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BASF SE

BASF publishes first-quarter results 2003

Ludwigshafen, Germany (ots)

Good start to 2003 - cautious outlook
  • Sales climb due to significant increase in volumes and a high oil price
  • Income from operations before special items up 15 percent
  • Second-quarter sales and earnings expected to increase only slightly compared with previous year
BASF has made a good start to 2003. "Our numbers show yet again
that with its clear strategy, BASF remains successful even in a
difficult economic environment," said Dr. Jürgen F. Strube, Chairman
of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF Aktiengesellschaft,
presenting the interim report for the first quarter of 2003. "In the
period from January through March, our sales increased by 7.2
percent, and income from operations before special items rose by 15.4
percent. These good figures reflect the huge efforts we have made to
improve our performance despite the difficult business climate."
"Lower costs and more efficient processes have played a major part
in ensuring that all segments increased earnings compared with the
same period in 2002," said Strube. The sales growth was due to a
substantial increase in volumes, in particular in the Chemicals and
Plastics & Fibers segments. In the Oil & Gas segment, the high price
of oil and higher volumes led to a substantial increase in sales (+21
%). In addition to Oil & Gas, the Chemicals and Performance Products
segments also reported significantly higher earnings.
Although margins remain under severe pressure in almost all
business areas, it was possible to increase prices by more than 4
percent. However, currency effects, in particular the increase in the
exchange rate of the euro against the U.S. dollar and the Brazilian
real, reduced sales.
Earnings per share declined by almost 18 percent. This was due to
the fact that the previous year's financial result contained
extra-ordinary tax-free income from the sale of securities. In
addition, income taxes for oil production, which are non-compensable
with German taxes, increased in the first quarter of 2003 as a result
of the higher price of oil.
Despite the company's positive first-quarter performance, Strube
does not want to draw any premature conclusions for the rest of 2003:
"Economic developments are still subject to a great deal of
uncertainty. Neither do we expect the end of the war in Iraq to bring
a rapid economic recovery. Structural weaknesses in important
economies continue to burden the global economic environment. In
addition, prices for energy and raw materials remain volatile. As a
result, the first quarter should not be taken as an indicator for
further developments in 2003. In the second quarter, we expect sales
and earnings to increase only slightly compared with 2002. We are
continuing with caution, but are ready to act quickly and flexibly."
Performance of BASF shares
From January through March 2003, BASF shares performed better than
the DAX and EURO STOXX 50 share indices: While the DAX fell by 16
percent and the EURO STOXX 50 by more than 14 percent, BASF's share
price declined by only 5.5 percent. BASF has also continued its share
buy-back program in 2003 with the aim of reducing its equity ratio
and cost of capital and increasing earnings per share. In 2003, the
company wants to buy back shares for up to EUR 500 million. In the
period from January through to the end of March, BASF has bought back
6.9 million shares for EUR 226 million or an average of EUR 32.54 per
share.
Segment overview
Sales in the Chemicals segment increased significantly, climbing
26.3 percent to EUR 1,519 million in the first quarter (volumes +26.7
percent, prices/currency -1.3 percent). This was primarily due to
high volume demand in the petrochemicals markets, and partially as a
result of stockpiling by customers. At EUR 145 million, income from
operations before special items was up EUR 34 million or 30.6 percent
compared with the first quarter of 2002.
Sales in the Plastics & Fibers segment increased 15.6 percent to
EUR 2,283 million (volumes +14.9 percent, prices/currency +1.4
percent), mainly due to higher volumes. Income from operations before
special items rose by EUR 12 million to EUR 110 million, largely as a
result of extensive cost-reduction measures.
In the Performance Products segment, first-quarter sales declined
3.8 percent, predominantly due to negative currency and price effects
(-10.5 percent) resulting from the weakening of the U.S. dollar and
the Brazilian real. Sales volumes rose 6.5%. Compared with the same
quarter of 2002, income from operations before special items climbed
EUR 27 million or 23.5 percent to EUR 142 million. This was primarily
thanks to the success of measures to reduce fixed costs as well as
improved margins in some business units.
In the divisions of the Agricultural Products & Nutrition segment,
sales were down. In total, the segment's income from operations
before special items increased slightly by 1.3 percent.
Agricultural Products: Sales were down 19.7 percent on the
previous year partially as a result of negative currency effects due
to the strong euro. The slow start to the season in Europe and in the
United States has resulted in some of BASF's business being shifted
closer to the application period and thus into the second quarter.
The global business with the insecticide fipronil and selected
fungicides, which was acquired from Bayer on March 21, 2003, is
included in the first-quarter results as of this date.
At EUR 196 million, income from operations before special items
was EUR 17 million or 8 percent lower than in the first quarter of
2002. Strong competitive pressure reduced sales and thus earnings. To
some extent, this was offset by the cost reduction measures initiated
last year.
Fine Chemicals: Sales were 8.1 percent lower than in 2002. Sales
volumes of carotenoids, lysine, cosmetic raw materials and vitamin C
increased. Severe currency and price effects, however, reduced sales.
Income from operations before special items increased EUR 20 million
to EUR 41 million. This was due to a program of restructuring
measures, which resulted in successive cost reductions in 2002.
Sales in the Oil & Gas segment climbed 21% to EUR 1,483 million.
Sales volumes rose by 12%. In its exploration and production
activities, BASF expanded production of oil and natural gas. This
also includes production from Clyde Netherlands B.V., which BASF
acquired in the fourth quarter of 2002. The average price of oil
(Brent) increased from approximately $21 per barrel in the first
quarter of 2002 to $31.50 in the first quarter of 2003. Together with
increased production, this led to a significant rise in sales. In its
natural gas trading activities, BASF considerably increased volumes
and sales. Income from operations before special items in the segment
increased EUR 120 million to EUR 404 million.
BASF does not consider the considerable increase in first-quarter
sales and earnings as a result of the high price oil to be
characteristic for further developments in 2003.
The first-quarter interim report 2003 will be available from the
internet at the following address: www.basf.de/interimreport.
BASF is the world's leading chemical company, offering its
customers a range of high-performance products, including chemicals,
plastics, performance products, agricultural products, fine chemicals
as well as crude oil and natural gas. Its distinctive approach to
integration, known in German as "Verbund," is its strength. It
enables BASF to achieve cost leadership and gives the company a
competitive advantage. BASF conducts its business in accordance with
the principles of sustainable development. In 2002, BASF had sales of
about EUR 32 billion (circa $34 billion) and over 89,000 employees
worldwide. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt
(BAS), London (BFA), New York (BF), Paris (BA) and Zurich (BAS).
Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at
www.basf.com.
Forward-looking statements
This release contains forward-looking statements under the U.S.
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements
are based on current expectations, estimates and projections of BASF
management and currently available information. They are not
guarantees of future performance, involve certain risks and
uncertainties that are difficult to predict and are based upon
assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate.
Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or
achievements of BASF to be materially different from those that may
be expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include
those discussed in BASF's Form 20-F filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. We do not assume any obligation to update the
forward-looking statements contained in this release.
ots Original Text Service: BASF AG
Internet: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:

Michael Grabicki
Tel.: +49 621 60-99938
Fax: +49 621 60-92693
michael.grabicki@basf-ag.de

Original-Content von: BASF SE, übermittelt durch news aktuell

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