); and diluted earnings per share. In addition, management uses operating cash flows as a measure to evaluate the company’s liquidity. We believe this information is also useful to investors as it provides insight into the earnings and cash flow criteria that management uses to make strategic decisions. These financial measures may be adjusted at times for items that affect comparability between periods, including business consolidation costs and other non-comparable items.

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Nonfinancial measures used in the packaging businesses include production efficiency and spoilage rates; quality control figures; environmental, health and safety statistics; production and sales volume data; asset utilization rates and measures of sustainability. Additional measures used to evaluate financial performance in the aerospace segment include contract revenue realization, award and incentive fees realized, proposal win rates and backlog. References to sales volume data represent units shipped.

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Many of the above noted financial measurements are presented on a non-U.S. GAAP basis and should be considered in connection with the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report. Non-U.S. GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation and should not be considered superior to, or a substitute for, financial measures calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. A presentation of earnings in accordance with U.S. GAAP is available in Item 8 of this annual report.

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CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

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For information regarding the company’s critical and significant accounting policies, as well as recent accounting pronouncements, see Note 1 and Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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The company considers certain accounting estimates to be critical, as their application is made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had, or are reasonably likely to have, a material impact on the financial condition or results of operations. Detailed below is a discussion of why, to the extent the estimate is material, these estimates are subject to uncertainty and the sensitivity of the reported amounts to the methods, assumptions, and estimates underlying the estimate’s calculation.

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Revenue Recognition in the Aerospace Segment

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Sales under fixed-price long-term contracts in the aerospace segment are primarily recognized using percentage-of-completion accounting under the cost-to-cost method. The company believes the accounting estimates related to revenue recognition in its aerospace segment are critical accounting estimates because they are highly reliant upon estimation throughout the segment’s contracts with its customers. The recognition of revenue requires significant estimation on the part of management, including estimating techniques to project revenues and costs at completion and various assumptions and projections related to the outcome of future events, and evaluation of estimates of total contract revenue, total contract cost, and extent of progress toward completion. Aside from estimation of total contract cost and progress towards completion, total revenues in our aerospace segment are subject to uncertainty due to the total amount that will be paid by the customer giving rise to variable consideration. The primary types of variable consideration present in the company’s contracts are cost reimbursements, performance award fees, incremental funding and finalization of government rates. The company’s accounting policy around revenue recognition in its aerospace segment and further details of estimates used in revenue recognition in its aerospace segment can be found in Note 1 and Note 5, respectively, to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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Defined Benefit Pension Plans

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The company has defined benefit plans which require management to make assumptions relating to the long-term rate of return on plan assets, discount rates used to determine the present value of future obligations and expenses, salary inflation rates, mortality rates and other assumptions. The company believes the accounting estimates related to its pension plans are critical accounting estimates because several of the company’s defined benefit plans have significant asset and liability balances, and because the assumptions used are highly susceptible to change from period to period based on the performance of plan assets, actuarial valuations, market conditions and contracted benefit changes. These assumptions do not change during the company’s fiscal year unless a remeasurement event occurs in one of the plans, such as a significant settlement. The assumptions used in accounting for the company’s defined benefit plans and how they have changed over time, as well as the sensitivity of the plans to changes in their related assumptions, can be found in Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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FINANCIAL CONDITION, LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

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Cash Flows and Capital Expenditures

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Our primary sources of liquidity are cash provided by operating activities and external borrowings. We believe that cash flows from operating activities and cash provided by short-term, long-term and committed revolver borrowings, when necessary, will be sufficient to meet our ongoing operating requirements, scheduled principal and interest payments on debt, dividend payments, anticipated share repurchases and anticipated capital expenditures. The following table summarizes our cash flows:

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Cash flows provided by operating activities were $1,863 million in 2023, primarily driven by net earnings of $711 million, depreciation and amortization of $686 million, working capital inflows of $360 million and business consolidation and other costs of $153 million. On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of the aerospace business. We currently estimate a cash tax of $1.0 billion to be recorded as a cash outflow from operations in 2024. See Note 4 for further details. In an elevated interest rate environment, payment terms with our customers and vendors become a more important element of total mix of information used to negotiate our contract terms. At December 31, 2023, days sales outstanding, net of factored receivables, was 62 days; therefore, a change of one day in days sales outstanding will impact cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities by $38 million. At December 31, 2023, days payable outstanding was 118 days; therefore, a change of one day in days payable outstanding will impact cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities by $30 million. At December 31, 2023, days inventory outstanding was

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52 days; therefore, a change of one day in days inventory outstanding will impact cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities by $30 million.

