Investor Presentation • Feb 29, 2024
Investor Presentation
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February 29, 2024 6:00pm


"In a difficult macroeconomic environment with lower volumes, Saint-Gobain once again demonstrated the strength of its "Grow & Impact" strategy and of its positioning as the worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction. Our cost actions and well-managed pricing helped drive an improvement in the operating margin and in free cash flow generation, which both reached all-time highs. Thanks to strict capital allocation in terms of both capex and acquisitions, the Group now generates almost two-thirds of its earnings in North America, emerging countries and Asia-Pacific, and I am delighted with the strong contribution that our planned acquisition of CSR in Australia would bring. Supported by the impressive agility and dedication of our teams, Saint-Gobain is outperforming and demonstrating its resilience in contrasting markets, benefiting from its proximity to customers and its unique range of comprehensive innovative solutions. Saint-Gobain is determined to remain at the forefront of sustainable construction with the launch of low-carbon solutions, while reducing its own CO2 footprint, which is now 34% lower than in 2017 (scope 1 and 2).
I am confident that 2024 will be another successful year for Saint-Gobain, thanks to good momentum in the fast-growing North American, Asian and emerging markets and to the seamless integration of our recent acquisitions, particularly in construction chemicals. In Western Europe, renovation will continue to show resilience, while new construction will remain difficult but will gradually reach a low point country by country, in a market that remains structurally healthy given its construction needs. In this context, in 2024 we expect a double-digit operating margin for the fourth consecutive year."

The "Grow & Impact" plan rolled out as from 2021 has placed the Group on a financial trajectory that has seen an acceleration in growth of its results, cash flow and value creation, delivering on all the objectives set three years ago:
Saint-Gobain is rolling out its range of high-performing sustainable solutions, aimed at maximizing the positive impact for its customers, including:
In 2023, Saint-Gobain invested €223 million in capital expenditure and research & development for decarbonization. Its investment decisions are underpinned by the internal carbon prices (in force since 2016) that have once again been raised from €75 to €100 per tonne for capex investments and from €150 to €200 per tonne for research & development projects. Thanks to these efforts, the Group was able to reduce its scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 34% (to 8.8 million tonnes) and together with the growth in its earnings, carbon intensity per euro of sales and EBITDA fell by 44% and 56%, respectively, in 2023 versus 2017.


Saint-Gobain has also increased the proportion of carbon-free electricity that it uses, which reached 57% of its consumption in 2023 (versus 52% in 2022). Thanks to eight new renewable electricity supply agreements (Power Purchase Agreements or Virtual Power Purchase Agreements) signed since the start of 2023 (US, India, France, South Africa, Egypt, Italy, Sweden and China), around two-thirds of the electricity used by the Group will be carbon-free by 2025.
In terms of safety, the Group's accident frequency rate with and without lost time (TRAR, including subcontractors and temporary staff) was 1.3 (down 18% year-on-year) and has been halved over the past five years.
Lastly, stakeholder engagement at Saint-Gobain increased once again in 2023:
Like-for-like sales showed good resilience, down 0.9%, supported by advances in Asia-Pacific, the Americas and High Performance Solutions, in contrast to the difficult macroeconomic environment in Europe. The Group continued to outperform its main markets thanks to the pertinence of its strategic positioning at the heart of energy and decarbonization challenges, and the strength of its local organization by country, offering comprehensive solutions to its customers.
In a less inflationary environment, Group prices were up 4.6% over the year (up 0.8% in the fourth quarter), generating a positive price-cost spread once again.
In line with the Group's expectations for the year announced at the start of 2023, volumes were down by 5.5% over the year (down 4.5% in the fourth quarter), reflecting a contrasting situation: a marked decline in new construction but good resilience overall in renovation. In each local market, the Group is taking the proactive commercial and industrial measures necessary to maintain its strong operating performance.
On a reported basis, sales were down by 6.4% to €47.9 billion, with a negative currency effect of 2.3% and a negative Group structure impact of 3.2%. The Group structure impact results from the ongoing optimization of the Group's profile, both in terms of disposals – mainly in distribution (UK, Poland and Denmark), glass processing activities, Crystals & Detectors and ceramics for the steel industry – and in terms of acquisitions, mainly in construction chemicals (GCP Applied Technologies, Impac in Mexico, Matchem in Brazil and Best Crete in Malaysia), exterior products in Canada (Kaycan and Building Products of Canada) and insulation (U.P. Twiga in India).
Thanks to its recent acquisitions and investments, the Group has successfully strengthened its position in North America, Asia and emerging countries, as well as in construction chemicals. Construction chemicals overall delivered solid 3.4% organic growth in 2023.


