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Seeds and traits growth, Roundup business drive record first-quarter sales for Monsanto Company - Early indicators from first quarter also signal strong start to U.S. seed and trait sales
St. Louis, Missouri
January 4, 2006


Download the results in PDF format (.pdf 213K)
First-Quarter Financial 2006 Financial Results Slide Presentation (.pdf 51K)
First-Quarter Financial 2006 Annual R&D Pipeline Review Slide Presentation (.pdf 354K)

 

 

($ in millions)

First Quarter 2006

First Quarter 2005

Net Sales By Segment

 

 

Corn seed and traits

$   267

$   227

Soybean seed and traits

173

180

Vegetable and fruit seed

125

All other crops seeds and traits

91

61

TOTAL Seeds and Genomics

$   656

$   468

 

 

 

Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides

$   549

$   435

All other agricultural productivity products

200

169

TOTAL Agricultural Productivity

$   749

$   604

 

 

 

TOTAL Net Sales

$1,405

$1,072

 

 

 

Gross Profit

$   634

$   491

 

 

 

Operating Expenses

$   518

$   398

 

 

 

Interest Expense – Net

$     18

$     16

Other Expense – Net

$       4

$   307

 

 

 

Net Income (Loss)

$     59

$    (40)

 

 

 

Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Share

$  0.22

$ (0.15)

Items Affecting Comparability – EPS Impact

 

 

Solutia-Related Charge

 

$   0.68

Tax Benefit on Loss from European Wheat and Barley Business

$ (0.40)

Diluted Earnings per Share from Ongoing Business (For the definition of ongoing EPS, see note 1.)

$  0.22

$   0.13

 

 

 

Effective Tax Rate (Continuing Operations)

37%

45%


 

 

Comparison as a Percent of Net Sales:

 

 

Gross profit

45%

46%

Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A)

25%

25%

Research and development expenses (excluding acquired in-process R&D)

12%

11%

Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes

7%

(21)%

Net income (loss)

4%

(4)%

 

Comment from Monsanto Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Hugh Grant:

“The contribution of our seeds and traits business continues to grow, as more and more farmers throughout the world recognize the value and convenience of our products for their farms. Stronger adoption of our traits in Australia, coupled with stronger and earlier sales of Roundup herbicides and the addition of the Seminis business, helped make this a record first quarter for our company.

 

“The first quarter, while historically a smaller part of our overall financial results for the year, represents a positive starting point for our business this fiscal year.  And, with the most significant part of our annual business cycle still to come, we believe we are on track for another strong fiscal year for our business.”

 

Market Conditions

The planting season is well under way in the Southern Hemisphere and is nearing the mid-season point. In Brazil, the continued strengthening of the Real to the U.S. dollar has caused liquidity concerns for farmers who pay for inputs with local currency but receive grain payments at harvest in U.S. dollars. Farmers in southern Brazil are also faced with an economic pinch after two years of drought. In Australia, total cotton acres planted in the country remained relatively flat year-over-year.

 

The winter months in the Northern Hemisphere agricultural markets provide farmers with an opportunity to review their input costs for the 2006 season – including new seed, trait and chemistry offerings. In November and December, farmers worked with their regional sales outlets to secure their orders for the 2006 season. Monsanto currently expects that corn and soybean acres will remain relatively flat in the United States this season.

 

Operations Update

While the first quarter has historically been a smaller contributor to overall company performance, Monsanto is off to a good start for its fiscal year 2006.

 

The company reported record net sales for the first quarter of fiscal year 2006, which were 31 percent higher than the same period in fiscal year 2005. Key drivers for the quarter were stronger adoption of the company’s stacked cotton traits in Australia; stronger-than-expected purchases of Roundup herbicides in the United States, Europe and Argentina; and increased U.S. corn trait revenues. Sales in the quarter also included revenue from the Seminis vegetable and fruit seed business, which was not part of the company’s operations during the first quarter last year.

 

For the first quarter of fiscal year 2006, Monsanto recorded net income of $59 million compared with a net loss of $40 million for the same period last year. Earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, both on an as-reported and ongoing basis, were 22 cents a share.

