Brenntag reports strong operating earnings in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions

Brenntag, the global market leader in chemical distribution, lifted its key performance indicators gross profit and operating EBITDA in financial year 2016.

This performance was achieved in an economic environment that varied considerably across the Group’s regions: whilst earnings in North and Latin America were negatively impacted by several economic and political factors, the existing business in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions performed very well. Acquisitions made a positive contribution to earnings. Once again, the strengths of the business model were evident and the Group was able to translate operating earnings into high free cash flow in financial year 2016.

Brenntag generated sales of €10,498.4m in the financial year 2016, an increase of 1.5%. The Group also delivered a strong growth in gross profit, an especially important metric for Brenntag, of 4.6% year on year to €2,369.3m. Operating EBITDA was up on the prior-year figure to €810m and therefore in the middle of the range forecast for financial year 2016.

The Brenntag Group posted strong free cash flow again in 2016, amounting to €641.4m. The excellent prior-year figure had benefitted from exceptionally strong falls in market prices for chemicals in 2015 and, as expected, could not be repeated in the reporting period.

For full details visit www.brenntag.com

3rd April 2017