DGAP-News: WACKER CHEMIE AG

DGAP-News: WACKER CHEMIE AG: WACKER LIFTS SALES IN 2015 ABOVE EUR5 BILLION FOR THE FIRST TIME AND INCREASES ITS NET INCOME

DGAP-News: Wacker Chemie AG / Key word(s): Preliminary Results Wacker Chemie AG: WACKER LIFTS SALES IN 2015 ABOVE EUR5 BILLION FOR THE FIRST TIME AND INCREASES ITS NET INCOME

02.02.2016 / 07:14 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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- SALES FOR FULL-YEAR 2015 RISE BY ABOUT 10 PERCENT TO EUR5.3 BILLION AMID HIGHER VOLUMES AND FAVORABLE EXCHANGE-RATE EFFECTS

- Q4 2015 SALES OF EUR1.2 BILLION ARE OVER 3 PERCENT HIGHER THAN A YEAR EARLIER, AND EBITDA INCREASES BY 2 PERCENT IN THE FINAL QUARTER TO EUR185 MILLION

- AT EUR1.04 BILLION, FULL-YEAR EBITDA REACHES THE PRIOR-YEAR LEVEL, DESPITE LOWER SPECIAL INCOME

- EBIT FOR 2015 GROWS BY 6 PERCENT TO EUR470 MILLION

- NET INCOME AT ABOUT EUR240 MILLION, 23 PERCENT HIGHER YEAR OVER YEAR

Munich, February 2, 2016 - Following a generally robust fourth quarter, Wacker Chemie AG achieved its sales target for full-year 2015 and slightly exceeded its earnings expectations. According to preliminary calculations, the Munich-based chemical group posted total sales of EUR5.3 billion in 2015 (2014: EUR4.83 billion), some 10 percent above the 2014 figure. This increase was chiefly the result of higher volumes and favorable exchange-rate effects. Every division generated year-over-year sales growth in 2015.

The Group's preliminary earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to EUR1.04 billion (2014: EUR1.04 billion). EBITDA was at the prior-year level despite substantially lower special income from advance payments retained and damages received from solar-sector customers. In full-year 2015, these special-income items amounted to some EUR137 million (2014: EUR206 million). Adjusted for this effect, EBITDA increased by 9 percent in the reporting year. The Group's earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) grew by 6 percent year over year to EUR470 million in 2015 (2014: EUR443 million). WACKER's preliminary net income for 2015 reached EUR240 million (2014: EUR195 million).

"Our chemical business in particular performed well in the fourth quarter," said Group CEO Rudolf Staudigl on Tuesday in Munich. "Chemical sales were substantially higher than in the comparable final-year quarter. This more than compensated for the fact that polysilicon prices were lower and semiconductor-wafer volumes were down slightly year over year. On the whole, we generated the strongest final-quarter sales to date"

Investments, Net Cash Flow and Net Financial Debt According to preliminary figures, WACKER's capital expenditures amounted to EUR835 million in 2015 (2014: EUR572 million) - 46 percent higher than a year earlier due to project-related factors. Depreciation totaled EUR575 million in 2015 (2014: EUR599 million). Most of the capital expenditures went toward completing the new polysilicon site in Charleston, Tennessee (USA). WACKER started bringing the facilities there on stream at year-end, as planned. Other funds were invested in expanding production capacity for polymer products and silicones.

Net cash flow for the Group was slightly positive, as forecast, although declining significantly year over year. It amounted to EUR20 million (2014: EUR216 million). The main reasons for this decrease were substantially higher investment spending and lower cash inflows from damages received from solar customers. Group net financial debt was at the prior-year level, as expected. It amounted to about EUR1.07 billion as of December 31, 2015 (Dec. 31, 2014: EUR1.08 billion).

Business Performance in Q4 2015 WACKER closed the fourth quarter of 2015 with moderate gains in sales and earnings. Group sales from October through December 2015 totaled about EUR1.2 billion (Q4 2014: EUR1.19 billion), up by 3 percent. EBITDA reached EUR185 million in Q4 2015 (Q4 2014: EUR180 million), 2 percent higher than in the year-earlier quarter.

In the final quarter, WACKER's chemical business benefited from both strong customer demand and favorable exchange-rate effects arising from the euro's weakness relative to the prior-year period. Sales were above the comparative Q4 2014 figures at every chemical division. Polysilicon and semiconductor-wafer sales, on the other hand, were somewhat lower year over year due to prices and volumes.

