Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
STATEMENT ON CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES
The Company's global business operations give rise to market risk exposure related to changes in foreign currency exchange rates and international capital flows that may be affected by extensive regulations and controls, especially in developing or highly inflationary countries such as Argentina. The Company continues to monitor these situations and take appropriate actions as necessary to manage the financial impact pursuant to established guidelines and policies. If the Company is unable to manage certain exposures in a cost-effective manner it could have a significant negative impact on its future results of operations and cash flows. A detailed discussion of these and other principal risks and uncertainties, which may negatively impact the future results of the Company, are included in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Table of Contents Page
About Dow
32
Overview
33
Results of Operations
35
Segment Results
38
Packaging & Specialty Plastics
39
Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure
39
Performance Materials & Coatings
40
Corporate
40
Outlook
41
Liquidity and Capital Resources
42
Other Matters
50
Critical Accounting Estimates
50
Environmental Matters
53
Asbestos-Related Matters of Union Carbide Corporation
60
ABOUT DOW
Dow is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. The Company's global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enables the Company to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. Dow operates manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employs approximately 36,000 people.
In 2024, the Company had net sales of $43 billion, of which 38 percent were to customers in the U.S. & Canada; 33 percent were in Europe, Middle East, Africa and India ("EMEAI"); while the remaining 29 percent were to customers in Asia Pacific and Latin America.
In 2024, the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries did not operate in countries subject to U.S. economic sanctions and export controls as imposed by the U.S. State Department or in countries designated by the U.S. State Department as state sponsors of terrorism, including Cuba, Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Syria. The Company has policies and procedures in place designed to ensure that it and its consolidated subsidiaries remain in compliance with applicable U.S. laws and regulations.
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OVERVIEW
The following is a summary of the results for the Company for the year ended December 31, 2024:
The Company reported net sales in 2024 of $43 billion, down 4 percent from $45 billion in 2023, with decreases across all geographic regions, and driven by a decrease in local price of 4 percent. Net sales decreased in Packaging & Specialty Plastics (down 6 percent) and Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure (down 5 percent), partially offset by an increase in Performance Materials & Coatings (up 1 percent).
Local price decreased 4 percent compared with 2023, with decreases in all operating segments and geographic regions. Local price decreased in Packaging & Specialty Plastics (down 4 percent), Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure (down 6 percent) and Performance Materials & Coatings (down 3 percent).
Volume was flat compared with 2023 and mixed by operating segment, with a decrease in Packaging & Specialty Plastics (down 2 percent) offset by increases in Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure (up 1 percent) and Performance Materials & Coatings (up 5 percent). Volume increased in the U.S. & Canada (up 2 percent), decreased in Latin America (down 1 percent), and was flat in EMEAI and Asia Pacific.
The impact of currency on net sales was flat compared with 2023.
Restructuring and asset related charges - net were $103 million in 2024 compared with $528 million in 2023, primarily reflecting restructuring actions approved by the Board in January 2023. The restructuring charges recognized in 2024 consisted of severance and related benefit costs of $41 million, asset write-downs and write-offs of $16 million and costs associated with exit and disposal activities of $9 million. In addition, the Company recognized pretax impairment charges of $37 million related to assets included in the divestiture of the Company's flexible packaging laminating adhesives business.
Equity in losses of nonconsolidated affiliates was $6 million in 2024, compared with losses of $119 million in 2023, primarily driven by improved equity earnings at the Kuwait joint ventures driven from higher prices and volumes, improved results at the Sadara joint venture, partially offset by continued margin compression at the Thai joint ventures.
Sundry income (expense) - net for Dow Inc. and TDCC was income of $415 million and $404 million, respectively, in 2024, compared with expense of $280 million and $327 million, respectively, in 2023. Sundry income (expense) - net increased primarily due to lower foreign currency exchange losses and the absence of a one-time non-cash settlement charge related to the Company's pension de-risking activities in 2023.
Net income available for Dow Inc. and TDCC common stockholder(s) was $1,116 million and $1,127 million, respectively, in 2024, compared with $589 million and $556 million, respectively, in 2023. Earnings per share for Dow Inc. was $1.57 per share in 2024, compared with $0.82 per share in 2023.
In 2024, Dow Inc. declared and paid dividends to common stockholders of $2.80 per share ($1,966 million).
In 2024, Dow Inc. repurchased $494 million of the Company's common stock.
Other notable events and highlights from the year ended December 31, 2024 include:
• On January 25, 2024, the Company published its Green Finance Framework and related Second Party Opinion on its website, to support the execution of its sustainability strategy.
• On February 1, 2024, Andrea L. Dominowski became Controller and Vice President of Controllers.
• On February 9, 2024, TDCC issued $1.25 billion of senior unsecured notes in connection with the Company's Green Finance Framework.
• On April 2, 2024, the Company announced that Mauro Gregorio, President of Performance Materials & Coatings, elected to retire in the third quarter of 2024 after 40 years of service.
• On April 2, 2024, the Company announced that Brendy Lange, business vice president of Dow Industrial Solutions, was named President of Performance Materials & Coatings.
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• On May 16, 2024, the Company announced it will expand its Protect the Climate targets by setting distinct milestones for climate change mitigation that focus on water and nature conservation. Additional information can be found on the Company's website.
• On June 18, 2024, Dow Inc. released its INtersections Report, highlighting how the Company is advancing its ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Additional information can be found on the Company's website.
• On July 1, 2024, Ronald C. Edmonds, former Controller and Vice President of Controllers and Tax, elected to retire after 31 years of service.
• On July 1, 2024, Fitch Ratings affirmed TDCC's BBB+ and F1 rating, and its outlook of stable. Additionally, on July 1, 2024, Standard & Poor's affirmed TDCC's BBB and A-2 rating, and its outlook of stable.
• On August 1, 2024, the Company acquired Circulus Holdings, LLC, a U.S. mechanical recycling company that converts plastic waste into post-consumer resin, for approximately $130 million.
• On August 6, 2024, Moody's Ratings affirmed TDCC's Baa1 and P-2 rating, and its outlook of stable.
• On October 24, 2024, the Company announced that it will complete a strategic review of select assets in Europe, primarily certain polyurethanes assets within the Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure segment, as part of an effort to continue to optimize its global asset footprint.
• On October 28, 2024, Moody's Ratings re-affirmed TDCC's Baa1 and P-2 rating and revised its outlook to negative from stable.
• On December 2, 2024, the Company completed the sale of its flexible packaging laminating adhesives business, within the Packaging & Specialty Plastics segment, to Arkema S.A. for cash proceeds of $115 million, net of working capital adjustments, costs to sell and other transaction expenses and subject to customary post-closing adjustments.
• On December 3, 2024, the Company announced that Karen Carter, President of Packaging & Specialty Plastics, had been named Chief Operating Officer.
• On December 4, 2024, the Company announced that Keith Cleason had been named President of Packaging & Specialty Plastics.
• On December 4, 2024, the Company announced that Jane Palmieri, President of Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure, had elected to retire in March 2025 after 30 years of service with Dow.
