Global soda ash maker Solvay SA, has reported operating profit that beats analyst estimates and said that reinvesting the USD 6.1 billion in proceeds from the sale of its drug unit remains a priority.
Fourth-quarter earnings before interest, tax and one-time items from continuing operations increased 75% to EUR 155 million (USD 210 million), according to the Brussels-based company. Profit beat the EUR 124 million median estimate of six analysts, with shares rising the most in nine months.
Solvay received EUR 4.5 billion from the sale of its pharmaceutical division to Abbott Laboratories a year ago, and could spend up to EUR 5.98 billion on acquisitions taking into account its long-term goal of maintaining net debt at less than 45% of shareholders`` equity. The company``s cash and short-term investments, less financial debt, account for almost 43% of its market value and returned only 0.5% on an annualized basis in 2010.
Solvay has proposed a final dividend of EUR 1.87, taking its full-year distribution to shareholders by 4.5%, and also plans to repurchase up to 1.65 million shares in 2011, potentially doubling buybacks from last year.
Sales from continuing operations were up 14% to EUR 1.65 billion.
Solvay``s operating margin from continuing operations increased from 8.76% in the preceding quarter to 9.41%, also narrowing in the fourth quarter a year earlier.
As priorities, CEO Christian Jourquin has set growth in emerging markets and finding new value-added products...
Global soda ash maker Solvay SA, has reported operating profit that beats analyst estimates and said that reinvesting the USD 6.1 billion in proceeds from the sale of its drug unit remains a priority.
Fourth-quarter earnings before interest, tax and one-time items from continuing operations increased 75% to EUR 155 million (USD 210 million), according to the Brussels-based company. Profit beat the EUR 124 million median estimate of six analysts, with shares rising the most in nine months.
Solvay received EUR 4.5 billion from the sale of its pharmaceutical division to Abbott Laboratories a year ago, and could spend up to EUR 5.98 billion on acquisitions taking into account its long-term goal of maintaining net debt at less than 45% of shareholders`` equity. The company``s cash and short-term investments, less financial debt, account for almost 43% of its market value and returned only 0.5% on an annualized basis in 2010.
Solvay has proposed a final dividend of EUR 1.87, taking its full-year distribution to shareholders by 4.5%, and also plans to repurchase up to 1.65 million shares in 2011, potentially doubling buybacks from last year.
Sales from continuing operations were up 14% to EUR 1.65 billion.
Solvay``s operating margin from continuing operations increased from 8.76% in the preceding quarter to 9.41%, also narrowing in the fourth quarter a year earlier.
As priorities, CEO Christian Jourquin has set growth in emerging markets and finding new value-added products that are less cyclical and energy intensive. Energy costs, which have been rising in the past months, will be closely monitored in 2011, Solvay said.
Solvay reported a fourth-quarter net loss of EUR 2 million due to a EUR 74 million provision for job cuts. Total expenses will be smaller than the estimated EUR 120 million, which was equal to one year of savings, Solvay said.
The soda ash maker said capital spending, excluding acquisitions, will rise to EUR 625 million from EUR 538 million in 2010. Among the main projects of the company: a PVC-plant in Russia and a facility for the production of hydrogen peroxide in Thailand.
expand
-