The integration of recent acquisitions is proceeding well, and synergies have been confirmed and successfully put in place:
Operating income was €5,251 million, a record-high at constant exchange rates (2022 rates). The operating margin reached a new record-high of 11.0% in 2023 (versus 10.4% in 2022), representing an increase of 330 basis points since the launch of the Group's transformation at the end of 2018. Despite a difficult macroeconomic environment, all Regions reported operating margin growth, once again testifying to the Group's resilience.
The Region was down 5.9% in 2023 amid a sharp slowdown in new construction, while renovation (around 55% of sales) proved more resilient. The Region's operating margin hit a new annual record-high of 8.2% (versus 7.8% in 2022), thanks to an optimized business profile and very well managed costs and industrial efficiency.
In Nordic countries, the sharp fall in new construction, particularly in Sweden and Norway, was partly offset by our exposure to renovation. Saint-Gobain further differentiated its offer in 2023, with the commercial launch of Klima plasterboard manufactured at its Fredrikstad plant in Norway using 100% hydroelectric power. The UK outperformed a downbeat market, benefiting from strong sales momentum thanks to the success of its local organization and comprehensive range of solutions along with a newly optimized portfolio. Germany continued to suffer in a difficult macroeconomic environment which weighed on new construction; Saint-Gobain launched a closed-loop recycling service for Isover insulation and Rigips plasterboard in the country in 2023. In Eastern Europe, volumes progressed in the fourth quarter, driven by our comprehensive range of interior and exterior solutions.
The Region's sales held up well (down 0.9%) owing to renovation (nearly 70% of sales), while new construction continued its decline. The operating margin for the Region performed well, at 8.1% (versus 8.0% in 2022), thanks to very well managed costs and industrial efficiency.
Amid a sharp decline in new construction, Saint-Gobain continued to outperform in France thanks to its exposure and extensive expertise in renovation, supported by regulatory tailwinds and the increase in stimulus measures, both for private housing (the MaPrimeRénov' household renovation package, which was raised from €2.7 billion for 2023 to €4 billion for 2024) and for programs related to public and commercial buildings. The Group continues to enhance its offering, with dedicated initiatives for major eco-certified projects, high value-added low-carbon solutions, and white papers on its complete offering for healthcare and educational facilities and the renovation of multi-family housing.


In line with the introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation in 2023 on end-of-life management of construction waste, the Group has ramped up its recycling services with Saint-Gobain Glass® Recycling, Placo® Recycling and Isover® Recycling, thanks to the start-up of a new-generation furnace for recycling glass wool from construction waste at Chemillé.
In Spain and Italy, sales were up in broadly resilient construction markets, and the Group launched Placotherm® Integra, a comprehensive light façade solution offering thermal insulation and acoustic protection using Glasroc® X technology.
Middle East and Africa enjoyed strong growth, especially in Turkey – where the acquisition of Dalsan created a new leader in light and sustainable construction solutions – and in Egypt, where the Group's growth accelerated thanks to the acquisition of Drymix in construction chemicals. Saint-Gobain also enhanced its building envelope offering in Saudi Arabia through its acquisition of Izomaks in construction chemicals (waterproofing products).
The Region delivered 1.9% organic growth in 2023, driven by the outperformance in North America. Operating income hit a new record-high (€1.6 billion), along with its operating margin at 16.8% (versus 16.1% in 2022), supported by well-managed costs and productivity, and the upturn in volumes in North America.


The Region reported 5.3% organic growth over the year, with good momentum in volumes and a record operating margin at 12.6% (versus 12.1% in 2022).
India posted another year of outperformance thanks to its comprehensive and innovative range of solutions, the successful integration of recent acquisitions in insulation and the start-up of new capacity (plasterboard, glass and construction chemicals). Saint-Gobain plays a pioneering role in promoting low-carbon buildings in India: the Group has launched the first low-carbon production of plaster and the first low-carbon glass in the country, with a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions (scope 1 and 2).
In a difficult construction market in China, the Group continued to capture market share and increase volumes, thanks to its light construction solutions and its differentiated range of products and services (moisture resistance, fire resistance, improved air quality, digital marketing). The Group inaugurated its fourth plasterboard factory and its fifth gypsum factory, in Yuzhou (Henan province), thereby expanding its footprint towards inner China.
In South-East Asia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines reported strong growth, driven by an enriched range of solutions and recent acquisitions (Best Crete in construction chemicals and Hume Cemboard Industries in light construction in Malaysia). Vietnam outperformed a difficult market in 2023 thanks to the rollout of personalized logistics and digital services.
