KALU US Equity☆

Item 1A.Risk Factors

In addition to the factors discussed elsewhere in this Report, the risks described below are those that we believe are material to our company. The occurrence of any of the events discussed below could significantly and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial position, results of operations and cash flows as well as the trading price of our securities.

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RISKS RELATED TO CHANGES IN DEMAND FOR OUR PRODUCTS.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and could in the future materially and adversely affect our business.

The novel strain of the coronavirus identified in late 2019 has impacted and is expected to continue to impact our operations. The full nature and extent of the impact is highly uncertain. Among other things, uncertainties relating to the COVID-19 pandemic include the duration of the pandemic and the actions, or perception of actions that may be taken, to contain or treat its impact by governments and others, including declarations of states of emergency, business closures, manufacturing restrictions and prolonged periods of travel, vaccine mandates, commercial and/or other similar restrictions and limitations.

Furthermore, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures implemented to contain its spread, our customers have been, and could continue to be, negatively impacted as a result of disruption in demand, which has and could in the future negatively impact our sales and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Similarly, as a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic and measures implemented to contain its spread, our suppliers may not have the materials, capacity or capability to enable the manufacture of our products according to our schedule and specifications. These disruptions include those resulting from the supply demand imbalances in the magnesium and silicon market. Because of impacts to suppliers’ supply chain or other operations, we may need to seek alternate suppliers, which may be more expensive, may not be available or may result in delays in shipments to us and subsequently to our customers, each of which would affect our results of operations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also disrupted our internal operations by heightening the risk that a significant portion of our workforce will suffer illness or otherwise not be permitted or be unable to work and exposing us to cyber security and other risks associated with a large number of our employees working remotely. Certain of our facilities have experienced temporary work disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we cannot predict whether our facilities will experience more significant or frequent disruptions in the future.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, and its duration and ultimate disruption to our customers, supply chains and our workforce, and related financial impact to us, cannot be estimated at this time. Should such disruption continue for an extended period of time, the impact could have a more severe adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, weaker economic conditions generally could result in impairment in value of our tangible or intangible assets, or our ability to raise additional capital, if needed.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused downturns in the commercial aerospace industry and other commercial disruptions, which have adversely affected our business, and could cause additional downturns in the automotive and ground transportation industries, which would further adversely affect our business.

We derive a significant portion of our revenue from products sold to the aerospace and automotive and ground transportation industries. Concerns regarding and measures implemented in response to pandemics of infectious disease, as well as disruptions to supply chains and other interruptions of international and regional commerce, have and could further cause changes in global travel and shipping patterns, negatively influencing demand for new commercial aircraft and other vehicles, resulting in cancellations or deferrals of orders and/or decreases in new deliveries. Moreover, because new automotive vehicle demand is tied closely to overall economic strength, economic uncertainty and/or increased unemployment that results from the COVID-19 pandemic or measures undertaken in response could lead to weak demand for, or lower production of, new cars, light trucks, SUVs and heavy duty vehicles and trailers, which, in turn, could adversely affect demand for our products. For example, several of our automotive customers have temporarily suspended operations in the past and could do so again in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and/or in accordance with governmental requirements. Despite existing backlogs, adverse developments resulting from the pandemic may lead to reduced demand for our products, which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

We operate in a highly competitive industry.

We compete with others in the fabricated products segment of the aluminum industry based upon quality, availability, price, customer service and delivery performance. Some of our competitors are substantially larger than we are, have greater financial resources than we do, operate more facilities than we do, are geographically closer to our customers than we are, employ more efficient or advanced technologies than we do or have other strategic advantages. Additionally, new parties may become capable of manufacturing similar products and qualifying them with our customers, which could lead to further competitive pressure. Competitors’ facilities located in certain other countries may have a manufacturing cost advantage compared to our facilities, which are located in the United States and Canada. Such foreign competitors may sell products similar to our products at lower prices as a result of having lower manufacturing costs or due to currency exchange rates that periodically favor foreign competition. Some foreign competitors may also dump their products in the United States and Canada in violation of existing trade laws. We may not be able to compete by differentiating ourselves based on the quality, availability and delivery of our products or our customer service. Additionally, we may not be able to reduce our cost structure and our selling prices to be competitive with others, and tariffs introduced to protect manufacturers in the United States and Canada from foreign price competition may not be fully effective.

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Increased competition could cause a reduction in demand for our products and our shipment volumes, our product pricing or both shipment volumes and product pricing, which could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Reductions in demand for our products may be more severe than, and may occur prior to, reductions in demand for our customers’ products.

Most of our products undergo further fabrication by other parties before being deployed in their end uses. In particular, our Aero/HS products undergo numerous stages of further fabrication or assembly by a number of parties in the supply chain, often over the course of many months. The lead time from when we sell our Aero/HS product to when the finished product is installed on an aircraft often exceeds a year. Due to this long lead time, demand for our products may increase prior to demand for our customers’ products or may decrease when our customers experience or anticipate softening demand for their products. Our customers typically respond to reduced demand for their products by depleting their inventory until their inventory falls to a new desired level. This causes a greater reduction in demand for our products than our customers experience for their products. Further, the reduction in demand for our products can be exacerbated if our customers’ inventory levels had been higher than normal, if production is delayed for specific commercial airframe models, if our customers previously had purchased products from us at committed sales contract volumes that exceeded their actual need or for other reasons. The amplified reduction in demand for our products while our customers consume their inventory to meet their business needs (destocking) may adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Our customers may reduce their demand for aluminum products in favor of alternative materials.

Our products compete with other materials for use in various customer applications. For instance, the commercial aerospace industry has used and continues to evaluate the further use of titanium, composites and carbon fiber materials as alternatives to aluminum to reduce aircraft weight and increase fuel efficiency. Additionally, while the automotive industry has continued to increase use of aluminum in vehicle production to reduce vehicle weight and increase fuel efficiency, manufacturers may revert to steel or other materials for certain applications and rely on improved drivetrain technology, more efficient engines, aerodynamics or other measures to achieve fuel efficiency goals. Finally, the packaging industry has used and continues to use steel, tin, plastics, glass and paperboard as alternatives to aluminum for packaging and delivery of food and beverages. The packaging industry is heavily influenced by cost and recyclability of the packaging material. The willingness of customers to use materials other than aluminum could adversely affect the demand for our products, particularly our Aero/HS products, Packaging and Automotive Extrusions, and thus could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Our customers may reduce their demand for our products if the government relaxes fuel efficiency standards or if oil prices remain low for a protracted period of time.

Efficient use of fossil fuels partially drives demand for aluminum in transportation applications. The USEPA, other federal regulatory agencies and regulatory agencies of certain states have generally sought to limit growth of fossil fuel usage by establishing stricter fuel efficiency standards. In addition, newly elected and/or changing administrations could accelerate efforts to not only limit, but reduce, fossil fuel usage and carbon emissions beyond what may be technologically possible for certain products and manufacturing processes and revisit or reverse the environmental agendas of previous administrations with respect to previously established fuel efficiency standards. Additionally, in periods of lower oil prices, the economic benefits of replacing older aircraft and automobiles with more fuel-efficient models are less compelling. A relaxation of fuel efficiency standards by the regulatory agencies or an extended period of moderate oil prices could reduce demand for new more efficient aircraft and automobiles, which could adversely affect the demand for our products and have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

The commercial aerospace industry is cyclical and downturns in the commercial aerospace industry could adversely affect our business.

We derive a significant portion of our revenue from products sold to the aerospace industry. Notwithstanding a secular growth trend spanning nearly two decades, the aerospace industry is highly cyclical. Numerous factors that influence demand for new commercial aircraft could result in cancellations or deferrals of aircraft orders and a global decrease in new commercial aircraft deliveries. These factors have recently included the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on global travel and supply chains, but also include but are not limited to: (i) declines or reduced growth trends in global travel and airline passenger traffic; (ii) the rate of replacement of older aircraft with more fuel efficient aircraft; (iii) changing airline strategies affecting preferences for single-aisle aircraft models as opposed to twin-aisle or jumbo aircraft models; (iv) airline industry profitability; (v) the state of regional and global economies; (vi) concerns regarding terrorism or the threat of terrorism; (vii) concerns regarding new pandemics of infectious disease; and (viii) safety concerns with newly introduced and existing aircraft. Despite existing backlogs, adverse developments in any one or more of these influencing factors may lead to reduced demand for new aircraft that utilize our products, which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

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Reductions in defense spending for aerospace and non-aerospace military applications could adversely affect demand for our products.

Our products are used in a wide variety of military applications, including military aircraft, armored vehicles and ordnance. Certain military programs are used by the U.S. armed forces, as well as by the defense forces of our allied foreign powers. Military programs that currently use or in the future could use our products may be subject to changes in military strategy and government priorities. Further, while many of the U.S. government programs span several years, they are often funded annually, and funding is generally subject to congressional appropriations. When U.S. and foreign allied governments are faced with competing national priorities, such as addressing financial or spending crises or public health emergencies, there can be significant pressure to reduce defense spending, which could reduce the demand for our products and adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Downturns in the automotive and ground transportation industries could adversely affect our business.

The demand for our Automotive Extrusions and many of our general engineering and other industrial products is dependent on the production of cars, light trucks, SUVs and heavy duty vehicles and trailers in North America. The automotive industry is highly cyclical, as new vehicle demand is dependent on consumer spending and is tied closely to the overall strength of the North American economy. Even with the automotive industry’s growing use of aluminum to reduce vehicle weight, weak demand for, or lower production of, new cars, light trucks, SUVs and heavy duty vehicles and trailers could adversely affect the demand for our products and have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Changes in consumer demand for particular motor vehicles could adversely affect our business.

Sensitivity to fuel prices, an increased preference for environmentally friendly alternatives and other consumer preferences can influence consumer demand for motor vehicles that have a higher content of the aluminum Automotive Extrusions that we supply. The loss of business with respect to, or a lack of commercial success of, one or more particular vehicle models for which we are a significant supplier could have an adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Aluminum beverage and food packaging products are subject to competition from substitute products and decreases in demand, which could result in lower profits and reduced cash flows.

On March 31, 2021, we completed our acquisition of Warrick. Warrick expands our flat-rolled product offering to include aluminum coil produced for demanding end market applications in the beverage and food packaging industry in North America. Such product offerings are subject to substantial competition from producers of alternative packaging made from glass, paper, flexible materials, plastic and organic or compostable materials, which may compare favorably to aluminum with respect to preservation of food and beverage quality and/or sustainability. Changes in the volume of sales by our customers in the food and beverage markets and preferences for products and packaging by consumers of prepackaged food and beverage cans may significantly influence our sales and our ability to realize the benefits of the Warrick acquisition. Changes in packaging preferences by our customers may require us to re-tool manufacturing operations, which could require material expenditures. In addition, a decrease in the costs of, or a further increase in consumer demand for, alternative packaging could result in lower profits and reduced cash flows for us. For example, increases in the price of aluminum and decreases in the price of plastic resin, which is a petrochemical product and may fluctuate with prices in the oil and gas market, may increase substitution of plastic food and beverage containers for metal containers. Moreover, due to associated high percentage of fixed costs, we may be unable to maintain the gross margin of aluminum packaging products at past levels if we are not able to achieve high capacity utilization rates for our production equipment. In periods of low demand for aluminum packaging products or in situations where industry expansion created excess capacity, we may experience relatively low capacity utilization rates, which can lead to reduced margins during that period and can have an adverse effect on our business.

RISKS RELATED TO SALES.

We depend on a core group of significant customers.

In 2021, Silgan and Reliance were our two largest customers, representing approximately 16% and 15%, respectively, of our net sales. Our five largest customers in total accounted for approximately 49% of our 2021 net sales. Most of these customers have one or more sizable sales agreements with us. If one or more of these customers experienced a prolonged period of adverse demand, depressed business activity or financial distress, if any of these customers breached or sought relief from its contractual obligations under its sales agreements with us or if any of these customer relationships otherwise ended or materially deteriorated and such lost business was not successfully replaced, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected.

