PPG reports fourth quarter and full-year 2022 financial results

PITTSBURGH - PPG (NYSE: PPG) today reported financial results for the fourth quarter 2022 and full-year 2022.

Fourth quarter highlights include: Net sales of $4.2 billion, up 5% in constant currencies driven by higher selling prices

Reported earnings per diluted share from continuing operations (EPS) of $1.01 and adjusted EPS of $1.22

Margin recovery with segment earnings growth of more than 20% year-over-year, despite more severe commercial and supply disruptions in China than original guidance

Higher effective tax rate in 2022 reduced year-over-year EPS by $0.25, primarily related to prior year discrete tax items that did not recur

Record full-year 2022 sales of about $17.7 billion, aided by 8% organic growth

Balance sheet flexibility remains

Tim Knavish, PPG president and chief executive officer, commented on the quarter: We continued to make good progress on our focus to achieve full operating margin recovery, as year-over-year earnings improved in both segments despite more acute pandemic-related demand disruptions in China. This earnings improvement was driven by aggregate selling price increases that totaled 19% on a two-year stacked basis, as we remained focused on mitigating the significant cumulative cost inflation incurred the past two years.

Overall sales volumes declined 5% year over year as manufacturing activity slowed in most regions, including Asia Pacific where volumes were down a low double-digit percentage primarily due to the pandemic-related impacts in China. As anticipated, demand remained soft in global architectural do-it-yourself (DIY) coatings. In Europe, aggregate industrial activity weakened sequentially, and sales volumes were down a mid-single-digit percentage; however, our quarterly operating earnings in that region were consistent with prior-year levels, driven by strong price realization and cost management. We delivered record net sales in our automotive refinish and PPG Comex coatings businesses reflecting our leading products and strong commercial relationships. Global aerospace demand continued to recover leading to strong year-over-year organic sales growth of about 20%, even though certain supply chain challenges remained.

Looking ahead, we remain highly focused on building further momentum to restore margins in line with our historical profile. In the first quarter, we will continue to prioritize supporting our customers through superior service and products, executing our cost-savings initiatives, and optimizing inventory. We expect the overall demand environment to remain consistent sequentially with the fourth quarter with soft economic activity remaining in Europe and China. However, as the year progresses, we anticipate several positive catalysts that will enable earnings improvement, including certain PPG commercial initiatives with our valued customers and the continued rebound in demand for our technology-advantaged aerospace products. Other catalysts include moderating raw material costs, coatings demand stabilization in Europe beginning in the second quarter, and strong economic recovery in China as the pandemic reopening progresses. Finally, with fewer supply chain disruptions we expect ample commodity raw material availability and improved manufacturing efficiencies.

Lastly, I am looking forward to leading PPG in my new role and want to thank our customers for selecting PPG as their supplier of choice, our shareholders for their confidence, and our global employees who demonstrate The PPG Way by making it happen every day.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained herein relating to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements reflecting PPG's current view with respect to future events and financial performance. These matters within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect PPG's operations, as discussed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Accordingly, many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein. Such factors include statements related to the expected effects on our business of COVID-19, global economic conditions, geopolitical issues in Europe, the amount of future share repurchases, increasing price and product competition by our competitors, fluctuations in cost and availability of raw materials, energy, labor and logistics, the ability to achieve selling price increases, the ability to recover margins, customer inventory levels, PPG inventory levels, the ability to maintain favorable supplier relationships and arrangements, the timing of realization of anticipated cost savings from restructuring and other initiatives, the ability to identify additional cost savings opportunities, the timing and expected benefits of potential future and completed acquisitions, difficulties in integrating acquired businesses and achieving expected synergies therefrom, economic and political conditions in international markets, the ability to penetrate existing, developing and emerging foreign and domestic markets, foreign exchange rates and fluctuations in such rates, fluctuations in tax rates, the impact of future legislation, the impact of environmental regulations, unexpected business disruptions, the unpredictability of existing and possible future litigation, including asbestos litigation, and governmental investigations. However, it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. Consequently, while the list of factors presented here and in our 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Consequences of material differences in results compared with those anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include, among other things, lower sales or earnings, business disruption, operational problems, financial loss, legal liability to third parties and similar risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on PPG's consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

All information in this release speaks only as of January 19, 2023, and any distribution of this release after that date is not intended and will not be construed as updating or confirming such information. PPG undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Contact:

John Bruno

Tel: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

(C) 2023 Electronic News Publishing, source ENP Newswire