Technology
Ultra Clean Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results
Published
2 years agoon
By
HAYWARD, Calif., Oct. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: UCTT), today reported its financial results for the third quarter ended September 27, 2024.
“UCT’s third quarter results came in above expectations driven by broader equipment demand for AI infrastructure build out and sustained domestic China market spending,” said Jim Scholhamer, CEO. “The rationale for significant long-term investment in WFE remains strong. UCT’s vertical integration capabilities and strategic manufacturing network provide a competitive edge, and should enable us to increase share as demand expands.”
Third Quarter 2024 GAAP Financial Results
Total revenue was $540.4 million. Products contributed $479.0 million and Services added $61.4 million. Total gross margin was 17.3%, operating margin was 4.7%, and net loss was $(2.3) million or $(0.05) per diluted share. This compares to total revenue of $516.1 million, gross margin of 17.1%, operating margin of 4.4%, and net income of $19.1 million or $0.42 per diluted share, in the prior quarter.
Third Quarter 2024 Non-GAAP Financial Results
On a non-GAAP basis, gross margin was 17.8%, operating margin was 7.3%, and net income was $15.9 million or $0.35 per diluted share. This compares to gross margin of 17.7%, operating margin of 6.9%, and net income of $14.4 million or $0.32 per diluted share in the prior quarter.
Fourth Quarter 2024 Outlook
The Company expects revenue in the range of $535 million to $585 million. The Company expects GAAP diluted net income per share to be between $0.06 and $0.26 and non-GAAP diluted net income per share to be between $0.34 and $0.54.
Conference Call
The conference call and webcast will take place on Monday, October 28, 2024 at 1:45 p.m. PT and can be accessed by dialing 1-800-836-8184 or 1-646-357-8785. No passcode is required. A replay of the call will be available by dialing 1-888-660-6345 or 1-646-517-4150 and entering the confirmation code 34185#. The Webcast will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at http://uct.com/investors/events/.
About Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc.
Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. is a leading developer and supplier of critical subsystems, components, parts, and ultra-high purity cleaning and analytical services, primarily for the semiconductor industry. Under its Products division, UCT offers its customers an integrated outsourced solution for major subassemblies, improved design-to-delivery cycle times, design for manufacturability, prototyping, and high-precision manufacturing. Under its Services Division, UCT offers its customers tool chamber parts cleaning and coating, as well as micro-contamination analytical services. Ultra Clean is headquartered in Hayward, California. Additional information is available at www.uct.com.
Use of Non-GAAP Measures
In addition to providing results that are determined in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), management uses non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating margin and non-GAAP net income to evaluate the Company’s operating and financial results. We believe the presentation of non-GAAP results is useful to investors for analyzing our core business and business trends and comparing performance to prior periods, along with enhancing investors’ ability to view the Company’s results from management’s perspective. The presentation of this additional information should not be considered a substitute for results prepared in accordance with GAAP. Tables presenting reconciliations from GAAP results to non-GAAP results are included at the end of this press release.
The Company defines non-GAAP net income as net income (loss) before amortization of intangible assets, stock-based compensation, restructuring charges, acquisition activity costs, fair value adjustments, debt refinancing costs, legal-related costs and the tax effects of the foregoing adjustments.
A reconciliation of our guidance for non-GAAP net income per diluted share for the subsequent quarter is not available due to fluctuations in the geographic mix of our earnings from quarter to quarter, which impacts our tax rate and cannot be reasonably predicted or determined. As a result, such reconciliation is not available without unreasonable efforts and we are unable to determine the probable significance of the unavailable information.
Safe Harbor Statement
The foregoing information contains, or may be deemed to contain, “forward-looking statements” (as defined in the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) which reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance. We use words such as “anticipates,” “projection,” “outlook,” “forecast,” “believes,” “plan,” “expect,” “future,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “estimates,” “see,” “predicts,” “should” and similar expressions to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements included in this press release include our expectations about the semiconductor capital equipment market and outlook. All forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, the Company’s actual results may differ materially from the results predicted or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors also include, among others, those identified in “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise unless required by law.