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Cash flows used in investing activities were $1,053 million in 2023 primarily driven by $1.05 billion in capital expenditures. On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of the aerospace business. The proceeds from the sale will be recorded as a cash inflow from investing activities in 2024. See Note 4 for further details.

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Cash flows used in financing activities were $662 million in 2023, primarily driven by the repayment of $1.00 billion of 4.00% senior notes, the $210 million net repayment of short-term loans, a net revolver repayment of $200 million and common stock dividends of $252 million, partially offset by the issuance of $1.00 billion of 6.00% senior notes due in 2029. See Note 15 for further details on the company’s borrowings, and additional amounts available. On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of the aerospace business. The company plans to use $2.00 billion of the proceeds to repay debt and accelerate capital return to shareholders via $2.00 billion of share repurchases. See Note 4 for further details.

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We have entered into several regional committed and uncommitted accounts receivable factoring programs with various financial institutions for certain of our accounts receivable. The programs are accounted for as true sales of the receivables, with limited recourse to Ball, and had combined limits of approximately $2.00 billion and $2.04 billion at December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022, respectively. A total of $350 million and $488 million were available for sale under these programs at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The company has recorded $97 million, $67 million and $41 million of expense related to its factoring programs in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and has presented these amounts in selling, general, and administrative in its consolidated statements of earnings.

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The company has several regional supplier finance programs with various financial institutions that act as the paying agent for certain payables of the company. The amount of obligations outstanding that the company confirmed as valid to the financial institutions under the company's programs was $709 million and $930 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our payment terms are not dependent on whether the suppliers participate in the supplier finance programs or if the suppliers decide to factor their receivables with the financial institutions; therefore, we do not believe that future changes in the availability of supplier finance programs will have a significant impact on our liquidity.

Contributions to the company’s defined benefit pension plans were $42 million and $124 million for the years ended 2023 and 2022, respectively, and such contributions are expected to be approximately $75 million for the full year of 2024. This estimate may change based on changes in the Pension Protection Act, actual plan asset performance and available company cash flow, among other factors.

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As of December 31, 2023, approximately $687 million of our cash was held outside of the U.S. In the event that we would need to utilize any of the cash held outside of the U.S. for purposes within the U.S., there are no material legal or other economic restrictions regarding the repatriation of cash from any of the countries outside the U.S. where we have cash, other than market liquidity constraints that limit the ability to convert Egyptian pounds held by the company in Egypt with a U.S. dollar equivalent value of $110 million into other currencies. The company believes its U.S. operating cash flows and cash on hand, as well as availability under its long-term, revolving credit facilities, uncommitted short-term credit facilities and committed and uncommitted accounts receivable factoring programs, will be sufficient to meet the cash requirements of the U.S. portion of our ongoing operations, scheduled principal and interest payments on U.S. debt, dividend payments, capital expenditures and other U.S. cash requirements. If non-U.S. funds are needed for our U.S. cash requirements and we are unable to provide the funds through intercompany financing arrangements, we may be required to repatriate funds from non-U.S. locations where the company has previously asserted indefinite reinvestment of funds outside the U.S.

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Based on its indefinite reinvestment assertion, the company has not provided deferred taxes on earnings in certain non-U.S. subsidiaries because such earnings are intended to be indefinitely reinvested in its international operations. It is not practical to estimate the additional taxes that might become payable if these earnings were remitted to the U.S.

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Share Repurchases

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The company’s share repurchases totaled $3 million in 2023 and $618 million in 2022. The repurchases were completed using cash on hand, cash provided by operating activities, proceeds from the sale of businesses and available borrowings. On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of the aerospace business. The company

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plans to accelerate capital return to shareholders via share repurchases as a result of the divestiture. See Note 4 for further details.

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In the second quarter of 2022, in a privately negotiated transaction, Ball entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement to buy $300 million of its common shares using cash on hand and available borrowings. In the third quarter of 2022, Ball settled the agreement and received a total of 4.34 million shares with the average price paid per share of $69.06.

