Arkema : Second quarter 2017 results

The Board of Directors of Arkema met on 1 August 2017 to close the Group's consolidated accounts for 1 half 2017. At the close of the meeting, Chairman and CEO Thierry Le Hénaff stated:

'In line with its excellent start to the year, Arkema confirms its development momentum with a 13% growth in sales in second quarter and new record EBITDA for a quarter, close to €400 million.

This performance reflects the Group's favorable positioning with a majority of resilient specialty activities and a good momentum in more cyclical activities. It highlights the Group's strategy focused on innovation in Advanced Materials, growth in Adhesives with the integration of Den Braven, and developments in Asia. It also illustrates Arkema's ability to operate in a higher cost environment for raw materials. Finally, the excellent cash generation enabled the Group to maintain its net debt at the same level as at the end of last year, despite the dividend payment.

The Group will carry on implementing its many projects, in particular the major ones announced at the recent Capital Markets Day, all of which represent catalysts for its future growth.

Finally, while remaining attentive to a global economic environment that continues to be volatile, the performance of the first half of the year enables us to upgrade the EBITDA target we had set ourselves for 2017.'