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We experience fluctuation in certain costs that we cannot pass through to our customers and face pressure from our customers on pricing.

We are unable to pass fluctuations of certain costs through to our customers, including the cost of energy, certain raw materials and freight. Further, cost cutting initiatives that many of our customers have adopted generally result in downward pressure on pricing. If we are unable to generate sufficient productivity improvements and cost savings in the future to offset reductions in our selling prices and increases in our costs that we cannot pass through to our customers, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected.

We are exposed to risks related to our receivables supply chain financing arrangements.

We are party to several supply chain financing arrangements, in which we may sell certain of our customers’ trade accounts receivable without recourse to such customers’ financial institutions. To the extent that these arrangements are terminated, our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and liquidity could be adversely affected by extended payment terms, delays or failures in collecting trade accounts receivables. The utility of certain supply chain financing arrangements also depends upon the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), as it is a component of the discount rate applicable to certain arrangements. If the LIBOR rate increases significantly, we may be negatively impacted as we may not be able to pass these added costs on to our customers, which could have a material and adverse effect upon our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

RISKS RELATED TO GEO-POLITICAL FACTORS.

Our industry is very sensitive to foreign economic, regulatory and political factors that may adversely affect our business.

We import primary aluminum from, and manufacture fabricated products used in, foreign countries. Our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected by numerous factors in the politically and economically diverse jurisdictions: (i) from which our input materials are sourced; (ii) in which we operate; (iii) in which our customers operate; or (iv) in which our products are consumed or further fabricated. Such factors include but are not limited to:

• the adoption of tariffs, duties and other forms of taxation;

• trade disputes;

• the imposition of currency restrictions;

• acts or threats of war or terrorism;

• sanctions, including those in response to acts or threats of war or terrorism;

• civil unrest and labor problems; and

• the nationalization or appropriation of rights or other assets.

RISKS RELATED TO PRODUCT AND MANUFACTURING.

We may experience difficulties in the launch or production ramp-up of new products which could adversely affect our business.

As we ramp up manufacturing processes for newly introduced products, we may experience difficulties, including manufacturing disruptions, delays or other complications, which could adversely impact our ability to serve our customers, our reputation, our costs of production and, ultimately, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Unplanned events may interrupt our production operations, which may adversely affect our business.

The production of fabricated aluminum products is subject to unplanned events such as explosions, fires, inclement weather, natural disasters, accidents, equipment failures, labor disruptions, transportation interruptions, public utilities interruptions and supply interruptions. Operational interruptions could significantly curtail the production capacity of a facility for a period of time. We have redundant capacity and capability to produce many of our extruded products within our manufacturing platform to mitigate our business risk from such interruptions, but interruptions at our Trentwood facility where our production of plate and sheet is concentrated or at our Warrick facility where our production of packaging material is concentrated, could significantly compromise

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our ability to meet our customers’ needs. Delayed delivery of our products to customers who require on-time delivery from us may cause customers to purchase alternative products at a higher cost, reschedule their own production or incur other incremental costs. Customers may be able to pursue financial claims against us for their incremental costs, and we may incur costs to correct such problems in addition to any liability resulting from such claims. Interruptions may also harm our reputation among actual and potential customers, potentially resulting in a loss of business. To the extent these losses are not covered by insurance, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected by such events.

We may face challenges to our intellectual property rights which could adversely affect our reputation, business and competitive position.

Our intellectual property plays an important role in maintaining our competitive position in a number of the markets that we serve. Our competitors may develop technologies that are similar or superior to our proprietary technologies or design around the patents we own or license. Despite our controls and safeguards, our technology may be misappropriated by our employees, our competitors or other third parties. The pursuit of remedies for any misappropriation of our intellectual property is expensive and the ultimate remedies may be deemed insufficient. Developments or assertions by or against us relating to intellectual property rights, and any inability to protect or enforce our rights sufficiently, could adversely affect our business and competitive position.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR STRATEGIC TRANSACTIONS AND INITIATIVES.

We may not be able to successfully implement our productivity enhancement and cost reduction initiatives that are necessary to offset competitive price pressure.

Over time, we have experienced pricing pressure on many of our products and anticipate continued pricing pressure in the future. Ongoing and heightened competitive price pressure makes it increasingly important for us to be a low cost producer. Although we have undertaken and expect to continue to undertake productivity enhancement and cost reduction initiatives, including significant investments in our facilities to improve our manufacturing efficiency, cost and product quality, we cannot make assurances that we will complete all of these initiatives, that we will fully realize the estimated cost savings from such activities, that short-to-medium term improvements from new efficiencies and lower cost structure achieved will become permanent or that we will be able to continue to reduce cost and increase productivity over the long term.

Our investment and other expansion projects may not be completed, start up as scheduled or deliver the expected capacity and other benefits.

Our ability to complete our investment and expansion projects and the timing and costs of doing so are subject to various risks associated with all major construction projects, many of which are beyond our control, including technical or mechanical problems and economic conditions. Additionally, the start-up of operations after such projects have been completed can be complicated and costly. If we are unable to fully complete these projects, if the actual costs for these projects exceed our expectations, if the start-up phase after completion is more complicated than anticipated or if the capacity and other benefits of these projects are less than anticipated, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected.

We may not realize the benefits of the Warrick rolling mill acquisition.

Our recent acquisition of the Warrick rolling mill could disrupt our business and/or dilute or adversely affect the price of our common stock. Risks associated with the Warrick rolling mill acquisition may include:

• diversion of management’s time and attention from our existing business;

• difficulties achieving anticipated operational improvements; and

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If we fail to successfully integrate the Warrick rolling mill, we may not realize the benefits expected from the transaction and/or it may have adverse effects on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

We are dependent upon Alcoa Corporation (“Alcoa”) for certain resources essential to the day-to-day operation of our business at Warrick.

We are dependent upon Alcoa for certain resources required for the day-to-day operation of our business at Warrick, which include molten aluminum and “support services” such as the provision of potable water, compressed air, laboratory services, electricity, steam and hot water. In order to transition Warrick from dependence upon the support services to independence as a facility with its own self-sufficient infrastructure, Alcoa has agreed to provide “transition services,” including providing infrastructure and equipment for the production of steam, hot water and compressed air and conveying the filtration plant currently utilized for the supply of potable water. In addition, Alcoa has agreed to pay for the development of infrastructure necessary for Warrick to obtain electricity from a third party power supplier, subject to certain conditions. Alcoa has agreed to provide the support services through a period to extend no later than June 30, 2024, by which date Alcoa must complete its transition services. A failure by Alcoa to provide molten aluminum and support services or transition services within the time frames and upon the terms agreed to, including quality and performance standards, could cause us to incur substantial costs to keep the Warrick rolling mill operational or result in the temporary or permanent shutdown of Warrick’s operations. In the event that production of Warrick is negatively impacted by Alcoa’s failure to provide molten aluminum, support or transition services, our operations, business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

RISKS RELATED TO COMMODITY-RELATED PRICE FLUCTUATIONS.

Our business could be adversely affected by pricing and availability of primary aluminum.

Our largest inputs to produce fabricated aluminum products are primary aluminum and recycled scrap aluminum. Primary aluminum pricing fluctuates in response to global supply and demand and also reflects the impact of duties and tariffs imposed by the United States and certain other countries. The timing and magnitude of changes in market pricing for primary aluminum are largely unpredictable. Our pricing structures for fabricated aluminum products generally allow us to pass fluctuations in the price of primary aluminum through to our customers so that we can minimize our exposure to metal price risk. However, competitive dynamics for certain of our high value added products may limit the amount or delay the timing of selling price increases on our products to recover our increased aluminum costs, resulting in a time lag during which we may be partially exposed to metal price risk. If these events were to occur, they could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, if the market price for primary aluminum were to remain high for an extended period of time, the corresponding increase in our selling price for our fabricated products may cause some of our customers to switch to other materials in lieu of our products, causing sales of our fabricated aluminum products to decrease, which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Our business could be adversely affected by the pricing and availability of recycled scrap aluminum.

We can efficiently use certain forms of recycled scrap aluminum in lieu of primary aluminum and alloying metals in our operations because recycled scrap aluminum trades at a discount to primary aluminum. The size of the discount to primary aluminum depends on regional scrap aluminum supply and demand dynamics. Larger discounts, generally available in periods of ample regional scrap aluminum supply relative to demand, enhance the economic advantage to us of using recycled scrap aluminum in lieu of primary aluminum and alloying metals. The timing and magnitude of changes in scrap discounts relative to primary aluminum are largely unpredictable. If the availability of recycled scrap aluminum in our regional markets were to tighten, scrap discounts relative to primary aluminum could decline and the amount of recycled scrap aluminum we could procure for use in our operations could decline, either of which could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Our business could be adversely affected by the pricing and availability of alloying metals.

We use certain alloying metals, such as copper, zinc, magnesium and silicon, in our operations in order to achieve required performance properties in our products. The availability of these alloys in some cases can be restricted due to limited suppliers, government regulations, energy and supply chain disruptions and/or general demand dynamics. When sudden restrictions of these materials occur we can be subject to rapid price increases and limited supplies, either of which could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Reduced pricing for aluminum can reduce our borrowing availability and cause our liquidity to decline.

Lower aluminum prices reduce the market value of our inventory and generally cause a reduction in our accounts receivable as we pass through a lower underlying aluminum price to our customers. Because the amount we can borrow under our revolving credit facility with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto (“Revolving Credit Facility”) is determined by the value of our receivables and inventory, which serve as collateral for the facility, a

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reduction in aluminum prices can reduce our borrowing availability and our liquidity, which could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Our hedging programs have been and could continue to be adversely impacted by fluctuations as a result of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We use forward contracts to protect against fluctuations in commodity price and currency exchange rate risks. The effectiveness of these hedges depends, in part, on our ability to accurately forecast future product demand and related cash flow. Due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and related governmental responses, our customers’ businesses are subject to many uncertainties and, as a result, we have experienced, and may continue to experience, unanticipated volatility in product demand and related cash flows. When we experience such volatility or are otherwise unable to make accurate predictions with respect to our forward swaps designated as cash flow or fair value hedges, such hedging activities may become ineffective. The early settlement, reclassification of cumulative losses and/or the periodic adjustment to fair value through Net (loss) income associated with ineffective hedging activities could have a material negative impact on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Our hedging programs may limit the income and cash flows we would otherwise expect to receive if our hedging program were not in place and may otherwise affect our business.

In the ordinary course of business, we enter into hedging transactions to limit our exposure to risks relating to changes in the market prices of primary aluminum, certain alloying metals, natural gas and electricity, as well as fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. To the extent that market prices or exchange rates at the expiration of these hedging transactions would have been more favorable to us than the fixed prices or rates established by these hedging transactions, our income and cash flows will be lower than they otherwise would have been. Our liquidity could also be adversely affected to the extent we incur margin calls from our hedging counterparties due to the market price of the underlying commodity or the foreign currency exchange rates deviating adversely from fixed, floor or ceiling prices or rates established by our outstanding hedging transactions. Our failure to satisfy certain covenants in the underlying hedging documents or the occurrence of an event of default thereunder could also trigger margin calls that could adversely impact our liquidity, financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Our hedging programs also expose us to the creditworthiness of our hedging counterparties, which is inherently difficult to assess and can change quickly and dramatically. Non-performance by a hedging counterparty could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR INDEBTEDNESS.

Covenants and events of default in our debt instruments could limit our ability to undertake certain types of transactions and adversely affect our liquidity.