 

Cash Flow

For first-quarter fiscal year 2006, net cash provided by operations was $773 million, compared with $769 million in first-quarter 2005. Net cash required by investing activities was $135 million for first-quarter 2006, compared to net cash provided of $1 million for the same 2005 quarter. As a result, free cash flow was $638 million for the first quarter fiscal year 2006, compared with $770 million in the same quarter in fiscal year 2005. (For a reconciliation of free cash flow, see note 1.) The decrease in the quarter was related to lower proceeds from maturities of short-term securities, which were partially offset by lower spending on acquisitions compared with those expenditures in the same period in fiscal year 2005.

 

Outlook

The second and third quarters of fiscal year 2006 are expected to be the primary drivers for the company’s fiscal year 2006 EPS results. These quarters reflect both the relative size of the company’s U.S. business and the importance of its seeds-and-traits business to Monsanto’s earnings.

 

Monsanto confirmed that its full-year 2006 EPS guidance will be toward the upper end of its previously announced range of $2.35 to $2.50. The company also confirmed that its guidance for free cash flow in fiscal year 2006 remains in the range of $825 million to $900 million. (For a reconciliation of free cash flow, see note 1.)

 

 

Seeds and Genomics Segment Detail

 

($ in millions)

Net Sales

Gross Profit

Seeds and Genomics

First Quarter 2006

First Quarter 2005

First Quarter 2006

First Quarter 2005

Corn seed and traits

$267

$227

$153

$128

Soybean seed and traits

173

180

114

115

Vegetable and fruit seed

125

63

All other crops seeds and traits

91

61

56

39

TOTAL Seeds and Genomics

$656

$468

$386

$282

 

($ in millions)

Earnings Before Interest & Taxes (EBIT)

Seeds and Genomics

First Quarter 2006

First Quarter 2005

EBIT (For a reconciliation of EBIT, see note 1.)

$19

$14

Unusual Items Affecting EBIT

None

None

 

The Seeds and Genomics segment consists of the company’s global seeds and traits business, and genetic technology platforms.

 

Sales for Monsanto’s Seeds and Genomics segment were $656 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2006, or 40 percent higher than the same period last year. Key drivers for the quarter were:

·          Higher trait revenue from U.S. corn traits business,

·          Broader adoption of cotton traits in Australia, and

·          The addition of sales from the Seminis vegetable and fruit seed business.

 

During the first quarter of fiscal year 2006, the company realized increased U.S. corn trait revenue. Early indications from the company’s U.S. seeds and traits business are promising and suggest continued growth in the upcoming season.

 

In Australia, cotton farmers increased their plantings of the company’s stacked cotton trait offering, Bollgard II with Roundup Ready cotton, leading to record trait adoption in this market.

 

Sales from the Seminis vegetable and fruit seed business also contributed to increased sales for the quarter. Seminis sales, which were not part of the company’s operations in the first quarter last year, were higher compared with pro forma sales for the same period last year.

 

As expected, the first quarter of fiscal year 2006 also included the continuing effect of an inventory step-up related to the Seminis acquisition which reduced gross profit for the segment by $11 million in the quarter.

 

Agricultural Productivity Segment Detail

 

($ in millions)

Net Sales

Gross Profit

Agricultural Productivity

First Quarter 2006

First Quarter 2005

First Quarter 2006

First Quarter 2005

Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides

$549

$435

$182

$151

All other agricultural

productivity products

200

169

66

58

TOTAL Agricultural Productivity

$749

$604

$248

$209

 

($ in millions)

Earnings Before Interest & Taxes (EBIT)

Agricultural Productivity

First Quarter 2006

First Quarter 2005

EBIT (For a reconciliation of EBIT, see note 1.)

$93

$(228)

Unusual Items Affecting EBIT

 

 

      Pre-tax charge associated with certain liabilities in connection with the Solutia bankruptcy

$(284)

 

The Agricultural Productivity segment consists primarily of crop protection products, residential lawn-and-garden herbicide products, and the company’s animal agricultural businesses.

 

Sales for Monsanto’s Agricultural Productivity segment were $749 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2006, or 24 percent higher compared with the same period last year. The primary contributor to the segment’s growth in the quarter was stronger-than-expected sales of Roundup herbicides in the United States, Europe and Argentina.

 

For the first quarter, the company’s Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicide sales were $549 million, or 26 percent higher than the same period last year. In Europe, the increase was related to earlier timing of demand as farmers opted for early purchases of Roundup herbicides in anticipation of the implementation of an ecology tax in November.

