News section
home news forum careers events suppliers solutions markets resources directories advertise contacts search site plan
 
.
Seeds and traits business provides strong profit contribution in Monsanto Company's third-quarter and year-to-date results; new competitive dynamics change outlook for Roundup franchise

.

St. Louis, Missouri
June 24, 2009

    ($in millions)                          Third    Third    Nine    Nine
                                           Quarter  Quarter  Months  Months
                                            2009      2008    2009    2008
    Net Sales by Segment
       Corn seed and traits                $1,020     $975  $3,726  $3,189
       Soybean seed and traits                540      447   1,367   1,064
       Cotton seed and traits                 333      279     413     361
       Vegetable seeds                        206      185     572     521
       All other crops seeds and traits       149      161     311     293
    TOTAL Seeds and Genomics               $2,248   $2,047  $6,389  $5,428

       Roundup and other glyphosate-based
        herbicides                           $614   $1,168  $2,749  $3,158
       All other agricultural productivity
        products                              299      323     707     728
    TOTAL Agricultural Productivity          $913   $1,491  $3,456  $3,886

    TOTAL Net Sales                        $3,161   $3,538  $9,845  $9,314

    Gross Profit                           $1,834   $1,967  $5,905  $5,217

    Operating Expenses                       $799     $866  $2,550  $2,270

    Interest Expense (Income) - Net           $18      $(4)    $24     $(8)
    Other Expense (Income) - Net               $4      $(5)    $62   $(189)

    Net Income                               $694     $811  $2,342  $2,196

    Diluted Earnings per Share (See
     note 1.)                               $1.25    $1.45   $4.21   $3.93
    Items Affecting Comparability -
     EPS Impact
       Loss (Income) on Discontinued
        Operations                             --    $0.01  $(0.02) $(0.02)
       Solutia Claim Settlement (after tax)    --       --      --  $(0.23)
       Acquired In Process R&D (Aly
        Participacoes Ltda.)                   --       --   $0.19      --
    Diluted Earnings per Share from
     Ongoing Business (For the
     definition of ongoing EPS, see
     note 1.)                               $1.25    $1.46   $4.38   $3.68

    Effective Tax Rate                         30%      26%     28%     30%



    Comparison as a Percent of Net Sales:     Third   Third    Nine    Nine
                                             Quarter Quarter  Months  Months
                                              2009     2008    2009    2008
       Gross profit                            58%      56%     60%     56%
       Selling, general and
        administrative expenses (SG&A)         16%      17%     16%     17%
       Research and development expenses
        (excluding acquired in-process R&D)     9%       7%      8%      7%
       Income before income taxes and
        minority interest                      32%      31%     33%     34%
       Net income                              22%      23%     24%     24%


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

"Our 2009 fiscal year represents a milestone for our business as our seeds and traits business alone will deliver more gross profit than all of Monsanto did in 2007, a remarkable achievement in just two short years. Backed by continued strong farmer demand for our higher-yielding seed products and new pipeline technologies on the way, we remain committed to doubling gross profit for the entire company from the 2007 base of $4.2 billion to roughly $8.6-to-8.8 billion in 2012."

Operations Update

Monsanto reported net sales of $3.2 billion for the third quarter of fiscal year 2009, which are 11 percent lower than sales in the same period in fiscal year 2008. Results in the quarter reflected decreased revenues from the company's Roundup and other glyphosate-based agricultural herbicides globally, partially offset by increased revenues from seed and trait products sold through the company's U.S. soybean, cotton, corn and vegetable businesses.

SG&A as a percent of net sales was just under 16 percent for the quarter, down 1 percentage point from the same period in fiscal year 2008. SG&A expenses were more than $100 million lower during the quarter.

Net sales in the first nine months of the company's 2009 fiscal year were $9.8 billion, which were 6 percent higher compared with sales in the same period last year. Results were primarily driven by increased revenues associated with the company's U.S. corn and soybean seed and traits businesses. These results were partially offset by lower global sales of Roundup and other glyphosate-based agricultural herbicides in the period.

Monsanto's net income for the third quarter of fiscal year 2009 was $694 million or 14 percent lower than net income in the same period last year. For the first nine months of fiscal year 2009, net income was 7 percent higher than net income in the same period last year.