Contact:
Rhonda Bennetto
SVP Investor Relations
rbennetto@uct.com
ULTRA CLEAN HOLDINGS, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited; in millions, except per share data)
Three Months Ended
Nine Months Ended
September 27,
2024
September 29,
2023
September 27,
2024
September 29,
2023
Revenues:
Product
$ 479.0
$ 380.9
$ 1,350.2
$ 1,112.0
Services
61.4
54.1
184.1
177.8
Total revenues
540.4
435.0
1,534.3
1,289.8
Cost of revenues:
Product
403.3
329.3
1,141.2
955.5
Services
43.7
40.5
128.6
128.0
Total cost revenues
447.0
369.8
1,269.8
1,083.5
Gross margin
93.4
65.2
264.5
206.3
Operating expenses:
Research and development
7.1
7.4
21.2
21.7
Sales and marketing
14.4
12.8
42.9
38.6
General and administrative
46.7
39.3
135.1
115.3
Total operating expenses
68.2
59.5
199.2
175.6
Income from operations
25.2
5.7
65.3
30.7
Interest income
1.1
1.2
3.9
2.5
Interest expense
(12.0)
(12.3)
(35.8)
(35.9)
Other income (expense), net
(4.1)
(2.1)
9.3
(0.8)
Income before provision for income taxes
10.2
(7.5)
42.7
(3.5)
Provision for income taxes
9.9
5.3
28.2
17.1
Net income (loss)
0.3
(12.8)
14.5
(20.6)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
2.6
1.7
7.1
6.7
Net income (loss) attributable to UCT
$ (2.3)
$ (14.5)
$ 7.4
$ (27.3)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to UCT common stockholders:
Basic
$ (0.05)
$ (0.32)
$ 0.16
$ (0.61)
Diluted
$ (0.05)
$ (0.32)
$ 0.16
$ (0.61)
Shares used in computing net income (loss) per share:
Basic
45.0
44.8
44.8
44.8
Diluted
45.0
44.8
45.4
44.8
ULTRA CLEAN HOLDINGS, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited; in millions)
September 27,
2024
December 29,
2023
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 318.2
$ 307.0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses
228.1
180.8
Inventories
402.6
374.5
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
36.9
30.9
Total current assets
985.8
893.2
Property, plant and equipment, net
327.7
328.3
Goodwill
265.3
265.2
Intangible assets, net
192.4
215.3
Deferred tax assets, net
3.6
3.1
Operating lease right-of-use assets
162.2
151.7
Other non-current assets
10.5
10.9
Total assets
$ 1,947.5
$ 1,867.7
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Bank borrowings
$ 16.4
$ 17.6
Accounts payable
233.2
192.9
Accrued compensation and related benefits
47.9
47.7
Operating lease liabilities
19.0
18.1
Other current liabilities
42.3
33.7
Total current liabilities
358.8
310.0
Bank borrowings, net of current portion
475.8
461.2
Deferred tax liabilities
18.9
19.0
Operating lease liabilities
155.6
143.0
Other liabilities
16.0
37.3
Total liabilities
1,025.1
970.5
Equity:
UCT stockholders’ equity:
Common stock
507.7
496.6
Retained earnings
354.1
346.7
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(3.9)
(4.4)
Total UCT stockholders’ equity
857.9
838.9
Noncontrolling interests
64.5
58.3
Total equity
922.4
897.2
Total liabilities and equity
$ 1,947.5
$ 1,867.7
ULTRA CLEAN HOLDINGS, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited; in millions)
Nine Months Ended
September 27,
2024
September 29,
2023
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)
$ 14.5
$ (20.6)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
34.1
27.9
Amortization of intangible assets
22.9
16.9
Stock-based compensation
12.7
8.7
Amortization of debt issuance costs
2.4
2.9
Change in the fair value of financial instruments
(21.7)
(0.3)
Deferred income taxes
(1.2)
0.1
Loss (gain) on sale of property, plant and equipment
1.2
(1.1)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable
(47.3)
83.2
Inventories
(28.1)
65.6
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
(2.9)
7.5
Other non-current assets
0.6
0.8
Accounts payable
46.1
(61.2)
Accrued compensation and related benefits
0.2
(11.8)
Income taxes payable
1.4
(8.9)
Operating lease assets and liabilities
8.1
(3.7)
Other liabilities
4.9
(5.4)
Net cash provided by operating activities
47.9
100.6
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property, plant and equipment
(46.2)
(59.2)
Proceeds from sale of equipment
—
2.3
Net cash used in investing activities
(46.2)
(56.9)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from bank borrowings
67.7
—
Proceeds from issuance of common stock
0.9
—
Extinguishment of debt
(44.2)
—
Principal payments on bank borrowings
(10.1)
(34.7)
Payment of debt issuance costs
(2.5)
(0.3)
Employees’ taxes paid upon vesting of restricted stock units
(2.5)
(2.2)
Payments of dividends to a joint venture shareholder
(0.5)
(0.1)
Repurchase of shares
—
(23.7)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
8.8
(61.0)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
0.7
0.5
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
11.2
(16.8)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
307.0
358.8
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
$ 318.2
$ 342.0
ULTRA CLEAN HOLDINGS, INC.