HPS delivered 2.6% organic growth, benefiting from innovation efforts, a recovery in automotive and an increase in sales prices. The operating margin remained stable at 12.0%, with good cost management offsetting the negative mix effect in Mobility.
However, Adfors' reinforcement solutions contracted due to their greater exposure to new construction in Europe.


The 2023 consolidated financial statements were approved by Saint-Gobain's Board of Directors at its meeting of February 29, 2024. The consolidated financial statements were audited and certified by the statutory auditors.
| in € million | 2022 | 2023 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 51,197 | 47,944 | -6.4% |
| Operating income | 5,337 | 5,251 | -1.6% |
| Operating margin | 10.4% | 11.0% | |
| Operating depreciation and amortization | 2,048 | 1,986 | -3.0% |
| Non-operating costs | -262 | -236 | 9.9% |
| EBITDA | 7,123 | 7,001 | -1.7% |
| Capital gains and losses on disposals, asset write downs and impact of changes in Group structure |
-493 | -784 | -59.0% |
| Business income | 4,582 | 4,231 | -7.7% |
| Net financial expense | -405 | -425 | -4.9% |
| Dividends received from investments | 1 | 1 | n.s |
| Income tax | -1,082 | -1,060 | 2.0% |
| Share in net income of associates | 5 | 9 | n.s |
| Net income before non-controlling interests | 3,101 | 2,756 | -11.1% |
| Non-controlling interests | 98 | 87 | -11.2% |
| Net attributable income | 3,003 | 2,669 | -11.1% |
| Earnings per share2 (in €) |
5.84 | 5.26 | -9.9% |
| Recurring net income1 | 3,335 | 3,242 | -2.8% |
| Recurring1 earnings per share2 (in €) |
6.48 | 6.39 | -1.4% |
| EBITDA | 7,123 | 7,001 | -1.7% |
| Depreciation of right-of-use assets | -716 | -692 | 3.4% |
| Net financial expense | -405 | -425 | -4.9% |
| Income tax | -1,082 | -1,060 | 2.0% |
| Capital expenditure3 | -1,940 | -2,029 | 4.6% |
| o/w additional capacity investments | 830 | 837 | 0.8% |
| Changes in working capital requirement | -19 | 278 | n.s |
| Free cash flow4 | 3,791 | 3,910 | 3.1% |
| Free cash flow conversion5 | 59% | 62% | |
| ROCE | 16.1% | 15.9% | |
| Lease investments | 764 | 828 | 8.4% |
| Investments in securities net of debt acquired6 | 3,783 | 1,306 | -65.5% |
| Divestments | 501 | 947 | 89.0% |
| Consolidated net debt | 8,232 | 7,393 | -10.2% |
Recurring net income = net attributable income excluding capital gains and losses on disposals, asset write-downs and material non-recurring provisions
Calculated based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding (507,282,902 shares in 2023; 514,372,413 shares in 2022)
Capital expenditure = investments in tangible and intangible assets 4. Free cash flow = EBITDA less depreciation of right-of-use assets, plus net financial expense, plus income tax, less capital expenditure excluding additional capacity investments, plus change in working capital requirement
Free cash flow conversion ratio = free cash flow divided by EBITDA, less depreciation of right-of-use assets
Investments in securities net of debt acquired = €1,306 million in 2023, of which €1,073 million in controlled companies


EBITDA came in at €7,001 million, close to its all-time high of 2022. EBITDA includes lower nonoperating costs of €236 million.
The net balance of capital gains and losses on disposals, asset write-downs and the impact of changes in Group structure represented an expense of €784 million. It reflects €238 million in asset write-downs essentially relating to site closures and disposals (€292 million in 2022), €181 million in Purchase Price Allocation (PPA) intangible amortization (€116 million in 2022), and €365 million in disposal losses and impacts relating to changes in Group structure, mainly translation adjustments on UK distribution assets sold in March 2023.
Recurring net income was €3,242 million. The tax rate on recurring net income was 25%.
Capital expenditure totaled €2,029 million, with around 70% of growth capex invested in North America, Asia and emerging countries. The Group opened 23 new plants and production lines focused on the fast-growing markets of construction chemicals and light construction.
Free cash flow came in at a new record-high of €3,910 million – a three-fold increase compared to 2018. The conversion ratio was 62% (59% in 2022), reflecting very good management of operating working capital requirement (WCR), which represented 13 days' sales at end-2023 compared to 15 days' sales at end-2022.
ROCE was 15.9% in 2023, resulting in strong value creation for our shareholders.