Our Revolving Credit Facility and the indentures governing our 4.625% Senior Notes due 2028 (“4.625% Senior Notes”) and 4.50% Senior Notes due 2031 (“4.50% Senior Notes”) contain a number of restrictive covenants that impose operating and financial restrictions on us and may limit our ability to engage in acts that may be in our long-term best interest, including restrictions on our ability to:

• incur additional indebtedness and guarantee indebtedness;

• prepay, redeem or repurchase certain debt;

• issue certain preferred stock or similar equity securities;

• make loans and investments;

• sell assets;

• incur liens;

• enter into transactions with affiliates;

• alter the businesses we conduct;

• consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all of our assets.

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In addition, restrictive covenants in our Revolving Credit Facility require us in certain circumstances to maintain specified financial ratios and satisfy other financial condition tests. Our ability to meet those financial ratios and tests can be affected by events beyond our control and we may be unable to meet them.

A breach of the covenants or restrictions under our Revolving Credit Facility or under the indentures governing the 4.625% Senior Notes and 4.50% Senior Notes could result in an event of default under the applicable indebtedness. Such a default may allow the creditors to accelerate the related debt. A payment default or an acceleration following an event of default under our Revolving Credit Facility or our indentures for our 4.625% Senior Notes and 4.50% Senior Notes could trigger an event of default under the other indebtedness obligation, as well as any other debt to which a cross-acceleration or cross-default provision applies, which could result in the principal of and the accrued and unpaid interest on all such debt becoming due and payable. In addition, an event of default under our Revolving Credit Facility could permit the lenders under our Revolving Credit Facility to terminate all commitments to extend further credit under that facility. Furthermore, if we were unable to repay any amounts due and payable under our Revolving Credit Facility, those lenders could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure that indebtedness. In the event our lenders or noteholders accelerate the repayment of our borrowings, we and our subsidiaries may not have sufficient assets to repay that indebtedness.

As a result of these restrictions, we may be:

In addition, our financial results, our level of indebtedness and our credit ratings could adversely affect the availability and terms of any additional or replacement financing.

More detailed descriptions of our Revolving Credit Facility and the indentures governing our 4.625% Senior Notes and 4.50% Senior Notes are included in filings made by us with the SEC, along with the documents themselves, which provide the full text of these covenants.

Restrictive covenants in our debt instruments contain significant qualifications and exceptions.

While our Revolving Credit Facility and the indentures governing the 4.625% Senior Notes and 4.50% Senior Notes place limitations on our ability to pay dividends or make other distributions, repurchase or redeem capital stock, make loans and investments and incur additional indebtedness, investors should be aware that these limitations are subject to significant qualifications and exceptions. The aggregate amount of payments made or incremental debt incurred in compliance with these limitations could be substantial.

As indicated above, more detailed descriptions of our Revolving Credit Facility and the indentures governing our 4.625% Senior Notes and 4.50% Senior Notes are included in filings made by us with the SEC, along with the documents themselves, which provide the full text of these covenants.

Servicing our debt requires a significant amount of cash and we may not have sufficient cash flow from our business to pay our debt.

Our ability to make scheduled interest and principal payments on our debt obligations or to refinance such obligations depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. We may be unable to maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the interest, principal and premium, if any, on our indebtedness.

If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we could face substantial liquidity problems and could be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures, dispose of material assets or operations, restructure or refinance our indebtedness or seek additional debt or equity capital. We may not be able to effect any such alternative measures, if necessary, on commercially reasonable terms or at all and, even if successful, those alternative actions may not allow us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. Our Revolving Credit Facility and the indentures governing the 4.625% Senior Notes and 4.50% Senior Notes restrict our ability to dispose of assets and use the proceeds from those dispositions and may also restrict our ability to raise debt or certain forms of equity capital to be used to repay other indebtedness when it becomes due. We may not be able to consummate asset dispositions or to obtain proceeds in an amount sufficient to meet any debt service obligations then due.

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If we cannot make scheduled payments on our debt, we will be in default and holders of the 4.625% Senior Notes and 4.50% Senior Notes could declare all outstanding principal and interest to be due and payable, the lenders under our Revolving Credit Facility could terminate their commitments to loan money, the lenders could foreclose against the assets securing their borrowings and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation.

The interest rate used in certain of our debt agreements and our customers’ supply chain financing arrangements are priced using LIBOR and are subject to risks associated with the transition from LIBOR to an alternative reference rate.

Certain of our debt agreements and our customers’ supply chain financing arrangements use LIBOR as a reference rate for interest rate calculations. LIBOR has been the subject of recent proposals for international reform and it is anticipated that LIBOR will be discontinued or modified by June 2023. While no consensus currently exists as to which reference rate or rates or benchmarks may become acceptable alternatives to LIBOR, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, a steering committee comprised of U.S. financial market participants, has identified the secured overnight financing rate, or SOFR, as the recommended alternative rate for all LIBOR. The consequences of adopting an alternative reference rate cannot be entirely predicted but could result in an increase in the cost of our variable rate borrowings. In addition, the method of transitioning to an alternative rate may be challenging, as this may require negotiation with the respective counterparty. If the LIBOR rate increases significantly, we may be negatively impacted as we may not be able to pass these added costs on to our customers, which could have a material and adverse effect upon our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We are a holding company and depend on our subsidiaries for cash to meet our obligations and pay any dividends.

We are a holding company and conduct all of our operations through our subsidiaries, certain of which are not guarantors of our 4.625% Senior Notes, 4.50% Senior Notes or our Revolving Credit Facility. Accordingly, repayments of our 4.625% Senior Notes, 4.50% Senior Notes and amounts due under our Revolving Credit Facility are dependent on the generation of cash flow by our subsidiaries and their ability to make such cash available to us by dividend, loan, debt repayment or otherwise. Our subsidiaries that are not guarantors of our 4.625% Senior Notes, 4.50% Senior Notes or the Revolving Credit Facility have no obligation to pay amounts due on the 4.625% Senior Notes, 4.50% Senior Notes or the Revolving Credit Facility or to make funds available for that purpose. Our subsidiaries may not be able to, or may not be permitted to, make distributions to enable us to make payments in respect of our indebtedness. Each of our subsidiaries is a distinct legal entity and, under certain circumstances, legal and contractual restrictions may limit our ability to obtain cash from our subsidiaries. In the event that we do not receive distributions from our subsidiaries, we may be unable to make required interest and principal payments on the 4.625% Senior Notes, the 4.50% Senior Notes or our Revolving Credit Facility, or other indebtedness.

Our inability to receive distributions from our subsidiaries, otherwise generate sufficient cash flows to satisfy our debt obligations or refinance our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, would adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.

Our failure to maintain satisfactory labor relations could adversely affect our business.

At December 31, 2021, approximately 66% of our employees were represented by labor unions under labor contracts with varying durations and expiration dates. Employees at our Trentwood and Newark, Ohio facilities are represented by the USW under a single contract that extends through September 2025. The USW also represents employees at six other facilities, one of which has a contract expiring in 2022. As part of any labor negotiation, the future wages, healthcare benefits and excise taxes that may result therefrom, and other benefits that we agree to, could adversely affect our future financial position, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, negotiations could divert management attention, result in unsatisfactory terms and conditions, fail in coming to any agreement at all or result in strikes, work stoppages or other union-initiated work actions, any of which could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Moreover, the existence of labor agreements may not prevent such union-initiated work actions.

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Our participation in multi-employer union pension plans may have an adverse effect on our financial performance.

We participate in several multi-employer pension plans pursuant to our collective bargaining agreements. Our contribution amounts to these plans were established by collective bargaining and, along with benefit levels and related items, will be issues in our future collective bargaining negotiations. Based on the most recent information available to us, we believe some of these plans are underfunded and may require increased contributions from participating employers to fill the funding shortfall in the future. An employer that withdraws or partially withdraws from a multi-employer pension plan may incur a withdrawal liability for the portion of the plan’s underfunding that is allocable to the withdrawing employer under very complex actuarial and allocation rules. The failure of a withdrawing employer to fund these obligations can increase the burden of the remaining participating employers to make up the funding shortfall, which could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The increase or decrease in our contributions to these multi-employer pension plans will depend on our future collective bargaining, actions taken by trustees who manage the plans, actions of other participating employers, government regulations and the actual return on assets held in the plans, among other factors.

An adverse decline in the liability discount rate, lower-than-expected investment return on pension assets and other factors could affect our business, financial condition, results of operations or amount of pension funding contributions in future periods.

Our results of operations may be negatively affected by the amount of expense we record for our pension and other postretirement benefit plans, reductions in the fair value of plan assets and other factors. We calculate income or expense for our plans using actuarial valuations in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

These valuations reflect assumptions about financial market and other economic conditions, which may change based on changes in key economic indicators. The most significant year-end assumptions we use to estimate pension or other postretirement benefit income or expense for the following year are the discount rate applied to plan liabilities and the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets. In addition, we are required to make an annual measurement of plan assets and liabilities, which may result in a significant charge to stockholders’ equity. For more information, see Part II, Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition” under caption “Critical Accounting Estimates and Policies – Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits” included in this Report, as well as Note 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report. Although GAAP expense and pension funding contributions are impacted by different regulations and requirements, the key economic factors that affect GAAP expense would also likely affect the amount of cash we would contribute to the pension plans.

Potential pension contributions include both mandatory amounts required under federal law and discretionary contributions to improve the plans’ funded status. Higher than expected pension contributions due to a decline in the plans’ funded status as a result of declines in the discount rate or lower-than-expected investment returns on plan assets could have a material negative effect on our cash flows. Adverse capital market conditions could result in reductions in the fair value of plan assets and increase our liabilities related to such plans, adversely affecting our liquidity and results of operations.

The USW has director nomination rights through which it may influence us, and interests of the USW may not align with our interests or the interests of our stockholders, debt holders and other stakeholders.

Pursuant to agreements we have with the USW, the USW has the right, subject to certain limitations, to nominate candidates which, if elected, would constitute 40% of our Board of Directors through December 31, 2025. As a result, the directors nominated by the USW have a significant voice in the decisions of our Board of Directors. It is possible that the USW may seek to extend the term of the agreement and its right to nominate board members beyond 2025.

RISKS RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

Environmental compliance, cleanup and damage claims may decrease our cash flow and adversely affect our business.

We are subject to numerous environmental laws and regulations, including permitting and other administrative requirements, with respect to, among other things: (i) air and water emissions and discharges; (ii) the generation, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of solid and hazardous materials; and (iii) the release of hazardous or toxic substances, pollutants and contaminants into the environment. In addition to environmental laws and regulations, environmental activists, lobbyists and consumers have targeted manufacturers for the purported impact of their operations on the environment. Compliance with existing and new environmental laws and standards or the implications of any actions by third parties are and may continue to be costly and, in some cases, unpredictable.

We have accrued and will accrue for costs that are reasonably expected to be incurred based on available information with respect to permits, fines, penalties and expenses for alleged breaches of, and compliance activities associated with, environmental laws and regulations in connection with our existing operations and investigations and environmental cleanup activities with respect to certain of our former operations. However, actual costs could exceed accrued amounts, perhaps significantly, and such expenditures could occur sooner than anticipated, which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

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Additionally, we may be subject to new claims from governmental authorities or third parties related to alleged injuries to the environment, human health or natural resources, including claims with respect to waste disposal sites, the cleanup of sites currently or formerly used by us or exposure of individuals to hazardous materials. New laws or regulations or changes to existing laws and regulations may also be enacted that increase the cost or complexity of compliance. Costs related to any new investigation, cleanup or other remediation, fines or penalties, resolution of third-party claims or compliance with new or amended laws and regulations, including enhanced permitting requirements, may be significant and could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Governmental regulation relating to greenhouse gas emissions may subject us to significant new costs and restrictions on our operations and could impact our supply chain and cost of material.