REPORTABLE SEGMENTS
GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION
(Unaudited; dollars in millions)
GAAP
Non-GAAP
Three Months Ended
Three Months Ended
September 27, 2024
September 27, 2024
Products
Services
Consolidated
Products
Services
Consolidated
Revenues
$ 479.0
$ 61.4
$ 540.4
$ 479.0
$ 61.4
$ 540.4
Gross profit
$ 75.7
$ 17.7
$ 93.4
$ 77.3
$ 18.7
$ 96.0
Gross margin
15.8 %
28.8 %
17.3 %
16.1 %
30.5 %
17.8 %
Income from operations
$ 22.4
$ 2.8
$ 25.2
$ 33.3
$ 6.2
$ 39.5
Operating margin
4.7 %
4.6 %
4.7 %
7.0 %
10.1 %
7.3 %
Three Months Ended
September 27, 2024
Products
Services
Consolidated
Reconciliation of GAAP Gross profit to Non-GAAP Gross profit (in millions)
Reported gross profit on a GAAP basis
$ 75.7
$ 17.7
$ 93.4
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
1.3
1.0
2.3
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
0.3
—
0.3
Non-GAAP gross profit
$ 77.3
$ 18.7
$ 96.0
Reconciliation of GAAP Gross margin to Non-GAAP Gross margin
Reported gross margin on a GAAP basis
15.8 %
28.8 %
17.3 %
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
0.2 %
1.7 %
0.4 %
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
0.1 %
— %
0.1 %
Non-GAAP gross margin
16.1 %
30.5 %
17.8 %
Reconciliation of GAAP Income from operations to Non-GAAP Income from operations (in millions)
Reported income from operations on a GAAP basis
$ 22.4
$ 2.8
$ 25.2
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
4.7
2.9
7.6
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
4.0
0.5
4.5
Restructuring charges (3)
0.3
—
0.3
Acquisition related costs (4)
0.6
—
0.6
Legal-related costs (5)
1.3
—
1.3
Non-GAAP income from operations
$ 33.3
$ 6.2
$ 39.5
Reconciliation of GAAP Operating margin to Non-GAAP Operating margin
Reported operating margin on a GAAP basis
4.7 %
4.6 %
4.7 %
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
1.0 %
4.7 %
1.4 %
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
0.8 %
0.8 %
0.8 %
Restructuring charges (3)
0.1 %
— %
0.1 %
Acquisition related costs (4)
0.1 %
— %
0.1 %
Legal-related costs (5)
0.3 %
— %
0.2 %
Non-GAAP operating margin
7.0 %
10.1 %
7.3 %
1 Amortization of intangible assets related to the Company’s business acquisitions
2 Represents compensation expense for stock granted to employees and directors
3 Represents severance, retention and costs related to facility closures
4 Represents acquisition activity costs
5 Represents estimated costs related to certain legal proceedings
ULTRA CLEAN HOLDINGS, INC.
UNAUDITED RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP ADJUSTED RESULTS
Three Months Ended
September 27,
2024
September 29,
2023
June 28,
2024
Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income (Loss) to Non-GAAP Net Income (in millions)
Reported net income (loss) attributable to UCT on a GAAP basis
(2.3)
$ (14.5)
$ 19.1
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
7.6
5.5
7.6
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
4.5
3.9
4.7
Restructuring charges (3)
0.3
3.2
0.5
Acquisition related costs (4)
0.6
0.7
—
Fair value related adjustments (5)
0.8
—
(24.1)
Debt refinancing costs expensed (6)
—
—
3.6
Legal-related costs (7)
1.3
—
—
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments (8)
(4.1)
(5.0)
1.9
Income tax effect of valuation allowance (9)
7.2
8.2
1.1
Non-GAAP net income attributable to UCT
$ 15.9
$ 2.0
$ 14.4
Reconciliation of GAAP Income from operations to Non-GAAP Income from operations (in millions)
Reported income from operations on a GAAP basis
$ 25.2
$ 5.7
$ 22.9
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
7.6
5.5
7.6
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
4.5
3.9
4.7
Restructuring charges (3)
0.3
3.2
0.5
Acquisition related costs (4)
0.6
0.7
—
Legal-related costs (7)
1.3
—
—
Non-GAAP income from operations
$ 39.5
$ 19.0
$ 35.7
Reconciliation of GAAP Operating margin to Non-GAAP Operating margin
Reported operating margin on a GAAP basis
4.7 %
1.3 %
4.4 %
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
1.4 %
1.3 %
1.5 %
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
0.8 %
0.9 %
0.9 %
Restructuring charges (3)
