Factbook
Factors Influencing Sales and Exchange Rate Volatility
Factors influencing sales of the BASF Group
Change in %
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Volumes | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | –3 | –1 | 10.6 | –7.0 | –8.4 | 1.8 |
| Prices | –9 | –4 | 8 | 4 | –3 | 3 | 24.8 | 11.9 | –10.0 | –5.2 |
| Currencies | 6 | –1 | –1 | –4 | 2 | –3 | –2.4 | 6.1 | –2.5 | –1.8 |
| Portfolio | –5 | –15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | –0.1 | 0.1 | –0.2 | –0.1 |
| Total | –5 | –18 | 12 | 2 | –2 | 0 | 32.9 | 11.1 | –21.1 | –5.3 |
Factors influencing sales
In the 2024 business year, sales stood at €65,260 million, compared with €68,902 million in the previous year. Considerable volume increases in some core businesses, coupled with slight volume growth in Agricultural Solutions, more than compensated for the decrease in sales volumes in Surface Technologies, which was due to the weak momentum in the automotive industry. The overall decline in sales, however, was mainly due to price decreases in all segments. A particularly pronounced decline was seen in precious metal prices in the Surface Technologies segment. Currency effects further dampened sales performance.
Exchange rate volatility
Our competitiveness on global markets is influenced by fluctuations in exchange rates. For BASF’s sales, opportunities and risks arise in particular when the U.S. dollar exchange rate fluctuates. On the production side, we counter exchange rate risks by producing in the respective currency zones.
Financial currency risks result from the translation of receivables, liabilities and other monetary items in accordance with IAS 21 at the closing rate into the functional currency of the respective Group company. If necessary, we hedge these risks using derivative instruments.