Reporting Profile
Reporting Principles
The Half-Year Financial Report of Covestro AG, Leverkusen (Germany), meets the requirements of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG) and, in accordance with Section 115 (2) through (4) of the WpHG (half-year financial report; power to issue statutory instruments), comprises Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements, an Interim Group Management Report, and a Responsibility Statement by Management. This report covers the period from January 1 to June 30, 2023. The Consolidated Interim Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 (Interim Financial Reporting) under the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and their Interpretations, as adopted by the European Union (EU) and applicable as of the reporting date. The Half-Year Financial Report should be read alongside the Annual Report for fiscal 2022 and the additional information about the company contained therein, as well as the Quarterly Statement as of March 31, 2023.*
Forward-Looking Statements
This Report may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by the management of Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual results, financial situation, development, or performance of the Covestro Group and the estimates given here. The various factors include those discussed in Covestro AG’s public reports, which are available at www.covestro.com. Covestro AG assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
Alternative Performance Measures
Throughout its financial reporting, Covestro uses alternative performance measures (APMs) to assess the business performance of the Group. These are not defined in the IFRSs. These non-IFRS indicators should be considered a supplement to, not a replacement for, the financial performance measures determined in accordance with IFRSs. The alternative performance measures of relevance to the Covestro Group include earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), return on capital employed (ROCE), free operating cash flow (FOCF), and net financial debt. Covestro uses ROCE above the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) to determine profitability, while EBITDA is analyzed to assess profitable growth. FOCF is a key factor in the presentation of the liquidity position that indicates the company’s ability to generate a cash surplus and finance its activities. Net financial debt gauges the Group’s financial condition and financing requirements. The calculation methods for the APMs may vary from those of other companies, thus limiting the extent of the overall comparability. These alternative performance measures should not be viewed in isolation or employed as an alternative to the financial indicators determined in accordance with IFRSs and presented in the consolidated financial statements for purposes of assessing Covestro’s net assets, financial position, and results of operations.
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Acronyms and abbreviations used in this Report are explained in this Report or in the Glossary provided in the Annual Report 2022.
Rounding and Percentage Deviations
As the indicators in this Report are stated in accordance with commercial rounding principles, totals and percentages may not always be exact.
If a deviation changes from positive to negative or vice versa, or if it is greater than 1,000%, this is shown by a period.
Inclusive Language
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important to Covestro. To ensure better readability, we therefore strive to use gender-neutral language and avoid gender-specific terms in this Report. All terms should be taken to apply equally to all genders.
Publication
This Report was published on August 1, 2023. It is available in German and English. The German version is binding.
*This Quarterly Statement was prepared in accordance with Section 53 of the Stock Exchange Rules and Regulations (Börsenordnung) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange; it is not an interim report within the meaning of IAS 34 (Interim Financial Reporting) or a set of financial statements within the meaning of IAS 1 (Presentation of Financial Statements).