“We’re confident in our ability to deliver the targets we’ve set in both the near term and over the longer term.” –Monsanto Chairman and CEO Hugh Grant
孟山都公司 受种子和作物保护销售强劲的推动，第四季度亏损较去年同期有所收窄。它告诫说，其作物保护利润预计在 2015 年会更低。
Executives commented that the balance of the company’s global business “positions it well for continued growth and investment in fiscal year 2015 as the company executes on its plan to at least double ongoing earnings per share over the next five years.”
董事长兼首席执行官休·格兰特表示：“我们对实现我们设定的短期和长期目标的能力充满信心。”
Monsanto reported net sales of about $2.6 billion in the quarter, compared with $2.2 billion in the year-earlier period. Its Seeds and Genomics business accounted for $1.4 billion in sales, up from $1.2 billion a year ago, while its Agricultural Productivity business — which comprises its crop protection and lawn-and-garden herbicide products — posted sales of $1.3 billion, up from $1 billion a year ago.
Monsanto’s net loss totaled $156 million in the quarter, compared with a net loss of $249 million in the same period last year.
在本财年，孟山都实现了种子和基因组学部门的销售额 $107 亿美元，其全球大豆产品组合创下了创纪录的一年，比上一年增长了 27%。 2014 年，该公司还提高了玉米利润率，尽管其玉米业务面临着种植面积减少和汇率影响的不利因素。孟山都表示，在全球玉米业务中，该公司的商品销售成本较低，产品组合走上正轨，总价格上涨积极，并且在种植面积下降的情况下销量不错。
Looking ahead, the company expects 2015 profit to grow in the double-digit to mid-teens on a percentage basis, powered by its core corn and soybean businesses. For Agricultural Productivity, it expects the segment gross profit to be “down by up to 10% in fiscal year 2015, offsetting some of the anticipated core growth from its seeds and traits businesses.”
Monsanto noted that it expects an overall shift in its full-year earnings patterns, as “structural factors” result in a smaller first quarter and a concentration of growth in the third quarter. “With macro conditions resulting in lower planted acres for key regions in both corn and cotton in the quarter, combined with a timing shift as the company moves more of its Agricultural Productivity business to branded-product sales, Monsanto expects its first quarter will be roughly half of the total earnings from the first quarter of 2014,” the company said.
For more information about Monsanto’s earnings see 完整版本.