 

The company’s cost of goods sold for the quarter was also negatively affected by higher costs within the Agricultural Productivity segment associated with the 2005 U.S. hurricane season and the continuing effect of inventory management within the dairy business.


Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.

 

Bollgard II, Roundup and Roundup Ready are registered trademarks owned by Monsanto Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

 

References to Roundup herbicides in this release mean Roundup branded herbicides, excluding lawn-and-garden herbicide products.

 

           

 Monsanto Company

Selected Financial Information

(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts)

Unaudited

 

Statement of Consolidated Operations

Three Months Ended

              Nov. 30,

2005

2004

Net Sales

$1,405

$1,072

Cost of Goods Sold

771

581

Gross Profit

634

491

Operating Expenses:

 

 

     Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

350

266

    Research and Development Expenses

168

119

    Acquired In-Process Research and Development

12

    Restructuring Charges

1

Total Operating Expenses

518

398

Income From Operations

116

93

Interest Expense

   32

   25

Interest Income

(14)

(9)

Solutia-Related Expenses

6

284

Other Expense (Income) – Net

(2)

  23

Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes

94

(230)

Income Tax Provision (Benefit)

35

(104)

Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations

59

(126)

Discontinued Operations:

 

 

     Income (Loss) From Operations of Discontinued Businesses

     Income Tax Benefit

(86)

Income On Discontinued Operations

86

Net Income (Loss)

$    59

$    (40)

 

 

 

EBIT (See note 1)

$  112    

$  (214)    

Basic Earnings (Loss) per Share:

 

 

Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations

$ 0.22

$ (0.48)

Income On Discontinued Operations

0.33

Net Income (Loss)

$ 0.22

$ (0.15)

 

 

 

Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Share:

 

 

Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations

$ 0.22

$ (0.48)

Income On Discontinued Operations

0.33

Net Income (Loss)

$ 0.22

$ (0.15)

 

 

 

Weighted Average Shares Outstanding:

 

 

     Basic Shares

268.4

264.6

     Diluted Shares

273.6

264.6

 
 

Monsanto Company

Selected Financial Information

(Dollars in millions)

Unaudited

 

 

Condensed Statement of Consolidated Financial Position

As of
Nov. 30, 2005

As of
Aug. 31, 2005

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assets:

 

 

    Cash and Cash Equivalents

$  1,006

$     525

Short-Term Investments

168

150

    Trade Receivables – Net of Allowances of $289 and $275, respectively

 

1,413

 

1,473

    Miscellaneous Receivables      

338

370

    Deferred Tax Assets

511

374

    Inventories

1,890

1,664

    Assets of Discontinued Operations

10

15

    Other Current Assets

104

73

Total Current Assets

5,440

4,644

 

 

 

Property, Plant and Equipment – Net

2,355

2,378

Goodwill

1,433

1,248

Other Intangible Assets – Net

1,135

1,153

Noncurrent Deferred Tax Assets

535

680

Other Assets

438

476

Total Assets

$11,336

$10,579

 

 

 

Liabilities and Shareowners’ Equity

 

 

 

 

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

    Short-Term Debt

$     155

$     282

    Accounts Payable

370

369

Income Taxes Payable

171

208

Accrued Compensation and Benefits

159

273

Accrued Marketing Programs

530

457

Deferred Revenues

703

43

Grower Accruals

139

18

Contingent Purchase Price – Seminis

125

    Liabilities of Discontinued Operations   

4

11

    Miscellaneous Short-Term Accruals

470

498

Total Current Liabilities

2,826

2,159

 

 

 

Long-Term Debt

1,445

1,458

Postretirement Liabilities

697

732

Long-Term Portion of Solutia-Related Reserve

183

184

Other Liabilities

431

433

Shareowners’ Equity

5,754

5,613

Total Liabilities and Shareowners’ Equity

$11,336

$10,579

 

 

 

Debt to Capital Ratio:

22%

24%


 

Monsanto Company

Selected Financial Information

(Dollars in millions)

Unaudited

 

Statement of Consolidated Cash Flows

Three Months Ended

Nov. 30,

2005

2004

 

Operating Activities:

 

 

   Net Income (Loss)

$    59

$    (40)

   Adjustments to reconcile cash provided (required) by operations:

 

 

   Items that did not require (provide) cash:

 

 

      Depreciation and amortization expense

133

109

      Bad-debt expense

14

10

      Stock-based compensation expense

13

      Tax benefit on employee stock options

12

      Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation

(10)

      Deferred income taxes

38

(249)

      Equity affiliate expense – net

7

6

      Solutia-related charge

284

      Other items that did not require (provide) cash

(7)

7

   Changes in assets and liabilities that provided (required) cash, net         

      of acquisitions:

 

 

      Trade receivables

825

893

      Inventories

(221)

(221)

      Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

(127)

6

      PCB litigation settlement proceeds

5

      Solutia-related payments

(9)

(21)

      Pension contributions

(61)

(60)

      Other items

114

33

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

773

769

 

 

 

Cash Flows Provided (Required) by Investing Activities:

 

 

Purchases of short-term investments

(18)

Maturities of short-term investments

201

Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired

(53)

(158)

Technology and other investments

(10)

(9)

Capital expenditures

(56)

(39)

Other investment and property disposal proceeds

2

6

Net Cash Provided (Required) by Investing Activities

(135)

1

 

 

 

Cash Flows Provided (Required) by Financing Activities:

 

 

Net change in financing with less than 90-day maturities

(122)

(22)

Short-term debt proceeds

4

Short-term debt reductions

(6)

Long-term debt proceeds

3

5

Long-term debt reductions

(26)

(208)

Payments on other financings

(1)

(1)

Treasury stock purchases

(35)

Stock option exercises

27

45

   Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation

10

Dividend payments

(46)

(38)

Net Cash Required by Financing Activities

(157)

(254)

 

 

 

Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents

481

516

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period

525

1,037

Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period

$ 1,006

$ 1,553


 

Monsanto Company

Selected Financial Information

(Dollars in millions)

Unaudited

 

1.       EBIT, Ongoing EPS and Free Cash Flow:  The presentations of EBIT, ongoing EPS and free cash flow are not intended to replace net income (loss), cash flows, financial position or comprehensive income (loss), and they are not measures of financial performance as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States.  The following tables reconcile EBIT and free cash flow to the respective most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. Ongoing EPS is calculated excluding certain after-tax items which Monsanto does not consider part of ongoing operations. The reconciliation of EPS to ongoing EPS is included on page 1 of this release.

Reconciliation of EBIT to Net Income (Loss): EBIT is defined as earnings (loss) before interest and taxes. Earnings (loss) is intended to mean net income (loss) as presented in the Statement of Consolidated Operations under GAAP. The following table reconciles EBIT to the most directly comparable financial measure, which is net income (loss).  

 

 

 

 

  Three Months Ended

             Nov. 30,

       2005

       2004

EBIT – Seeds and Genomics Segment

 $    19

 $    14

EBIT – Agricultural Productivity Segment

     93

(228)

EBIT– Total

     112

(214)

Interest Expense – Net

18

16

Income Tax Provision (Benefit)(1)

     35

(190)

Net Income (Loss)

$   59

$   (40)

 

 

 












(1)
 
Includes the income tax provision (benefit) from continuing operations and the income tax benefit on discontinued operations.

Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow: Free cash flow represents the total of cash flows from operations and investing activities, as reflected in Monsanto’s Statement of Consolidated Cash Flows presented in this release.  With respect to the projected free cash flow guidance provided under the caption “Outlook,” Monsanto does not include any estimates or projections of Net Cash Provided (Required) by Financing Activities because in order to prepare any such estimate or projection, Monsanto would need to rely on market factors and conditions that are outside of its control.

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal Year

2006

Target

Three Months Ended

Nov. 30,

2005

2004

Net Cash Provided by Operations

$1,300 - $1,375

$   773

$   769

Net Cash Provided (Required) by Investing Activities

   (475)

(135)

1

Free Cash Flow

$825 - $900

$   638

$   770

Net Cash Provided (Required) by Financing Activities

   N/A

(157)

(254)

Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents

   N/A

$   481

$   516

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period

   N/A

$   525

$1,037

Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period

   N/A

$1,006

$1,553

 

Download the results in PDF format (.pdf 213K)
First-Quarter Financial 2006 Financial Results Slide Presentation (.pdf 51K)
First-Quarter Financial 2006 Annual R&D Pipeline Review Slide Presentation (.pdf 354K)

 

 

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