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Debt Facilities and Refinancing

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Given our cash flow projections and unused credit facilities that are available until June 2027, our liquidity is strong and is expected to meet our ongoing cash and debt service requirements. Total interest-bearing debt of $8.62 billion and $9.00 billion was outstanding at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of the aerospace business. We plan to repay a portion of outstanding debt as a result of the divestiture. See Note 4 for further details.

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In November 2023, Ball redeemed the outstanding 4.00% senior notes due in the amount of $1.00 billion. In May 2023, Ball issued $1.00 billion of 6.00% senior notes due in 2029, and repaid the outstanding U.S. dollar revolving credit facility due in 2027 in the amount of $800 million. The remaining $200 million was used for general corporate purposes. During 2022, Ball issued $750 million of 6.875% senior notes due in 2028, redeemed $738 million of outstanding euro denominated 4.375% debt and completed the closing of its new revolving and term loan senior secured credit facilities that refinanced its existing senior secured credit facilities entered into in 2019.

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The company’s senior credit facilities include a $1.35 billion term loan and long-term, multi-currency revolving facilities that mature in June 2027, which provide the company with up to the U.S. dollar equivalent of $1.75 billion. At December 31, 2023, approximately $1.69 billion was available under the company’s long-term, multi-currency committed revolving credit facilities. In addition to these facilities, the company had $196 million of committed short-term loans outstanding. The company also had approximately $964 million of short-term uncommitted credit facilities available at December 31, 2023, of which $13 million was outstanding and due on demand. At December 31, 2022, the company had $293 million of committed short-term loans outstanding and $112 million outstanding under short-term uncommitted credit facilities.

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While ongoing financial and economic conditions in certain areas may raise concerns about credit risk with counterparties to derivative transactions, the company mitigates its exposure by allocating the risk among various counterparties and limiting exposure to any one party. We also monitor the credit ratings of our suppliers, customers, lenders and counterparties on a regular basis.

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We were in compliance with all loan agreements at December 31, 2023, and for all prior years presented, and we have met all debt payment obligations. The U.S. note agreements and bank credit agreement contain certain restrictions relating to dividends, investments, financial ratios, guarantees and the incurrence of additional indebtedness. The most restrictive of our debt covenants requires us to maintain a leverage ratio (as defined) of no greater than 5.0 times, which will change to 4.5 times as of September 30, 2025. As of December 31, 2023, the company could borrow an additional $2.36 billion under its long-term multi-currency committed revolving facilities and short-term uncommitted credit facilities without violating our existing debt covenants. Additional details about our debt are available in Note 15 accompanying the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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Defined Benefit Pension Plans

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In November 2023, the Trustee Board of the U.K. defined benefit pension plan entered into an agreement with an insurance company for a bulk annuity purchase, or “buy-in,” for its U.K. defined benefit pension plan to reduce retirement plan risk, while delivering promised benefits to plan participants. This transaction allows the company to reduce volatility by removing investment, longevity, mortality, interest rate and inflation risk upon the transfer of significantly all of the pension plan assets to the insurer in exchange for the group annuity insurance contract. The plan will be frozen in April 2024 and the company anticipates the “buy-out” will occur within the next two years, which will trigger a pension settlement that will result in all plan balances, including accumulated pension components within other comprehensive income, being charged to expense as a noncash settlement charge. See Note 17 for further details.

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The company closed its pension plans to all non-unionized new entrants in the United States effective for anyone hired after December 31, 2021. New employees instead receive a non-elective 401(k) company contribution that is expected to approximate the legacy pension benefit. Anyone employed by Ball prior to that date is unaffected by this change.

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Other Liquidity Measures

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Given the on-going growth projects in our businesses being undertaken to support EVA-enhancing contracted volumes, in 2024, we expect capital expenditures to be in the range of $650 million and we intend to return approximately $247 million to shareholders in the form of dividends. We further intend to utilize our operating cash flows to pay down debt and, to the extent available, repurchase Ball common stock or fund acquisitions that meet our rate of return criteria. On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of the aerospace business. We plan to accelerate capital return to shareholders via share repurchases and repay a portion of outstanding debt as a result of the divestiture. See Note 4 for further details.

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We have committed contracts to purchase raw materials and we align these purchase commitments with long-term sales contracts with our customers such that any commitment to purchase aluminum and other direct materials corresponds to a contractual sale. These aluminum purchase commitments include pass-through provisions which generally result in proportional changes in both sales and costs of sales; however, there may be timing differences of when the costs are passed through.

