Nutrition & Care

Q2 2020

We slightly increased sales in the Nutrition & Care segment compared with the second quarter of 2019. This was driven by considerable sales growth in the Nutrition & Health division, while sales in the Care Chemicals division were on a level with the prior-year quarter.

The slight sales increase was primarily due to higher volumes in both divisions. The significant volumes growth in the Nutrition & Health division was mainly attributable to the aroma ingredients, pharmaceutical and human nutrition businesses. Sales volumes rose slightly in the Care Chemicals division. Higher volumes in the home care, industrial and institutional cleaning and industrial formulators business, as well as in the oleo surfactants and alcohols business contributed to sales growth.

Negative currency effects, especially in South America, partially offset this increase.

Sales were also negatively impacted by a slightly lower price level. This was largely attributable to lower prices in the home care, industrial and institutional cleaning and industrial formulators business in the Care Chemicals division. Slightly higher prices in the Nutrition & Health division, mainly driven by the animal nutrition business, could not compensate for this decrease.

We considerably increased income from operations (EBIT) before special items compared with the prior-year quarter thanks to a significantly higher contribution from the Nutrition & Health division. This was primarily due to higher margins resulting from higher volumes and prices. EBIT before special items in the Care Chemicals division declined slightly, mainly from higher fixed costs due to a one-off contractual payment in the prior-year quarter.