BASF Is Arming Itself Against Global Volatility—Inside Its Mega Strategy for Energy, China, & Beyond!

BASF SE’s second quarter 2025 financial results present a balanced view of challenges and opportunities faced by the company in a complex macroeconomic landscape. The company reported EBITDA before special items of approximately EUR 1.8 billion, a decrease from EUR 2 billion in the same quarter the previous year, reflecting the pressures from global economic uncertainties and declining margins in its upstream Chemicals segment. Positives from the results include robust performance in the Agricultural Solutions segment, which saw a 21% increase in earnings driven by strong volume growth and improved margins across all regions, particularly North and South America. Likewise, the Surface Technologies segment posted a notable rise in earnings, buoyed by the Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions division, which outpaced general automotive market growth, reflecting its strong position even amidst the global supply chain uncertainties. Similarly, Nutrition & Care benefited from increased contributions in the Nutrition & Health division, aided by an insurance settlement related to prior disruptions in production capacity.