About This Report

Reporting principles

The consolidated interim report of Covestro AG meets the requirements for a half-yearly financial report pursuant to the applicable provisions of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG) and, in accordance with Section 115 of the German Securities Trading Act, comprises condensed consolidated interim financial statements, an interim group management report, and a responsibility statement. The consolidated interim financial statements were prepared in accordance with IAS 34 according to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) as endorsed by the European Union (EU) and in effect at the closing date as well as their Interpretations. The reference information for fiscal year 2018 was not restated to reflect the new financial reporting standards, see Note 2.1 “Financial Reporting Standards Applied for the First Time in the Reporting Period.” This consolidated interim report should be read alongside the 2018 Annual Report and the additional information about the company contained therein, as well as the First-Quarter 2019 Interim Statement.

Forward-looking statements

This Interim 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 future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company, and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports, which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Rounding

As the indicators in this report are stated in accordance with commercial rounding principles, totals and percentages may not always be exact.

Percentage deviations

Percentage deviations are only calculated and reported if they are no more than 100%. Larger deviations are reported as >100%, >200%, etc. 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.

Alternative performance measures

Throughout its financial reporting, Covestro uses alternative performance measures (APMs) to assess the performance of the Group. These are not defined in the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs). They should be considered a supplement to, not a replacement for, the performance measures determined in accordance with IFRSs.

The alternative performance measures of relevance to the Covestro Group include EBITDA, return on capital employed (ROCE), free operating cash flow (FOCF), and net financial debt. Covestro uses ROCE to assess profitability in the context of the company’s internal management system. EBITDA is also calculated as an additional indicator of profitability. 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.

Explanations of the definition and calculation of the alternative performance measures can be found in section “Alternative Performance Measures” in the combined management report in the 2018 Annual Report.

Abbreviations

The abbreviations used in this report are explained in the glossary of the 2018 Covestro Annual Report.

This Interim Report was published in German and English on July 24, 2019. Only the German version is binding.