KWS Saat AG reported earnings results for the first six months of 2013. The first half of fiscal 2012/2013 was impacted by high demand for cereal seed and launch of business operations in Brazil. KWS' net sales increased year on year from EUR 191.5 million to EUR 206.3 million. Its operating income in the first half of the year is always negative for seasonal reasons and was EUR 59.1 million compared with negative EUR 31.2 million in the same period of the previous year. The sharp decline in EBIT is attributable not only to the special effects of the previous year but also to the planned expansion of research and development activities and distribution. The company raised earnings guidance for the year 2013. After raising its guidance for fiscal 2012/2013 as a whole, the company anticipates an increase in consolidated net sales of just over 15% to EUR 1.140 billion. On the strength of the increase in demand for corn and cereals that is already visible at this stage of the fiscal year, it will be possible to generate that growth in these segments of the company in particular. The company now expects its operating income (EBIT) to reach the previous year's level of EUR140 million. Accordingly, an EBIT margin of just over 12% is anticipated.

KWS SAAT AG announced financial results for the first quarter ended September 2012. For the quarter, the company's net sales rose by 22% to EUR 113.1 million against EUR 93.1 million a year ago. A third of this growth comes from Brazil, where KWS launched its operations in July 2012. Operating loss, which is typically negative in the first two quarters due to the seasonal course of KWS' business, was at the level of the previous year's first quarter, at EUR 22.2 million against EUR 22.6 million a year ago. As in previous years, cereals business was the mainstay in the period July to September, accounting for over 60% of net sales. The main contributors to net sales for the year as a whole - corn and sugarbeet - are not sown until the spring. continues to make high investments in property, plant and equipment: EUR 17.2 million against EUR 17.4 million a year ago, as usual well above depreciation of EUR 8.7 million against EUR 6.4 million a year ago. They mainly related to expenditure to modernize sugarbeet seed production in North America and to expand corn production capacities in France. The number of employees increased to 4,423 in the period under review, primarily as a result of acquisition of the Brazilian operations. The performance in the first quarter confirms forecast. The company expects the group's net sales for the year as a whole to grow by about 10% (previous year: EUR 986.3 million).

KWS SAAT AG announced that they will report Q2, 2013 results on Feb 26, 2013