Issue 5/2021 - Chemical giants at a glance

Huntsman had full-year 2020 revenue of $6,018 million, net income of $1,066 million, diluted earnings per share of $4.
66, adjusted EBITDA of $647 million, net cash from operating activities of $277 million and free cash flow of $28 million
.
Among them, the Group's core business recovered strongly in the fourth quarter, and its performance increased
significantly.

Clariant's sales from continuing operations totaled CHF 3.
86 billion in 2020, compared to CHF
4.
399 billion in 2019.
Sales in local currency decreased by 5 per cent and in Swiss francs by 12 per cent
due to the depreciation of the currency against the Swiss franc.
The coronavirus pandemic, oil oversupply and unfavorable currency fluctuations made the environment weaker than ever in 2020, but Clariant's full-year results showed remarkable
robustness.
The EBITDA margin of 15% for the full year 2020 was slightly above the average of 14.
8% in the previous three quarters, in line with expectations
.

Celanese earned $16.
85 per diluted share and adjusted earnings per share of $
7.
64 on a GAAP basis.
Net sales for 2020 were $5.
7 billion, down 6% due to price and volume volumes of 6% and 5%,
respectively, from 2019.
The company achieved strong operating cash flow of $1.
3 billion and free cash flow of $950 million
.
In 2020, Celanese returned $943 million to shareholders, including $650 million in share buybacks and $293 million
in dividends.
Fourth-quarter GAAP diluted earnings per share were $12.
50 and adjusted earnings per share were $
2.
09.

AkzoNobel's annual sales in 2020 reached 8.
530 billion euros (about 66.
7 billion yuan), down 8% year-on-year; Operating income was 963 million euros (about 7.
532 billion yuan), up 15% year-on-year; Adjusted operating income was 1.
099 billion euros (approximately 8.
596 billion yuan), up 11%
year-on-year.
Among them, the company's sales volume increased strongly by 6% in the fourth quarter; It has been on an upward trend for the second consecutive quarter, with return on sales excluding unapportioned costs rising to 15.
3%.

DSM's full-year net profit was €508 million
.
The materials division had a negative impact on sales in the current year due to reduced global demand in the second and third quarters, so the overall coronavirus pandemic had a slight negative impact
on the Group's sales.
Overall, the pandemic has had an overall positive impact on the sales of nutritional products, mainly due to the strong demand
for immune-boosting products in human nutrition.

Corning's core sales for the fourth quarter of 2020 increased 17% year-over-year; The company improved margins in the second half of the year, generating free cash flow of $948 million for the full year, and all businesses are expected to maintain their growth trend
in 2021.
Among them, the fourth quarter of 2020 segment results are as follows: display technology sales increased by 6% year-on-year, and net income increased by 21% year-on-year; Optical Communications Division sales increased by 8% year-on-year, and net income increased by 127% year-on-year; Environmental Technologies sales increased 19% year-on-year; Sales of the Special Materials Division increased by 20% year-on-year; Life Sciences sales increased 7% year-over-year to $274 million
.

Covestro's core volumes declined by 5.
6 percent in 2020 to around €10.
7 billion (-13.
7 percent) and EBITDA to around €1.
5 billion, in line with forecasts (-8.
2 percent), free operating cash flow to €530 million (+12.
1 percent) and a proposed dividend of €
1.
30 per share.
Among them, the fourth quarter report card far exceeded the level of
the same period in 2019.
During the period, the Group's core business volumes increased by 1.
7% year-on-year, sales increased by 5.
0% to EUR 3.
0 billion, EBITDA was EUR 637 million, more than double the same period in 2019, net profit climbed significantly to EUR 312 million from EUR 37 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, and free operating cash flow increased by 19.
4% to EUR 394 million
.

Solvay reported Group net sales of €8.
9 billion in 2020, EBITDA margin of 22%, free cash flow attributable to shareholders of €960 million and underlying EBITDA of €1.
9 billion
.
Materials account for 34% of basic EBITDA, chemicals for 39% of basic EBITDA and solutions for 27%
of basic EBITDA.

Air Products In the first quarter of 2021, GAAP earnings per share (EPS) were $2.
12, down 1%.

GAAP net income was $487 million, including discounted operations of $10 million, unchanged from the prior year, and GAAP net income margin decreased 120 basis points to 20.
5%
compared to 2020.
First-quarter sales were $2.
4 billion, up 5% year-over-year, compared to preferential currency rates of 3%, price increases of 2% and energy delivery up 1%.