BASF SE: BASF Group: Adjustment of outlook for the fiscal year 2018

DGAP-Ad-hoc: BASF SE / Key word(s): Change in Forecast BASF SE: BASF Group: Adjustment of outlook for the fiscal year 2018 07-Dec-2018 / 19:12 CET/CEST Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. BASF Group: Adjustment of outlook for the fiscal year 2018 Ludwigshafen - December 7, 2018 - Based on the earnings data for November 2018, BASF now expects a considerable decrease in income from operations (EBIT) before special items for the fiscal year 2018 in the range of 15% to 20% compared with the prior year (EBIT before special items in 2017: EUR7,645 million). BASF previously forecast a slight decline of up to 10% compared with the prior-year figure. For EBIT of the BASF Group, the company continues to expect a considerable decline and for sales, a slight increase of up to 5%. The significant decline in EBIT before special items compared with the prior-year figure is mainly attributable to the Chemicals segment. In particular, isocyanate prices fell more sharply and steam cracker margins were lower than expected. In addition, the low water level of the Rhine River in the fourth quarter of 2018 is expected to lead to negative earnings impacts of up to EUR200 million, higher than previously forecast. In the third quarter of 2018, the negative earnings impact from the low water level of the Rhine could be limited to around EUR50 million. Furthermore, BASF's business with the automotive industry has continued to decline since the third quarter of 2018; in particular, demand from customers in China slowed significantly. The trade conflict between the United States and China contributed to this slowdown. On Tuesday, February 26, 2019 at 7:00 a.m. CET, BASF will publish the Annual Report for the fiscal year 2018 and will comment on the figures at the annual press conference for journalists (from 10:30 a.m. CET) and the conference call for analysts and investors (from 2:00 p.m. CET). Contact Dr. Stefanie Wettberg Investor Relations [phone] [e-mail]   Juliana Tischel Media Relations [phone] [e-mail]   Contact: Juliana Tischel Vice President Corporate Communications Phone: [phone] Mobile: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Postal Address: BASF SE, COM/C - C100 , 67056 Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany 07-Dec-2018 CET/CEST The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de

Language:	English
Company:	BASF SE
	Carl-Bosch-Straße 38
	67056 Ludwigshafen
	Germany
Phone:	[phone]
Fax:	[phone]
E-mail:	[e-mail]
Internet:	www.basf.com
ISIN:	DE000BASF111, DE000A0JRFB0, Börse Dublin, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, DE000A0JRFA2, Börse Dublin, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, DE000A0JQF26, Börse Dublin, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, DE000A0EUB86, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, DE0008846718, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, DE000A0XFK16, Börse Luxemburg, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, XS0420401779, Börse Luxemburg, XS0412154378, Börse Luxemburg, Frankfurter Börse, DE000A0T4DU7,Börse Luxemburg, Frankfurter Börse, CH0039943292, Swiss Exchange (SWX), CH0039943383, Swiss Exchange (SWX), DE000A0TKBM, Börse Luxemburg, Frankfurter Börse, XS0414672070, Börse Luxemburg, ,
WKN:	BASF11, WKN A0JRFB, Börse Dublin, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, , WKN A0JRFA, Börse Dublin, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, , WKN A0JQF2, Börse Dublin, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, , WKN A0EUB8, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, , WKN 884671, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, , WKN A0XFK1, Börse Luxemburg, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, , WKN A0XFHJ, Börse Luxemburg, , WKN A0T6EG, Börse Luxemburg, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, , WKN A0T4DU, Börse Luxemburg, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, , WKN 3994329, Swiss Exchange (SWX), , WKN 3994338, Swiss Exchange (SWX), , WKN A0TKBM, Börse Luxemburg, Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, , WKN A0T65R, Börse Luxemburg,
Indices:	DAX, EURO STOXX 50
Listed:	Regulated Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart; Regulated Unofficial Market in Tradegate Exchange; London, SIX

End of Announcement	DGAP News Service

755787  07-Dec-2018 CET/CEST