CCM: Shandong Luba: net profit encumbered by paraquat in 2015 05-25-2016

In 2015, the overall pesticide industry was in a downturn, mainly affected by the depressed economy, dropping grain price, weak demand, and stricter environmental requirement. This increased the number of enterprises at loss. Shandong Luba Chemical Co., Ltd. (Shandong Luba, stock code: 834117), a Chinese pesticide enterprise, inevitably suffered from loss this year.



                                                                                 Source: Bing


Financial figures of Shandong Luba in 2015

  • Total revenue: USD199.63 million (RMB1.29 billion), down by 14.75% YoY
  • Net profit: USD31.10 million (RMB200.79 million), down by 43.40% YoY

 

That the sales prices of paraquat and pyridine hit record lows is the major reason dragging down the performance of Shandong Luba. The company disclosed that the average sales price of its products in 2015 was 27% lower than that in 2014, reducing its total revenue sharply.

 

However, Shandong Luba's costs in production and management did not fall accordingly, pulling down the gross profit margin (27.34%, 11.01 percentage points lower than that in 2014). The falls in total revenue and gross profit margin directly led to a YoY soar in the company's net profit.

 

Shandong Luba's major financial figures, 2015, million USD

Item

2015

YoY change (%)

2014

Total revenue

199.63

-14.75

234.16

Gross profit margin

27.34%

-

38.35%

Net profit

31.10

-43.4

54.95

Item

The end of 2015

YoY change (%)

The end of 2014

Total assets

233.09

12.41

207.36

Net assets

189.18

18.83

159.20


                                                                Source: Shandong Luba Chemical Co., Ltd.

                                              

YoY changes in total assets, total revenue and net profit of Shandong Luba, 2014 & 2015

Item

2015 (%)

2014 (%)

Total assets

12.41

24.6

Total revenue

-14.75

24.77

Net profit

-43.4

67.48


                                                              Source: Shandong Luba Chemical Co., Ltd.

 

Herbicide business is still the major segment of Shandong Luba. As one of the pesticide enterprises enjoying a complete industrial chain for pyridine pesticides in China, Shandong Luba's products cover paraquat, pyridine, diquat, fluroxypyr and intermediates.




In 2015, its sales from herbicides amounted to USD134.35 million (RMB867.42 million), 67.30% of the total revenue and down by 24.12% YoY, which was mainly due to the falling sales price of paraquat. It is revealed that about 10% of Shandong Luba's total revenue came from the sales of paraquat AS in 2015. As China has issued the policy to ban paraquat AS, the sales proportion of paraquat keeps declining.

 

In response to the falling prices of paraquat and pyridine, Shandong Luba strengthened the market promotion of pyridine and 3-methylpyridin in 2015, increasing the sales of pyridine series products by 20.14% YoY to USD41.19 million (RMB265.97 million).

 

At the same time, the company's domestic salesdropped by 21.40% YoY, affected by the sliding paraquat price. However, since it improved the exports, the overseas sales had no dramatic fall.

 

Shandong Luba's revenue by product, 2015

Item

Revenue (million USD)

Proportion in total revenue

YoY change

Herbicides

134.35

67.30%

-24.12%

Insecticides

23.28

11.66%

4.52%

Pyridines

41.19

20.64%

20.14%

Materials

0.81

0.40%

48.55%

Total

199.63

100%

-14.75%


                                                          Source: Shandong Luba Chemical Co., Ltd.

                                                       

Shandong Luba's revenue by region, 2015

Item

Revenue (million USD)

Proportion in total revenue

YoY change

Domestic

126.23

63.23%

-21.40%

Overseas

73.40

36.77%

-0.21%

Total

199.63

100%

-14.75%


                                                             Source: Shandong Luba Chemical Co., Ltd.

 

Shandong Luba's subsidiaries also failed to perform well in 2015 because of the depressed market. As of the end of 2015, their financial figures were:

 

- Shandong WeifangLuba Chemical Co., Ltd. (main business: production and sales of pesticides and intermediates)

  • Total revenue: USD89.66 million (RMB578.89 million), down by 23.79 YoY
  • Net profit: USD13.79 million (RMB89.02 million), down by 56.47% YoY

 

- Shandong WeifangXinlv Chemical Co., Ltd. (main business: sales of chemicals)

  • Total revenue: 0 (all projects are under construction)
  • Net profit: -USD152,316.60 (-RMB983,432.12)


- DezhouLuba Fine Chemical Co., Ltd. (main business: production and sales of pesticides and intermediates)

  • Total revenue: USD27.21 million (RMB175.68 million), down by 9.92% YoY
  • Net profit: USD2.58 million (RMB16.67 million), down by 15% YoY


- Jinan Luba Pesticide Co., Ltd. (main business: production and sales of pesticides)

  • Total revenue: USD21.59 million (RMB139.38 million), up by 1.55% YoY
  • Net profit: USD980,000 (RMB6.31 million), up by 33.47% YoY

 

To cope with the trouble brought about by the stagnant paraquat market, Shandong Luba will keep adjusting the product structure to reduce the impact from the negative policy on paraquat. It plans to use the chloride pyridine project as a springboard for the transformation and upgrading.


In 2016, Shandong Luba will invest USD46.46 million (RMB300 million) in constructing and perfecting this chloride pyridine project; and it will perfect the industrial chain of pyridine pesticides, build complete industrial chain for pyridine and chloride pyridine in two years as well as strengthen the development of downstream low toxic pesticides of chloride pyridine. Meantime, it will also vigorously develop the substitutes for paraquat AS.



 

About CCM:

CCM is the leading market intelligence provider for China’s agriculture, chemicals, food & ingredients and life science markets. Founded in 2001, CCM offers a range of data and content solutions, from price and trade data to industry newsletters and customized market research reports. Our clients include Monsanto, DuPont, Shell, Bayer, and Syngenta. CCM is a brand of Kcomber Inc.

 

For more information about CCM, please visit www.cnchemicals.com or get in touch with us directly by emailing econtact@cnchemicals.com or calling +86-20-37616606.


Tag: pesticide paraquat herbicides


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