Laws enacted by governments, including the U.S. Congress, or policies of regulators, including the USEPA, could regulate greenhouse gas emissions through cap-and-trade systems, carbon taxes or other programs under which emitters would be required to buy allowances to offset emissions of greenhouse gas, pay carbon based taxes, make significant capital investments, alter manufacturing practices or curtail production. In addition, several states, including the state of Washington, in which we have manufacturing operations, have implemented and continue to consider various greenhouse gas regulation and reduction programs through legislative proposals, executive orders and ballot initiatives. Certain of our manufacturing plants use significant amounts of electricity and natural gas and certain of our plants emit amounts of greenhouse gas above certain minimum thresholds that have or may be imposed. While certain of our operations, including the melting of aluminum, require the use of natural gas to achieve the required temperatures, greenhouse gas regulations could restrict our access to natural gas and limit our ability to use natural gas and increase the price we pay for natural gas and electricity, any one of which could significantly increase our costs, reduce our competitiveness in the global economy or otherwise adversely affect our business, operations or financial results.

Furthermore, regulations or other targets for greenhouse gas emissions could impact the availability and price of energy and raw materials, which could ultimately lead to supply demand imbalances, higher costs and supply chain disruptions. Prolonged shortages or slowdowns could negatively impact our cost of goods and result in delays or non-delivery of shipments of our products. The future impact of these or other changes could be regulatory or voluntary and could impact our operations directly or indirectly through our customers or our supply chain. These potential impacts could have an adverse effect on our operations, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

RISKS RELATED TO CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY.

We are subject to risks relating to our information technology systems.

We rely on information technology networks and systems to process, transmit and store electronic information, operate our business and communicate among our locations and with our customers, suppliers and other interested parties. Such information technology systems are subject to: (i) interruption or damage from power outages; (ii) cyber security breaches and other types of unauthorized access and/or use; and (iii) cyberattacks in the form of computer viruses, worms, malicious computer programs, denial‐of‐service attacks and other illegal or illicit means. Cyberattack and security breach strategies and methods continue to evolve and become more sophisticated. Accordingly, preventing intrusions and detecting successful intrusions and defending against them continues to be more difficult and requires ever-increasing vigilance.

A breach in cyber security could result in manipulation and destruction of sensitive data, cause critical systems to malfunction, be damaged or shut down and lead to disruption of our operations and production downtimes, potentially for lengthy periods of time. Theft of personal or other confidential data and sensitive proprietary information could also occur as a result of a breach in cyber security, exposing us to costs and liabilities associated with privacy and data security laws in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Additionally, a breach could expose us, our customers, our suppliers and our employees to risks of misuse of such information. Such negative consequences of cyberattacks or security breaches could adversely affect our reputation, competitive position, business or results of operations. The lost profits and increased costs related to cyber or other security threats or disruptions may not be fully insured against or indemnified by other means.

In addition, from time to time we may implement new technology systems or replace and/or upgrade our current information technology systems. These upgrades or replacements may not improve our productivity to the levels anticipated and may subject us to inherent costs and risks associated with implementing, replacing and updating these systems, including potential disruption of our internal control structure, substantial capital expenditures, demands on management time and other risks of delays or difficulties in transitioning to new systems or of integrating new systems into other existing systems. Our inability to prevent information technology system disruptions or to mitigate the impact of such disruptions could have an adverse effect on us.

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RISKS RELATED TO TAX REGULATIONS.

We may not be able to utilize all of our net operating loss carryforwards.

Our ability to utilize our net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes could be limited to the extent they expire before we fully utilize them or if changes in federal or certain state tax laws reduce or eliminate our ability to use them to offset income taxes. Additionally, a change in our ownership, specifically a change in ownership of more than 50% during any period of 36 consecutive months (“ownership change”), as determined under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (“Code”), could reduce our ability to fully use our net operating loss carryforwards and other significant tax attributes.

Furthermore, our tax returns for certain past years are still subject to examination by taxing authorities, and the use of net operating loss carryforwards in future periods could trigger a review of attributes and other tax matters in years that are not otherwise subject to examination. After our net operating loss carryforwards and other significant tax attributes are fully utilized or if they become unavailable to us before we fully utilize them, our future income will not be shielded from federal and state income taxation and the funds otherwise available for general corporate purposes would be reduced.

We could engage in or approve transactions involving our common shares that impair the use of our federal income tax attributes.

Section 382 of the Code affects our ability to use our federal income tax attributes, including our net operating loss carryforwards, following a more than 50% change in ownership during any period of 36 consecutive months, an ownership change, as determined under the Code. Certain transactions may be included in the calculation of an ownership change, including transactions involving our repurchase or issuance of our common shares. When we engage in or approve any transaction involving our common shares that may be included in the calculation of an ownership change, our practice is to first perform the calculations necessary to confirm that our ability to use our federal income tax attributes will not be affected. These calculations are complex and reflect certain necessary assumptions. Accordingly, it is possible that we could approve or engage in a transaction involving our common shares that causes an ownership change and inadvertently impairs the use of our federal income tax attributes. Furthermore, we may intentionally pursue a transaction that impairs the use of our federal income tax attributes if our strategy changes.

RISKS RELATED TO OUR COMMON STOCK.

Payment of dividends may not continue in the future and our payment of dividends and stock repurchases are subject to restrictions.

Our Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend for each quarter since the summer of 2007. In addition, our Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program. The future declaration and payment of dividends and the purchase of our shares under the repurchase program, if any, are at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on a number of factors, including our financial and operating results, liquidity position, anticipated cash requirements and regulatory rules. Additionally, our Revolving Credit Facility and the indentures for our 4.625% Senior Notes and 4.50% Senior Notes impose limitations on our ability to pay dividends and repurchase our common shares. We can give no assurance that dividends will be declared and paid, that dividends will not be reduced or that purchases of our shares pursuant to our repurchase program will occur in the future.

Delaware law and our governing documents may impede or discourage a takeover, which could adversely affect the value of our common stock.

Provisions of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage a change of control of our company or deter tender offers for our common stock. We are currently subject to anti-takeover provisions under Delaware law. These anti‐takeover provisions impose various impediments to the ability of a third party to acquire control of us. Additionally, provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws impose various procedural and other requirements, which could make it more difficult for stockholders to effect certain corporate actions. For example, our certificate of incorporation authorizes our Board of Directors to determine the rights, preferences and privileges and restrictions of unissued shares of preferred stock without any vote or action by our stockholders. As a result, our Board of Directors can authorize and issue shares of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting or other rights of holders of common stock. Our certificate of incorporation also divides our Board of Directors into three classes of directors who serve for staggered terms. A significant effect of a classified Board of Directors may be to deter hostile takeover attempts because an acquirer could experience delays in replacing a majority of directors. Moreover, stockholders are not permitted to call a special meeting.

RISKS RELATED TO PUBLICLY TRADED U.S. MANUFACTURING COMPANIES.

As a publicly traded U.S. manufacturing company, we are subject to a variety of other risks, each of which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows or the price of our common stock. These risks include but are not limited to:

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• new or modified legislation related to health care;

• changes in tax laws and regulations; and

Item 1B.Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2.Properties

The following table provides information regarding the location, size and ownership of our principal production facilities as of December 31, 2021:

Location Square footage Owned or Leased

Chandler, Arizona (Extrusion) 103,000 Leased1

Chandler, Arizona (Tube) 110,000 Leased1

Columbia, New Jersey 33,000 Owned

Florence, Alabama 249,000 Owned

Jackson, Tennessee 306,000 Owned

London, Ontario (Canada) 306,000 Owned

Los Angeles, California 174,000 Owned

Newburgh, Indiana (Warrick) 3,822,000 Owned/Leased3

Richland, Washington 63,000 Leased4

Richmond, Virginia (Bellwood) 474,000 Owned

Spokane, Washington (Trentwood) 2,886,000 Owned/Leased5

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Production facilities and equipment are generally in good condition and suitable for their intended uses. For additional information regarding our production facilities, see the table under Item 1. Business “Resources - Manufacturing Processes” of this Report.

Item 3.Legal Proceedings

None.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

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PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information

Our outstanding common stock is traded under the ticker symbol “KALU” on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

Holders

As of February 22, 2022, there were approximately 488 holders of record of our common stock.

Stock Performance Graph

The following graph compares the cumulative total shareholder return on our common stock with: (i) the S&P SmallCap 600 Index; (ii) the Russell 2000 Index; and (iii) the S&P SmallCap 600 Materials Index. We are a component of each of these indices. The graph assumes: (i) an initial investment of $100 as of December 31, 2016and (ii) reinvestment of all dividends. The performance graph is not necessarily indicative of the future performance of our stock price.

COMPARISON OF 5 YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN

Among Kaiser Aluminum Corporation, the S&P SmallCap 600 Index,

the Russell 2000 Index and the S&P SmallCap 600 Materials Index

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Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities

The following table provides information regarding our repurchases of our common shares during the quarter ended December 31, 2021:

Equity Incentive Plans Stock Repurchase Plan

Item 6.[Reserved]

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

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Report”). For a detailed discussion of items impacting the year ended December 31, 2019, as well as a year‐to‐year comparison of our financial position and results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, refer to Part II, Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively, and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 25, 2020 and February 26, 2021, respectively.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This information contains certain non-GAAP financial measures. A non-GAAP financial measure is defined as a numerical measure of a company’s financial performance that excludes or includes amounts so as to be different than the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the statements of income, balance sheets or statements of cash flows of the company. We have provided a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measure in the accompanying tables. We have also provided discussion of the reasons we believe that presentation of the non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors, as well as any additional ways in which we use the non-GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP financial measures used in the following discussions are value added revenue (“VAR”), earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization adjusted for non-run-rate items (“Adjusted EBITDA”) and ratios related thereto. These measures are presented because management uses this information to monitor and evaluate financial results and trends and believes this information to also be useful for investors.

In the discussion of operating results below, we refer to certain items as “non-run-rate items.” For purposes of such discussion, non-run-rate items are items that, while they may recur from period-to-period: (i) are particularly material to results; (ii) affect costs primarily as a result of external market factors; and (iii) may not recur in future periods if the same level of underlying performance were to occur. Non-run-rate items are part of our business and operating environment but are worthy of being highlighted for the benefit of readers of our financial statements. Our intent is to allow users of the financial statements to consider our results both in light of and separately from such items. For a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net (loss) income, see “Results of Operations - Selected Operational and Financial Information” below. Reconciliations of certain forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to comparable GAAP measures are not provided because certain items required for such reconciliations are outside of our control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted or provided without unreasonable effort.

Metal Pricing Policies

Our pricing policies and hedging program are intended to significantly reduce or eliminate the impact on our profitability of fluctuations in the underlying price of primary and scrap, or recycled, aluminum, our main raw material, and alloys so that our earnings are predominantly associated with the conversion of aluminum to semi‐fabricated mill products. To allow users of our financial statements to consider the impact of aluminum and alloy cost on our Net sales, we disclose Net sales as well as VAR, which is Net sales less the Hedged Cost of Alloyed Metal. As used in this discussion, “Hedged Cost of Alloyed Metal” is the cost of aluminum at the average Midwest Transaction Price (“Midwest Price”) plus the cost of alloying elements and any realized gains and/or losses on settled hedges related to the metal sold in the referenced period. The average Midwest Price of aluminum reflects the primary aluminum supply/demand dynamics in North America. For a reconciliation of VAR to Net sales, see “Results of Operations - Selected Operational and Financial Information” below.

Management Review of 2021 and Outlook for the Future

Review

This past year was transformational for the company, although one with a unique set of operational challenges. As we look ahead, we are confident in the processes and counter measures we have put in place to address the significant challenges experienced in 2021, setting the stage for stronger performance in 2022. We also achieved a number of major milestones that served to strengthen the strategic positioning of our company as we continue to manage our business for long-term growth and profitability, including our strategic acquisition of Alcoa Warrick LLC and certain assets comprising the aluminum casting and rolling mill facility located in Warrick County, Indiana (collectively, “Warrick”), providing non-cyclic end market diversification of our portfolio and re-entry into the resurging North American aluminum packaging market. In addition, we completed multiple multi-year contracts and extensions with key strategic aerospace and packaging partners securing additional long-term growth. With confidence in the continued strength of our markets and the expected long-term growth in our businesses, along with our commitment to continue creating value for our shareholders, in early 2022 we increased our quarterly dividend by 7% to $0.77 per share, an incremental increase from the 7.5% increase in early 2021.

