Dow’s Q1 sales rose 28% year on year and operating earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) jumped nearly 56% - despite higher energy costs, said the company.
Dow saw sales growth in all operating segments, businesses and regions. The operating EBIT margin for the three months ended 31 March 2022 expanded to 15.9%, from 13.1% in Q1 2021.
Sequentially, net sales were up 6% from Q4 2021, driven by gains in Performance Materials & Coatings and Packaging & Specialty Plastics. Q1 volume increased 3% year on year, with gains in all operating segments and in the US & Canada and Latin America.
Sequentially, volume was up 5%, reflecting strong demand for silicon's and polyethylene (PE) applications. However, Dow’s equity earnings fell year on year, primarily due to planned maintenance activity at its Sadara petrochemicals joint venture in Saudi Arabia.
Sequentially, equity earnings fell because of lower PE and mono ethylene glycol (MEG) margins in Asia Pacific.
At the same time, Dow is advancing its strategy to decarbonise and grow underlying earnings by more than USD3bn in the transition to a more sustainable world, he said.
As MRC informed before, earlier this month, Dow and Plastogaz SA announced a strategic investment which will help simplify the process of converting plastic waste to feedstock and provide another carbon-efficient option to keep plastic waste out of landfills and the environment. The collaboration marks another milestone in Dow’s ongoing mission to protect the climate and close the loop on plastic waste.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,487,450 tonnes in 2021, up by 13% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 1,494.280 tonnes, up by 21% year on year. Deliveries of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased, whereas shipments of PP random copolymers decreased significantly.
Dow combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The Company's ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company, with a purpose to deliver a sustainable future for the world through our materials science expertise and collaboration with our partners. 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 care. Dow operates 106 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 35,700 people.
mrchub.com