BASF generated sales of €16.4 billion in the third quarter of 2026. This represents an increase of 14 per cent, or around €2 billion, compared with the same quarter last year. The main drivers were higher selling prices, which rose by 12 per cent. This was complemented by volume growth of 2 per cent. Positive currency effects further supported this performance. “This strong performance in our core businesses since the start of the year gives us the confidence to refine and revise upwards our forecast for EBITDA before exceptional items,” emphasised BASF CEO Dr Markus Kamieth
BASF benefits from higher prices in several segments
The rise in turnover was driven in particular by the Chemicals, Materials, Surface Technologies and Industrial Solutions segments. In these business areas, the company was able to increase selling prices significantly. Nutrition & Care also recorded slight price increases, whilst prices in the agricultural business fell marginally. Sales volumes also presented a mixed picture. Chemicals and Nutrition & Care achieved significant growth. In the Industrial Solutions, Materials and Surface Technologies segments, volumes rose slightly. By contrast, Agricultural Solutions recorded a significant decline in sales volumes, which partially offset the positive performance of the other segments. Additional revenue growth was driven by favourable currency effects across all businesses. The US dollar and the Chinese renminbi, in particular, had a positive impact on reported revenue.
Operating profit rises despite mixed segment performance
In the third quarter, EBITDA before exceptional items rose by €213 million to €1.6 billion. The Chemicals, Nutrition & Care, Materials and Industrial Solutions business units made a significant contribution to this, having significantly improved their results compared with the same period last year. This was offset by declines in earnings in the Agricultural and Surface Technologies segments. EBITDA before exceptional items also declined in the ‘Other’ segment. Overall, however, the positive contributions from the other business divisions predominated.
EBITDA including exceptional items stood at €1.2 billion, on a par with the same quarter of the previous year. This was weighed down by exceptional items amounting to minus €437 million. These were primarily related to restructuring measures at the Ludwigshafen site and to a settlement to resolve a legal dispute in the Care Chemicals division. Earnings before interest and tax fell to minus €98 million in the third quarter of 2026. In the corresponding period of the previous year, BASF had still achieved a positive EBIT of €232 million. A key factor was higher depreciation and amortisation, including an impairment charge.
BASF raises its forecast for the 2026 financial year
Following €172 million in the same period of the previous year, profit after tax and non-controlling interests amounted to €155 million in the past quarter. In view of business performance since the start of the year, BASF has raised its forecast for the full year. The Group now expects EBITDA before exceptional items to be between €7.4 and €7.8 billion. Previously, the forecast range was between €6.9 and €7.7 billion. The previous assumptions regarding global economic development remain unchanged.