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Demand across our end markets was mixed creating inefficiencies as we adjusted to changing market conditions. While demand for general engineering applications (“GE products”) and beverage and food packaging products (“Packaging”) remained strong, demand for automotive applications (“Automotive Extrusions”) was muted throughout the year due to continued semiconductor chip shortages that significantly limited North American auto production. Recovery in demand for commercial aerospace applications continued to progress as anticipated but remained pressured, while demand for business jet and defense related applications remained strong. Our financial results for the full year 2021 reflected the impact of the demand environment, combined with rapidly rising costs, significant supply chain issues, labor constraints, continued market disruptions related to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID‐19”) pandemic, the declaration of force majeure by one of the company’s largest magnesium suppliers and the complex integration of the Warrick acquisition.

Outlook

As we look forward, labor issues that hampered our ability to maximize the market opportunities during the year, have been addressed, as we are nearly fully staffed and expect the decline of COVID-19 pandemic-related staffing challenges and the impact of the Omicron virus continues to subside. Our commercial teams have been very successful passing through price increases and instituting contained metals and commodity surcharges to offset the majority of higher materials costs. Operating efficiencies across all facilities have begun to improve and the supply chain issues experienced during most of the year have either been mitigated, resolved or addressed, with the exception of challenges we continue to work through with our major magnesium supplier and the metal supply to our Warrick facility.

For the full year 2022, we anticipate total VAR will be up 20% to 25% year-over-year with further strengthening in demand for our products across all our major markets and the benefit of a full year of operations at our Warrick facility. Our expectations by end market are outlined below:

Consolidated adjusted EBITDA margin (Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of VAR) is expected to improve to the 17% to 20% level for the full year 2022; strengthening through the year as operations and efficiencies improve, costs normalize and the Warrick integration process is completed.

We are well positioned for continued long-term growth with a diversified portfolio and strong secular growth trends in each of our served end markets. Notwithstanding near-term challenges, the fundamentals of our Aero/HS products, Automotive Extrusions and GE products end markets are solid and we are increasingly optimistic in our ability to deliver significant margin expansion and long-term profitability for our Packaging business where we have a significant market position. We remain confident around the timing of the recovery in commercial aerospace and we are optimistic that as semiconductor chip shortages are alleviated, automotive production will ramp back up and our program launches will resume. We also expect our costs and operating efficiencies will continue to improve as we resolve the metal and magnesium supply chain challenges.

Results of Operations

Fiscal 2021 Summary

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Consolidated Selected Operational and Financial Information

The following data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Report.

Net Sales. We reported Net sales for 2021 of $2,622.0 million, compared to $1,172.7 million for 2020. The increase in Net sales during 2021 compared to 2020 reflected a 619.2 million pound (123%) increase in shipment volume and a $0.01/lb increase in average realized sales price per pound. The shipment volume increase reflected: (i) a 541.7 million pound addition in Packaging due to our Warrick acquisition; (ii) a 62.6 million pound (27%) increase in GE products reflecting the reshoring of supply lines in North America and strong demand for our semi-conductor plate; (iii) a 16.7 million pound (178%) increase in our other industrial end market application (“Other products”) reflecting an increase of non-strategic rolled products acquired with the Warrick acquisition; and (iv) a 9.9 million pound (12%) increase in Automotive Extrusions primarily reflecting the recovery from the COVID‐19 pandemic related automotive supply chain shutdowns that occurred during the quarter ended June 30, 2020, partially offset by demand impact due to the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage in the automotive industry, which continues to hamper the return to full production and new program launches. The shipment volume increase was partially offset by an 11.7 million pound (7%) decrease in Aero/HS products reflecting lower demand for our commercial aerospace products as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in average realized sales price per pound reflected a $0.41/lb (44%) increase in average Hedged Cost of Alloyed Metal prices per pound, partially offset by a $0.40 (29%) decrease in VAR per pound due primarily to the introduction of lower VAR per pound Packaging products, as well as approximately $14.8 million of additional net sales recognized in 2020 within Aero/HS products related to modifications to the 2020 customer declarations under multi-year contracts. See the table in “Selected Operational and Financial Information” below for further details.

Cost of Products Sold, Excluding Depreciation and Amortization and Other Items. Cost of products sold, excluding depreciation and amortization and other items for 2021 totaled $2,348.1 million, or 90% of Net sales, compared to $941.3 million, or 80% of Net sales, in 2020. The increase during 2021 compared to 2020 of $1,406.8 million was largely attributable to the addition of Packaging and reflected a $1,035.2 million increase in Hedged Cost of Alloyed Metal and a $371.6 million increase in net manufacturing conversion and other costs. Of the $1,035.2 million increase in Hedged Cost of Alloyed Metal, $586.1 million was due to higher shipment volume, as discussed above in “Net Sales,” and $449.1 million was due to higher hedged metal prices. The $371.6 million increase in net manufacturing conversion and other costs was primarily due to the addition of Packaging and additional overhead associated with the related increase in volume, as well as higher labor, energy, freight, benefit and metal cost driven by supply chain inefficiencies, inflation and labor shortages. See “Selected Operational and Financial Information” below for a further discussion of the comparative results of operations for 2021 and 2020.

Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation and amortization for 2021 was $91.5 million compared to $52.2 million for 2020. The increase of $39.3 million was primarily attributable to the addition of Packaging.

Selling, General, Administrative, Research and Development (“SG&A and R&D”). SG&A and R&D expense totaled $118.8 million in 2021 compared to $91.2 million in 2020. The increase in 2021 compared with 2020 was due primarily to: (i) an $11.4 million increase in costs related to the addition of Warrick operations and related transition service agreements with Alcoa Corporation to facilitate the integration; (ii) an $11.2 million increase in acquisition related costs, which were primarily comprised of professional fees; and (iii) a $5.3 million increase in salaries and benefits.

Goodwill Impairment. See Note 4 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for further details.

Restructuring Costs. See Note 12 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for further information regarding the restructuring plan.

Other Operating Charges (Income), Net. There were no Other operating charges (income), net, for the year ended December 31, 2021. Other operating charges (income), net, was $0.6 million of income for the year ended December 31, 2020. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we recognized $1.3 million of payroll subsidies received by our subsidiary Kaiser Aluminum Canada Limited under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (“CEWS”) Program, which was partially offset by $0.5 million of

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impairment charges related to property, plant and equipment (see Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for details of government grants received).

Interest Expense. Interest expense represents cash and non-cash interest expense incurred on our unsecured senior notes and our Revolving Credit Facility, net of capitalized interest. Interest expense was $49.5 million and $40.9 million for 2021 and 2020, respectively. See Note 9 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for a discussion of our debt and credit facilities that were in effect during each of the years 2021 and 2020 and Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for a discussion of our interest expense capitalized as part of construction in progress.

Other Expense, Net. Other expense, net for the year ended December 31, 2021 included a $35.9 million loss on extinguishment of debt related to the redemption of our 6.50% Senior Notes. See Note 9 and Note 13 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for details.

Income Tax Benefit (Provision). The income tax benefit for 2021 was $5.5 million, resulting in an effective tax rate of 22.9%. There was no material difference between the effective tax rate and the projected blended statutory tax rate for 2021.

The income tax provision for 2020 was $10.0 million, resulting in an effective tax rate of 25.9%.There was no material difference between the effective tax rate and the projected blended statutory tax rate for 2020.

Selected Operational and Financial Information

The following data should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in Part II, Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Report.

The following table provides selected operational and financial information (in millions of dollars):

Year Ended December 31,

Net (loss) income $ (18.5 ) $ 28.8

Other expense, net 38.9 1.4

Income tax (benefit) provision (5.5 ) 10.0

Depreciation and amortization 91.5 52.2

Non-run-rate items:

Restructuring (benefit) costs (0.8 ) 7.5

Adjustments to plant-level LIFO1 7.8 2.4

Mark-to-market loss (gain) on derivative instruments2 1.4 (2.6 )

Workers' compensation cost due to discounting — 1.8

Non-cash asset impairment charges — 0.5

Net periodic post retirement service cost relating to Salaried VEBA 0.1 0.1

Environmental expenses3 0.2 5.3

Total non-run-rate items 36.7 20.5

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Adjusted EBITDA for 2021 was $38.8 million higher than Adjusted EBITDA for 2020, which had the benefit of the additional $14.8 million of revenue as discussed in “Net sales” above. Adjusted EBITDA for 2021 reflected the benefit of Packaging and improvement in our Automotive Extrusions and GE products, partially offset by higher costs as discussed in “Consolidated Selected Operational and Financial Information” above.

34

The following table provides our shipment and VAR information (in millions of dollars, except shipments and VAR per pound) by end market applications:

Year Ended December 31,

Aero/HS Products:

$ $ / lb $ $ / lb

Packaging:

Shipments (mmlbs) 541.7 —

$ $ / lb $ $ / lb

Less: Hedged Cost of Alloyed Metal (730.0 ) (1.35 ) — —

Automotive Extrusions:

$ $ / lb $ $ / lb

Less: Hedged Cost of Alloyed Metal (128.4 ) (1.36 ) (78.4 ) (0.93 )

GE Products:

$ $ / lb $ $ / lb

Other Products:

Shipments (mmlbs) 26.1 9.4

$ $ / lb $ $ / lb

Less: Hedged Cost of Alloyed Metal (24.4 ) (0.93 ) (8.4 ) (0.89 )

Total:

$ $ / lb $ $ / lb

35

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Summary

The following table summarizes our liquidity (in millions of dollars):

As of December 31,

Available cash and cash equivalents $ 303.2 $ 780.3

We place our cash in bank deposits and money market funds with high credit quality financial institutions. Cash equivalents consist primarily of investment-grade commercial paper, money market accounts and investments which, when purchased, have a maturity of 90 days or less. Short-term investments represent holdings in investment-grade commercial paper with a maturity at the time of purchase of greater than 90 days.

See Note 16 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for information regarding restricted cash at December 31, 2021.

We and certain of our subsidiaries have a Revolving Credit Facility with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto (see Note 9 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report). There were no borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility during the years ending or as of December 31, 2021 or December 31, 2020, respectively.

Cash Flows

The following table summarizes our cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities (in millions of dollars):

Year Ended December 31,

Total cash provided by (used in):

Investing activities $ (665.8 ) $ 26.9

Cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 reflected results of business activity described within “Consolidated Selected Operational and Financial Information” above, as well as the following working capital changes: (i) an increase in accounts payable of $112.5 million, primarily driven by Warrick payables added during the year ended December 31, 2021 and higher metal cost; (ii) an increase in trade and other receivables of $90.3 million, primarily driven by Warrick receivables added during the year ended December 31, 2021 and the remainder due to the timing and mix of sales and an increase in metal prices; and (iii) an increase in inventory of $43.5 million due primarily to higher inventory pounds to satisfy increased demand, as well as a higher per pound inventory cost.

Cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 reflected results of business activity for the year ended December 31, 2020, as well as the following working capital changes: (i) a decrease in Trade and other receivables of $60.8 million driven primarily by lower Net sales; (ii) a decrease in Inventories of $25.6 million to better align with operations; and (iii) a reduction in Contract assets of $18.5 million driven primarily by timing and volume of shipments related to revenue on products recognized over-time.

See Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows included in this Report for further details on our cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.

Sources of Liquidity

We believe our available cash and cash equivalents, borrowing availability under the Revolving Credit Facility and funds generated from operations are our most significant sources of liquidity, and that our Revolving Credit Facility and unsecured notes

36

have covenants that allow us to operate our business with limited restrictions and significant flexibility for the foreseeable future. While we believe these sources will be sufficient to finance our working capital requirements, planned capital expenditures, investments, debt service obligations and other cash requirements for at least the next twelve months, and while we also believe that alternative sources of liquidity will remain available in the event we seek to add liquidity for opportunistic or other reasons in the future, our ability to fund such cash requirements will depend upon our future operating performance (which will be affected by prevailing economic conditions) and financial, business and other factors, some of which are beyond our control.