• On December 4, 2024, the Company announced that Marco ten Bruggencate had been named President of Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure.
• On December 8, 2024, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to sell a 40 percent equity stake in select U.S. Gulf Coast infrastructure assets to a fund managed by Macquarie Asset Management in exchange for cash proceeds of approximately $2.4 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Macquarie Asset Management has the option to purchase up to an additional 9 percent equity stake in exchange for additional cash proceeds of up to $600 million.
• On December 9, 2024, Standard & Poor's re-affirmed TDCC's BBB and A-2 rating, and its outlook of stable.
• Dow was named on the Top 100 Global Innovators ™ list for the 13th consecutive year.
• Dow received a record-setting 12 2024 Edison Awards ™ (three gold, five silver and four bronze), once again earning more awards than any other organization for the seventh consecutive year.
• Dow was named to the JUST 100 list, placing 35th overall, a 20-place improvement from last year, and securing the top spot for Customers in the Chemicals sector.
• Dow earned a spot in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook, recognizing the Company as a top industry performer.
• Dow received six 2024 BIG Innovation Awards from the Business Intelligence Group ™ , the most received in a single Business Intelligence Group ™ Awards program by the Company.
• Dow was recognized with a 2024 CIO 100 Award, for the third consecutive year, for the Company's Integrated Data Hub.
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• Dow advanced to third place on the 2024 Fair360, formerly DiversityInc, Top 50 Companies for Diversity list making it the seventh consecutive year on the list. Dow was also included on 12 of Fair360's Specialty Lists including: Top Companies for Executive Fairness Councils, Top Companies for Board of Directors, Top Companies for Environmental, Social & Governance, Top Companies for Philanthropy, Top Companies for Supplier Fairness, Top Companies for Employee Resource Groups, Top Companies for Mentoring, Top Companies for Sponsorship, Top Companies for People with Disabilities, Top Companies for Latino Executives, Top Companies for Asian American Executives and Top Companies for LGBTQ+ Employees.
• Dow received six prestigious 2024 SEAL (Sustainability, Environmental Achievement and Leadership) Business Sustainability Awards. Dow's DOWSIL ™ ACP-3089 Antifoam Compound and Dow's SILASTIC ™ STT 2650 Self Sealing Silicone each received a SEAL Sustainable Innovation Award. Dow's DOWSIL ™ 2080, DOWSIL ™ IE-9100, DOWSIL ™ 991 and SILASTIC ™ STT 2650 each received a SEAL Sustainable Product Award.
• For the eighth consecutive year, Dow received a top score on the Disability Equality Index ® , placing the Company among the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion ® for 2024.
• Dow was named one of the 2024 PEOPLE ® Companies that Care by Great Place to Work ® and PEOPLE ® for the fifth consecutive year.
• Dow was honored by Great Place to Work ® and Fortune as one of the World's Best Workplaces. Dow was also certified as a Great Place to Work ® in 15 countries and ranked on eight national Best Workplaces lists, including the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For ® list in the United States for the fourth consecutive year.
• Dow was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index by S&P Dow Jones Indices, the world's leading index provider focused on providing essential sustainability intelligence. This is the 24th year Dow has achieved this prestigious ranking.
• Dow received the first place spot on the Best Workplace in Manufacturing and Production list by Great Place to Work ® and Fortune. This is the fourth consecutive year Dow has been named to this prestigious list and the first time atop the ranking.
In addition to the highlights above, the following events occurred subsequent to December 31, 2024:
• On January 27, 2025, the Dow Inc. Board approved targeted actions to further achieve the Company's cost reduction initiatives in response to ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty, including a workforce reduction of approximately 1,500 roles.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
For comparison of results of operations for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, see Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on January 31, 2024.
Net Sales
The following tables summarize net sales and sales variances by operating segment and geographic region from the prior year:
Summary of Sales Results
In millions 2024 2023
Net sales $ 42,964 $ 44,622
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Sales Variances by Operating Segment and Geographic Region
2024 2023
Percentage change from prior year Local Price & Product Mix Currency Volume Total Local Price & Product Mix Currency Volume
Total
Packaging & Specialty Plastics (4) % — % (2) % (6) % (16) % — % (5) % (21) %
Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure (6) — 1 (5) (14) (1) (9) (24)
Performance Materials & Coatings (3) (1) 5 1 (15) (1) (5) (21)
Total (4) % — % — % (4) % (16) % — % (6) % (22) %
Total, excluding the Hydrocarbons & Energy business (5) % — % 3 % (2) % (15) % (1) % (4) % (20) %
U.S. & Canada (3) % — % 2 % (1) % (15) % — % (6) % (21) %
EMEAI (4) — — (4) (17) — (9) (26)
Asia Pacific (6) (1) — (7) (14) (2) (4) (20)
Latin America (5) — (1) (6) (17) — 4 (13)
Total (4) % — % — % (4) % (16) % — % (6) % (22) %
2024 Versus 2023
The Company reported net sales of $43.0 billion in 2024, down 4 percent from $44.6 billion in 2023, with local price down 4 percent, and volume and currency both flat. Net sales decreased across all operating segments except Performance Materials & Coatings, and across all geographic regions. Local price decreased in all operating segments and across all geographic regions driven by industry supply and demand dynamics and lower global energy and feedstock costs. Local price decreased in Packaging & Specialty Plastics (down 4 percent), Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure (down 6 percent) and Performance Materials & Coatings (down 3 percent). Volume increased 2 percent in the U.S. & Canada, decreased 1 percent in Latin America and was flat in EMEAI and Asia Pacific. Volume decreased in Packaging & Specialty Plastics (down 2 percent) and increased in Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure (up 1 percent) and Performance Materials & Coatings (up 5 percent). Excluding the Hydrocarbons & Energy business, sales decreased 2 percent.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales ("COS") was $38.4 billion in 2024, compared with $39.7 billion in 2023. COS decreased in 2024 primarily due to lower raw material costs, lower global energy and feedstock costs, and the impact of structural cost improvements, partially offset by increased planned maintenance turnaround spending. COS as a percentage of net sales was 89.3 percent in 2024, compared with 89.1 percent in 2023. The increase in COS as a percentage of net sales was driven by the impact of lower local price on flat net sales volume.
Research and Development Expenses
Research and development ("R&D") expenses were $810 million in 2024, compared with $829 million in 2023. R&D expenses decreased in 2024 primarily due to lower performance-based compensation costs.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses were $1,581 million in 2024, compared with $1,627 million in 2023. SG&A expenses decreased in 2024 primarily due to lower performance-based compensation costs, as well as lower fringe benefit expenses resulting from the U.S. pension plan freeze, which more than offset an increase in bad debt expense, including expense incurred as a result of a resolution of a customer dispute.
Amortization of Intangibles
Amortization of intangibles was $310 million in 2024, compared with $324 million in 2023. Amortization of intangibles decreased primarily due to the reduction in the intangible asset base, resulting primarily from the write-off of an intangible asset, certain intangible asset write-offs related to the divestiture of the Company's flexible packaging laminating adhesives business and certain intangible assets becoming fully amortized in 2024. See Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on intangible assets.