Investments in securities totaled €1,306 million, with Building Products of Canada (roofing) the largest acquisition for around €900 million. Divestments totaled €947 million, mainly reflecting the sale of distribution activities in the UK for €803 million.
Net debt fell 10.2% to €7.4 billion. The net debt to EBITDA ratio was 1.1 versus 1.2 at end-2022.
In 2023, the dividend paid and share buybacks carried out represented €1.6 billion:
Saint-Gobain's Board of Directors decided to recommend to the Shareholders' Meeting on June 6, 2024 the payment of a cash dividend up 5% to €2.10 per share for 2023 (€2.00 in 2022). The ex-dividend date has been set at June 10 and the dividend will be paid on June 12, 2024.
In 2024 the Group expects to complete – one year earlier than expected – its five-year €2 billion share buyback program announced in 2021, i.e. €420 million of share buybacks in 2024.

In a geopolitical and macroeconomic environment that remains challenging, Saint-Gobain will continue to demonstrate its resilience and its excellent operating performance, thanks to its focused strategy and its proactive commercial and industrial initiatives.
Saint-Gobain expects some of its markets to remain difficult in 2024, especially in the first half of the year owing to a high comparison basis, with a contrasting situation between Europe and the rest of the world:
Against this backdrop, in 2024 the Group will continue to implement the strategic priorities set out in its "Grow & Impact" plan for 2021-2025:
Despite a context which remains difficult in certain markets, in 2024 Saint-Gobain expects a double-digit operating margin for the fourth consecutive year
in line with the "Grow & Impact" strategic plan target


An information meeting for analysts and investors will be held at 8:30am (GMT +1) on March 1, 2024 and will be streamed live on Saint-Gobain's website: www.saint-gobain.com
| Vivien Dardel | (+33) 1 88 54 29 77 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floriana Michalowska | (+33) 1 88 54 19 09 | |||
| Alix Sicaud | (+33) 1 88 54 38 70 | |||
| James Weston | (+33) 1 88 54 01 24 |
Patricia Marie Laure Bencheikh (+33) 1 88 54 26 83 (+33) 1 88 54 26 38
- Indicators of organic growth and like-for-like changes in sales/operating income reflect the Group's underlying performance excluding the impact of:
based on identical foreign exchange rates for the previous year (currency impact);
• changes in applicable accounting policies.
- EBITDA = operating income plus operating depreciation and amortization, less non-operating costs.
- Operating margin = operating income divided by sales.
- ROCE (Return on Capital Employed) = operating income for the year adjusted for changes in Group structure, divided by segment assets and liabilities at year-end.
- ESG = Environment, Social, Governance.
- Purchase Price Allocation (PPA) = the process of assigning a fair value to all assets and liabilities acquired and of allocating the residual goodwill as required by IFRS 3 (revised) and IAS 38 for business combinations. PPA intangible amortization relates to amortization charged against brands, customer lists, and intellectual property, and is recognized in "Other operating expenses and asset impairment".
- TRAR = total recordable accident rate with and without lost time for 1 million hours worked for the Group's employees, temporary workers and permanent subcontractors.
- TSR = total shareholder return, including changes in the share price, dividends received and reinvested in shares and transactions in the Company's shares.
All indicators contained in this press release (not defined in the footnotes) are explained in the notes to the consolidated financial statements as at December 31, 2023, available by clicking here: https://www.saint-gobain.com/en/news/full-year-2023-results
| Net debt | Note 10 |
|---|---|
| Non-operating costs | Note 5 |
| Operating income | Note 5 |
| Net financial expense | Note 10 |
| Recurring net income | Note 5 |
| Business income | Note 5 |
| Working capital requirement | Note 5 |
This press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to Saint-Gobain's financial condition, results, business, strategy, plans and outlook. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the use of the words "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "plan" and similar expressions. Although Saint-Gobain believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions as at the time of publishing this document, investors are cautioned that these statements are not guarantees of its future performance. Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of Saint-Gobain, including but not limited to the risks described in the "Risk Factors" section of Saint-Gobain's Universal Registration Document and the main risks and uncertainties presented in the half-year 2023 financial report, both documents being available on Saint-Gobain's website (www.saint-gobain.com). Accordingly, readers of this document are cautioned against relying on these forwardlooking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document. Saint-Gobain disclaims any intention or obligation to complete, update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws and regulations.
This press release does not constitute any offer to purchase or exchange, nor any solicitation of an offer to sell or exchange securities of Saint-Gobain.