WACKER's three chemical divisions substantially increased their total sales between October and December 2015. Growth stemmed primarily from higher volumes for silicones and polymer products and from favorable exchange-rate effects. At WACKER SILICONES, final-quarter sales came in at EUR460 million (Q4 2014: EUR420 million), over 9 percent above the year-earlier period. WACKER POLYMERS generated total sales of EUR270 million in Q4 2015 (Q4 2014: EUR252 million), up by 7 percent. At WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS, sales climbed by 2 percent to EUR45 million (Q4 2014: EUR44 million).

EBITDA for the chemical divisions grew even more strongly than sales. Alongside higher sales, the EBITDA increase was also prompted by very high plant utilization levels, especially for silicones, and by partially lower costs for raw materials and energy. In addition, ongoing efficiency programs had a positive impact on EBITDA at the chemical divisions. In Q4 2015, WACKER SILICONES posted EBITDA of EUR45 million (Q4 2014: EUR34 million), an increase of 32 percent. At WACKER POLYMERS, EBITDA grew by 66 percent to EUR40 million (Q4 2014: EUR24 million). WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS reported EBITDA of about EUR7 million in Q4 2015 (EUR5 million).

In Q4 2015, WACKER POLYSILICON posted lower sales than in the final quarter of 2014, due primarily to a decline in solar-silicon prices. From October through December 2015, the division generated total sales of EUR240 million (Q4 2014: EUR261 million), down by about 8?percent. Volumes, on the other hand, were higher year over year. The division's EBITDA decreased by 21 percent compared with the year-earlier period, to reach EUR70 million in Q4 2015 (Q4 2014: EUR89 million). It included special income of around EUR28 million from advance payments retained and damages received from solar-sector customers. There was no such special income recorded in Q4 2014. In addition to the impact of lower sales, EBITDA at WACKER POLYSILICON was chiefly dampened by start-up costs for the new Charleston site. Ongoing measures to reduce costs and enhance productivity, on the other hand, had a positive influence on fourth-quarter EBITDA.

Siltronic generated total sales of around EUR215 million in the quarter to December 2015 (Q4 2014: EUR223 million), almost 4 percent below the prior-year figure. This sales decline stemmed primarily from lower volumes, since Siltronic's customers, as expected, reduced their inventories. They were prompted to do so mainly by the fact that volumes for smartphones, tablets and PCs were noticeably below initial projections. Favorable exchange-rate effects could not completely compensate for this. Year over year, prices for semiconductor wafers decreased moderately. In Q4 2015, Siltronic's EBITDA totaled EUR23 million (Q4 2014: EUR38 million), 39 percent below the comparable year-earlier quarter. In addition to lower sales, currency-hedging losses reduced fourth-quarter EBITDA by EUR10 million. On the other hand, Siltronic's efforts to cut costs and increase productivity have an ongoing positive effect on its earnings trend.

WACKER's Preliminary Key Figures

EUR million 2015e 2014 Change in % Sales 5,295 4,826 10 EBITDA1 1,045 1,042 0 EBITDA margin2 (%) 20 22 - EBIT3 470 443 6 EBIT margin2 (%) 9 9 - Net income for the year 240 195 23 Capital expenditures (including financial assets) 835 572 46 Net cash flow4 20 216 -91



1 EBITDA is EBIT before depreciation and amortization. 2 Margins are calculated based on sales. 3 EBIT is the result from continuing operations for the period before interest and other financial results, and income taxes. 4 Sum of cash flow from operating activities (excluding changes in advance payments) and cash flow from long-term investing activities (before securities), including changes due to finance leases.

The Q4 2015 and fiscal 2015 figures and forecasts in this press release are preliminary. Wacker Chemie AG will publish its Q4 Report and Annual Report 2015 on March 17, 2016.

For further information, please contact: Wacker Chemie AG Media Relations & Information Christof Bachmair Tel. +49 89 6279-1830 christof.bachmair@wacker.com

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02.02.2016 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Language: English Company: Wacker Chemie AG Hanns-Seidel-Platz 4 81737 München Germany Phone: 0049-89-6279-1633 Fax: 0049-89-6279-2933 E-mail: investor.relations@wacker.com Internet: www.wacker.com ISIN: DE000WCH8881 WKN: WCH888 Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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