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The company’s growth and asset maintenance plans require capital expenditures over the coming years, which will be funded by operating cash flows and external borrowings. Approximately $258 million of capital expenditures were contractually committed as of December 31, 2023. Maturities for Ball’s long-term debt are disclosed in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report. Repayments of debt and other operational cash requirements will also be funded by operating cash flows and external borrowings. The company has no material off-balance sheet arrangements.

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CONTINGENCIES, INDEMNIFICATIONS AND GUARANTEES

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Details of the company’s contingencies, legal proceedings, indemnifications and guarantees are available in Note 22 and Note 23 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report. The company is routinely subject to litigation incidental to operating its businesses and has been designated by various federal, state, and international environmental agencies as a potentially responsible party, along with numerous other companies, for the clean-up of several hazardous waste sites. The company believes the matters identified will not have a material adverse effect upon its liquidity, results of operations or financial condition.

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Guaranteed Securities

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The company’s senior notes are guaranteed on a full and unconditional, joint and several basis by the issuer of the company’s senior notes and the subsidiaries that guarantee the notes (the obligor group). The entities that comprise the obligor group are 100 percent owned by the company. As described in the supplemental indentures governing the company’s existing senior notes, the senior notes are guaranteed by any of the company’s domestic subsidiaries that guarantee any other indebtedness of the company.

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The following summarized financial information relates to the obligor group as of and for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Intercompany transactions, equity investments and other intercompany activity between obligor group subsidiaries have been eliminated from the summarized financial information. Investments in subsidiaries not forming part of the obligor group have also been eliminated.

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Included in the amounts disclosed in the tables above, at December 31, 2023 and 2022, the obligor group held receivables due from other subsidiary companies of $768 million and $477 million, respectively, long-term notes receivable due from other subsidiary companies of $10.20 billion and $9.89 billion, respectively, payables due to other subsidiary companies of $1.83 billion and $2.22 billion, respectively, and long-term notes payable due to other subsidiary companies of $2.32 billion and $2.21 billion, respectively.

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For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the obligor group recorded the following transactions with other subsidiary companies: sales to them of $1.13 billion and $1.50 billion, respectively, net credits from them of $38 million and $19 million, respectively, and net interest income from them of $344 million and $329 million, respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the obligor group received dividends from other subsidiary companies of $814 million and $18 million, respectively.

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A description of the terms and conditions of the company’s debt guarantees is located in Note 23 to the consolidated financial statements within Item 8 of this annual report.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

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This report contains “forward-looking” statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “believes,” and similar expressions typically identify forward looking statements, which are generally any statements other than statements of historical fact. Such statements are based on current expectations or views of the future and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied. You should therefore not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, and they should be read in conjunction with, and qualified in their entirety by, the cautionary statements referenced below. Ball undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to be different are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99 in Ball’s Form 10-K, which are available on Ball’s website and at www.sec.gov. Additional factors that might affect: a) Ball’s packaging segments include product capacity, supply, and demand constraints and fluctuations and changes in consumption patterns; availability/cost of raw materials, equipment, and logistics; competitive packaging, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather and related events such as drought, wildfires, storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods; footprint adjustments and other manufacturing changes, including the startup of new facilities and lines; failure to achieve synergies, productivity improvements or cost reductions; unfavorable mandatory deposit or packaging laws; customer and supplier consolidation; power and supply chain interruptions; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; inability to pass through increased costs; war, political instability and sanctions, including relating to the situation in Russia and Ukraine and its impact on Ball’s supply chain and its ability to operate in Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions generally; changes in foreign exchange or tax rates; and tariffs, trade actions, or other governmental actions, including business restrictions and orders affecting goods produced by Ball or in its supply chain, including imported raw materials; and b) Ball as a whole include those listed above plus: the extent to which sustainability-related opportunities arise and can be capitalized upon; changes in senior management, succession, and the ability to attract and retain skilled labor; regulatory actions or issues including those related to tax, environmental, social and governance reporting, competition, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. Federal Drug Administration and other actions or public concerns affecting products filled in Ball’s containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; technological developments and innovations; the ability to manage cyber threats; litigation; strikes; disease; pandemic; labor cost changes; inflation; rates of return on assets of Ball’s defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding geopolitical events and governmental policies, including policies, orders, and actions related to COVID-19; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting Ball’s debt; successful or unsuccessful joint ventures, acquisitions and divestitures, and their effects on Ball’s operating results and business generally.

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