BASF Maintains Good Business Performance in the Third Quarter

BASF Maintains Good Business Performance in the Third Quarter PR Newswire LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany, October 29, 2012 LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany, October 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- - 3rd quarter 2012: Sales up 8% and EBIT before special items up 5% compared with third quarter of 2011 Successful business development continues in Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas segments Earnings in chemicals business below third quarter of previous year - Outlook for full year 2012 confirmed: Increase in sales and earnings targeted After a solid first half, BASF maintained good business performance overall in the third quarter. Sales rose by 8% to €19 billion, particularly due to higher volumes. At just under €2.1 billion, income from operations (EBIT) before special items was 5% above the level of the third quarter of 2011. The higher contribution from the Oil & Gas and Agricultural Solutions segments more than offset lower earnings in the chemicals business (which comprises the Chemicals, Plastics, Performance Products and Functional Solutions segments). At the presentations of the results, Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE said: "In the past quarter, the outlook for the world economy has once again not improved and the uncertainty on the international capital markets continues. In China, growth in the third quarter of 2012 has slowed once again compared with the same quarter of the previous year.