Earnings per share (EPS) for the third quarter of fiscal year 2009 was $1.25 both on an as-reported basis and an ongoing basis. EPS was $4.21 on an as-reported basis and $4.38 on an ongoing basis for the first nine months of fiscal year 2009. (For a reconciliation of ongoing EPS, see page 1.)

Cash Flow

For the first nine months of fiscal year 2009, net cash provided by operating activities was $436 million, compared with $1.3 billion in the same period in 2008. Net cash required by investing activities was $588 million for the first nine months of 2009, compared with net cash required of $650 million for the same period last year. As a result, free cash flow was a use of $152 million for the first nine months of fiscal year 2009, compared with a source of $675 million in the same period in fiscal year 2008. (For a reconciliation of free cash flow, see note 1.) Net cash required by financing activities was $768 million for the first nine months of 2009, compared with net cash provided of $93 million for the same period last year.

Outlook

Monsanto's fourth quarter is largely influenced by its global cotton business and U.S. Roundup and other glyphosate-based agricultural herbicides business.

Monsanto continues to expect that its full-year 2009 ongoing EPS will be at the low end of its previously-announced range of $4.40 to $4.50. (For a reconciliation of ongoing EPS guidance, see note 1).

The company is now projecting its free cash flow will be approximately $1.4 billion for the year. The company expects net cash provided by operating activities to be in the range of $2.3 billion, and net cash required by investing activities to be approximately $950 million for fiscal year 2009. (For a reconciliation of free cash flow, see note 1.)

Monsanto Outlines New Strategic Actions:

Monsanto is creating a separate division for its Roundup and other herbicides business which is expected to enable the company to better align spending and working capital needs. This action is designed to enable Monsanto to stabilize the business and allow it to deliver optimal gross profit and a sustainable level of operating cash in the coming seasons.

In addition to the new division, Monsanto announced a planned restructuring that will include a reduction of approximately 900 employees across the entire company. The reduction will vary from country to country and will be less than four percent of the company's global workforce. The company anticipates the actions will require a one-time restructuring charge estimated at approximately $350 million to $400 million, or $0.41 to $0.47 per share to the company's fourth-quarter EPS in fiscal year 2009. The company expects to complete its restructuring in fiscal year 2010.

Comment from Hugh Grant:

"Over the last six years, Monsanto's business has undergone a dramatic transition from a company historically built on chemical innovations to one focused on delivering enhanced seed offerings that help farmers get more out of each acre of farmland while reducing the footprint of the inputs used on that land. The actions announced today will allow our company to better navigate in today's changing business environment and keep the company on a clear path for growth.

"We believe these steps are in the best interests of our shareowners, our customers and our employees. This is designed to bring more clarity and predictability to our Roundup business and greater focus to our growing seeds and traits business."

                              Seeds and Genomics Segment Detail

    ($in
    millions)             Net Sales                     Gross Profit

    Seeds     Third    Third     Nine   Nine   Third   Third     Nine    Nine
     and     Quarter  Quarter   Months Months Quarter Quarter   Months  Months
    Genomics   2009     2008     2009   2008    2009    2008     2009    2008
    Corn
     seed
     and
     traits   $1,020    $975    $3,726 $3,189    $630    $565    $2,445 $2,023
    Soybean
     seed
     and
     traits      540     447     1,367  1,064     338     269       856    649
    Cotton
     seed
     and
     traits      333     279       413    361     249     195       296    252
    Vegetable
     seeds       206     185       572    521     113      93       308    270
    All
     other
     crops
     seeds
     and
     traits      149     161       311    293      97      97       177    154
    TOTAL
     Seeds
     and
     Genomics $2,248  $2,047    $6,389 $5,428  $1,427  $1,219    $4,082 $3,348



    ($in millions)                Earnings Before Interest & Taxes (EBIT)

                                  Third      Third        Nine      Nine
                                  Quarter    Quarter     Months    Months
    Seeds and Genomics             2009       2008        2009      2008
    EBIT (For a
     reconciliation of EBIT,
     see note 1.)                   $804       $586     $2,081    $1,643
    Unusual Items Affecting EBIT
       IPR&D resulting from
        acquisition of Aly          None       None       $162      None


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

Sales for Monsanto's Seeds and Genomics segment were $2.2 billion for the third quarter of fiscal year 2009, or 10 percent higher than sales in the same period last year.

