DuPont reduces income expectations

The company expects operating earnings in the second quarter to be moderately below the $1.28 per share recorded in the same period last year. As a result, the company is lowering its full-year outlook for operating earnings to $4.00 to $4.10 per share.
 

The revised outlook in Agriculture reflects lower than expected corn seed sales and higher than expected seed inventory write-downs. Given favorable soybean economics, soybean sales volumes in North America are higher than expected. However, the higher soybean volume will not fully offset the decline in corn volume, especially given the transition under way in the company’s soybean lineup to newer, higher performing products. The company believes this is a short-term negative trend, and there will be strong demand for its next generation soybean products. The revised outlook also reflects lower than expected crop protection herbicide sales, largely due to weather.
 

“While 2014 is a transition year in agriculture, the revisions to the outlook we made today do not meet the expectations we set for our Agriculture segment or for the company,” said DuPont Chair and CEO Ellen Kullman.  “We have a strong global market position and a rich pipeline and we will make the necessary changes so that we return to our five-year track record of delivering the reliable, attractive growth our shareholders expect from this segment.”