Dow Reports Fourth Quarter And Full-Year Results

The Company reported flat volume growth for the quarter, as a 5 percent decline in Western Europe offset volume growth in Asia Pacific (up 5 percent) and North America and Latin America (each up 1 percent). Excluding the Company’s Feedstocks and Energy segment, volume in North America increased 7 percent, reflecting improved demand conditions.

Price was down 1 percent due largely to currency, while purchased feedstock and energy costs declined $413 million versus the same quarter last year. On a sequential basis, price was up 2 percent, outpacing increases of $218 million in purchased feedstock and energy costs.

EBITDA for the quarter was $125 million, or $1.6 billion on an adjusted basis.

Dow reported a loss of $0.61 per share, or earnings of $0.33 per share on an adjusted basis. This compares with a loss of $0.02 per share in the same quarter last year, or adjusted earnings of $0.25 per share. Certain items in the quarter totaled a loss of $0.94 per share, driven primarily by the impact of previously announced restructuring actions, coupled with a goodwill impairment charge in the Company’s Formulated Systems business.

Dow’s global operating rate was 78 percent for the quarter, up 6 percentage points versus the year-ago period, as a result of limited destocking in the value chain.

Research and Development (R&D) expenses and Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses together increased $69 million versus the year-ago period, due primarily to ongoing investments in Agricultural Sciences.

The Company reported equity earnings of $44 million for the quarter, or $206 million excluding the impact of certain items. This compares with $259 million in the year-ago period. Dow Corning represented the largest driver of the decline.

“The second half of 2012 saw significant deterioration in the markets we serve, particularly in China,” said Andrew N. Liveris, Dow’s chairman and chief executive officer. “In response, Dow identified and took aggressive action to mitigate the effects of a slow-to-no-growth global environment – by deploying cost and cash flow levers and by continuing to prudently manage our portfolio and prioritize growth investments.

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