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Restructuring and Asset Related Charges - Net
2023 Restructuring Program
On January 25, 2023, the Board approved restructuring actions to achieve the Company's structural cost improvement initiatives in response to the continued economic impact from the global recessionary environment and to enhance its agility and long-term competitiveness across the economic cycle. These actions are expected to be substantially complete by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
As a result of these actions, in 2023 the Company recorded pretax restructuring charges of $535 million, consisting of severance and related benefit costs of $344 million and asset write-downs and write-offs of $191 million. The restructuring charges by segment were as follows: $1 million in Packaging & Specialty Plastics, $50 million in Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure, $49 million in Performance Materials & Coatings and $435 million in Corporate. These charges were partially offset by other asset related credit adjustments of $7 million in Corporate related to a prior restructuring program. See Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
In 2024, the Company recorded pretax restructuring charges of $66 million, consisting of severance and related benefit costs of $41 million, asset write-downs and write-offs of $16 million and costs associated with exit and disposal activities of $9 million. The restructuring charges by segment were as follows: $8 million in Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure, $7 million in Performance Materials & Coatings and $51 million in Corporate. In addition, the Company recognized pretax impairment charges of $37 million related to assets included in the divestiture of the Company's flexible packaging laminating adhesives business and related to Packaging & Specialty Plastics. See Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Equity in Earnings (Losses) of Nonconsolidated Affiliates
The Company’s share of equity in losses of nonconsolidated affiliates was $6 million in 2024, compared with losses of $119 million in 2023, driven primarily by improved equity earnings at the Kuwait joint ventures from higher prices and volumes and improved results at the Sadara joint venture, partially offset by margin compression from softer demand at the Thai joint ventures.
Sundry Income (Expense) - Net
Sundry income (expense) – net includes a variety of income and expense items such as foreign currency exchange gains and losses, dividends from investments, gains and losses on sales of investments and assets, non-operating pension and other postretirement benefit plan credits or costs, losses on early extinguishment of debt and certain litigation matters.
Sundry income (expense) - net for 2024 was income of $415 million and $404 million for Dow Inc. and TDCC, respectively, compared with expense of $280 million and $327 million for Dow Inc. and TDCC, respectively, in 2023. In 2024, sundry income (expense) - net included non-operating pension and postretirement benefit plan credits and gains on the sales of assets and investments, which were partially offset by foreign currency exchange losses. In 2023, sundry income (expense) - net included a $642 million non-cash settlement charge related to the purchase of nonparticipating group annuity contracts for certain pension plans (related to Corporate) and foreign currency exchange losses, including $109 million related to the December 2023 devaluation of the Argentine peso (related to Corporate), which were partially offset by non-operating pension and postretirement benefit plan credits, a $106 million gain associated with a legal matter with Nova Chemicals Corporation (related to Packaging & Specialty Plastics), and gains on the sales of assets and investments. See Notes 6, 15, 19 and 25, to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
In 2024 and 2023, in addition to the amounts previously discussed above for TDCC, sundry income (expense) - net for Dow Inc. included net gains of $13 million and $42 million, respectively, associated with agreements and matters with DuPont de Nemours, Inc. ("DuPont") and Corteva, Inc. ("Corteva") (related to Corporate).
Interest Expense and Amortization of Debt Discount
Interest expense and amortization of debt discount was $811 million in 2024, compared with $746 million in 2023. The increase in interest expense is primarily due to $1.25 billion of senior unsecured notes issued in connection with the Green Finance Framework in the first quarter of 2024 and borrowings outside of the United States. See Liquidity and Capital Resources in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to debt financing activity.
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Provision (Credit) for Income Taxes
The Company's effective tax rate fluctuates based on, among other factors, where income is earned, the level of income relative to tax attributes and the level of equity earnings, since most earnings from the Company's equity method investments are taxed at the joint venture level. The underlying factors affecting the Company's overall tax rate are summarized in Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
The Company reported a tax provision of $399 million in 2024, resulting in an effective tax rate of 24.9 percent, compared with a tax credit of $4 million in 2023, resulting in an effective tax rate of negative 0.6 percent. The provision for income taxes and higher effective tax rate for 2024 was primarily due to the geographic mix of earnings, partially offset by adjustments and the reassessment of interest and penalties on a tax matter in foreign jurisdictions.
The credit for income taxes and lower effective tax rate in 2023 were primarily due to low pretax income, the geographic mix of earnings and increases in tax basis in assets located in foreign jurisdictions, partially offset by changes in uncertain tax positions in various jurisdictions.
The Company continues to monitor and evaluate legislative developments related to the Global Anti-Base Erosion Proposal ("GloBE") established by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development’s ("OECD") Pillar Two framework. Several countries in which the Company operates have adopted those rules into their legislation and several others are expected to implement in the future. To date, such legislation has not materially impacted the Company's effective tax rate. The Company continues to evaluate impacts as further guidance is released.
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests was $85 million in 2024, compared with $71 million in 2023. See Notes 18 and 23 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Net Income Available for Common Stockholder(s)
Dow Inc.
Net income available for Dow Inc. common stockholders was $1,116 million in 2024, compared with $589 million in 2023. Earnings per share of Dow Inc. was $1.57 per share in 2024, compared with $0.82 per share in 2023. See Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for details on Dow Inc.'s earnings per share calculations.
TDCC
Net income available for the TDCC common stockholder was $1,127 million in 2024, compared with $556 million in 2023. TDCC's common shares are owned solely by Dow Inc.
SEGMENT RESULTS
The Company conducts its worldwide operations through six global businesses which are organized into the following operating segments: Packaging & Specialty Plastics, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure and Performance Materials & Coatings. Corporate contains the reconciliation between the totals for the operating segments and the Company's totals. The Company did not aggregate any operating segments when determining its reportable segments. The Company reports geographic information for the following regions: U.S. & Canada, EMEAI, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company transfers ethylene to its downstream derivative businesses at market prices. See Part I, Item 1. Business for further discussion of the Company's segments.
Dow’s measure of profit/loss for segment reporting purposes is Operating EBIT as this is the manner in which the chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, general counsel and corporate secretary, and senior vice president of corporate development, together the "executive committee" and chief operating decision maker ("CODM"), assesses performance and allocates resources. The CODM compares quarterly results to both the year-ago and sequential periods to assess performance and allocate resources to each segment. The Company defines Operating EBIT as earnings (i.e., "Income before income taxes") before interest, excluding the impact of significant items. Operating EBIT by segment includes all operating items relating to the businesses; items that principally apply to Dow as a whole are assigned to Corporate. See Note 25 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for reconciliations of these measures.
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For comparison of segment results for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, see Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on January 31, 2024 .