We do not believe that covenants contained in the Revolving Credit Facility are reasonably likely to limit our ability to raise additional debt or equity should we choose to do so during the next 12 months, nor do we believe it is likely that during the next 12 months we will trigger the availability threshold that would require measuring and maintaining a fixed charge coverage ratio.

See Note 9 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for a description of our Revolving Credit Facility.

Debt

See Note 9 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for further details with respect to the 4.50% Senior Notes and 4.625% Senior Notes due 2028 (“4.625% Senior Notes”) and the redemption of our 6.50% Senior Notes.

We do not believe that covenants in the indenture governing the 4.50% Senior Notes and 4.625% Senior Notes are reasonably likely to limit our ability to obtain additional debt or equity financing should we choose to do so during the next 12 months.

Capital Expenditures and Investments

We strive to strengthen our competitive position across our end markets through strategic capital investment. Significant investments over the past decade have positioned us well with increased capacity and expanded manufacturing capabilities while more recent capital projects have focused on further enhancing manufacturing cost efficiency, improving product quality and promoting operational security, which we believe are critical to maintaining and strengthening our position in an increasingly competitive market environment. A significant portion of our capital spending over the past several years related to the modernization project at our rolling mill in Spokane, Washington (“Trentwood”), which focused on equipment upgrades throughout the process flow to reduce conversion costs, increase efficiency and further improve our competitive cost position on all products produced at our Trentwood facility. In addition, a significant portion of the investment also focused on modernizing legacy equipment and the process flow for thin gauge plate to achieve KaiserSelect® quality enhancements for these Aero/HS products and GE products. These improvements have allowed us to gain incremental manufacturing capacity to enable future sales growth. Total capital expenditures were $58.0 million and $51.9 million for 2021 and 2020, respectively, and primarily related to critical sustaining capital projects.

Our capital investment plans remain focused on supporting demand growth through capacity expansion, sustaining our operations, enhancing product quality and increasing operating efficiencies. We anticipate total capital spending in 2022 of approximately $180.0 million to $200.0 million, of which approximately 60% of total spending will be focused on growth initiatives, primarily reflecting investment in the new roll coat line at Warrick and modest spending related to the Trentwood facility expansion project. In addition, we have prepared for a multiple week outage early in third quarter 2022 to refurbish the large plate stretcher at our Trentwood facility. The investment of approximately $30.0 million is a highly efficient use of capital that will allow us to temporarily defer the $145.0 million purchase for a new stretcher planned prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to deploy capital thoughtfully to ensure that investment decisions align with demand expectations in order to maximize the earnings potential of the business and maintain financial strength and flexibility.

Capital investments will be funded using cash generated from operations, available cash and cash equivalents, short‐term investments, borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility and/or other third-party financing arrangements. The level of anticipated capital expenditures may be adjusted from time to time depending on our business plans, our price outlook for fabricated aluminum products, our ability to maintain adequate liquidity and other factors. No assurance can be provided as to the timing of any such expenditures or the operational benefits expected therefrom.

Dividends

We have consistently paid a quarterly cash dividend since the second quarter of 2007 to holders of our common stock, including holders of restricted stock, and have increased the dividend in each year since 2011. Nevertheless, as in the past, the future declaration and payment of dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on a number of factors, including our financial and operating results, financial position and anticipated cash requirements and contractual restrictions under our Revolving Credit Facility, the indentures for our 4.50% Senior Notes and 4.625% Senior Notes or other indebtedness we may incur in the future. We can give no assurance that dividends will be declared and paid in the future.

37

We also pay quarterly dividend equivalents to the holders of certain restricted stock units. Holders of performance shares are not paid a quarterly dividend equivalent, but instead are entitled to receive, in connection with the issuance of underlying shares of common stock for performance shares that ultimately vest, a one-time payment equal to the dividends such holder would have received if the number of such shares of common stock so issued had been held of record by such holder from the date of grant of such performance shares through the date of such issuance.

See our Statements of Consolidated Stockholders’ Equity and Note 18 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for information regarding dividends declared during 2021 and 2020 and subsequent to December 31, 2021.

Repurchases of Common Stock

We suspended share repurchases as of March 18, 2020. We will continue to assess share repurchases as a part of our capital allocation priorities and strategic investment opportunities identified to support further growth in our business. See our Statements of Consolidated Stockholders’ Equity included in this Report for information regarding: (i) repurchases of common stock in 2021 and 2020; (ii) the amounts authorized and available for future repurchases of common stock under our stock repurchase program; and (iii) minimum statutory tax withholding obligations arising during 2021 and 2020 in connection with the vesting of non-vested shares, restricted stock units and performance shares.

Environmental Commitments and Contingencies

See Note 10 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for information regarding our environmental commitments and contingencies.

Contractual Obligations, Commercial Commitments and Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

The discussion below summarizes our significant contractual obligations, commercial commitments and off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 31, 2021.

Principal and Interest on 4.50% Senior Notes and 4.625% Senior Notes. See Note 9 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for information, including the timing of principal and interest payments, associated with our debt.

Standby Letters of Credit. Standby Letters of Credit represents letters of credit issued under our Revolving Credit Facility. The letters of credit provide financial assurance of our payment of obligations, primarily related to workers’ compensation. The specific timing of payments with respect to such matters is uncertain. The letters of credit generally automatically renew every 12 months and terminate when the underlying obligations no longer require assurance or upon the maturity of our Revolving Credit Facility in October 2024. See Note 9 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for further information.

Employer Payroll Tax Deferrals. As of December 31, 2021, we had a remaining $3.8 million in employer payroll tax deferrals to be paid in 2022 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”).

Uncertain Tax Liabilities. At December 31, 2021, we had uncertain tax positions which ultimately could result in tax payments. See Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for information regarding further information.

Deferred Compensation Plan Liability. As of December 31, 2021, we had deferred compensation plan liabilities for certain key employees, which were contingent upon investment performance, vesting and other eligibility requirements, including retirement dates. See Note 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for further information, including the total expense related to all benefit plans.

Operating Leases. Operating lease liabilities represent multi-year obligations for certain manufacturing facilities, warehouses, office space and equipment. See Note 3 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for the maturity of our lease liabilities associated with our operating lease portfolio.

Finance Leases. Finance lease liabilities represent non-cancelable capital commitments as of December 31, 2021. We expect finance leases to be funded through available cash generated from our operations, cash and cash equivalents, borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility and/or other third-party financing arrangements. See Note 3 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for the maturity of our lease liabilities associated with our finance lease portfolio.

Pension and OPEB. See Note 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for additional information regarding the future net benefits we expect to pay with respect to our pension plans and our healthcare and life insurance postretirement benefit plan (“OPEB”).

38

Salaried VEBA Variable Contributions. See Note 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for additional information regarding our variable cash contributions to the voluntary employees’ beneficiary association (“VEBA”) that provides benefits for certain eligible retirees and their surviving spouses and eligible dependents (“Salaried VEBA”).

VEBA administrative fees. We are required to pay $0.3 million in annual administrative fees related to the VEBA that provides benefits for eligible retirees represented by certain unions and their surviving spouses and eligible dependents through September 2025. See Note 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for additional information.

Purchase Obligations. Cash outlays for purchase obligations consist primarily of commitments to purchase primary aluminum, recycled scrap aluminum, other alloys, energy and equipment. We have various contracts with suppliers of metals that require us to purchase minimum quantities of these metals in future years based primarily at the associated metal price at the time of payment. We believe the minimum required purchase quantities are lower than our current requirements for these metals. Physical delivery commitments with energy companies are in place to cover our exposure to fluctuations in electricity and natural gas prices and are based on fixed contractual rates and quantities. Equipment purchase obligations are based on scheduled payments to equipment manufacturers.

Commitment Fees on Revolving Credit Facility. Future commitment fees on our Revolving Credit Facility are estimated based on the amount of unused credit under the facility at December 31, 2021 and assuming no extension of terms beyond the current maturity date of our Revolving Credit Facility, which is in October 2024. No borrowings were outstanding under our Revolving Credit Facility either throughout the year or as of December 31, 2021. See Note 9 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for additional information.

In addition to our off-balance sheet items discussed above:

Critical Accounting Estimates and Policies

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP. In connection with the preparation of our financial statements, we are required to make assumptions and estimates about future events and apply judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses and the related disclosures. We base our assumptions, estimates and judgments on historical experience, current trends and other factors that management believes to be relevant at the time our consolidated financial statements are prepared. On a regular basis, management reviews the accounting policies, assumptions, estimates and judgments to ensure that our financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with GAAP. However, because future events and their effects cannot be determined with certainty, actual results could differ from our assumptions and estimates and such differences could be material.

In addition to the accounting estimates we discuss in Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report, management believes that the following accounting estimates are critical to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results and require management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments, resulting from the need to make estimates about the effects of matters that are inherently uncertain. Management has reviewed these critical accounting estimates and related disclosures with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors.

39

Revenue Recognition.

40

Income Tax.

41

Acquisitions, Goodwill and Intangible Assets.

42

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits.

New Accounting Pronouncements

For a discussion of all recently adopted and recently issued but not yet adopted accounting pronouncements, see Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report.

Item 7A.Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

The following quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk should be read in conjunction with Note 8 and Note 11 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report. Our operating results are sensitive to changes in the prices of primary aluminum, certain alloying metals, natural gas, electricity and foreign currency, and also depend to a significant degree upon the volume and mix of products sold to customers. We have historically utilized hedging transactions to lock in a specified price or range of prices for certain products which we sell or consume in our production process, and to mitigate our exposure to changes in energy prices.

43

Aluminum

In 2021 and 2020, settlements of derivative contracts covering 187.2 million pounds and 127.6 million pounds, respectively, hedged shipments sold on pricing terms that created aluminum price risk for us. At December 31, 2021, we had derivative contracts with respect to approximately 78.1 million pounds and 2.2 million pounds to hedge sales to be made in 2022 and 2023, respectively, on pricing terms that create aluminum price risk for us.

Based on the aluminum derivative positions held by us to hedge firm-price customer sales agreements, we estimate that a $0.10 per pound decrease in the London Metal Exchange (“LME”) market price of aluminum as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, with all other variables held constant, would have resulted in an unrealized mark-to-market loss of $8.0 million and $6.7 million, respectively, with corresponding changes to the net fair value of our aluminum derivative positions. Additionally, we estimate that a $0.05 per pound decrease in the Midwest premium for aluminum as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, with all other variables held constant, would have resulted in an unrealized mark-to-market loss of $4.0 million and $3.3 million, respectively, with corresponding changes to the net fair value of our aluminum derivative positions.

Alloying Metals

We are exposed to the risk of fluctuating prices of certain alloying metals, especially copper, zinc and magnesium, to the extent that changes in their prices do not highly correlate with price changes for aluminum. Copper, zinc, magnesium and certain other metals are used in our remelt operations to cast rolling ingot and extrusion billet with the proper chemistry for our products. From time to time, we enter into forward contract swaps and/or physical delivery commitments with third parties to mitigate our risk from fluctuations in the prices of these alloys. As of December 31, 2021, we had forward swap contracts with settlement dates designed to align with the timing of scheduled purchases of zinc and copper by our manufacturing facilities. We estimate that a $0.10 per pound decrease in the LME market price of zinc as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, with all other variables held constant, would have resulted in an unrealized mark-to-market loss of $0.4 million and $0.3 million, respectively, with corresponding changes to the net fair value of our zinc-related derivative positions. We estimate that a $0.10 per pound decrease in the COMEX market price of copper, with all other variables held constant, would have resulted in an unrealized mark-to-market loss of $0.2 million and $0.3 million as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, with corresponding changes to the net fair value of our copper‐related derivative positions.