For further information, please visit www.saint-gobain.com

| I. SALES | 2022 (in €m) |
2023 (in €m) |
Change on actual structure basis |
Change on a comparable stucture basis |
Like-for-like change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 16 413 | 12 614 | -23,1% | -9,6% | -5,9% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | 15 198 | 14 941 | -1,7% | -1,7% | -0,9% |
| Americas | 9 064 | 9 439 | +4,1% | +0,2% | +1,9% |
| Asia-Pacific | 2 132 | 2 123 | -0,4% | -1,7% | +5,3% |
| High Performance Solutions | 9 648 | 10 083 | +4,5% | +0,9% | +2,6% |
| Internal sales and misc. | -1 258 | -1 256 | --- | --- | --- |
| Group Total | 51 197 | 47 944 | -6,4% | -3,2% | -0,9% |
| II. OPERATING INCOME | 2022 (in €m) |
2023 (in €m) |
Change on actual structure basis |
2022 (in % of sales) |
2023 (in % of sales) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 1 279 | 1 039 | -18,8% | 7,8% | 8,2% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | 1 219 | 1 208 | -0,9% | 8,0% | 8,1% |
| Americas | 1 462 | 1 586 | +8,5% | 16,1% | 16,8% |
| Asia-Pacific | 257 | 267 | +3,9% | 12,1% | 12,6% |
| High Performance Solutions | 1 155 | 1 207 | +4,5% | 12,0% | 12,0% |
| Misc. | -35 | -56 | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
| Group Total | 5 337 | 5 251 | -1,6% | 10,4% | 11,0% |
| III. EBITDA | 2022 (in €m) |
2023 (in €m) |
Change on actual structure basis |
2022 (in % of sales) |
2023 (in % of sales) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 1 872 | 1 504 | -19,7% | 11,4% | 11,9% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | 1 761 | 1 767 | +0,3% | 11,6% | 11,8% |
| Americas | 1 740 | 1 869 | +7,4% | 19,2% | 19,8% |
| Asia-Pacific | 360 | 368 | +2,2% | 16,9% | 17,3% |
| High Performance Solutions | 1 371 | 1 511 | +10,2% | 14,2% | 15,0% |
| Misc. | 19 | -18 | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
| Group Total | 7 123 | 7 001 | -1,7% | 13,9% | 14,6% |
| IV. CAPITAL EXPENDITURE | 2022 (in €m) |
2023 (in €m) |
Change on actual structure basis |
2022 (in % of sales) |
2023 (in % of sales) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 445 | 416 | -6,5% | 2,7% | 3,3% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | 434 | 432 | -0,5% | 2,9% | 2,9% |
| Americas | 430 | 514 | +19,5% | 4,7% | 5,4% |
| Asia-Pacific | 198 | 162 | -18,2% | 9,3% | 7,6% |
| High Performance Solutions | 406 | 424 | +4,4% | 4,2% | 4,2% |
| Misc. | 27 | 81 | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
| Group Total | 1 940 | 2 029 | +4,6% | 3,8% | 4,2% |
| I. SALES | H2 2022 (in €m) |
H2 2023 (in €m) |
Change on actual structure basis |
Change on a comparable stucture basis |
Like-for-like change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 8 014 | 5 940 | -25,9% | -12,1% | -8,3% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | 7 372 | 6 965 | -5,5% | -5,4% | -4,6% |
| Americas | 4 787 | 4 655 | -2,8% | -3,7% | +0,6% |
| Asia-Pacific | 1 119 | 1 087 | -2,9% | -4,2% | +4,4% |
| High Performance Solutions | 5 048 | 4 920 | -2,5% | -3,9% | -1,0% |
| Internal sales and misc. | -624 | -577 | --- | --- | --- |
| Group Total | 25 716 | 22 990 | -10,6% | -6,6% | -3,4% |
| II. OPERATING INCOME | H2 2022 (in €m) |
H2 2023 (in €m) |
Change on actual structure basis |
H2 2022 (in % of sales) |
H2 2023 (in % of sales) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 589 | 467 | -20,7% | 7,3% | 7,9% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | 526 | 520 | -1,1% | 7,1% | 7,5% |
| Americas | 739 | 734 | -0,7% | 15,4% | 15,8% |
| Asia-Pacific | 128 | 137 | +7,0% | 11,4% | 12,6% |
| High Performance Solutions | 561 | 574 | +2,3% | 11,1% | 11,7% |
| Misc. | 3 | 6 | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
| Group Total | 2 546 | 2 438 | -4,2% | 9,9% | 10,6% |
| III. EBITDA | H2 2022 (in €m) |
H2 2023 (in €m) |
Change on actual structure basis |
H2 2022 (in % of sales) |
H2 2023 (in % of sales) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 881 | 700 | -20,5% | 11,0% | 11,8% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | 798 | 803 | +0,6% | 10,8% | 11,5% |