PACKAGING & SPECIALTY PLASTICS
Packaging & Specialty Plastics
In millions 2024 2023
Net sales $ 21,776 $ 23,149
Operating EBIT $ 2,373 $ 2,700
Equity earnings $ 81 $ 130
Packaging & Specialty Plastics
Percentage change from prior year 2024 2023
Change in Net Sales from Prior Period due to:
Local price & product mix (4) % (16) %
Currency — —
Volume (2) (5)
Total (6) % (21) %
2024 Versus 2023
Packaging & Specialty Plastics net sales were $21,776 million in 2024, down 6 percent from net sales of $23,149 million in 2023, with local price down 4 percent, volume down 2 percent and currency flat. Local price decreased in Packaging and Specialty Plastics in all geographic regions, primarily driven by lower pricing of downstream polymers. Local price was flat in Hydrocarbons & Energy. Volume increased in Packaging and Specialty Plastics, primarily in EMEAI and the U.S. & Canada, due to higher downstream polymers and polyethylene demand. Volume decreased in Hydrocarbons & Energy in all geographic regions, led by EMEAI, primarily driven by higher internal derivative demand and lighter feedslate cracking.
Operating EBIT was $2,373 million in 2024, down $327 million from Operating EBIT of $2,700 million in 2023. Operating EBIT decreased primarily due to lower selling prices, lower volumes in Hydrocarbons & Energy, higher planned maintenance costs, and the impact of an unplanned ethylene facility outage, which were partially offset by lower raw material, energy and feedstock costs.
INDUSTRIAL INTERMEDIATES & INFRASTRUCTURE
Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure
In millions 2024 2023
Net sales $ 11,869 $ 12,538
Operating EBIT $ 125 $ 124
Equity losses $ (102) $ (276)
Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure
Percentage change from prior year 2024 2023
Change in Net Sales from Prior Period due to:
Local price & product mix (6) % (14) %
Currency — (1)
Volume 1 (9)
Total (5) % (24) %
2024 Versus 2023
Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure net sales were $11,869 million in 2024, down 5 percent from $12,538 million in 2023, with local price down 6 percent, volume up 1 percent and currency flat. Local price
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decreased in both businesses and across all geographic regions, led by industrial and building and construction applications. Volume in Industrial Solutions increased, led by industrial and coatings applications, and in all geographic regions except the U.S. & Canada, which was flat, reflecting the impacts of an outage in 2023 at the Louisiana Operations Glycol-2 unit in Plaquemine, Louisiana, which successfully restarted in June 2024. Volume in Polyurethanes & Construction Chemicals decreased in all geographic regions, except EMEAI, driven by lower demand, particularly in consumer durables and industrial applications, which were partially offset by an increase in building and construction applications.
Operating EBIT was $125 million in 2024, up $1 million from Operating EBIT of $124 million in 2023. Operating EBIT increased primarily due to lower raw material and feedstock costs and improved results at the EQUATE and Sadara joint ventures, which were offset by lower selling prices in both businesses and the impact of an outage in 2023 at the Louisiana Operations Glycol-2 unit in Plaquemine, Louisiana, which successfully restarted in June 2024.
PERFORMANCE MATERIALS & COATINGS
Performance Materials & Coatings
In millions 2024 2023
Net sales $ 8,574 $ 8,497
Operating EBIT $ 318 $ 219
Equity earnings $ 11 $ 20
Performance Materials & Coatings
Percentage change from prior year 2024 2023
Change in Net Sales from Prior Period due to:
Local price & product mix (3) % (15) %
Currency (1) (1)
Volume 5 (5)
Total 1 % (21) %
2024 Versus 2023
Performance Materials & Coatings net sales were $8,574 million in 2024, up 1 percent from net sales of $8,497 million in 2023, with volume up 5 percent, local price down 3 percent and an unfavorable currency impact of 1 percent. Volume increased in both businesses. In Coatings & Performance Monomers, volume increased in all geographic regions except EMEAI, led by acrylic monomers. Volume increased in Consumer Solutions in all geographic regions, primarily in downstream silicones, led by consumer and electronics and home and personal care applications. Local price decreased in both businesses and was broad-based. In Coatings & Performance Monomers, local price decreased in all geographic regions except Asia Pacific, and in Consumer Solutions local price decreased in all geographic regions. Currency was flat in Coatings & Performance Monomers and had an unfavorable impact on sales in Consumer Solutions, driven by Asia Pacific.
Operating EBIT was $318 million in 2024, up $99 million from Operating EBIT of $219 million in 2023. Operating EBIT increased primarily due to improved demand and higher operating rates, which were partially offset by lower selling prices and higher raw material costs.
CORPORATE
Corporate
In millions 2024 2023
Net sales $ 745 $ 438
Operating EBIT $ (228) $ (265)
Equity earnings $ 4 $ 7
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2024 Versus 2023
Net sales for Corporate, which primarily relate to the Company's insurance operations, were $745 million in 2024, up from net sales of $438 million in 2023, largely driven by premiums received for insurance policies covering third parties.
Operating EBIT was a loss of $228 million in 2024, compared with a loss of $265 million in 2023. Operating EBIT improved primarily due to lower environmental costs and increased income from insurance operations.
OUTLOOK
Operating Segments & End-Market Expectations
The Company remains confident that it will benefit from the completion of its near-term incremental growth projects and an enhanced focus on operational discipline in 2025. In addition, the Company is optimistic that it will see further demand growth in attractive end-markets such as packaging, energy and electronics. Dow's differentiated portfolio and strong balance sheet enables it to deliver on all of its capital allocation priorities, including an industry-leading dividend. Until there are more definitive indications of a true recovery taking hold, and in order to deliver improved margins, the Company is taking actions to reduce its costs by approximately $1 billion and capital expenditures plan by $300 million to $500 million. Dow will complete these actions while staying the course on its long-term strategic priorities. The Company's proactive interventions are necessary for it to continue to successfully navigate this economic downcycle.
In Packaging & Specialty Plastics, supply improvements driven by new polyethylene capacity coming online during 2025, combined with improved reliability, will allow the Company to continue to drive volume growth and improve margins. Local prices are expected to be impacted by market supply and demand dynamics as well as volatility in feedstocks due to sensitivity to external economic and geopolitical factors. The Company’s feedstock flexibility and advantaged regional footprint will continue to position the segment well to navigate market dynamics throughout the year. In-region presence and superior derivative flexibility will allow the segment to continue to optimize price and volume mix.
In Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure, improved demand is expected based on improving fiscal conditions resulting from interest rate cuts across several regions. The Company will benefit from the full-year impact of resumed production at the Louisiana Operations Glycol-2 unit in Plaquemine, Louisiana, which successfully restarted in June 2024. Recent and in-flight growth investments in specialty amines and alkoxylation capacity are expected to support long-term, above GDP volume growth in key markets including energy transition, pharmaceuticals and consumer health, and sustainable surfactants.
In Performance Materials & Coatings, the Company will continue to prioritize key end-markets in performance silicones in which its innovation and footprint can drive value and volume growth above GDP. Pricing for specialty products is expected to remain relatively stable, with anticipated modest but steady economic expansion. Volume growth is expected in feedstocks and intermediates on improved regional supply and demand dynamics, and while competitive pressures in the market impacting local price persist, lower interest rates are expected to drive improved demand and local price. Market conditions impacting sales of coatings are expected to improve compared with recent years based on lower interest rates and an increase in residential spending.