Energy

We are exposed to risk of fluctuating prices for natural gas and electricity. We, from time to time, in the ordinary course of business, enter into hedging transactions and/or physical delivery commitments with firm prices with third parties to mitigate our risk from fluctuations in natural gas and electricity prices.

We estimate that a $1.00 per mmbtu decrease in natural gas prices would have resulted in an unrealized mark-to-market loss of $5.2 million and $6.6 million as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, with corresponding changes to the net fair value of our natural gas derivative positions. We estimate that a $5.00 per Mwh decrease in electricity prices as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, would have resulted in an unrealized mark-to-market loss of $1.1 millionand $2.4 million, respectively, with corresponding changes to the net fair value of our electricity derivative positions.

Foreign Currency

As of December 31, 2021, we hedged certain lease transactions denominated in euros using forward swap contracts with settlement dates through March 2023. We estimate that a 10% decrease in the December 31, 2021 exchange rate of euros to US dollars would have resulted in an immaterial unrealized mark-to-market loss with corresponding changes to the net fair value of our foreign currency derivative positions.

Our primary foreign exchange exposure is the operating costs of our London, Ontario facility. We estimate that a 10% change in the Canadian dollar exchange rate as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 would have resulted in an annual operating cost impact of $2.2million and $1.7 million, respectively

44

KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID:34) 46

Consolidated Balance Sheets 50

Statements of Consolidated (Loss) Income 51

Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive (Loss) Income 52

Statements of Consolidated Stockholders’ Equity 53

Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows 54

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 55

45

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation

Foothill Ranch, California

Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Kaiser Aluminum Corporation and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of (loss) income, comprehensive (loss) income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.

As described in Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting, management excluded from its assessment the internal control over financial reporting at Warrick, which was acquired on March 31, 2021. Total assets (excluding goodwill and intangible assets) and total revenues subject to Warrick’s internal control over financial reporting represented approximately 34% and 44% of consolidated total assets and total revenues as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021, respectively. Accordingly, our audit did not include the internal control over financial reporting at Warrick.

Basis for Opinion

The Company’s management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audits of the financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures to respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding

46

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM (CONTINUED)

prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current-period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.

Revenue Recognition—Refer to Note 1 to the financial statements

Critical Audit Matter Description

The Company recognizes revenue as it fulfills their performance obligations and transfers control of products to its customers. For products that have no alternative use and for which the Company has an enforceable right to payment (including a reasonable profit) throughout the production process, revenue is recognized over time. In general, a majority of the Company’s revenue for Aero/HS products and Automotive Extrusions are recognized over time, with the revenue for the remainder of its products recognized at a point in time. For contracts recognized over time, control transfer occurs incrementally during the Company’s production process as progress is made on fulfilling the performance obligation. The Company uses the input method of determining the progress, capturing direct costs beginning at the point that billet or cast ingot is introduced into production at either the extrusion phase or the rolling phase, respectively. For products in production, the Company recognizes revenue using the cost incurred to date plus an estimate of reasonable margin. As of December 31, 2021, net sales were $2,622.0 million, of which $554.1 million was recognized over time.

Given the volume of contracts that are recognized over time and the complexity of the determination of over time revenue, we identified revenue for over time contracts as a critical audit matter.

How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit

Our audit procedures related to revenue recognized over time, included the following, among others:

• We selected a sample of contracts with customers and performed the following:

Environmental Contingencies—Refer to Notes 1 and 10 to the financial statements

Critical Audit Matter Description

The Company is subject to a number of environmental laws and regulations, to potential fines or penalties assessed for alleged breaches of such laws and regulations and to potential claims based upon such laws and regulations. The Company records an environmental loss contingency whenever a contingency is probable and reasonably estimable. At December 31, 2021, the Company’s

47

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM (CONTINUED)

$16.8 million accrual for expected environmental costs is included in other accrued liabilities and long-term liabilities and represents the Company’s undiscounted estimate of costs reasonably expected to be incurred based on presently enacted laws and regulations, existing requirements, currently available facts, existing technology and its assessment of the likely remediation actions to be taken.

We identified environmental contingencies as a critical audit matter because auditing management’s estimate of the costs reasonably expected to be incurred for environmental contingencies involved especially subjective judgment and an increased extent of audit procedures, including the need to involve environmental specialists.

How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit

Our audit procedures related to management’s estimate of the costs reasonably expected to be incurred for environmental contingencies included the following, among others:

o Information obtained directly from public domain searches.

Business Combinations, Goodwill and Intangible Assets — Refer to Notes 1 and 4 to the financial statements

Critical Audit Matter Description

On March 31, 2021, the Company acquired Alcoa Warrick LLC and certain assets comprising the aluminum casting and rolling mill facility located in Warrick County, Indiana (collectively, “Warrick”) for the purchase price of $670.0 million. The Company accounted for the acquisitions under the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations. Accordingly, the purchase price was allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their respective fair values, resulting in intangible assets of $50.0 million and goodwill of $20.5 million. Management estimated the fair value of the intangible assets using the income approach valuation methodology, which was based on the Company’s best estimates of the expected future period of benefit of the asset, the various characteristics of the asset, long-term forecasts of the business, market prices, projected cash flows and the rate used in the discounting of those cash flows. Determining the fair value of the intangible assets acquired required significant judgment, including the amount and timing of expected future cash flows and the selected discount rates.

We identified the assumptions related to estimating the amount and timing of expected future cash flows and discount rates to be a critical audit matter given the inherent judgment involved in estimating these amounts. Performing audit procedures to evaluate the reasonableness of these estimates and assumptions required a high degree of auditor judgment and an increased extent of effort, including the need to involve fair value specialists.

How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit

Our audit procedures applied to the amount and timing of expected future cash flows and the selection of the discount rates for intangibles included the following, among others:

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM (CONTINUED)

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Costa Mesa, California

March 1, 2022

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2002.

49

KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

As of December 31,

(In millions of dollars, except share and per share amounts)

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents $ 303.2 $ 780.3

Receivables:

Prepaid expenses and other current assets 48.7 28.6

Property, plant and equipment, net 955.2 627.2

Operating lease assets 46.2 26.5

Deferred tax assets, net 3.4 —

Intangible assets, net 67.7 26.7

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Accrued salaries, wages and related expenses 46.9 30.8

Other accrued liabilities 58.4 41.4

Long-term portion of operating lease liabilities 40.8 25.6

Pension and other postretirement benefits 92.5 1.3

Net liabilities of Salaried VEBA 20.6 17.8

Deferred tax liabilities 10.5 13.9

Long-term liabilities 72.5 77.3

Commitments and contingencies – Note 10

Stockholders’ equity:

Accumulated other comprehensive loss (3.7 ) (18.7 )

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements.

50

KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED (LOSS) INCOME

Year Ended December 31,

(In millions of dollars, except share and per share amounts)

Costs and expenses:

Selling, general, administrative, research and development 118.8 91.2 98.0

Goodwill impairment — — 25.2

Restructuring (benefit) costs (0.8 ) 7.5 —

Other operating charges (income), net — (0.6 ) 0.9

Other expense:

Other expense, net – Notes 9 and 13 (38.9 ) (1.4 ) (20.7 )

(Loss) income before income taxes (24.0 ) 38.8 80.4

Income tax benefit (provision) 5.5 (10.0 ) (18.4 )

Net (loss) income per common share:

Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (in thousands):

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements.

51

KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME

Year Ended December 31,

(In millions of dollars)

Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax – Note 11:

Defined benefit pension plan and Salaried VEBA (1.6 ) 13.4 2.4

Available for sale securities — (0.3 ) —

Foreign currency translation — 0.1 —

Other comprehensive income, net of tax 15.0 19.9 10.2

Comprehensive (loss) income $ (3.5 ) $ 48.7 $ 72.2

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements.

52

KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(In millions of dollars, except share and per share amounts)

Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — — 10.2 10.2

Cash dividends declared2 — — — (39.4 ) — — (39.4 )

Amortization of unearned equity compensation — — 9.5 — — — 9.5

Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — — 19.9 19.9

Cash dividends declared2 — — — (43.4 ) — — (43.4 )

Amortization of unearned equity compensation — — 9.6 — — — 9.6

Net loss — — — (18.5 ) — — (18.5 )

Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — — 15.0 15.0

Cash dividends declared2 — — — (46.7 ) — — (46.7 )

Amortization of unearned equity compensation — — 12.6 — — — 12.6

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements.

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KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS

Year Ended December 31,

(In millions of dollars)

Cash flows from operating activities:

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 82.5 49.3 46.3

Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets 9.0 2.9 2.8

Amortization of debt premium and debt issuance costs 2.1 2.0 1.2

Non-cash equity compensation 12.9 10.0 9.8

Non-cash asset impairment charges — 0.5 26.1

Loss on extinguishment of debt 35.9 — 20.3

(Gain) loss on disposition of property, plant and equipment (0.5 ) 0.2 —

Loss (gain) on disposition of short-term investments — (0.7 ) (0.9 )

Non-cash defined benefit net periodic postretirement benefit cost 9.4 5.2 7.0

Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisition:

Prepaid expenses and other current assets (0.9 ) (6.8 ) 4.2

Accrued liabilities 17.3 (0.6 ) (5.0 )

Annual variable cash contributions to Salaried VEBA (1.7 ) (2.9 ) (2.1 )

Long-term assets and liabilities, net (8.3 ) 4.8 6.0

Net cash provided by operating activities 79.4 206.9 232.3

Cash flows from investing activities1:

Purchase of short-term investments — (39.1 ) (132.2 )

Purchase of equity securities (0.4 ) (0.5 ) (0.7 )

Proceeds from disposition of short-term investments — 118.1 91.1

Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment 1.8 0.3 0.2

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (665.8 ) 26.9 (101.8 )

Cash flows from financing activities1:

Repayment of principal and redemption premium of 6.50% Senior Notes (380.9 ) — —

Issuance of 4.50% Senior Notes 550.0 — —

Issuance of 4.625% Senior Notes — — 500.0

Issuance of 6.50% Senior Notes — 350.0 —

Cash paid for debt issuance costs (8.6 ) (6.2 ) (8.8 )

Repayment of finance lease (2.1 ) (1.7 ) (1.4 )

Repurchase of common stock — (12.5 ) (44.2 )

Cash dividends and dividend equivalents paid (46.7 ) (43.4 ) (39.4 )

Net cash provided by financing activities 109.1 281.9 8.5

1 See Note 16 for supplemental disclosure of cash flow information.

The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements.

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KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTES INDEX

Note 1 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies 56

Note 2 Supplemental Balance Sheet Information 62

Note 3 Leases 62

Note 4 Business Combinations, Goodwill and Intangible Assets 63

Note 5 Employee Benefits 66

Note 6 Multiemployer Pension Plans 71

Note 7 Employee Incentive Plans 72

Note 8 Derivatives, Hedging Programs and Other Financial Instruments 75

Note 9 Debt and Credit Facility 78

Note 10 Commitments and Contingencies 81

Note 11 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss 84

Note 12 Restructuring 85

Note 13 Other Expense, Net 85

Note 14 Income Tax Matters 86

Note 15 Net (Loss) Income Per Share 88

Note 16 Supplemental Cash Flow Information 89

Note 18 Subsequent Events 90

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KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

In this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Report”), unless the context otherwise requires, references in these notes to consolidated financial statements to “Kaiser Aluminum Corporation,” “Kaiser,” “we,” “us,” “our,” “the Company” and “our Company” refer collectively to Kaiser Aluminum Corporation and its subsidiaries.

Organization and Nature of Operations. Kaiser Aluminum Corporation specializes in the production of semi-fabricated specialty aluminum mill products, such as aluminum plate and sheet, bare and coated coil and extruded and drawn products, for the following end market applications: (i) aerospace and high strength (“Aero/HS products”); (ii) beverage and food packaging (“Packaging”); (iii) automotive (“Automotive Extrusions”); (iv) general engineering (“GE products”); and (v) other industrial (“Other products”). Our business is organized into one operating segment. See Note 17 for additional information regarding our business, product and geographical area information and concentration of risk.

