Minerals Technologies Sets Q4 Adjusted EPS Outlook at $1.15 to $1.20

Minerals Technologies set a fourth-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings-per-share range of $1.15 to $1.20 on Oct. 30, giving investors a view of expected profitability amid seasonal project softness and higher input costs.

MTI forecast about $525 million in fourth-quarter sales and operating income of $60 million to $63 million, excluding special items. The EPS range also excludes special items and uses the company's non-GAAP calculation. The outlook came during an earnings call that began at 11 a.m. ET (15:00 UTC) Oct. 30.

The company noted that its fourth quarter has six fewer calendar days than Q4 2025. It expects sales in Engineered Solutions to fall about 10% sequentially, with lower project activity in Environmental & Infrastructure accounting for most of the anticipated decline. That business typically sees less project work in the fourth quarter.

MTI expects its high-purity calcium metal business to add over $100 million in revenue over three to five years. The metal is intended to support heavy rare-earth metallization in the United States. MTI introduced the opportunity at its Sept. 22 Investor Day, but the more specific three-to-five-year timeline came on the Oct. 30 call.

“The rare earth market is fluid, so we're not sure how fast it's going to ramp up,” Chairman and CEO Douglas T. Dietrich said. MTI said the calcium and steel-slag initiatives together could produce more than $200 million in revenue over five years. Dietrich also said the company remained on track for mid-single-digit revenue growth for 2026.

For the quarter ended Oct. 4, MTI recorded net sales of $554.9 million, up 4% from a year earlier. EPS was $1.53 excluding special items and $1.37 on a reported basis; operating income was $71.5 million excluding special items and $64.8 million as reported. Consumer & Specialties operating income dropped 34% to $24.8 million. MTI mainly attributed that decline to energy, transportation and raw-material expenses that it did not fully recoup during the quarter as contractual price changes took effect over time.