- GAAP loss per share was $0.13; operating earnings per share (EPS) 1 was $0.58, compared to $2.34 in the year-ago period and $0.46 in the prior quarter. Operating EPS excludes significant items in the quarter, totaling $0.71 per share, primarily due to restructuring costs and a litigation matter.
- Net sales were $11.9 billion, down 22% versus the year-ago period, reflecting declines in all operating segments driven by slower global macroeconomic activity. Sales were flat sequentially, as gains in Performance Materials & Coatings and Packaging & Specialty Plastics offset declines in Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure.
- Volume decreased 11% versus the year-ago period, led by a 15% decline in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India (EMEAI). Sequentially, volume increased by 2%, due to gains in Performance Materials & Coatings and Packaging & Specialty Plastics.
- Local price declined 10% versus the year-ago period and 4% sequentially, with declines in all operating segments and regions due to industry supply additions amidst continued soft global economic conditions.
- Currency decreased net sales by 1% year-over-year, and increased net sales by 2% sequentially.
- Equity losses were $48 million, compared to equity earnings of $174 million in the year-ago period, driven by declines at the Company’s principal joint ventures. Equity losses were $43 million in the prior quarter. Sequentially, the earnings decline was primarily driven by planned maintenance activity at Sadara.
- GAAP net loss was $73 million. Operating EBIT1 was $708 million, down $1.7 billion versus the year-ago period, with declines in all operating segments due to lower local prices and reduced operating rates to match market dynamics. Sequentially, Op. EBIT was up $107 million, primarily driven by Performance Materials & Coatings.
- Cash provided by operating activities – continuing operations was $531 million, down $1.1 billion year-overyear and down $1.5 billion compared to the prior quarter. The Company delivered cash flow conversion1 of 85% on a trailing 12-month basis.
- Returns to shareholders totaled $621 million in the quarter, including $496 million in dividends and $125 million in share repurchases.
According to the company’s website press release on April 25, 2023:
CEO QUOTE
Jim Fitterling, chairman and chief executive officer, commented on the quarter: “Team Dow demonstrated its agility and remained disciplined through challenging macroeconomic conditions – leveraging our structurally advantaged feedstock positions, focusing on higher-value products where demand remained resilient, and aligning our operating rates with market dynamics. Our actions to deliver $1 billion in cost savings in 2023 are progressing, reinforcing our low-cost-to-serve operating model and continuing to maximize cash flow generation. With ample liquidity and financial flexibility, execution of our strategy is on track as we advance our disciplined and balanced capital allocation priorities for long-term value creation.
“Additionally, the annual benchmarking we published today reflects our differentiated portfolio and our disciplined and balanced capital allocation track record. Focused on industry-leading cash generation, Dow delivered best-inclass free cash flow yield on a three-year average and net debt reduction since spin. We also achieved above-peer median three-year average EBITDA margins, return on invested capital, and returns to shareholders, supported by our investments in higher-return, faster-payback and lower-risk projects.”
SEGMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Packaging & Specialty Plastics segment net sales in the quarter were $6.1 billion, down 20% versus the year-ago period. Local price decreased 11% year-over-year, as continued resilience in functional polymers was more than offset by lower polyethylene and olefin prices. Currency decreased net sales by 1%. Volume decreased 8% yearover-year, driven by lower consumer demand in EMEAI and lower Sadara export volumes due to planned maintenance activity. On a sequential basis, net sales increased by 1%, with volume gains in olefins and polyethylene partly offset by lower sales from non-recurring licensing activity.
Equity earnings were $21 million, down $89 million compared to the year-ago period, primarily due to lower integrated polyethylene margins at the Company’s principal joint ventures. Equity earnings were down $35 million on a sequential basis, primarily due to planned maintenance activity at Sadara.
Operating EBIT was $642 million, compared to $1.2 billion in the year-ago period, primarily due to lower integrated polyethylene margins. Sequentially, Op. EBIT was slightly down by $13 million as improved input costs and higher operating rates were more than offset by lower sales from non-recurring licensing activity and lower equity earnings.
Packaging and Specialty Plastics business reported a net sales decrease versus the year-ago period, as gains in functional polymers – primarily for renewable energy applications – were more than offset by lower local polyethylene prices and lower industrial and consumer packaging sales volumes in EMEAI and Asia Pacific. Sequentially, net sales decreased primarily due to non-recurring licensing activity in the prior quarter.
Hydrocarbons & Energy business reported a net sales decrease compared to the year-ago period, driven primarily by lower olefin and aromatic sales in EMEAI. Sequentially, net sales increased primarily due to higher olefin volumes in EMEAI and the U.S. & Canada.
OUTLOOK
“Looking to the remainder of the year, our consistent and disciplined execution enhances our ability to navigate the impact of higher inflation on consumer demand and soft global economic activity. We expect the benefit of our operational and cost actions to continue to build as we progress through 2023. We will remain flexible, responding quickly as conditions evolve and expect oil and gas spreads to further support our strategic cost-advantaged positions,” said Fitterling. “Importantly, the underlying long-term growth fundamentals in our market verticals remain intact, as we advance both our Decarbonize and Grow and Transform the Waste strategies to raise our underlying earnings profile by $3 billion across the economic cycle.”
Conference Call
Dow will host a live webcast of its first quarter earnings conference call with investors to discuss its results, business outlook and other matters today at 8:00 a.m. ET. The webcast and slide presentation that accompany the conference call will be posted on the events and presentations page of investors.dow.com.