0.1 %
0.7 %
0.1 %
Acquisition related costs (4)
0.1 %
0.2 %
— %
Legal-related costs (7)
0.2 %
— %
— %
Non-GAAP operating margin
7.3 %
4.4 %
6.9 %
Reconciliation of GAAP Gross profit to Non-GAAP Gross profit (in millions)
Reported gross profit on a GAAP basis
$ 93.4
$ 65.2
$ 88.5
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
2.3
1.5
2.3
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
0.3
0.2
0.5
Restructuring charges (3)
—
0.7
0.2
Non-GAAP gross profit
$ 96.0
$ 67.6
$ 91.5
Reconciliation of GAAP Gross margin to Non-GAAP Gross margin
Reported gross margin on a GAAP basis
17.3 %
15.0 %
17.1 %
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
0.4 %
0.3 %
0.5 %
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
0.1 %
0.0 %
0.1 %
Restructuring charges (3)
— %
0.2 %
0.0 %
Non-GAAP gross margin
17.8 %
15.5 %
17.7 %
Reconciliation of GAAP Other income (expense), net to Non-GAAP Other income (expense), net (in millions)
Reported Other income (expense), net on a GAAP basis
$ (4.1)
$ (2.1)
$ 17.4
Fair value related adjustments (5)
0.8
—
(24.1)
Debt refinancing costs expensed (6)
—
—
3.6
Non-GAAP Other income (expense), net
$ (3.3)
$ (2.1)
$ (3.1)
Reconciliation of GAAP Income (Loss) Per Diluted Share to Non-GAAP Earnings Per Diluted Share
Reported net income (loss) on a GAAP basis
$ (0.05)
$ (0.32)
$ 0.42
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
0.17
0.12
0.17
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
0.10
0.09
0.10
Restructuring charges (3)
0.00
0.07
0.01
Acquisition related costs (4)
0.01
0.02
—
Fair value related adjustments (5)
0.02
—
(0.53)
Debt refinancing costs expensed (6)
—
—
0.08
Legal-related costs (7)
0.03
—
—
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments (8)
(0.09)
(0.11)
0.04
Income tax effect of valuation allowance (9)
0.16
0.17
0.03
Non-GAAP net earnings
$ 0.35
$ 0.04
$ 0.32
Weighted average number of diluted shares (in millions) on a non-GAAP basis
45.5
45.0
45.4
ULTRA CLEAN HOLDINGS, INC.
UNAUDITED RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP EFFECTIVE INCOME TAX RATE
Three Months Ended
September 27,
2024
September 29,
2023
June 28,
2024
Provision for income taxes on a GAAP basis
$ 9.9
$ 5.3
$ 8.5
Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments (8)
4.1
5.0
(1.9)
Income tax effect of valuation allowance (9)
(7.2)
(8.2)
(1.1)
Non-GAAP provision for income taxes
$ 6.8
$ 2.2
$ 5.5
Income before income taxes on a GAAP basis
$ 10.2
$ (7.5)
$ 30.0
Amortization of intangible assets (1)
7.6
5.5
7.6
Stock-based compensation expense (2)
4.5
3.9
4.7
Restructuring charges (3)
0.3
3.2
0.5
Acquisition related costs (4)
0.6
0.7
—
Fair value related adjustments (5)
0.8
—
(24.1)
Debt refinancing costs expensed (6)
—
—
3.6
Legal-related costs (7)
1.3
—
—
Non-GAAP income before income taxes
$ 25.3
$ 5.8
$ 22.3
Effective income tax rate on a GAAP basis
97.1 %
(70.7) %
28.3 %
Non-GAAP effective income tax rate
27.1 %
37.3 %
24.7 %
1 Amortization of intangible assets related to the Company’s business acquisitions
2 Represents compensation expense for stock granted to employees and directors
3 Represents severance, retention and costs related to facility closures
4 Represents acquisition activity costs
5 Fair value adjustments related to contingent consideration
6 Represents the third party transaction costs related to the amended credit agreement and the previously capitalized
costs of extinguished debt
7 Represents estimated costs related to certain legal proceedings
8 Tax effect of items (1) through (7) above based on the non-GAAP tax rate
9 The Company’s GAAP tax expense is generally higher than the Company’s non-GAAP tax expense, primarily due to
losses in the U.S. with full federal and state valuation allowances. The Company’s non-GAAP tax rate and resulting
non-GAAP tax expense considers the tax implications as if there was no federal or state valuation allowance position
in effect
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ultra-clean-reports-third-quarter-2024-financial-results-302288868.html
SOURCE Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc.