| Americas | 888 | 872 | -1,8% | 18,6% | 18,7% |
| Asia-Pacific | 181 | 187 | +3,3% | 16,2% | 17,2% |
| High Performance Solutions | 664 | 677 | +2,0% | 13,2% | 13,8% |
| Misc. | 28 | 24 | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
| Group Total | 3 440 | 3 263 | -5,1% | 13,4% | 14,2% |
| IV. CAPITAL EXPENDITURE | H2 2022 (in €m) |
H2 2023 (in €m) |
Change on actual structure basis |
H2 2022 (in % of sales) |
H2 2023 (in % of sales) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 315 | 281 | -10,8% | 3,9% | 4,7% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | 303 | 295 | -2,6% | 4,1% | 4,2% |
| Americas | 292 | 393 | +34,6% | 6,1% | 8,4% |
| Asia-Pacific | 138 | 100 | -27,5% | 12,3% | 9,2% |
| High Performance Solutions | 282 | 293 | +3,9% | 5,6% | 6,0% |
| Misc. | 20 | 51 | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
| Group Total | 1 350 | 1 413 | +4,7% | 5,2% | 6,1% |
| SALES | Q4 2022 (in €m) |
Q4 2023 (in €m) |
Change on actual structure basis |
Change on a comparable stucture basis |
Like-for-like change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 3 857 | 2 918 | -24,3% | -12,1% | -9,0% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | 3 881 | 3 604 | -7,1% | -6,9% | -6,3% |
| Americas | 2 273 | 2 175 | -4,3% | -2,4% | +1,0% |
| Asia-Pacific | 531 | 536 | +0,9% | -0,6% | +6,0% |
| High Performance Solutions | 2 563 | 2 459 | -4,1% | -2,1% | +0,1% |
| Internal sales and misc. | -310 | -268 | --- | --- | --- |
| Group Total | 12 795 | 11 424 | -10,7% | -6,1% | -3,7% |
| in € million | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| ASSETS Goodwill Other intangible assets Property, plant and equipment Right-of-use assets Investments in equity-accounted companies Deferred tax assets Pension plan surpluses Other non-current assets |
12 858 4 026 12 163 2 752 639 382 569 537 |
13 111 4 368 12 744 2 810 705 407 322 596 |
| Non-current assets | 33 926 | 35 063 |
| Inventories Trade accounts receivable Current tax receivable Other receivables Assets held for sale Cash and cash equivalents |
7 219 5 178 76 1 450 1 394 6 134 |
6 813 5 096 93 1 386 246 8 602 |
| Current assets | 21 451 | 22 236 |
| Total assets | 55 377 | 57 299 |
| EQUITY AND LIABILITIES | ||
| Shareholders' equity Non-controlling interests |
22 711 443 |
23 273 485 |
| Total equity | 23 154 | 23 758 |
| Non-current portion of long-term debt Non-current portion of long-term lease liabilities Provisions for pensions and other employee benefits Deferred tax liabilities Other non-current liabilities and provisions |
8 964 2 324 1 712 768 1 092 |
10 638 2 354 1 960 824 1 182 |
| Non-current liabilities | 14 860 | 16 958 |
| Current portion of long-term debt Current portion of long-term lease liabilities Current portion of other liabilities and provisions Trade accounts payable Current tax liabilities Other payables Liabilities held for sale Short-term debt and bank overdrafts |
1 841 597 693 7 266 263 5 078 985 640 |
1 820 615 818 6 806 249 5 504 203 568 |
| Current liabilities | 17 363 | 16 583 |
| Total equity and liabilities | 55 377 | 57 299 |
| in € million | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating income | 5 337 | 5 251 |
| Operating depreciation and amortization | 2 048 | 1 986 |
| Non-operating costs | (262) | (236) |
| EBITDA | 7 123 | 7 001 |
| Depreciation of right-of-use assets | (716) | (692) |
| Net financial expense | (405) | (425) |
| Income tax | (1 082) | (1 060) |
| Capital expenditure | (1 940) | (2 029) |
| o/w additional capacity investments | 830 | 837 |
| Changes in working capital requirement | (19) | 278 |
| o/w changes in inventories | (855) | 234 |
| o/w changes in trade accounts receivable and payable, and other accounts receivable and payable | 785 | 72 |
| o/w changes in tax receivable and payable | 51 | (28) |
| Free cash flow | 3 791 | 3 910 |
| Changes in deferred taxes and provisions for other liabilities and charges | 164 | 214 |
| Additional capacity investments | (830) | (837) |
