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3rd quarter 2015 dated October 27, 2015
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We are pleased to send you the latest edition of the Investor Relations Magazine. We publish this electronic journal four times a year immediately after the reporting dates.
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Your Investor Relations Team
Interim Report 3rd quarter 2015:
Sales and EBIT before special items decline slightly in difficult environment
- Earnings increase in Chemicals and Functional Materials & Solutions
- Outlook 2015:
- Subdued economy, oil price decline and asset swap with Gazprom to burden sales and earnings in fourth quarter
- Slight decrease now expected in sales and EBIT before special items in 2015
BASF at the stock markets
How did the BASF share performed in the 3rd quarter 2015?
The third quarter initially began with recovery on the stock markets as European finance ministers approved the third bailout package for Greece, while the eurozone and United States showed robust economic figures. As the quarter progressed, weak economic data from China and the intensification of the recession in Brazil led to massive share price losses. The Chinese central bank helped stabilize the situation by relaxing the reserve requirement for commercial banks and reducing interest rates; however, the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision not to raise interest rates for the time being led to uncertainty on the market. As a result, stock markets once again took a dip toward the end of the quarter.
At €68.32, the BASF share traded 13.3% lower than its closing price in the second quarter of 2015, while the German stock index DAX 30 lost 11.7%. The European benchmark index DJ EURO STOXX 50 fell by 9.2% over the same period. The global industry indexes DJ Chemicals and MSCI World Chemicals declined by 15.1% and 15.9%, respectively.
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Good credit ratings and solid financing
BASF has good credit ratings, especially in comparison with competitors in the chemical industry. Rating agency Moody’s last confirmed their rating of “A1/P-1 outlook stable” on May 5, 2015. Standard & Poor’s adjusted their rating of “A+/A-1” to an outlook of “negative” on April 10, 2015. This was largely due to an increase in pension provisions as a result of lower capital market interest rates. We continue to have solid financing. Since the beginning of the year, net debt has increased by €98 million to €13.8 billion.
BASF a sustainable investment
In September, BASF shares were included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the fifteenth year in succession. This year, analysts particularly praised our commitment to innovation management, environmental and social responsibility reporting, product stewardship and employee development. As one of the most well-known sustainability indexes, the DJSI World represents the top 10% of the 2,500 largest companies in the Dow Jones Global Index based on economic, environmental and social criteria.
