LANXESS raises dividend again after successful fiscal 2021

At this year’s Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of specialty chemicals company LANXESS, Chairman of the Board of Management Matthias Zachert had some good news for the stockholders: “The year of growth we promised you for 2021 is what we delivered.”

LANXESS group sales in 2021 were EUR 7.557 billion, up 23.8 percent from the prior-year figure of EUR 6.104 billion. EBITDA pre exceptionals rose by 17.2 percent to EUR 1.010 billion, compared with EUR 862 million in the previous year.

“Overall, the figures clearly show: our work has borne fruit. And of course we would like you to share in this success,” Zachert said. The Board of Management and the Supervisory Board proposed a dividend of EUR 1.05 per share to the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting – the highest in the company’s history. LANXESS will pay out a total of around EUR 91 million.

New pillar: consumer protection products

The year 2021 was also marked by three successful acquisitions. With the acquisitions of Emerald Kalama Chemical, Theseo and Intace, LANXESS strengthened its newest segment, Consumer Protection. “We are immensely optimistic about the potential of this segment with its consumer-oriented protection products,” Zachert concluded. “And that is why, in the second half of 2021, we once again combined all our strengths and energies and signed an agreement for our fourth takeover.” With the acquisition of the Microbial Control business of U.S. group International Flavors & Fragrances in August 2021, LANXESS initiated the second-largest transaction in its history to date. It is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2022.

A confident look into the future

For the current fiscal year, Matthias Zachert was confident after a strong first quarter: “The LANXESS I presented to you today is a robust, versatile company that is focused on the future and holds strong positions in numerous markets. We have therefore started fiscal 2022 with confidence and optimism, despite the possibility of further price increases for energy and raw materials.”

Group sales in the first quarter reached EUR 2.432 billion, 43.7 percent above the prior-year figure of EUR 1.693 billion. EBITDA pre exceptionals rose by a substantial 32.2 percent to EUR 320 million, compared with EUR 242 million in the prior-year period.

For the second quarter, LANXESS expects EBITDA pre exceptionals of between EUR 280 million and EUR 350 million. In the prior-year quarter, the company generated EUR 277 million.

Concern for Germany as industrial location

In view of the current challenges posed by geopolitical uncertainties, Zachert expressed his concern for industrial locations in Germany: “We cannot close our eyes to the ever-increasing external pressure. If the rise in energy prices continues, it will pose an even greater threat to Germany as an industrial location and its companies than is already the case today. I think it is absolutely right to end Germany’s dependence on Russian gas supplies as quickly as possible. But this desire must not lead to irrational acts that weaken our own industrial base.”

Zachert spoke out in favor of short-term relief through the reduction of taxes, levies and other price components that can be influenced by the government and called out to poliymakers: “The challenges are great. Act quickly, act decisively! Act now, time is short!”

Following the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, Matthias Zachert is counting on the new government to be formed quickly: “I hope that we will soon have a new government. A stable government in which the partners work together well and in a spirit of trust. A government with an awareness of the importance of industry in our state – and of the challenges we face on a global scale.” At the top of the new state government’s agenda, Zachert sees competitive energy prices, the expansion of electricity from sustainable sources, faster approval processes and better infrastructure.

All voting results can be found here after the end of the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting: https://lanxess.com/en/Investors/Annual-Stockholders-Meeting/Voting-Results