By Helena Smolak

BASF is scheduled to report results for the first quarter on Friday. Here is what you need to know.

SALES FORECAST: The German chemical company is expected to report first-quarter sales of 17.60 billion euros ($20.05 billion), down from 17.55 billion euros for the comparable period a year earlier, according to a company-compiled consensus.

EARNINGS FORECAST: BASF is expected to report 2.48 billion euros in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization before special items--the company's preferred key metric--in the quarter, according to the same consensus. This compares with 2.655 billion euros reported a year prior.

Shares in BASF are up 4.3% since the start of the year but fell 9.7% in the past 12 months.

WHAT TO WATCH

--Tariffs: BASF will likely face slowed demand for its agricultural business in North America due to unfavorable weather and worsening customer confidence driven by uncertainty from tariffs, representing the key overhang for the quarter, Jefferies analysts said in a note. Sales at its specialty businesses are still hampered by the impact of major plant outages, HSBC analysts said in a note.

--STRATEGY SHIFT: BASF continues to progress its portfolio changes, shedding noncore assets, including a potential listing of its agricultural-chemicals business, Jefferies said. Even despite current demand uncertainty, both the agricultural solutions separation as well as its subsequent listing should take place at a significant premium, Jefferies said.

Write to Helena Smolak at helena.smolak@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 30, 2025 10:35 ET (14:35 GMT)

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