In Legwork Year of Execution, Monsanto is Set to Deliver on 2010 Guidance Commitments

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 24, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) is focused on delivering its guidance commitments as it executes in a pivotal year in its growth plan, Chief Financial Officer Carl Casale will tell investors tomorrow at the Morgan Stanley Basic Materials conference.

With a practical operating plan in place, Casale will reiterate the company's continued expectation that full-year ongoing 2010 earnings per share will be in the range of $3.10 to $3.30.  The company now expects approximately 50 percent of the full-year guidance to be realized in the company's second quarter, reflecting potential timing shifts into the company's second half.  This is related to the effect of the late 2009 harvest on soybean shipments, increasing contribution from international corn in the company's overall earnings mix and a return to historic seasonality in earnings of the Roundup® and other agricultural herbicides business. Monsanto's full-year 2010 EPS guidance on an as-reported basis is in the range of $2.85 to $3.11. (For a reconciliation of 2010 EPS, see note 1.) 

Casale will outline the key success measures for 2010.  Notably, Casale will indicate the company's ability to deliver its earnings commitments in a year where the company is launching two game-changing new products, resetting its Roundup® herbicide business, and implementing a restructuring plan to solidify operational leverage to create the right platform for growth going forward.

"If we achieve these three things, then this year will be a success in providing firm footing for our path to 2012," Casale will say.  "We're not playing for 2010 alone, but we recognize that the work we do in 2010 sets up the opportunity through 2012."

Casale also will say the company is on track to deliver on its projected restructuring savings.  Those savings create operating leverage that complements the company's operating plan and financial outlook in 2010, building on a disciplined approach to selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses to create sustainable structural benefits in the business.

"We knew 2010 would be the toughest year in our plan, but we are committed to establishing a successful platform for the remainder of our plan," Casale will say. "This year has seen two of the largest product launches in our history on top of a significant restructuring, and I remain confident that we will learn and adjust and build on the momentum over the next two years."

Genuity™ SmartStax™ corn and Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield® represent the largest broad-acre introductions of new traited seed products in the history of the industry, and Monsanto is committed to ensuring the product performance and customer experience in 2010 supports the growth in both platforms going forward.  With widespread availability in 2010, Monsanto projects that a broad base of farmers will have the opportunity to experience both Genuity™ SmartStax™ and Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield® on their farm, which will support significant adoption in 2011 and 2012.

Monsanto will provide a full business update on the U.S. season as a part of its second-quarter earnings report, April 7.

A live webcast of Casale's presentation will be available through Monsanto's web site at: http://www.monsanto.com/investors.  Following tomorrow's live broadcast set for 11:45 a.m. C.T., a replay of the webcast will be available on the Monsanto web site for three weeks. To access presentation slides and the simultaneous audio webcast of the presentation, visitors may need to download Windows Media Player™ prior to listening to the webcast.

About Monsanto Company

Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MonsantoCo, or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

Certain statements contained in this release are "forward-looking statements," such as statements concerning the company's anticipated financial results, current and future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among others: continued competition in seeds, traits and agricultural chemicals; the company's exposure to various contingencies, including those related to intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are received, and public acceptance of biotechnology products; the success of the company's research and development activities; the outcomes of major lawsuits; developments related to foreign currencies and economies; successful operation of recent acquisitions; fluctuations in commodity prices; compliance with regulations affecting our manufacturing; the accuracy of the company's estimates related to distribution inventory levels; the company's ability to fund its short-term financing needs and to obtain payment for the products that it sells; the effect of weather conditions, natural disasters and accidents on the agriculture business or the company's facilities; and other risks and factors detailed in the company's most recent reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this release. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.

Notes to editors: Monsanto and the Vine design, Genuity, SmartStax, and Roundup Ready 2 Yield are trademarks owned by Monsanto Technology LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

1. Reconciliation of EPS to Ongoing EPS:  The presentation of ongoing EPS is not intended to replace net income (loss), cash flows, financial position or comprehensive income (loss), and is not a measure of financial performance as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States.  The following table reconciles ongoing EPS to the respective most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP.

Ongoing EPS is calculated excluding certain after-tax items which Monsanto does not consider part of ongoing operations.

    
    
                                                  Fiscal Year
                                                  -----------
                                                  2010
                                                  ----
                                                  Guidance
                                                  --------
    Diluted Earnings per Share                    $2.85-$3.11
    Restructuring Charges                         $0.19-$0.25
                                                  -----------
    Diluted Earnings per Share from Ongoing
     Business                                     $3.10-$3.30
    ---------------------------------------       -----------

CONTACT: Media – Kelli Powers (314-694-4003)

SOURCE Monsanto Company

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