Monsanto Announces Third Quarter Financial Results in Line with Expectations, Introduces 2011 Guidance Measures

ST. LOUIS, June 30, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) today announced its third-quarter financial results and highlighted some of the actions in progress to generate expected annual earnings growth percentages in the mid-teens.  With its earnings results for the quarter and year-to-date in line with adjustments the company announced last month, company executives said the business is strong and well-positioned for future growth.

"We've made some real changes to our portfolio and business approach, and the positive feedback I'm hearing from our customers tells me we are on the right track," said Hugh Grant, chairman, president and chief executive officer for Monsanto.  "We have demonstrated agility in the face of adversity, enhancing our portfolio and equipping our sales team with an unprecedented amount of product choices and price points to offer our customers.  We've repositioned our Roundup® business to recognize its appropriate role in supporting our Seeds and Genomics segment.  And we've demonstrated an ability to leverage our operational savings and sustain a strategic investment in research and development.  This year has brought its challenges, yet we are quickly evolving into a newer, leaner, stronger Monsanto, well-positioned to meet our objective for mid-teens earnings growth driven by our seeds and traits business."

Results of Operations

Price decreases for Roundup® and other glyphosate-based herbicides affected the company's results as expected, despite the volume growth achieved for these products.  Net sales decreased $199 million, or 6 percent, in the three-month comparison and $1.3 billion, or 13 percent, year to date.  Net income in the third quarter was $384 million.

Gross profit declined 24 percent in the quarter to $1.4 billion, also driven by the price decreases for Roundup® and other glyphosate-based herbicides.  For the first nine months, gross profit is down 28 percent or $1.7 billion.

Operating expenses were flat overall, with a slight decrease for selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses for the three month comparison.  R&D expenses increased slightly as the company continues to manage more projects in advanced pipeline phases.  As a percent of net sales, SG&A expenses were 17 percent and R&D expenses were 10 percent.  Restructuring expense for the quarter was $86 million. This included $52 million charged to cost-of-goods related to discontinued products worldwide.  

Earnings per share (EPS) for the third quarter was $0.70 on an as-reported basis, and $0.81 on an ongoing basis. EPS for the first nine months of fiscal year 2010 was $2.27 on an as-reported basis, and $2.49 on an ongoing basis. (For a reconciliation of EPS to ongoing EPS see page 1).

Cash Flow

The company saw an expected increase in cash outflow for the quarter, attributed to the Roundup® business.  For the first nine months of fiscal year 2010, cash flow required by operations was $538 million compared to a source of $443 million for the same period last year.  Net cash required by investing activities for the first nine months of fiscal year 2010 was $614 million, as compared to $588 million for the same period of fiscal year 2009.  

Net cash required by financing activities for the first nine months of 2010 was $323 million, compared to net cash required of $775 million for the same period of fiscal year 2009.

Free cash flow was a use of $1.15 billion for the first nine months of fiscal year 2010, compared to a use of $145 million for the first nine months of fiscal year 2009. (For a reconciliation of free cash flow, see note 1.)

The Seeds and Genomics segment consists of the company's global seeds and related traits business, and biotechnology platforms.

For the quarter, sales in the segment have increased by 5 percent.  In corn, approximately 33 million acres of its triple-stack and SmartStax™ products were planted in the United States, up from 31 million last year.  More than 75 percent of the company's branded corn portfolio in the United States is either a triple stack or Genuity® SmartStax™, which represents a step change improvement over last year.  This complements growth in South America, where the increase in trait acres in Brazil and Argentina has had a positive overall mix effect on the business.

The company also cited progress with its Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybean, with more than 40 percent of its branded customers trying even more varieties this year.  That next-generation soybean platform is gaining momentum as third parties, including new commercial licensees, continue to evaluate and choose Roundup Ready 2 Yield®.

Cotton and vegetables continue to track well with expectations, delivering volume and margin improvements to the seeds-and-traits portfolio.

In total, sales for Monsanto's Seeds and Genomics segment in the third quarter of fiscal 2010 increased slightly over last year's third quarter, consistent with company's expectations.  The company expects total gross profit for the segment to come in at a range of $4.6 to $4.7 billion for the year, an increase over 2009.

The Agricultural Productivity segment consists of the crop protection products and lawn-and-garden herbicide products. Sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2010 for Monsanto's Agricultural Productivity segment declined 34 percent or $313 million compared with the same period last year.  Gross profit was a loss of $189 million in the quarter for Roundup® and other glyphosate-based herbicides, reflecting the impact associated with the repositioning of the Roundup® business.