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Affordability is a top priority for attendees as Midland, Michigan, holds No. 1 spot.
Summary
Midland, Michigan, is the No. 1 Best Place to Retire for the second year in a row.Affordability is the most considered factor when choosing a place to retire in 2027.Florida and Texas dominate the top 250 Best Places to Retire, offering a number of affordable and retiree-tax friendly locations.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today revealed the 2027 Best Places to Retire in the United States.
Midland, Michigan, retained the No. 1 rank for the second year in a row. Midland scored high in affordability and retiree taxes, helping it to lock in the top spot.
“Retirees are seeking a place that gives them a sense of security and comfort as they live out their golden years,” said Megan Wood, assistant managing editor, home services and real estate. “Whether that comfort prioritizes scenic nature spots, access to multi-cultural experiences, or everyday affordability, places like Midland, Michigan, offer financial safety while still providing a good quality of life.”
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“It’s no secret that affordability is top of mind for Americans this year, which is why U.S. News updated its weighting criteria to better align with what retirees prioritize,” Wood said. “The 2027 rankings reflect key metrics used to highlight the places that best suit retiree needs.”
U.S. News evaluated more than 850 U.S. cities – publishing the top 250 places – based on how well they meet American retirees’ expectations against measures including quality of life, affordability, healthcare, retiree taxes, job market, and population and migration for retirees aged 55 and older.
The six measures factored into this year’s rankings were weighted based on a public survey of individuals across the U.S. who are at or approaching retirement age (45 and older) to find out what matters most to people when they’re considering where to retire. Resources include federal, state and local data provided by Applied Geographic Solutions, which includes data sourced from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis and U.S. News’ Best Hospitals rankings. To learn more about how the rankings are determined, read the Best Places to Retire methodology.
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U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, insurance, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
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SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.
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30 minutes agoon
October 27, 2026By
Enterprises are deploying agents faster than they can verify them. HashiCorp Vault uses Agent Identity to give each agent a governed identity Verified agents still need limits on access. Vault extends its established secrets management to AI agents, built to enforce least-privilege access and enable real-time revocation when an agent attempts an unauthorized action Enterprises can’t scale agents they can’t see, test or account for. IBM watsonx Orchestrate is designed to unify discovery, containment, and evaluation across Amazon Bedrock, Microsoft Foundry and Google Gemini
ATLANTA, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At TechXchange 2026, IBM (NYSE: IBM) is announcing new capabilities to help developers, IT and security teams put AI agents to work across business systems with clear authority and accountability. IBM brings together agent discovery, verified identities, access controls and performance evaluation to help organizations understand who owns each agent, control what it can access, and trace its actions across existing applications and infrastructure.
According to Gartner, by 2028 the average Fortune 500 enterprise will use over 150,000 AI agents. But only 13% of organizations believe that they have the right AI agent governance in place [1]. Persistent credentials, unclear ownership and disconnected controls make it harder to govern agents as they interact with other agents, invoke tools and act across teams, platforms and clouds.
“The winners in enterprise AI are changing how their business runs, not simply adding more AI to it,” said Dinesh Nirmal, Senior Vice President, IBM Software. “For agents to take on real work across the systems a company depends on, it requires an AI operating model – one that connects agents to the business’s data, applications and infrastructure and runs them with the same discipline as its most critical systems. Build trust and control into that model, and agents stop being a technology and become a way of doing business.”
Today’s announcements extend IBM’s portfolio to deliver an AI operating model of four essential systems working together: agents, data, automation and hybrid infrastructure. This starts with the trust and control every agent needs – a verified identity, only the access it needs, and one place to discover, secure and evaluate agents regardless of where they were built.
Extending HashiCorp Vault to AI agents
HashiCorp Vault manages the secrets and credentials that applications and services use to access business systems. It provides that control through centrally managed secrets, automated rotation for supported credentials, and dynamically generated credentials that expire or can be revoked. These capabilities help reduce the time exposed credentials remain usable and limit access to the permissions configured for each role.
HashiCorp Vault already secures non-human identities for organizations including ABN AMRO, Adobe, athenahealth, BBVA, BlackRock, Canva, Duke Energy, Expedia, London Stock Exchange, Starbucks, Swiss Federal Railways and Target, across systems that process billions of dollars in transactions [2]. HashiCorp will now extend those capabilities to AI agents, issuing secured, short-lived credentials that limit each agent to what it needs.