| Increase (decrease) in amounts due to suppliers of fixed assets | 51 | 58 |
| Depreciation of right-of-use assets | 716 | 692 |
| Purchases of right-of-use assets | (764) | (828) |
| Other operating cash items | (69) | 27 |
| Net cash from operating activities after additional capacity investments and IFRS16 | 3 059 | 3 236 |
| Acquisitions of shares in controlled companies | (3 683) | (1 111) |
| Debt acquired | (1) | 38 |
| Acquisitions of shares in companies not yet consolidated or not consolidated | (99) | (233) |
| Financial investments | (3 783) | (1 306) |
| Disposals of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets | 89 | 69 |
| Disposals of shares in controlled companies, net of net debt divested | 438 | 863 |
| Disposals of other investments | 6 | 3 |
| (Increase) decrease in amounts receivable on sales of fixed assets | (32) | 12 |
| Divestments | 501 | 947 |
| Increase (decrease) in investment-related liabilities | 36 | (36) |
| (Increase) decrease in loans and deposits | 48 | 27 |
| Net cash from (used in) financial investments and divestments activities | (3 198) | (368) |
| Issues of capital stock (Increase) decrease in treasury stock |
222 (781) |
213 (828) |
| Dividends paid | (833) | (1 013) |
| Capital increases in non-controlling interests | 15 | 6 |
| Changes in investment-related liabilities following the exercice of put options of minority interests | 0 | (2) |
| Acquisitions of minority interests without gain of control | (2) | 0 |
| Divestments of minority interests without loss of control | 39 | 0 |
| Dividends paid to non-controlling interests and change in dividends payable | (77) | (76) |
| Net cash from (used in) financing activities | (1 417) | (1 700) |
| Net effect of exchange rate changes on net debt | 328 | (31) |
| Net effect of changes in fair value on net debt | 15 | (9) |
| Net debt classified as assets and liabilities held for sale | 268 | (295) |
| Impact of remeasurements of lease liabilities | 0 | 6 |
| Change in net debt | (945) | 839 |
| Net debt excluding lease liabilities at beginning of period | (4 132) | (5 311) |
| Lease liabilities at beginning of period | (3 155) | (2 921) |
| Net debt at beginning of period | (7 287) | (8 232) |
| Net debt excluding lease liabilities at end of period Lease liabilities at end of period |
(5 311) (2 921) |
(4 424) (2 969) |
| Net debt at end of period | (8 232) | (7 393) |
| Amounts in €bn | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount and structure of net debt | €bn | |
| Gross debt excluding lease liabilities Lease liabilities Cash & cash equivalents Net debt |
13,0 3,0 -8,6 7,4 |
At end of December 2023, 84% of gross debt excluding lease liabilities was at fixed interest rates and its average cost was 3.0% |
| Breakdown of gross debt excluding lease liabilities | 13,0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bond debt and perpetual notes | 11,5 | |
| March 2024 | 0,8 | |
| June 2024 | 0,1 | |
| July 2024 | 0,5 | |
| November 2024 | 0,1 | (GBP 0.1bn) |
| March 2025 | 0,7 | |
| August 2025 | 0,5 | |
| March 2026 | 0,7 | |
| November 2026 | 1,0 | |
| June 2027 | 0,8 | |
| October 2027 | 0,7 | |
| June 2028 | 0,5 | |
| September 2028 | 0,7 | |
| After December 2028 | 4,4 | |
| Other long-term debt | 0,6 | (including EUR 0.4bn long-term securitization) |
| Short-term debt | 0,9 | (excluding bonds) |
| Negotiable European Commercial Paper (NEU CP) | 0,0 | Maximum amount of issuance program: EUR 4bn |
| Securitization | 0,3 | USD securitization (EUR 0.2bn) and current portion of EUR securitization (EUR 0.1bn) |
| Local debt and accrued interest | 0,6 | Frequent rollover; many different sources of financing |
| Credit line, cash & cash equivalents | 12,6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and cash equivalents | 8,6 | |
| Back-up credit-line | 4,0 | See details below |
The line is a "Revolving Credit Facility" (RCF) structured as a "Sustainability-Linked Loan" (SLL) maturing in December 2028. The line is confirmed and undrawn, with no Material Adverse Change (MAC) clause and no financial covenants.