For the third quarter, the company released strong results from the Other Agricultural Productivity part of this segment, reflecting a record year in the lawn-and-garden business.  For the fiscal year, the segment is expected to deliver approximately $450 million to $600 million in gross profit, which includes a Roundup® contribution of between $50 and $200 million after the repositioning actions.

Outlook

Monsanto affirmed its cash flow and EPS guidance and provided preliminary financial guidance for fiscal year 2011.  The company expects free cash flow for fiscal year 2010 will be in the range of $400 million to $500 million including the after-tax cash effect from a restructuring charge.  Net cash provided by operating activities is expected to be $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion, and net cash required by investing activities is expected to be approximately $900 million to $1 billion for fiscal year 2010. (For a reconciliation of free cash flow, see note 1.)

The company expects fiscal-year 2010 earnings per share to be in the range of $2.40 to $2.60 on an ongoing basis and $2.15 to $2.41 on an as-reported basis.  (For a reconciliation of EPS, see note 1.)

SG&A expenses continued to track below expectations and are expected to represent approximately $2 billion to $2.1 billion for the year.

Sharing the first view of fiscal year 2011 since the company's repositioning of its Roundup® business last month, the company outlined the key metrics that will enable it to meet its objective of achieving earnings growth in the mid-teen percentages going forward.  Monsanto's growth is expected to come exclusively from the Seeds and Genomics segment, where the company expects gross profit growth in the double digits.  The company expects top-line growth from an increase in unit volume as well as mix improvement as Monsanto expands the availability of its new products.

Central to that strategy is U.S. corn, where Monsanto will offer more products at more price points. South America corn is also a key driver, as the company is poised to increase penetration of its first-generation double-stack corn in Argentina, which will serve as building block for the technology progression that's already under way in the United States.  The same is true for Brazil, where stacked traits will create new opportunities for farmers as the company prepares to introduce its second-generation Corn Borer technology.  In soybeans, Monsanto is confident that as its pricing approach enables more farmers to experience the benefits of Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® and see it perform on farm, it will enable the company to win new customers.

The company's R&D pipeline fuels the growth expected from seeds and traits, and Monsanto plans to resource that pipeline for success as it continues to support a higher number of projects in the more costly later stages of development.  To reinforce this commitment, executives said Monsanto will move to providing a range for R&D spend annually rather than a metric that adjusts with sales.  The range for 2011 is expected to represent an increase over the 2010 endpoint, but at a rate somewhat below the growth over the past few years.

The company expects gross profit for its Agricultural Productivity Segment at $550 million to $600 million in fiscal year 2011.  Operational leverage is expected to be a key contributor to the earnings growth targets, and executives pointed to an institutionalized cost discipline that allows SG&A spend to hold at inflation-level growth.

Webcast Information

In conjunction with this announcement, Monsanto will hold a conference call at 8:30 a.m. central time (9:30 a.m. eastern time) today.  The call will focus on these results and may include a discussion of Monsanto's strategic initiatives and other matters related to the company's business.

Presentation slides and a simultaneous audio webcast of the conference call may be accessed by visiting the company's web site at www.monsanto.com and clicking on "Investor Information."  Visitors may need to download Windows Media Player™ prior to listening to the webcast.  Following the live broadcast, a replay of the webcast will be available on the Monsanto Web site for three weeks.

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 the company blog, Beyond the Rows at www.monsantoblog.com, 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 Form 10-K Report to the SEC. 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: Roundup, Genuity, SmartStax and Roundup Ready 2 Yield are trademarks of Monsanto Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries.

References to Roundup herbicides in this release mean Roundup-branded herbicides, excluding lawn-and-garden herbicide products.

1.  EBIT, Ongoing EPS and Free Cash Flow:  The presentations of EBIT, ongoing EPS and free cash flow are not intended to replace net income (loss), cash flows, financial position or comprehensive income (loss), and they are not measures of financial performance as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States. The following tables reconcile EBIT, ongoing EPS and free cash flow to the respective most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP.

Reconciliation of EBIT to Net Income (Loss):  EBIT is defined as earnings (loss) before interest and taxes. Earnings (loss) is intended to mean net income (loss) as presented in the Statements of Consolidated Operations under GAAP. The following table reconciles EBIT to the most directly comparable financial measure, which is net income (loss).  

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

Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow: Free cash flow represents the total of cash flows from operating activities and investing activities, as reflected in the Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows presented in this release. With respect to the fiscal year 2010 free cash flow target, Monsanto does not include any estimates or projections of Net Cash Provided (Required) by Financing Activities because in order to prepare any such estimate or projection, Monsanto would need to rely on market factors and conditions that are outside of its control.

SOURCE Monsanto Company

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