Projected Sources and Uses of Cash
Items that may impact the consolidated statements of cash flows in 2025 include:
• Capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $3 billion to $3.2 billion.
• Cash inflows related to the Company's sale of a 40 percent ownership stake in its Dow InfraCo, LLC subsidiary are expected to be approximately $2.4 billion.
• Cash dividends from equity companies are expected to be approximately $300 million.
• Cash contributions to pension plans are expected to be approximately $175 million.
• Cash outflows related to the Company's 2023 Restructuring Program, including restructuring implementation costs, are expected to be approximately $100 million.
• Cash outflows related to the Company's targeted actions to further achieve its cost reduction initiatives, including implementation costs, are expected to be $100 million to $150 million.
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LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
The Company had cash and cash equivalents of $2,189 million at December 31, 2024 and $2,987 million at December 31, 2023, of which $1,427 million at December 31, 2024 and $1,984 million at December 31, 2023, was held by subsidiaries in foreign countries, including U.S. territories. For each of its foreign subsidiaries, the Company makes an assertion regarding the amount of earnings intended for permanent reinvestment, with the balance available to be repatriated to the United States.
Cash held by foreign subsidiaries for permanent reinvestment is generally used to finance the subsidiaries' operational activities and future foreign investments. Dow has the ability to repatriate additional funds to the United States, which could result in an adjustment to the tax liability for foreign withholding taxes, foreign and/or U.S. state income taxes and the impact of foreign currency movements. At December 31, 2024, management believed that sufficient liquidity was available in the United States. The Company has and expects to continue repatriating certain funds from its non-U.S. subsidiaries that are not needed to finance local operations; however, these particular repatriation activities have not and are not expected to result in a significant incremental tax liability to the Company.
For comparison of cash flows for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, see Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on January 31, 2024.
The Company’s cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities, as reflected in the consolidated statements of cash flows, are summarized in the following table:
Cash Flow Summary Dow Inc. TDCC
In millions
2024 2023 2024 2023
Cash provided by (used for):
Operating activities - continuing operations $ 2,903 $ 5,164 $ 2,939 $ 5,109
Operating activities - discontinued operations 11 32 — —
Operating activities $ 2,914 $ 5,196 $ 2,939 $ 5,109
Investing activities $ (2,368) $ (2,928) $ (2,368) $ (2,928)
Financing activities $ (1,168) $ (3,115) $ (1,193) $ (3,028)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations in 2024 was primarily driven by the Company's cash earnings and dividends from equity method investments, which were partially offset by cash used for working capital, performance-based compensation payments, pension contributions and severance payments related to the 2023 Restructuring Program. Cash provided by operating activities from continuing operations in 2023 was primarily driven by the Company's cash earnings, dividends from equity method investments and cash provided by working capital, which were partially offset by performance-based compensation payments, severance payments related to the 2023 Restructuring Program and pension contributions.
Net Working Capital and Current Ratio at Dec 31 Dow Inc. TDCC
In millions 2024 2023 2024 2023
Current assets $ 16,590 $ 17,614 $ 16,565 $ 17,676
Current liabilities 10,288 9,957 10,210 9,849
Net working capital $ 6,302 $ 7,657 $ 6,355 $ 7,827
Current ratio 1.61:1 1.77:1 1.62:1 1.79:1
Working Capital Metrics Twelve Months Ended
Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023
Days sales outstanding in trade receivables 40 42
Days sales in inventory 60 60
Days payables outstanding 60 64
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Cash provided by operating activities from discontinued operations reflected cash payments and receipts for certain agreements and matters related to the Company's separation from DowDuPont Inc.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Cash used for investing activities in 2024 and 2023 was primarily for capital expenditures and purchases of investments, which were partially offset by proceeds from sales and maturities of investments. In addition, 2024 included a cash inflow for the sale of the flexible packaging laminating adhesives business and a cash outflow for the acquisition of Circulus Holdings, LLC, a U.S. mechanical recycling company.
The Company's capital expenditures were $2,940 million in 2024 and $2,356 million in 2023. Capital spending was higher in 2024 as the Company continued the ramp up of investments in its higher return, lower risk and quicker payback incremental growth projects, and also included ramp up of the construction of the Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero project aligned to the Company's Decarbonize & Grow strategy. The Company expects capital spending in 2025 to be approximately $3 billion to $3.2 billion, which includes construction of the Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero project. The Company expects capital spending for this key growth project to average approximately $1 billion annually through 2029. Enterprise-wide capital spending is expected to exceed depreciation and amortization through 2027, during the first phase of the project, and average depreciation and amortization over the economic cycle. As evidenced across prior economic cycles, the Company will adjust its spending as economic conditions evolve.
Capital spending in recent years has included the addition of an integrated methylene diphenyl diisocyanate distillation and prepolymers facility in Freeport, Texas, which was completed in 2023; construction of a world-scale polyethylene unit on the U.S. Gulf Coast, which is expected to be completed in 2025; and construction of the world's first net-zero Scope 1 and 2 carbon dioxide equivalent ("CO 2 e") emissions integrated ethylene and derivatives complex in Alberta, Canada.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Cash used for financing activities in 2024 for Dow Inc. was primarily related to dividends paid to stockholders, purchases of treasury stock and payments on long-term debt, which were partially offset by proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt. TDCC included cash outflows for dividends paid to Dow Inc. Cash used for financing activities in 2023 was primarily for debt related activities. In addition, Dow Inc. included cash outflows for dividends paid to stockholders and purchases of treasury stock. TDCC included cash outflows for dividends paid to Dow Inc. See Notes 14 and 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the issuance and retirement of debt and the Company's share repurchases and dividends.
Non-GAAP Cash Flow Measures
Free Cash Flow
Dow defines Free Cash Flow as "Cash provided by operating activities - continuing operations," less capital expenditures. Under this definition, Free Cash Flow represents the cash generated by Dow from operations after investing in its asset base. Free Cash Flow, combined with cash balances and other sources of liquidity, represents the cash available to fund obligations and provide returns to shareholders. Free Cash Flow is an integral financial measure used in the Company's financial planning process.
Operating EBITDA
Dow defines Operating EBITDA as earnings (i.e., "Income before income taxes") before interest, depreciation and amortization, excluding the impact of significant items.
Cash Flow Conversion (Cash Flow From Operations to Operating EBITDA)
Dow defines Cash Flow Conversion (Cash flow from operations to Operating EBITDA) as "Cash provided by operating activities - continuing operations," divided by Operating EBITDA. Management believes Cash Flow Conversion is an important financial metric as it helps the Company determine how efficiently it is converting its earnings into cash flow.
These financial measures are not recognized in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") and should not be viewed as alternatives to GAAP financial measures of performance. All companies do not calculate non-GAAP financial measures in the same manner and, accordingly, Dow's definitions may not be consistent with the methodologies used by other companies.