Establishing agent identity and accountability
AI agents are a growing class of non-human identity, alongside applications and services. As they begin acting across business systems, enterprises need a clear record of who owns each agent and what authority it has been granted. HashiCorp is combining governed agent identity with credential controls to help organizations delegate work with defined authority and accountability.
When used with HashiCorp Vault, Agent Identity establishes the authoritative record for each agent, such as who owns it, its lifecycle status and the authority it has been granted. Built to extend existing identity and security investments, it shares relevant identity and authorization context with Vault’s credential controls – ultimately enforcing least-privilege access and enabling real-time revocation when an agent attempts an unauthorized action.
Controlling agent credentials and access
Identifying an agent is only the start. Enterprises also need to control the credentials it uses to reach databases, applications and cloud services – and how long those credentials remain valid. As agents invoke tools and act across business systems, their credentials become a critical security boundary. An agent with a long-lived, overprivileged credential can put systems and data at risk if it’s compromised or acts outside its intended task. Enterprises need to establish what each agent’s job is, limit the access it receives and revoke that access when circumstances change.
These controls extend beyond initial authentication. If an agent attempts to retrieve information or perform actions outside its approved permissions, the access can be denied and session revoked in real time to prevent unauthorized activity. Vault’s short-lived credentials and least-privilege controls can further restrict what an agent accesses and the duration of those permissions.
Additional capabilities include:
Vault 2.2 gives agents their own secured accounts, automatically renews their credentials and incorporates post-quantum encryption for quantum-era threats. Secure Hub (public preview) gives companies centralized visibility across their Vault environments to make it easier to understand operational health, usage and security resources.
At TechXchange, client speakers will share how they use Vault to secure enterprise applications, workloads and AI agents
athenahealth: Automating certificate management with Vault’s PKI engine. Albert Einstein College of Medicine: Applying IBM Verify and Vault to AI agent identity, just-in-time access, dynamic secrets and auditability. Optum: Using Vault Radar to detect exposed secrets and Boundary for just-in-time, identity-based access. Seven-Eleven Japan: Centralizing and encrypting secrets with Vault Enterprise and detecting hardcoded secrets with Vault Radar. Yum! Brands: Building an identity security platform with IBM Verify, with a look ahead to machine identities and secrets management.
“AI presents extraordinary opportunities to accelerate biomedical research and discovery, but realizing its potential requires a foundation of security, trust, and responsible governance,” said Shailesh M. Shenoy, Assistant Dean for Information Technology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “In my experience, technologies such as IBM Verify and HashiCorp Vault can play an important role in helping organizations establish the identity, access, and security controls needed to innovate with confidence.”
Managing agents across platforms
Identity tells organizations what an agent is. But they also need to see every agent they have, wherever it was built. IBM watsonx Orchestrate works across the AI ecosystem, not inside a single vendor’s platform, to give organizations one place to discover, secure and evaluate their agents. Capabilities include:
Discover (tech preview): Organizations can’t govern agents they don’t know exist. Orchestrate connects to platforms such as Amazon Bedrock, Microsoft Foundry and Google Gemini to find agents built in third-party environments, so teams can see and manage agents instead of adding them manually. This capability also extends to models and MCP servers. Contain (tech preview): One rogue agent can disrupt others and spread mistakes across the business. Orchestrate now runs agents in isolated sandboxes so a rogue agent can’t interfere with others. Teams also now have access to a kill switch to shut down any agent. Evaluate: Agents that aren’t tested and tracked can quietly drift off course and increase costs. Teams using Orchestrate can now test the quality, accuracy and compliance of agents, models and MCP servers before deployment, then monitor them in production. Built-in cost tracking shows each agent’s model and token use, so teams can spot what’s driving spend and fix it.
Orchestrate also works with Vault’s credential controls and Agent Identity to establish what each agent’s job is, govern its authority and enforce least-privilege credential access. Together, these controls help organizations authorize and audit agent actions and rapidly revoke trust and credentials when risk changes.
Connecting agents to the business
Once agents are authorized to use a company’s APIs and tools, they need to know what already exists, how systems connect, what can be reused safely and what their actions could affect. IBM Integration Intelligence Hub is built to provide that knowledge through its Unified Context Engine, so agents can fix problems like stuck messages or deploy an API using what’s already in place. Skills, approval policies and audit controls keep those actions in check. Instead of rebuilding for AI, organizations can put agents to work on the systems they already depend on.
