Incitec Pivot Ltd., reported a 72 percent drop in first-half net profit after tax (NPAT) excluding individually material items to A$41.9 million from the year-ago $147.1 million. The company cited a $60 million impact from the Queensland rail outage on Phosphate Hill earnings and $16 million from increased costs, driven by elevated gas pricing following a third-part gas supply disruption to the St. Helens site. There was also a $65 million decrease due to the impact of significant outages at the Waggaman, La., ammonia plant. Australian fertilizer sales were down $21 million due to drought.

Itafos, Toronto, reports that Mhamed Ibnabdeljalil has been appointed interim CEO, effective immediately. He currently serves on the company board of directors and will continue in that role. Dr. Ibnabdeljalil succeeds Brian Zatarain who is stepping down as CEO to pursue other interests. Dr. Ibnabdeljalil previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of OCP Group SA.

Helm Fertilizer Corp., Tampa, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Helm AG, will add additional fertilizer distribution hubs along the Mississippi River and its tributaries from CGB Fertilizer as of May 31, 2019. With this strategic step, Helm said it is underlining its expansion plans within the U.S. and expanding business activities towards the North. Helm said the move will make it one of the largest fertilizer distributors in the U.S., enabling it to market 3 million tons of dry and liquid fertilizer into North America through 15 terminals.

French chemical company Arkema SA has agreed to buy a U.S.-based supplier of mining-additives from Golden Gate Capital for $570 million, according to Bloomberg. Purchasing ArrMaz Custom Chemicals Inc. will add a portfolio of defoamers and other so-called surfactants used in road construction and agrochemicals generating annual sales of $290 million, Arkema said in a statement May 16.

Arkema SA is nearing a deal to acquire a ArrMaz Custom Chemicals Inc., the Mulberry, Fla.-based supplier of mining chemicals from Golden Gate Capital for about $550 million, according to a Bloomberg report, citing people with knowledge of the situation. The French chemical maker’s negotiations with the private equity firm are at an advanced stage and a deal could be announced as early as this week, though it could still fall apart said the sources. Within the fertilizer industry ArrMaz is particularly known for the chemicals it supplies the phosphate industry.

Nutrien Ltd., Saskatoon, reported first-quarter net earnings of $41 million on sales of $3.7 billion, up from a year-ago loss of $1 million on sales of $3.67 billion.

“Nutrien’s first-quarter adjusted EBITDA was 22 percent higher than 2018 despite being impacted by the second wettest six-month period in the U.S. in 125 years,” said Nutrien President and CEO Chuck Magro. “While some regions are still receiving excess moisture, planting is underway and we expect strong crop input demand in the second quarter. As such, we are maintaining our annual guidance for 2019.”

Twelve companies were awarded 780,000 mt in the May 1 MMTC urea tender, exceeding earlier estimates of 300-400,000 mt. Arab Gulf producers ADNOC/FERTIL and PIC accepted a lower bid of $271/mt FOB, down from their $277-$278/mt FOB offers for 120,000 mt. The East Coast of India will receive 198,000 mt from traders at $285.70/mt CFR. West Coast ports will get 461,000 from traders at $279.74/mt CFR.

The Andersons Inc. reported a first-quarter loss of $14 million up from the year-ago loss of $1.7 million citing trade disruptions and poor weather impacting multiple businesses. The Plant Nutrient Group reported a pretax loss of $3.9 million on delayed primary and specialty nutrient sales and lower lawn and contract manufacturing results versus the positive year-ago $1.1 million.

Intrepid Potash Inc. reported first quarter net income of $6.1 million up from the year-ago $1.7 million citing higher prices on lower sales volumes.

The Mosaic Co. reported first quarter net earnings of $131 million, up from the year-ago $42 million. However, citing curtailments and higher costs and taxes, the company has revised downward its full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance to $2-$2.3 million and adjusted EPS of $1.5-$2.00.