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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Cash Flow Measures
Dow Inc.
In millions
2024 2023
Cash provided by operating activities - continuing operations (GAAP) $ 2,903 $ 5,164
Capital expenditures (2,940) (2,356)
Free Cash Flow (non-GAAP) $ (37) $ 2,808
Reconciliation of Cash Flow Conversion (Cash Flow From Operations to Operating EBITDA) Dow Inc.
In millions 2024 2023
Net income (GAAP) $ 1,201 $ 660
+ Provision (credit) for income taxes 399 (4)
Income before income taxes $ 1,600 $ 656
- Interest income 200 229
+ Interest expense and amortization of debt discount 811 746
- Significant items 1
(377) (1,605)
Operating EBIT (non-GAAP) $ 2,588 $ 2,778
+ Depreciation and amortization 2,894 2,611
Operating EBITDA (non-GAAP) $ 5,482 $ 5,389
Cash provided by operating activities - continuing operations (GAAP) $ 2,903 $ 5,164
Cash flow from operations to net income (GAAP) 241.7 % 782.4 %
Cash Flow Conversion (Cash flow from operations to Operating EBITDA) (non-GAAP) 53.0 % 95.8 %
1. The year ended December 31, 2024, includes restructuring charges and implementation and efficiency costs associated with the Company's 2023 Restructuring Program, gains associated with a previously impaired equity investment, impairment charges related to the write-down of certain manufacturing assets, a charge related to an arbitration settlement agreement for historical product claims from a divested business and activity related to the separation from DowDuPont. The year ended December 31, 2023, includes restructuring charges and implementation and efficiency costs associated with the Company's 2023 Restructuring Program, certain gains and losses associated with previously impaired equity investments, a loss associated with legacy agricultural products groundwater contamination matters, a gain associated with a legal matter with Nova Chemicals Corporation, foreign currency losses and inventory valuation impacts related to the devaluation of the Argentine peso, non-cash settlement charges related to the purchase of nonparticipating group annuity contracts for certain Company pension plans in the United States and Canada and activity related to the separation from DowDuPont. See Note 25 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Liquidity & Financial Flexibility
The Company’s primary source of incremental liquidity is cash flows from operating activities. The generation of cash from operations and the Company's ability to access capital markets is expected to meet the Company’s cash requirements for working capital, capital expenditures, debt maturities, contributions to pension plans, dividend distributions to stockholders, share repurchases and other needs. In addition to cash from operating activities, the Company’s current liquidity sources also include TDCC's U.S. and Euromarket commercial paper programs, committed and uncommitted credit facilities, committed and uncommitted accounts receivable facilities, a medium-term notes program, a U.S. retail note program (“InterNotes ® ”) and other debt markets.
The Company continues to maintain a strong financial position with all of its committed credit facilities undrawn and fully available at December 31, 2024. Cash and committed and available forms of liquidity were $12.0 billion at December 31, 2024, a decrease of $800 million from December 31, 2023. The Company also has no substantive long-term debt maturities due until 2027. Additional details on sources of liquidity are as follows:
Commercial Paper
TDCC issues promissory notes under its U.S. and Euromarket commercial paper programs. TDCC had no commercial paper outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023. TDCC maintains access to the commercial paper market at competitive rates. Amounts outstanding under TDCC's commercial paper programs during the period may be greater or less than the amount reported at the end of the period. Subsequent to December 31, 2024, TDCC issued commercial paper and had approximately $2.1 billion of commercial paper outstanding at February 4, 2025.
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Committed Credit Facilities
The Company also has the ability to access liquidity through TDCC's committed and available credit facilities. At December 31, 2024, TDCC had total committed and available credit facilities of $8.4 billion. See Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on committed and available credit facilities.
Uncommitted Credit Facilities
The Company has entered into various uncommitted bilateral credit arrangements as a potential source of excess liquidity. These lines can be used to support short-term liquidity needs and for general purposes. The Company had no drawdowns outstanding at December 31, 2024.
Accounts Receivable Securitization Facilities
In addition to the above credit facilities, the Company maintains a committed accounts receivable facility in the United States where eligible trade accounts receivable, up to $900 million, may be sold at any point in time. The Company also maintains a committed accounts receivable facility in Europe where eligible trade accounts receivable, up to €500 million, may be sold at any point in time. In 2024, there were $290 million in sales of receivables under the U.S. and Europe committed accounts receivable facilities ($39 million in sales of receivables in 2023). At December 31, 2024, no material balances of sold receivables remained outstanding ($5 million remained outstanding at December 31, 2023).
In addition, the Company has an uncommitted accounts receivable facility in the United States providing additional liquidity. In 2024, sales of receivables under this facility were $378 million ($73 million in sales of receivables in 2023). At December 31, 2024, no material balances of sold receivables remained outstanding ($73 million remained outstanding at December 31, 2023). See Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information .
Early Settlement of Letters of Credit
The Company utilizes, from time-to-time, letters of credit discounting programs to manage and expedite the settlement of letters of credit in certain regions. These letters of credit are associated with accounts receivable and the Company retains no interest in the transferred letters of credit or receivables once sold.
Accounts Receivable Discounting Facilities
The Company has access to accounts receivable discounting facilities, under which receivables are transferred with limited recourse. The Company retains no interest in the transferred receivables once sold. In 2024, sales of receivables under these facilities were $865 million ($91 million in sales of receivables in 2023). At December 31, 2024, approximately $287 million of sold receivables were outstanding ($91 million remained outstanding at December 31, 2023). See Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information .
The Company maintains these facilities and also participates in certain customers’ supply chain financing and other early pay programs as a routine source of working capital.
Letters of Credit
TDCC utilizes letters of credit to support commitments made in the ordinary course of business. While the terms and amounts of letters of credit change, TDCC generally has approximately $600 million of outstanding letters of credit at any given time.
Company-Owned Life Insurance
The Company has investments in company-owned life insurance ("COLI") policies, which are recorded at their cash surrender value as of each balance sheet date. The Company has the ability to monetize its investment in its COLI policies as an additional source of liquidity. The Company had no outstanding monetization of its existing COLI policies' surrender value at December 31, 2024 ($97 million at December 31, 2023). See Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Shelf Registration - United States
On June 13, 2022, Dow Inc. and TDCC filed a shelf registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The shelf indicates that Dow Inc. may offer common stock; preferred stock; depositary shares; debt securities; guarantees; warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock and debt securities; and stock purchase contracts and stock purchase units, with pricing and availability of any such offerings depending on market conditions. The shelf also indicates that TDCC may offer debt securities, guarantees and warrants to purchase debt securities, with pricing and availability of any such offerings depending on market conditions.
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In 2022, TDCC filed a prospectus supplement under this shelf registration to register an undetermined amount of securities for issuance under InterNotes ® . Also, in 2022, TDCC filed a prospectus supplement under this shelf registration to register an undetermined amount of securities for issuance under a medium-term notes program. In 2024, TDCC filed a prospectus supplement under this shelf registration to register $1.25 billion of securities for issuance in connection with its Green Finance Framework. The shelf registration expires on June 13, 2025. The Company expects to renew the shelf registration.