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation. Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of our wholly owned subsidiaries and are prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated. We have reclassified certain amounts in prior-period financial statements to conform to the current period's presentation. On the Consolidated Balance Sheets, prior period presentation of the Canadian pension plan in Long-term liabilities is now reflected in Pension and other postretirement benefits. On the Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows, prior period presentation of Other non-cash changes in assets and liabilities is now reflected in Changes in operating assets and liabilities within the following categories: (i) Prepaid expenses and other current assets; (ii) Accrued liabilities; and (iii) Long-term assets and liabilities, net.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements. The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities known to exist as of the date the financial statements are published and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Uncertainties with respect to such estimates and assumptions are inherent in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements; accordingly, it is possible that the actual results could differ from these estimates and assumptions, which could have a material effect on the reported amounts of our consolidated financial position and results of operations. The severity, magnitude and duration, as well as the economic consequences of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic, are uncertain, rapidly changing and difficult to predict. Therefore, our accounting estimates and assumptions may change over time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and may change materially in future periods.

Supply Chain Financing. Upon our acquisition of Warrick (as defined in Note 4 below), we became party to several supply chain financing arrangements, in which we may sell certain of our customers’ trade accounts receivable to such customers’ financial institutions without recourse. We sell our undivided interests in certain of these receivables at our discretion when we determine that the cost of these arrangements is less than the cost of servicing our receivables with existing debt. Under the terms of the agreements, we retain no rights or interest, have no obligations with respect to the sold receivables and do not service the receivables after the sale. As such, these transactions are being accounted for as a sale. During 2021, we sold trade accounts receivable totaling $1,102.8 million, related to these supply chain financing arrangements, of which our customers’ financial institutions applied discount fees totaling $6.2 million. To the extent discount fees related to the sale of trade accounts receivable under supply chain financing arrangements are not reimbursed by our customers, they are included in Other expense, net. As of December 31, 2021, we had been and/or expected to be fully reimbursed by our customers for these discount fees.

Fair Value Measurements. We apply the fair value hierarchy established by GAAP for the recognition and measurement of certain financial assets and liabilities. An asset or liability’s fair value classification within the hierarchy is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. In determining fair value, we utilize valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs to the extent possible and consider counterparty risk in our assessment of fair value. We also review the underlying inputs that are significant to the fair value measurement of financial instruments to determine if a transfer among hierarchy levels is appropriate.

Financial assets and liabilities that we measure at fair value each period include our derivative instruments and equity investments related to our deferred compensation plan (see Note 5 and Note 8). Additionally, we measure at fair value once each year at December 31 the plan assets of our defined benefit pension and postretirement plans including the Salaried VEBA (defined in Note 5). In determining the fair value of the plan assets at an annual period end, we utilize primarily the results of valuations supplied by the investment advisors responsible for managing the assets of each plan, which we independently review for reasonableness. We record our remaining financial assets and liabilities at carrying value.

Goodwill is tested for impairment during the fourth quarter on an annual basis, as well as on an interim basis, as warranted, at the time of relevant events and changes in circumstances. Intangible asset fair values and useful lives are determined using the income approach valuation methodology, which is based on, among other factors, the expected future period of benefit of the asset, the various characteristics of the asset, long‐term forecasts of the business, market prices, projected cash flows and the rate used in discounting those cash flows. Intangible assets with definite lives are initially recognized at fair value and subsequently amortized over the estimated useful lives to reflect the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible assets are consumed. In the event the pattern cannot be reliably determined, we use a straight-line amortization method. Whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carryingamount of the intangible assets may not be recoverable, the intangible assets are reviewed for impairment. See Note 4 for a discussion of our business acquisition in 2021 and the goodwill impairment charges we recorded during 2019.

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KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For a majority of our remaining non-financial assets and liabilities, which include inventories, debt issuance costs and property, plant and equipment, we are not required to measure their fair value on a recurring basis. However, if certain triggering events occur, an evaluation of the affected non-financial asset or liability will be required, which could result in a reduction to the carrying amount of such asset or liability. See “Property, Plant and Equipment, Net” below for a discussion of impairment charges on idled assets recorded during 2021, 2020 and 2019.

Government Grants. From time-to-time, we receive grants from certain governmental agencies such as states and municipalities. We recognize government grants when we have reasonable assurance that we will comply with any conditions attached to the grant and the grant will be received. Government grants related to property, plant and equipment are presented as a reduction to the related asset’s carrying amount. Grants related to compensation for costs already incurred or for immediate financial support, with no future related costs, are recognized as income in the period in which they are receivable. During 2020, our subsidiary Kaiser Aluminum Canada Limited received $1.3 million of payroll subsidies under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Program. These subsidies were recorded within Other operating charges (income), net.

Cash and Cash Equivalents. We consider only those short-term, highly liquid investments which, when purchased, have maturities of 90 days or less to be cash equivalents. Our cash equivalents consist primarily of funds in money market funds, which are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.

Restricted Cash. We are required to keep on deposit certain amounts that are pledged or held as collateral relating to workers’ compensation and other agreements. We account for such deposits as restricted cash (see Note 16). From time to time, such restricted funds could be returned to us or we could be required to pledge additional cash.

Available for Sale Securities. We have historically accounted for investments in certain marketable debt securities with maturities of greater than 90 days as available for sale securities. Such securities were recorded at fair value with net unrealized gains and losses, net of income taxes, reflected in Accumulated other comprehensive loss as a component of Stockholders’ equity. Realized gains and losses from the sale of available for sale securities, if any, were determined on a specific identification basis. We settled all outstanding available for sale securities during the year ended December 31, 2020.

Trade Receivables and Allowance for Credit Losses. Trade receivables primarily consist of amounts billed to customers for products sold. Accounts receivable are generally due within 30 to 90 days. For the majority of our receivables, we establish an allowance for credit losses based upon collection experience and other factors including, but not limited to, customer credit ratings, bankruptcy filings, published or estimated credit default rates, age of receivables, expected loss rates and collateral exposures. On certain other receivables where we are aware of a specific customer’s inability or reluctance to pay, an allowance for credit losses is established against amounts due, to reduce the net receivable balance to the amount we reasonably expect to collect. However, if circumstances change, our estimate of the recoverability of accounts receivable could be different. Circumstances that could affect our estimates include, but are not limited to, customer credit issues and general economic conditions. Accounts are written off once deemed to be uncollectible. Any subsequent cash collections relating to accounts that have been previously written off are typically recorded as a reduction to total bad debt expense in the period of payment. Write-offs for 2021, 2020 and 2019 were immaterial to our consolidated financial statements.

Inventories. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market value. Finished products, work-in-process and raw material inventories are stated on the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) basis. At December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the cost of our inventory on a first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) basis, which approximates the current replacement cost, exceeded its stated LIFO value by $137.1 million and $8.4 million, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we decremented a prior year, lower cost LIFO layer, which resulted in a benefit of $0.2 million. Other inventories are stated on the FIFO basis and consist of operating supplies, which are materials and supplies to be consumed during the production process. Inventory costs consist of material, labor and manufacturing overhead, including depreciation. Abnormal costs, such as idle facility expenses, freight, handling costs and spoilage, are accounted for as current period charges (see Note 2 for the components of inventories).

Replacement Parts. Replacement parts consist of preventative maintenance and capital spare parts, which are stated on the FIFO basis. Replacement parts are recorded within Prepaid expenses and other current assets or Other assets depending on whether or not the expected utilization of the replacement parts is to occur within the next 12 months.

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KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Property, Plant and Equipment, Net. Property, plant and equipment, net, is recorded at cost and includes construction in progress (see Note 2). Property, plant and equipment acquired in the Warrick acquisition was recorded at fair value as of the date of acquisition (see Note 4). Interest related to the construction of qualifying assets is capitalized as part of the construction costs. The amount of interest expense capitalized as construction in progress was $1.2 million, $1.0 million and $1.6 million during 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method at rates based on the estimated useful lives of the various classes of assets. Depreciable finance lease assets and leasehold improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of the assets or the lease term. The estimated useful lives are as follows:

Range (in years)

Land improvements 1-25

Buildings and leasehold improvements 2-45

Machinery and equipment 1-22

Depreciable finance lease assets 2-120

Depreciation expense is not included in Cost of products sold, but is included in Depreciation and amortization.

Property, plant and equipment are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset or group of assets may not be recoverable. We regularly assess whether events and circumstances with the potential to trigger impairment have occurred and rely on a number of factors, including operating results, business plans, economic projections and anticipated future cash flow, to make such assessments. We use an estimate of the future undiscounted cash flows of the related asset or asset group over the estimated remaining life of such asset(s) in measuring whether the asset(s) are recoverable.

There were no impairment charges recorded in 2021. We recorded impairment charges of $0.5 million and $0.9 million in 2020 and 2019, respectively, to reflect the scrap value of idled assets we determined not to deploy for future use. Asset impairment charges are included in Other operating charges (income), net, in our Statements of Consolidated (Loss) Income.

We classify assets as held for sale only when an asset is being actively marketed and expected to sell within 12 months. Assets held for sale are initially measured at the lesser of the assets’ carrying amount and the fair value less costs to sell.

Cloud Computing Implementation Costs. We defer implementation costs associated with a software hosting arrangement that is a service contract. We recognized $1.1 million and $0.4 million as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, within Prepaid expenses and other current assets and $6.7 million and $2.7 million as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, within Other assets related to hosted cloud‐computing software for our enterprise resource planning system refresh project. We began amortizing the deferred implementation costs associated with this project in December 2021 and will amortize the development costs within Selling, general, administrative, research and development over nine years. We recorded amortization expense associated with this project of $0.1 million in 2021 and no amortization expense in 2020.

Leases. We determine whether an agreement is a lease at inception. We have operating and finance leases for equipment and real estate that primarily have fixed lease payments. For purposes of calculating lease liabilities, options to extend or terminate a lease are included within the lease term when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise such options. Short-term leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use information available at the lease commencement date in determining an incremental borrowing rate when calculating our right-of-use lease assets and liabilities. In determining the inputs to the incremental borrowing rate calculation, we make judgments about the value of the leased asset, our credit rating and the lease term, including the probability of our exercising options to extend or terminate the underlying lease. Additionally, we make judgments around contractual asset substitution rights in determining whether a contract contains a lease.

We have lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, which are generally accounted for separately. These non-lease components include items such as common area maintenance, taxes and insurance for our real estate leases, as well as maintenance charges related to our equipment leases. We have, however, applied the practical expedient within Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification (“ASU 2016-02”), to not separate lease and non-lease components to our embedded supply system equipment leases and have therefore accounted for both lease and non‐lease components in determining the lease assets and liabilities.

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KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Many of our equipment leases contain clauses that require us to return the equipment with certain functionality intact. We account for these costs as residual value guarantees when the guarantee becomes probable of being owed. Our lease agreements do not contain any material restrictive covenants.

Derivative Financial Instruments. Consistent with guidelines established by management and approved by our Board of Directors, we use derivative financial instruments to mitigate our exposure to changes in the market price of aluminum, certain alloying metals, energy and, to a lesser extent, foreign currency exchange rates. We do not use derivative financial instruments for trading or other speculative purposes. Hedging transactions are executed centrally on behalf of all of our operations to minimize transaction costs, monitor consolidated net exposures and allow for increased responsiveness to changes in market factors.

We reflect the fair value of all of our derivative instruments on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair value of hedges settling within one year is included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets or Other accrued liabilities. The fair value of hedges settling beyond one year is included in Other assets or Long-term liabilities. Cash flows related to all of our derivative instruments are reported in our Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows within the same category as the items being hedged. See Note 8 for additional information on our derivative financial instruments.