Scaling agents with NVIDIA
Agent Identity and HashiCorp Vault integrate with NVIDIA OpenShell secure runtime software, the foundation of the NVIDIA OpenShell Architecture. Together, they pair a protected environment for agents to run in with a verified identity and short-lived credentials for every agent, so each action can be traced, limited and reviewed.
“Businesses need enforceable control over how agents operate and what they can access,” said John Fanelli, vice president, enterprise software, NVIDIA. “Our work with IBM combines NVIDIA OpenShell’s policy-governed runtime with Agent Identity and HashiCorp Vault to help enterprises scale AI agents with secure execution, verified identities and tightly scoped access to business systems.”
Responding to Emerging Security Threats
When new vulnerabilities are discovered, enterprises must quickly identify affected systems, determine required changes and deploy fixes without disrupting critical operations. In complex environments, this process often involves multiple teams, tools and processes.
IBM Concert integrates observability, optimization, incident management and security across applications, infrastructure and networks. With AI-powered insights and proof of exploitability, Concert helps teams to identify high-risk vulnerabilities, assess operational impact, and coordinate responses. These capabilities also help organizations address performance, manage costs and maintain resilience in hybrid environments.
HashiCorp Terraform provides an infrastructure context and governed workflows for change implementation. New features now generally available and in public preview, including Terraform policy, Terraform Developer Portal and Terraform remote MCP server, enable developers and AI agents to access approved configurations and implement infrastructure changes through established controls. Terraform powered by Infragraph also helps teams understand infrastructure relationships and dependencies for more informed decisions.
Together, these capabilities enable organizations to progress from identifying vulnerabilities to implementing and verifying remediation, while optimizing the visibility and governance essential for enterprise operations.
A comprehensive system intelligence and change orchestration layer for IBM Z
IBM Z Atlas maps a client’s entire z/OS stack across infrastructure, middleware, and applications, and then uses that intelligence to address the manual effort of tasks like patch management, regulatory response, and sharing system knowledge across teams, from systems programmers to application developers. Atlas addresses the leading cause of unplanned z/OS outages – changes that aren’t proven to be safe – by mapping how a change impacts the z/OS stack and testing and validating it. This design (in tech preview) accelerates clients’ modernization efforts by keeping experts in control and giving practitioners, in operations or development, the same shared Z system visibility to reduce risk.
Availability
HashiCorp Vault 2.2, Agent Identity, watsonx Orchestrate evaluate capabilities, IBM Concert, and HashiCorp Terraform policy are generally available. Secure Hub, Terraform Developer Portal, Terraform remote MCP server, and IBM Z Atlas are in public preview. IBM Integration Intelligence Hub and watsonx Orchestrate discover and contain capabilities are in tech preview.
Statements regarding IBM’s future direction and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice and represent goals and objectives only.
Learn more
IBM TechXchange is IBM’s annual conference for developers and technology practitioners and brings together nearly 6,500 attendees from 85 countries. This year, the event incorporates HashiConf to bring together the HashiCorp community with practitioners from across IBM, Red Hat and Confluent. Attendees can choose from more than 1,000 sessions and experiences, including 180 hands-on labs, 260 client-led sessions and more than 50 certification exams. Speakers include American Airlines, Bradesco, Citi, CVS Health, Deutsche Bank, DoorDash, Hertz, and US Bancorp who will share how they are making AI enterprise ready.
Session livestream and replays will be available here: ibm.biz/txc26-livestream.
Supporting Materials
Strengthen security for agentic AI with new Vault, Verify, Boundary, and Secure Hub capabilities IBM Agent Identity now generally available: Building Trust for the Agentic Era Vault Enterprise 2.2 advances identity security, PKI, and cryptoagility Announcing the public preview of Secure Hub: govern Vault at scale IBM watsonx Orchestrate advances AI agent management with new capabilities IBM Integration Intelligence Hub gives AI the context to act, not just access IBM Concert platform advances the path to cross-domain agentic IT operations Terraform advances infrastructure lifecycle management for the agentic era Introducing IBM Z Atlas: Change Intelligence for IBM Z
[1]: Gartner Identifies Six Steps to Manage AI Agent Sprawl
[2]: HashiCorp Vault client stories
About IBM
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
Media contacts:
Sarah Benchaita
IBM
sarah.benchaita@ibm.com
Kate Lehman
IBM
Kate.Lehman@ibm.com
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Technology
Three Blind Spots Leave Industrial Companies Exposed to Critical Mineral Shortages
Published
31 minutes agoon
October 27, 2026By
Boston Consulting Group Finds Industrial Companies Underestimate Their Critical Mineral Exposure, Which Also Limits Their Access to Public CapitalDemand for Key Minerals Is Projected at 120% to 250% of Forecast Supply Through 2040An Estimated $3.5 Trillion of Products Depend on Gallium, a “Mosquito Mineral” Traded in a Market Under $350 Million a YearSome Governments Have Deployed Less Than 10% of Their Critical Minerals Funds
BOSTON, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Industrial companies are underestimating their exposure to critical mineral shortages and missing a strategic opportunity as a result, according to new analysis from Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Three blind spots in the metrics that companies rely on hide where the risk sits, including what BCG calls “mosquito minerals,” so small by traded value that they never reach a risk register.