Debt
As the Company continues to maintain its strong balance sheet and financial flexibility, management is focused on net debt (a non-GAAP financial measure), as the Company believes this is the best representation of its financial leverage at this point in time. As shown in the following table, net debt is equal to total gross debt minus "Cash and cash equivalents" and "Marketable securities."
Total Debt at Dec 31 Dow Inc. TDCC
In millions
2024 2023 2024 2023
Notes payable $ 135 $ 62 $ 135 $ 62
Long-term debt due within one year 497 117 497 117
Long-term debt 15,711 14,907 15,711 14,907
Gross debt $ 16,343 $ 15,086 $ 16,343 $ 15,086
- Cash and cash equivalents 2,189 2,987 2,189 2,987
- Marketable securities 1
383 1,300 383 1,300
Net debt (non-GAAP) $ 13,771 $ 10,799 $ 13,771 $ 10,799
Total equity $ 17,851 $ 19,108 $ 18,032 $ 19,406
Gross debt as a percentage of total capitalization 47.8 % 44.1 % 47.5 % 43.7 %
Net debt as a percentage of total capitalization (non-GAAP) 43.5 % 36.1 % 43.3 % 35.8 %
1. Included in "Other current assets" in the consolidated balance sheets.
In the first quarter of 2024, the Company issued $1.25 billion of senior unsecured notes. This offering included $600 million aggregate principal amount of 5.150 percent notes due 2034 and $650 million aggregate principal amount of 5.600 percent notes due 2054. The issuance was completed in connection with the Company's Green Finance Framework. The Company distributed the proceeds toward projects that support the execution of its sustainability strategy and achieve its targets focused on climate protection and a circular economy, including applicable expenditures and investments related to the Company's Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero project.
In the second quarter of 2024, the Company redeemed $10 million aggregate principal amount of 2.100 percent notes due November 2030, $30 million aggregate principal amount of 4.250 percent notes due October 2034, $8 million aggregate principal amount of 5.250 percent notes due November 2041 and $12 million aggregate principal amount of 4.375 percent notes due November 2042. As a result of the redemption, the Company recognized a pretax gain on the early extinguishment of debt of $5 million, included in "Sundry income (expense) - net" in the consolidated statements of income and related to Corporate.
In 2024, the Company issued an aggregate principal amount of $94 million of InterNotes ® . The Company also issued $122 million of foreign currency loans. Additionally, the Company repaid $83 million of long-term debt at maturity.
The Company may at any time repurchase certain debt securities in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions subject to: the applicable terms under which any such debt securities were issued, certain internal approvals of the Company, and applicable laws and regulations of the relevant jurisdiction in which any such potential transactions might take place. This in no way obligates the Company to make any such repurchases nor should it be considered an offer to do so.
TDCC’s public debt instruments and primary, private credit agreements contain, among other provisions, certain customary restrictive covenant and default provisions. TDCC’s most significant debt covenant with regard to its financial position is the obligation to maintain the ratio of its consolidated indebtedness to consolidated capitalization at no greater than 0.70 to 1.00 at any time the aggregate outstanding amount of loans under the Five Year Competitive Advance and Revolving Credit Facility Agreement ("Revolving Credit Agreement") equals or exceeds
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$500 million. The ratio of TDCC’s consolidated indebtedness as defined in the Revolving Credit Agreement was 0.45 to 1.00 at December 31, 2024. Management believes TDCC was in compliance with all of its covenants and default provisions at December 31, 2024. For information on TDCC's debt covenants and default provisions, see Note 14. There were no material changes to the debt covenants and default provisions related to TDCC’s outstanding long-term debt and primary, private credit agreements in 2024.
Dow Inc. is obligated, substantially concurrently with the issuance of any guarantee in respect of outstanding or committed indebtedness under the Revolving Credit Agreement, to enter into a supplemental indenture with TDCC and the trustee under TDCC’s existing 2008 base indenture governing certain notes issued by TDCC. Under such supplemental indenture, Dow Inc. will guarantee all outstanding debt securities and all amounts due under such existing base indenture and will become subject to certain covenants and events of default under the existing base indenture.
In addition, the Revolving Credit Agreement includes an event of default which would be triggered in the event Dow Inc. incurs or guarantees third party indebtedness for borrowed money in excess of $250 million or engages in any material activity or directly owns any material assets, in each case, subject to certain conditions and exceptions. Dow Inc. may, at its option, cure the event of default by delivering an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee to the administrative agent within thirty days of the event or events giving rise to such event of default.
No such events have occurred or have been triggered at the time of the filing of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. See Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information related to TDCC’s notes payable and long-term debt activity and information on TDCC’s debt covenants and default provisions.
While taking into consideration the current economic environment, management expects that the Company will continue to have sufficient liquidity and financial flexibility to meet all of its business obligations.
Credit Ratings
TDCC's credit ratings at January 31, 2025 were as follows:
Credit Ratings Long-Term Rating Short-Term Rating Outlook
Fitch Ratings BBB+ F1 Stable
Moody’s Ratings Baa1 P-2 Negative
Standard & Poor’s BBB A-2 Stable
Fitch Ratings affirmed TDCC's BBB+ and F1 rating and its outlook of stable on July 1, 2024. Standard & Poor's affirmed TDCC's BBB and A-2 rating and its outlook of stable on July 1, 2024 and December 9, 2024. Moody's Ratings affirmed TDCC's Baa1 and P-2 rating and its outlook of stable on August 6, 2024, and re-affirmed TDCC's Baa1 and P-2 rating and revised its outlook to negative from stable on October 28, 2024. These credit agencies' decisions were made as part of their annual review process and reflect the Company's supportive financial policies, scale, liquidity and cost-advantaged footprint.
Dividends
Dow Inc.