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth; asset integration and scale; focused innovation and materials science expertise; leading business positions; and environmental, social and governance leadership to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. The Company's ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Dow's portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated, science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Dow operates manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 37,800 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $57 billion in 2022. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.
For further information, please contact:
Investors: Pankaj Gupta pgupta@dow.com
+1 989-638-5265
Media: Kyle Bandlow kbandlow@dow.com
+1 989-638-2417
Cautionary Statement about Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Such statements often address expected future business and financial performance, financial condition, and other matters, and often contain words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “opportunity,” “outlook,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” “would” and similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words or phrases.
Forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions and expectations of future events that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are beyond Dow’s control, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements and speak only as of the date the statements were made. These factors include, but are not limited to: sales of Dow’s products; Dow’s expenses, future revenues and profitability; the continuing global and regional economic impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic and other public health-related risks and events on Dow’s business; any sanctions, export restrictions, supply chain disruptions or increased economic uncertainty related to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine; capital requirements and need for and availability of financing; unexpected barriers in the development of technology, including with respect to Dow’s contemplated capital and operating projects; Dow’s ability to realize its commitment to carbon neutrality on the contemplated timeframe; size of the markets for Dow’s products and services and ability to compete in such markets; failure to develop and market new products and optimally manage product life cycles; the rate and degree of market acceptance of Dow’s products; significant litigation and environmental matters and related contingencies and unexpected expenses; the success of competing technologies that are or may become available; the ability to protect Dow’s intellectual property in the United States and abroad; developments related to contemplated restructuring activities and proposed divestitures or acquisitions such as workforce reduction, manufacturing facility and/or asset closure and related exit and disposal activities, and the benefits and costs associated with each of the foregoing; fluctuations in energy and raw material prices; management of process safety and product stewardship; changes in relationships with Dow’s significant customers and suppliers; changes in consumer preferences and demand; changes in laws and regulations, political conditions or industry development; global economic and capital markets conditions, such as inflation, market uncertainty, interest and currency exchange rates, and equity and commodity prices; business or supply disruptions; security threats, such as acts of sabotage, terrorism or war, including the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine; weather events and natural disasters; disruptions in Dow’s information technology networks and systems; and risks related to Dow’s separation from DowDuPont Inc. such as Dow’s obligation to indemnify DuPont de Nemours, Inc. and/or Corteva, Inc. for certain liabilities.
Where, in any forward-looking statement, an expectation or belief as to future results or events is expressed, such expectation or belief is based on the current plans and expectations of management and expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that the expectation or belief will result or be achieved or accomplished. A detailed discussion of principal risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included in the section titled “Risk Factors” contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the Company's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These are not the only risks and uncertainties that Dow faces. There may be other risks and uncertainties that Dow is unable to identify at this time or that Dow does not currently expect to have a material impact on its business. If any of those risks or uncertainties develops into an actual event, it could have a material adverse effect on Dow’s business. Dow Inc. and TDCC assume no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities and other applicable laws. ®TM Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This earnings release includes information that does not conform to GAAP and are considered non-GAAP measures. Management uses these measures internally for planning, forecasting and evaluating the performance of the Company's segments, including allocating resources. Dow's management believes that these non-GAAP measures best reflect the ongoing performance of the Company during the periods presented and provide more relevant and meaningful information to investors as they provide insight with respect to ongoing operating results of the Company and a more useful comparison of year-over-year results. These non-GAAP measures supplement the Company's GAAP disclosures and should not be viewed as alternatives to GAAP measures of performance. Furthermore, such non-GAAP measures may not be consistent with similar measures provided or used by other companies. Non-GAAP measures included in this release are defined below. Reconciliations for these non-GAAP measures to GAAP are provided in the Selected Financial Information and Non-GAAP Measures section starting on page 11. Dow does not provide forward-looking GAAP financial measures or a reconciliation of forward-looking nonGAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis because the Company is unable to predict with reasonable certainty the ultimate outcome of pending litigation, unusual gains and losses, foreign currency exchange gains or losses and potential future asset impairments, as well as discrete taxable events, without unreasonable effort. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors, and could have a material impact on GAAP results for the guidance period.
Operating Earnings Per Share is defined as "Earnings (loss) per common share - diluted" excluding the after-tax impact of significant items. Operating EBIT is defined as earnings (i.e., "Income (loss) before income taxes") before interest, excluding the impact of significant items.
Operating EBIT Margin is defined as Operating EBIT as a percentage of net sales.
Operating EBITDA is defined as earnings (i.e., "Income (loss) before income taxes") before interest, depreciation and amortization, excluding the impact of significant items. Free Cash Flow is defined as "Cash provided by operating activities - continuing operations," less capital expenditures. Under this definition, Free Cash Flow represents the cash generated by the Company from operations after investing in its asset base.
Free Cash Flow, combined with cash balances and other sources of liquidity, represent the cash available to fund obligations and provide returns to shareholders.
Free Cash Flow is an integral financial measure used in the Company's financial planning process.
Cash Flow Conversion is defined as "Cash provided by operating activities - continuing operations," divided by Operating EBITDA. Management believes Cash Flow Conversion is an important financial metric as it helps the Company determine how efficiently it is converting its earnings into cash flow.
Operating Return on Capital (ROC) is defined as net operating profit after tax, excluding the impact of significant items, divided by total average capital, also referred to as ROIC.
