BASF's fourth quarter was outstanding! 3 major sectors significantly exceeded the forecast

On January 20, BASF Group released preliminary results for the fourth quarter and full year 2020:
Q4 2000: sales of
are expected to be EUR 15.905 billion (Q4 2019) EUR 14.686 billion), up from the same period last year and analysts' consensus forecast of earnings before interest and tax on special items
. 1.113 billion euros (Q4 2019: 842 million EURO), up from the same period last year and analyst consensus forecast
.22 billion euros (Q4 2019: 579 million euros), higher than the same period last year and analysts' consensus forecast
202 Full-year data:
's sales are expected to be EUR 59,149 million (2019:59.316 billion), lower than the previous year and higher than analyst consensus forecasts and BASF's forecast of
Earnings before interest and tax, net of special items, are expected to be EUR 3.560 billion (2019:46.43 billion), lower than the previous year and higher than analyst consensus forecasts and BASF's forecast of earnings before interest and tax
It is expected to be negative 191 million euros (2019:4.201 billion euros), down from the previous year and above analysts' consensus forecasts
BASF released preliminary results for the fourth quarter of 2020 and the full year. Sales in the fourth quarter of 2020 increased by 8% to EUR 15,905 million (Q4 2019: EUR 14,686 million). This is mainly due to sales volume and price increases, but adverse monetary factors have some offsetting effect

. For the full year 2020, sales fell by EUR 167 million to EUR 59,149 million (EUR 2019:59.316 billion), up from EUR 57 billion to EUR 58 billion forecast in October 2020.
BASF Group's operating performance in the fourth quarter of 2020 was better than expected. Earnings before interest and tax on special items are expected to be EUR 1,113 million, up 32% from the same period last year (Q4 2019: EUR 842 million), slightly above analysts' highest forecasts. Earnings before interest and tax on special items increased by EUR 532 million (Q3 2020: EUR 581 million) in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the third quarter of 2020.
fourth quarter of 2020, EST earnings for non-special items in the Materials, Chemicals and Industrial Solutions business significantly exceeded analysts' average forecasts. Earnings before interest and tax on special items in the two main business areas of surface treatment technology, nutrition and care were slightly below analysts' average estimates. Due to adverse monetary factors, EFA earnings for non-special items in the Agricultural Solutions business area were significantly lower than analysts' consensus forecasts. Earnings before interest and tax on special items in "other" business areas were slightly higher than analysts' average forecasts.
for the full year 2020, BASF Group's EST earnings before special items are expected to be EUR 3,560 million, up from EUR 3 billion to EUR 3.3 billion forecast in October 2020 and slightly higher than analysts' highest forecasts. Earnings before interest and tax on special items decreased by 23% compared to the previous year (2019: EUR 4.643 billion).
BASF Group's decrease in EIF earnings before special items was mainly due to a significant decline in earnings contributions in the chemicals, surface treatment technology, materials and agricultural solutions business areas, a slight decrease in EST earnings for non-special items in the nutrition and care business compared to the same period last year, a year earlier in the Industrial Solutions business, and a significant increase in EST losses in the "other" business areas, compared with 2019.
GROUP's EST for the fourth quarter of 2020 is expected to be EUR 932 million, up from EUR 579 million in the fourth quarter of 2019 and the consensus forecast of analysts. Full-year 2020 earnings before interest and tax fell to negative EUR 191 million (2019:42.01 million), mainly due to impairments without cash flow impact in the third quarter of 2020 and advances in restructuring adjustment charges, but still above analysts' average forecasts.