Clariant with positive sales momentum and sustained profitability

• Robust Q2 2012 result in a difficult environment, first half-year performance as expected
• Q2 2012 sales increased 8% in local currencies and 6% in CHF, to CHF 1.978 billion from CHF 1.870 billion in Q2 2011
• EBITDA before exceptionals at CHF 233 million vs. CHF 241 million in Q2 2011, up 2% in local currencies and down 3% in Swiss francs; EBITDA margin before exceptionals at 11.8%, on sustainably good level despite difficult market conditions, especially in Europe
• Net income of CHF 70 million compared to CHF 40 million in Q2 2011
• Guidance confirmed: Clariant expects further sales growth in local currencies and a sustained profitability for the full-year 2012 compared to 2011, assuming the global economy stabilizes at current levels in the second half-year

CEO Hariolf Kottmann: “In the first half of 2012 Clariant delivered a solid performance as expected at the beginning of the year, driven by good growth in the non-cyclical part of the portfolio, offsetting lower volumes in the more cyclical businesses. While the future path of the global economy is tainted with a high degree of uncertainty, we continue to implement our strategy. Based on this we confirm our expectation of an increasing profitability in the second half-year compared to the second half of 2011.”

Download the full report here.