DUPONT REPORTS THIRD QUARTER 2004 EARNINGS

WILMINGTON, Del.,  October 26, 2004  —   :

Summary

  • Reported net income was $331 million or $.33 per share compared with a loss of $873 million or ($.88) per share in the third quarter 2003.
  • Earnings per share were $.25 before special items, 92 percent higher than the $.13 per share earned last year.
  • Segment pretax operating income (PTOI) before special items was $603 million, up 67 percent compared to the third quarter 2003.
  • Segment sales were $6.4 billion, up 10 percent excluding the impact of portfolio changes, reflecting 4 percent higher U.S. dollar selling prices and 6 percent volume gains.

Earnings Comparisons
($ per share diluted)

 

 

3Q2004

3Q2003

9 Months
YTD2004

9 Months
YTD2003

Reported Net Income

$ .33

$ (.88)

$ 1.49

$ .33

Cumulative Effect of a Change in Accounting Principle

-

-

-

(.03)

Special Items*

.08

(1.01)

(.52)

(1.01)

Earnings Before Special Items

.25

.13

2.01

1.231.37

* See Schedules A and B

 

 

"For the third consecutive quarter, DuPont has achieved strong growth in revenue, earnings and cash despite the sharp rise in energy and raw material costs," said Charles O. Holliday, Jr., DuPont chairman and chief executive officer. "The employees of DuPont delivered solid results, and I am very pleased with the progress we are making."

Global Consolidated Net Sales and Net Income
Consolidated net sales were $5.7 billion compared to $6.1 billion in third quarter 2003. Net sales increased from 2 percent higher local selling prices, 6 percent higher volume, and 2 percent currency benefit. Portfolio changes, principally the INVISTA divestiture, net of the consolidation of DuPont Dow Elastomers and the benefit of small acquisitions, reduced net sales by 17 percent. As a result, net sales were down 7 percent.

Third quarter net income was $331 million, or $.33 per share, compared to a loss of $873 million, or ($.88) per share, in the third quarter of 2003. Operating income improvement was principally due to higher sales volumes and selling prices, partly offset by higher raw material costs.

Special items totaled a net after-tax benefit of $78 million, or $.08 per share in the third quarter 2004 versus a net after-tax charge of $1,008 million, or ($1.01) per share, last year, as summarized in Schedule B and further detailed in the notes to the financial statements.

Net income before special items was $253 million compared to $135 million in the third quarter 2003.

Business Segment Performance
Pretax operating income (PTOI) before special items was $603 million, up 67 percent compared to third quarter 2003. Segment sales, which include transfers and a pro rata share of equity affiliates, were $6.4 billion, up 10 percent excluding portfolio changes. Segment sales increased from 4 percent higher U.S. dollar selling prices and 6 percent higher volume. Portfolio changes reduced sales by 18 percent, leaving third quarter segment sales 8 percent below last year. The table below shows third quarter sales by region and variance analysis versus the prior year:

THIRD QUARTER 2004

 

Segment Sales

% Change Due To

 

3Q'04
$B

% Change
vs. 3Q'03

Local
Price

Currency
Effect

Volume

Portfolio Changes *

Worldwide

6.4

(8)

2

2

6

(18)

  United States

2.5

(18)

3

0

0

(21)

  Europe

1.8

(2)

2

6

4

(14)

  Asia Pacific

1.3

1

2

2

21

(24)

  Canada, Mexico, South America

0.8

4

2

1

8

(7)

* Includes a reduction in Textiles & Interiors segment sales due to the INVISTA divestiture (April 30), the additional sales resulting from fully consolidating DuPont Dow Elastomers (DDE), and additional sales from acquisitions.

  • Local currency selling prices continue to show improvement versus prior year, up 2 percent, reflecting the third consecutive quarter of pricing momentum.
  • Worldwide volume increased 6 percent led by the Asia Pacific region, up 21 percent, and Canada & Latin America, up 8 percent.

The table below presents year-over-year sales analysis for the five core segments of DuPont. This provides insight into the performance of DuPont, excluding INVISTA, which was divested in the second quarter.

 

Segment Sales (a)
(Dollars in millions)

Three Months Ended
September 30

Percentage Change Due To

 

$

% Change

U.S. $
Price

Volume

Portfolio
Changes

Agriculture & Nutrition

$969

21 %

7

11

3

Coatings & Color Technologies

1,476

7

6

1

-

Electronic & Communication Technologies

815

12

5

7

-

Performance Materials

1,672

29

4

13

12

Safety & Protection

1,185

19

9

8

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Core Segments

6,117

17 %

6

7

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Textiles & Interiors(c)

286

(84)

 

 

 

Other

12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

$ 6,415

(8) %

4

6

(18)

 

  • Sales in the five core segments increased 17 percent – reflecting 7 percent volume growth, 6 percent higher U.S. dollar prices, and 4 percent increase from portfolio changes, principally from the consolidation of DuPont Dow Elastomers.
  • Four of the five core segments had double-digit revenue increases, driven by strong volume growth and improved pricing.

Detailed information on segment performance is provided in Schedules C, D, and E which show sales variance analyses, segment PTOI as reported, and segment PTOI excluding the impact of special items. The company encourages investors to review these schedules. Additional segment information is available in the earnings data section of the DuPont Investor Center on dupont.com.

Outlook
The company has noted that leading global economic indicators, especially those in industrial production, are showing signs of slowing growth rates in response to the sharp increase in energy-related costs during the third quarter. DuPont anticipates that these conditions will continue for the remainder of the year. Despite this likely scenario and the impact it may have on raw material costs and customer demand, the company is reaffirming its previous full-year earnings outlook of $2.25 - $2.35 per share, excluding the impact of special items listed in Schedule B.

"Our company is committed to executing our strategies. We are putting our science to work, going where growth is, and leveraging our ability to deliver superior shareholder value to our owners," Holliday said.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures
Management believes that earnings before special items, a "non-GAAP" measure, is meaningful to investors because it provides insight with respect to ongoing operating results of the company. Special items represent significant charges or credits that are important to an understanding of the company's ongoing operations. Such measurements are not recognized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and should not be viewed as an alternative to GAAP measures of performance. A reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to GAAP is provided in Schedule G.

DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and protective apparel.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the company's strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures and financial results are forward-looking statements. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "intends," "projects," "indicates," and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors, including those discussed more fully elsewhere in this release and in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by DuPont, particularly its latest annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as others, could cause results to differ materially from those stated. These factors include, but are not limited to changes in the laws, regulations, policies and economic conditions, including inflation, interest and foreign currency exchange rates, of countries in which the company does business; competitive pressures; successful integration of structural changes, including restructuring plans, acquisitions, divestitures and alliances; cost of raw materials, research and development of new products, including regulatory approval and market acceptance; and seasonality of sales of agricultural products.

 

 

More information about segment results and highlights may be accessed on www.dupont.com via the "Investor Center" web page.

 

Financial Schedule Attachments (In PDF Format, Adobe Acrobat Reader required) available by clicking here.

 

Full News Release above with Financial Schedule Attachments included is available in PDF Format by clicking here.

 

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10/26/04