| FY 2023, in % of total | Like-for-like change | % Group |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | -5,9% | 25,3% |
| Nordics | -6,2% | 11,8% |
| United Kingdom - Ireland | -0,9% | 4,4% |
| Germany - Austria | -13,2% | 2,8% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | -0,9% | 30,4% |
| France | -1,9% | 23,6% |
| Spain - Italy | +0,9% | 3,8% |
| Americas | +1,9% | 19,3% |
| North America | +5,3% | 14,5% |
| Latin America | -7,3% | 4,8% |
| Asia-Pacific | +5,3% | 4,2% |
| High Performance Solutions | +2,6% | 20,8% |
| Construction and industry | -3,2% | 13,1% |
| Mobility | +12,9% | 7,7% |
| Group Total | -0,9% | 100,0% |
| H2 2023, in % of total | Like-for-like change | % Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | -8,3% | 24,9% | |
| Nordics | -8,7% | 11,8% | |
| United Kingdom - Ireland | -5,8% | 3,8% | |
| Germany - Austria | -17,2% | 2,8% | |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | -4,6% | 29,6% | |
| France | -5,9% | 22,7% | |
| Spain - Italy | -2,5% | 3,8% | |
| Americas | +0,6% | 19,8% | |
| North America | +5,1% | 14,9% | |
| Latin America | -11,5% | 4,9% | |
| Asia-Pacific | +4,4% | 4,5% | |
| High Performance Solutions | -1,0% | 21,2% | |
| Construction and industry | -5,3% | 13,1% | |
| Mobility | +6,5% | 8,1% | |
| Group Total | -3,4% | 100,0% |
| Q4 2023, in % of total | Like-for-like change | % Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | -9,0% | 24,7% | |
| Nordics | -9,7% | 12,1% | |
| United Kingdom - Ireland | -9,4% | 3,5% | |
| Germany - Austria | -15,5% | 2,6% | |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | -6,3% | 30,9% | |
| France | -8,1% | 23,7% | |
| Spain - Italy | +1,2% | 4,0% | |
| Americas | +1,0% | 18,7% | |
| North America | +6,3% | 14,3% | |
| Latin America | -12,4% | 4,4% | |
| Asia-Pacific | +6,0% | 4,4% | |
| High Performance Solutions | +0,1% | 21,3% | |
| Construction and industry | -3,6% | 13,1% | |
| Mobility | +6,6% | 8,2% | |
| Group Total | -3,7% | 100,0% |
| FY 2023 | Like-for-like change | Prices | Volumes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | -5,9% | +4,9% | -10,8% | |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | -0,9% | +6,1% | -7,0% | |
| Americas | +1,9% | +3,3% | -1,4% | |
| Asia-Pacific | +5,3% | -0,2% | +5,5% | |
| High Performance Solutions | +2,6% | +4,3% | -1,7% | |
| Group Total | -0,9% | +4,6% | -5,5% |
| H2 2023 | Like-for-like change | Prices | Volumes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | -8,3% | +0,7% | -9,0% |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | -4,6% | +2,6% | -7,2% |
| Americas | +0,6% | +0,0% | +0,6% |
| Asia-Pacific | +4,4% | -2,9% | +7,3% |
| High Performance Solutions | -1,0% | +2,6% | -3,6% |
| Group Total | -3,4% | +1,4% | -4,8% |
| Q4 2023 | Like-for-like change | Prices | Volumes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | -9,0% | -0,1% | -8,9% | |
| Southern Europe - ME & Africa | -6,3% | +1,6% | -7,9% | |
| Americas | +1,0% | -0,3% | +1,3% | |
| Asia-Pacific | +6,0% | -2,2% | +8,2% | |
| High Performance Solutions | +0,1% | +1,9% | -1,8% | |
| Group Total | -3,7% | +0,8% | -4,5% |
FY 2023, in % of total
| Total | 20,8% | 25,3% | 30,4% | 19,3% | 4,2% | 100,0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia-Pacific | 4,4% | 4,2% | 8,6% | |||
| Latin America | 2,5% | 4,8% | 7,3% | |||
| North America | 5,6% | 14,5% | 20,1% | |||
| Middle East & Africa | 0,5% | 1,7% | 2,2% | |||
| Eastern Europe | 2,2% | 3,9% | 6,1% | |||
| Other Western European countries | 0,5% | 2,4% | 1,3% | 4,2% | ||
| Nordics | 0,3% | 11,8% | 12,1% | |||
| United Kingdom - Ireland | 0,5% | 4,4% | 4,9% | |||
| Germany - Austria | 1,2% | 2,8% | 4,0% | |||
| Spain - Italy | 1,4% | 3,8% | 5,2% | |||
| France | 1,7% | 23,6% | 25,3% | |||
| High Performance Solutions |
Northern Europe |
Southern Europe - ME & Africa |
Americas | Asia-Pacific | Total |
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