UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 8, 2005
Commission File Number 001-31921
Compass Minerals International, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 36-3972986
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) Identification Number)
8300 College Blvd.
Overland Park, KS 66210
(913) 344-9200
(Address of principal executive offices and telephone number)
N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:
[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
CFR 230.425)
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240-13e-4(c))
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure
Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) held its quarterly conference
call yesterday, February 8, in which the following topics were discussed:
o Sales in January 2005 were similar to sales in January 2004, which
benefited from severe winter weather. With two-thirds of the quarter
remaining, it is still too early to assess whether the full first
quarter of 2005 will be an average, above average or below
average-winter weather quarter.
o The company estimates that approximately $7 to $10 million of its 2004
operating earnings were due to severe winter weather. This translates
to a $35 to $45 million gross sales benefit from severe winter weather
in 2004.
o Most of the 2004 severe weather benefit occurred in the first quarter.
As reported in the conference call for the first quarter of 2004 (May
4, 2004), first-quarter 2004 operating earnings reflect a mid-single
digit million dollar benefit from a 53,000-ton increase in consumer
deicing sales due to severe weather on the East Coast and other
weather-related factors.
o The unusually high growth of sulfate of potash (SOP) sales in 2004 was
driven by an acquisition in December of 2003. Compass expects a much
lower, more organic growth rate for its SOP product line in 2005.
o In 2005, Compass anticipates higher costs related to year-over-year
increases in natural gas, the previously discussed transportation
costs that were built into the year-over-year price increases in
highway deicing salt and for increases in other transportation costs.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
COMPASS MINERALS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Date: February 9, 2005 /s/ Rodney L. Underdown
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Rodney L. Underdown
Chief Financial Officer