During the third quarter of fiscal year 2009, the company realized increased revenues from seed and trait products sold through the company's U.S. soybean and corn businesses, as well as through its global vegetable seed business. The company also realized increased revenues from its India and U.S. cotton seed and trait business.

In the United States, Monsanto estimates that some 16,000-plus farmers are using the Genuity brand Roundup Ready 2 Yield trait on approximately 1.4 million to 1.5 million acres this season.

Monsanto believes that customer demand for its branded corn seed products has contributed to an eighth consecutive year of share gains in U.S. corn seed sales. In the United States, Monsanto's DEKALB brand could realize up to 1 percentage point in share growth and its American Seeds brands could realize up to 1 percentage point, pending final returns. In Brazil and Argentina, Monsanto's brands increased slightly more than 1 percentage point and 3 percentage points, respectively.

Sales for the segment were also higher for the first nine months of the 2009 fiscal year compared with sales in the same period last year. Sales for the first nine months were $6.4 billion, or 18 percent higher than sales in fiscal year 2008. Key contributors to the company's growth through the first nine months included higher total corn seed and traits revenues, increased soybean seed and traits revenues in the United States, as well as higher India and U.S. cotton seed and traits revenue.

Preliminary Trait Acreage Report

As part of today's announcement, Monsanto also published a preliminary report on the company's biotech trait acreage for fiscal year 2009. This report is available on Monsanto's web site at www.monsanto.com.

                           Agricultural Productivity Segment Detail

    ($in
    millions)               Net Sales                     Gross Profit
    Agricultural
    Productivity Third   Third     Nine   Nine   Third   Third    Nine   Nine
                Quarter Quarter   Months Months Quarter Quarter  Months Months
                 2009    2008      2009   2008   2009    2008     2009   2008
    Roundup and
     other
     glyphosate-
     based
     herbicides    $614  $1,168  $2,749 $3,158   $273    $594    $1,514 $1,559
    All
     other
     agricultural
     productivity
     products       299     323     707    728    134     154       309    310
    TOTAL
     Agricultural
     Productivity  $913  $1,491  $3,456 $3,886   $407    $748    $1,823 $1,869



    ($in millions)                   Earnings Before Interest & Taxes (EBIT)
    Agricultural
     Productivity                     Third      Third       Nine      Nine
                                     Quarter    Quarter     Months    Months
                                       2009       2008       2009      2008
    EBIT (For a
     reconciliation of EBIT,
     see note 1.)                      $211       $501     $1,210    $1,486
    Unusual Items Affecting EBIT
       Solutia Claim Settlement        None       None       None      $210
       (Loss) Income from
        Discontinued Operations        None        $(6)       $19       $14


The Agricultural Productivity segment consists primarily of crop protection products and the lawn-and-garden 
herbicide business.

Sales for Monsanto's Agricultural Productivity segment were $913 million for the third quarter of fiscal year 2009, or 39 percent lower compared with sales in the same period last year. Results in the quarter were impacted by increased pressure from generic glyphosate and other branded competitors who continue to aggressively move larger-than-expected volumes of lower-priced material into the marketplace and to a lesser extent by cold, wet weather in parts of the U.S. Corn Belt.

Sales for the first nine months of the 2009 fiscal year declined compared with sales in the same period last year. Segment sales through the first nine months were $3.5 billion or 11 percent lower than sales in the same period in fiscal year 2008. Results through the first nine months reflect lower sales of Roundup and other glyphosate-based agricultural herbicides in all world areas except Brazil and Canada.

Full report: http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=720

Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com.

DEKALB and Roundup are registered trademarks and Genuity and Roundup Ready 2 Yield are trademarks of Monsanto Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

 

 

 

 

The news item on this page is copyright by the organization where it originated - Fair use notice

Other news from this source


Copyright © SeedQuest - All rights reserved