These are among the findings of Why Critical Mineral Shortages Are a CEO Issue, a BCG report released today. BCG’s proprietary model projects demand for key inputs, including rare earths, graphite, copper and lithium, at roughly 120% to 250% of forecast supply through 2040.
“Most industrials track exposure through spend and direct supplier data, and the minerals that can stop a production line are often the ones they spend almost nothing on,” said Tycho Möncks, a BCG managing director and partner and a coauthor of the report. “The question for CEOs and boards is not whether their company is exposed. It is. The question is whether they intend to live with that exposure or turn it into an advantage.”
Small Markets Can Stall Large Industries
Companies often start their risk assessment with the bill of materials, which points them toward high-volume metals such as copper and lithium. Mosquito minerals fall outside that view. Their traded value is tiny, but the value chains that depend on them are not.
Rare earths. The rare earths used in a fighter jet are worth less than the paint that coats the plane.Gallium. The global market is worth under $350 million a year, with production of only about 900 tons, yet BCG estimates about $3.5 trillion of final products depend on it.Arsenic. The upstream market is about $50 million worldwide, yet a single producer supplies roughly 60% of the ultra-high-purity grade used in 5G and 6G infrastructure, data center optics, radar systems, and defense electronics.Byproduct supply. Gallium, germanium and arsenic are recovered as byproducts of other mining and industrial processes, so the host metal’s market sets their supply. Even a sharp price spike may not bring new production.
Exposure Hides Below Tier One Suppliers
A company that buys almost no critical minerals directly can still be acutely exposed because minerals arrive embedded in motors, magnets, power modules, lasers and sensors. They also sit in the tools and processes used to make those components, from crucibles and catalysts to dies and the capital equipment itself.
Turbine blades, engine blocks and structural aerospace components, for example, are machined with cutting tools made of tungsten carbide bonded with cobalt. A manufacturer that has never bought either metal directly can still see production stop if those tools run short, a dependency that appears on no bill of materials.
Companies also tend to map where critical minerals are mined, but for some minerals the bottleneck is processing, not production. A map of where assets sit and a map of who owns them can look very different, so a change of supplier that looks like diversification may leave a company’s exposure unchanged.
Public Capital Is Committed but Largely Unspent
The three blind spots also lead to a strategic miss. The International Energy Agency reports that public finance commitments to critical minerals in advanced economies reached around $65 billion in 2025, more than four times the 2023 level. BCG’s review of government-backed vehicles found the flagship instruments barely deployed, with some countries having spent less than 10% of their allocated capital and others nothing.
These vehicles are designed to draw in private capital, and offtake requirements are typically the main eligibility gate. BCG argues that companies without a clear view of their own exposure cannot make a credible commitment, and so cannot qualify. The funds are not free money: they carry conditions such as reporting obligations and localization requirements, and they represent only about one tenth of the capital needed through 2040. But for industrial companies, BCG says, they are a way to build a competitive advantage.
Several of the companies that have reframed their approach and tapped public capital are industrial companies and trading firms, not miners, and BCG found that in each case the CEO and executive team led the process of identifying and correcting their blind spots.
“These blind spots have a cost beyond risk. The money is there, but it comes with offtake requirements, and a company cannot make a credible commitment without knowing its own exposure,” said Karthik Valluru, a BCG managing director and senior partner who coauthored the report. “Mapping that exposure properly is where the opportunity starts.”
Download the publication here:
https://www.bcg.com/publications/2026/critical-minerals-risk-blind-spots
Media Contact:
Bruce Wraight
wraight.bruce@bcg.com
About Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group bridges the gap between ambition and outcomes for the world’s leading companies and organizations. We are built for this era of unprecedented change — bringing strategic clarity rooted in over 60 years of deep domain knowledge, combined with applied AI shaped by our practitioners. BCG works shoulder-to-shoulder with CEOs across industries and geographies to deliver transformative impact at scale: stronger returns, transferred capabilities, and change that sticks. For more information, visit bcg.com.
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SOURCE Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
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