Henkel's 2000 sales and profits reach new record highs

DÜSSELDORF (PROTEXT/ots) - * Sales up by 12.5 percent at 12.8 billion euro * EBIT up by 10.9 percent at 950 million euro * Net earnings improved by 25 percent to 505 million euro The provisional financial statements indicate that in 2000Henkel again improved on its already excellent performance of theprevious year.

Group sales increased by 12.5 percent to 12.8 billion euro.In Europe sales improved by 6.9 percent to 8.5 billion euro.Operations in North America increased sales by 17.1 percent to2.2 billion euro. Sales in Latin America rose by 29.4 percent to577 million euro. In Asia sales increased by 36.9 percent to 1.3billion euro.

Operating profit (EBIT) reached a new high of 950 millioneuro, 10.9 percent more than in 1999. The EBIT margin(EBIT/Sales) was 7.4 percent.

Net earnings, at 505 million euro - a rise of 25 percent -again achieved a new record high.

The Adhesives business sector achieved a sales increase of18.3 percent to 3.0 billion euro. Operating profit rose by 7.9percent to 256 million euro.

Sales of the Cosmetics/Toiletries business sector grew by11.9 percent to 2.0 billion euro, while operating profit improvedby 8.8 percent to 134 million euro.

The Detergents/Household Cleaners business sector increasedsales by 10.2 percent to 2.8 billion euro. Operating profitimproved by 9.8 percent to 195 million euro.

The Industrial and Institutional Hygiene/Surface Technologiesbusiness sector increased sales by 10.3 percent to 2.0 billioneuro. Operating profit went up by 18.4 percent to 175 millioneuro.

Chemical Products (Cognis) increased sales by 12.2 percent to2.9 billion euro. Operating profit showed a 21.2 percent rise to220 million euro. Henkel has meanwhile sent out the informationmemorandum to potential partners for Cognis.The process offinding a partner is progressing as planned and will take - asusual with such transactions - several more months to accomplish.

Henkel will present its 2000 Financial Statements at a pressand analysts' conference on March 19, 2001, in Düsseldorf.

Henkel is a worldwide operating specialist in consumer brandsand industrial specialties with affiliates in over 70 countries.The Company is the market leader in adhesives, surfacetechnologies and industrial and institutional hygiene (jointlywith Ecolab Inc.) on a worldwide scale. In detergents/householdcleaners and in cosmetics/toiletries Henkel holds a leadingposition. Cognis, the carved-out chemicals business, is theworld's leading producer of oleochemicals.

Contact: Henkel Corporate Communications Ernst Primosch Fon:+49-211-797-35 33 Fax: +49-211-798-24 84 e-mail:ernst.primosch@henkel.com

Alexandra Boy Fon: +49-211-797-27 10 Fax: +49-211 798-4040e-mail: alexandra.boy@henkel.de

For more information on Henkel, go to www.henkel.com

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