Dow reported earnings per share of $2.94, or operating earnings per share of $0.93 for the fourth quarter.
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This compares with earnings of $0.63 per share in the year-ago period, or earnings of $0.85 per share on an operating basis.
Certain items in the quarter primarily reflected a $1.96 gain from the split-off of Dow Chlorine Products, a $0.52 gain related to the sale of Dow's direct ownership interest in MEGlobal, as well as an $0.11 charge for asset impairments and related costs.
Sales were $11.5 billion, down 20 percent versus the year-ago period, or 15 percent excluding the impact of divestitures and acquisitions, due to local price declines, of which the largest contributors were Hydrocarbons and Energy, and currency.
Volume, excluding the impact of divestitures and acquisitions, rose 4 percent, representing the ninth consecutive quarter of growth on a year-over-year basis.
Volume gains were reported in all geographies, led by Asia Pacific (up 8 percent) and North America (up 6 percent). Volume grew 5 percent in emerging regions, led by Greater China (up 10 percent).
EBITDA was $2.4 billion on an operating basis, or $5 billion on a reported basis. Excluding the impact of divestitures, operating EBITDA expanded more than $100 million due to growth in key end markets such as transportation, packaging and construction, which more than offset a decline in equity earnings.
Operating EBITDA margin grew 406 basis points versus the year-ago period to 20.9 percent, reflecting continued disciplined price and volume management.
This represents the highest quarterly result since the first quarter of 2005. Gains were reported across all operating segments, led by Consumer Solutions and Performance Plastics, each of which delivered operating EBITDA margins of greater than 28 percent.
The company announced the closing of the split-off of Dow Chlorine Products in the quarter, with a tax-efficient consideration of greater than $4.8 billion on an after-tax basis and a taxable equivalent in excess of $7 billion, contributing to a reported tax rate of 12.5 percent – in line with the company's prior guidance.
The transaction was a significant driver in the reduction of net debt to capitalization to 24.8 percent from 37.3 percent in the year-ago period, and net debt to operating EBITDA of 0.9x versus 1.5x in the same quarter last year.
Dow returned $2.7 billion to shareholders through paid dividends and share repurchases in the quarter, with $1.5 billion related to equity redemption from the Dow Chlorine Products transaction. ■