WACKER’s main assumptions in its planning relate to raw-material and energy costs, personnel expenses and exchange rates. Our planning for 2015 is based on an exchange rate of US$ 1.15 and ¥ 135 to € 1.

Essentially, Wacker Chemie AG’s prospects for 2015 mirror the business trend at WACKER, which is fully explained in the Group’s Outlook section. Please refer to chapter Outlook of this Annual Report.

Wacker Chemie AG and Wacker-Chemie Dritte Venture GmbH mutually terminated their profit-and-loss transfer agreement effective as of fiscal 2015. Siltronic AG is no longer part of the Wacker Chemie AG tax consolidation group.

We project that sales will increase year on year by a mid-single-digit percentage and that like-for-like EBITDA – i.e. without special income from damages payments or from the restructuring of contractual and supply relationships with our solar customers – will grow slightly compared to the previous year.

We expect Wacker Chemie AG to post a positive result for the period, though below the prior-year figure.