Dow Inc. has paid dividends on a quarterly basis and expects to continue to do so, subject to approval by the Board. The dividends declared by the Board align to the Company's strategy announced in 2018 of returning approximately 45 percent of Operating Net Income to shareholders through dividends and total shareholder remuneration of approximately 65 percent, when including share repurchases, over the economic cycle. The Company defines Operating Net Income, a non-GAAP measure, as "Net income available for Dow Inc. common stockholders," excluding the impact of significant items. The following tables provide information on dividends declared and paid to common stockholders:
Dividends Paid for the Years Ended Dec 31 2024 2023
In millions, except per share amounts
Dividends paid, per common share $ 2.80 $ 2.80
Dividends paid to common stockholders $ 1,966 $ 1,972
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Dow Inc. Cash Dividends Declared and Paid
Declaration Date Record Date Payment Date Amount (per share)
February 15, 2024 February 29, 2024 March 8, 2024 $ 0.70
April 11, 2024 May 31, 2024 June 14, 2024 $ 0.70
August 14, 2024 August 30, 2024 September 13, 2024 $ 0.70
October 10, 2024 November 29, 2024 December 13, 2024 $ 0.70
TDCC
TDCC has committed to fund Dow Inc.'s dividends paid to common stockholders and share repurchases, as approved by the Board from time to time, as well as certain governance expenses. Funding is accomplished through intercompany loans. TDCC's Board of Directors reviews and determines a dividend distribution to Dow Inc. to settle the intercompany loans. For the year ended December 31, 2024, TDCC declared $2,578 million of dividends to Dow Inc. and paid $2,485 million of dividends to Dow, Inc. ($2,510 million for the year ended December 31, 2023). At December 31, 2024, TDCC's intercompany loan balance with Dow Inc. was insignificant. See Note 24 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Share Repurchase Program
On April 13, 2022, the Board approved a share repurchase program authorizing up to $3 billion for the repurchase of the Company's common stock, with no expiration date. The Company repurchased $494 million of its common stock in 2024. At December 31, 2024, approximately $931 million of the share repurchase program authorization remained available for repurchases. As previously announced, the Company intends to repurchase shares at a minimum to cover dilution over the economic cycle. The Company may from time to time expand its share repurchases beyond dilution, based on a number of factors including macroeconomic conditions, free cash flow generation, and the Dow share price. Any share repurchases, when coupled with the Company's dividends, are intended to implement the long-term strategy of targeting shareholder remuneration of approximately 65 percent over the economic cycle.
Pension Plans
The Company has both funded and unfunded defined benefit pension plans in the United States and a number of other countries. The Company’s funding policy is to contribute to funded plans when pension laws and/or economics either require or encourage funding. In 2024 and 2023, the Company contributed $121 million and $142 million to its pension plans, respectively, including contributions to fund benefit payments for its unfunded pension plans. Additionally, in the second quarter of 2024, the Company received a pension plan reversion of approximately $70 million (approximately $90 million in the second quarter of 2023) for a portion of the excess funding of one of its plans in Europe, included in "Other assets and liabilities, net" in the consolidated statements of cash flows. The Company expects to contribute approximately $175 million to its pension plans in 2025, inclusive of a plan contribution previously expected to be made in 2024, now expected to be contributed in 2025.
As announced in 2021, all U.S. pension plans were frozen for substantially all employees who participated in the U.S. defined benefit pension programs ef fective December 31, 2023. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company spun off a portion of each of the Company’s existing tax-qualified U.S defined benefit pension plans into new tax-qualified pension plans, which include the tax-qualified benefit obligations for substantially all employees hired after January 1, 2008. These employees earned benefits based on a set percentage of annual pay, plus interest, and the spin of these plans provides the Company the ability to separately manage the assets and obligations of these plans with like benefits. In the second quarter of 2024, as part of its ongoing pension de-risking initiatives, the Company initiated the termination of the new tax-qualified pension plans. As part of the plan termination process, the Company will offer participants of these plans annuity or lump sum distribution options. Final asset distributions are expected to be paid from plan assets in the fourth quarter of 2025. The Company anticipates that these asset distributions will result in pension settlement charges, with the amounts dependent on various factors, including interest rates, plan asset returns, annuity pricing and participant distribution elections.
See Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the Company’s pension plans.
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Restructuring
The actions related to the 2023 Restructuring Program are expected to result in additional cash expenditures of $60 million, primarily through the first quarter of 2025 and consist primarily of severance and related benefit costs. Restructuring implementation and efficiency costs, primarily decommissioning and demolition activities related to asset actions, and costs associated with the Company's productivity and efficiency actions, are expected to result in additional cash expenditures of approximately $40 million, primarily through the first quarter of 2025. Restructuring implementation and efficiency costs totaled $230 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 ($243 million for the year ended December 31, 2023).
The Company expects to incur additional costs in the future related to its restructuring activities, which will be recognized as incurred. The Company also expects to incur additional employee-related costs, including involuntary termination benefits related to its other optimization activities. These costs cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. See Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on the Company's restructuring activities.
Contractual Obligations
The following table summarizes the Company’s contractual obligations, commercial commitments and expected cash requirements for interest at December 31, 2024. Additional information related to these obligations can be found in Notes 14, 15, 16 and 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Contractual Obligations at Dec 31, 2024
Payments Due In
In millions 2025 2026-2027 2028-2029 2030 and beyond Total
Dow Inc.
Long-term debt obligations 1
$ 495 $ 1,384 $ 2,156 $ 12,417 $ 16,452
Expected cash requirements for interest 2
804 1,472 1,380 8,608 12,264
Pension and other postretirement benefits 223 398 404 3,402 4,427
Operating leases 3
365 511 284 388 1,548
Purchase obligations 4
2,520 3,167 2,003 6,345 14,035
Other noncurrent obligations 5
— 687 509 1,931 3,127
Total $ 4,407 $ 7,619 $ 6,736 $ 33,091 $ 51,853
TDCC
Long-term debt obligations 1
$ 495 $ 1,384 $ 2,156 $ 12,417 $ 16,452
Expected cash requirements for interest 2
804 1,472 1,380 8,608 12,264
Pension and other postretirement benefits 223 398 404 3,402 4,427
Operating leases 3
365 511 284 388 1,548
Purchase obligations 4
2,520 3,167 2,003 6,345 14,035
Other noncurrent obligations 5
— 686 509 1,798 2,993
Total $ 4,407 $ 7,618 $ 6,736 $ 32,958 $ 51,719
1. Excludes unamortized debt discount and issuance costs of $244 million. Includes finance lease obligations of $939 million.
2. Cash requirements for interest on long-term debt was calculated using current interest rates at December 31, 2024, and includes $165 million of various floating rate notes.
3. Includes imputed interest of $246 million.
4. Includes a $1.3 billion purchase commitment for the use of a water supply reservoir asset expected to commence in 2028, as discussed in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, and outstanding purchase orders and other commitments greater than $1 million obtained through a survey conducted within the Company.
5. Includes liabilities related to asbestos litigation, environmental remediation, legal matters and other noncurrent liabilities. In addition to these items, Dow Inc. includes liabilities related to noncurrent obligations with DuPont and Corteva. The table excludes uncertain tax positions due to uncertainties in the timing of the effective settlement of tax positions with the respective taxing authorities and deferred tax liabilities as it is impractical to determine whether there will be a cash impact related to these liabilities. The table also excludes deferred revenue as it does not represent future cash requirements arising from contractual payment obligations.
The Company expects to meet its contractual obligations through its normal sources of liquidity and believes it has the financial resources to satisfy these contractual obligations.
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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
Off-balance sheet arrangements are obligations the Company has with nonconsolidated entities related to transactions, agreements or other contractual arrangements. The Company holds variable interests in joint ventures accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The Company is not the primary beneficiary of these joint ventures and therefore is not required to consolidate these entities (see Note 23 to the Consolidated Financial Statements). In addition, see Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding the transfer of financial assets.
Guarantees arise during the ordinary course of business from relationships with customers, committed accounts receivable facilities and nonconsolidated affiliates when the Company undertakes an obligation to guarantee the performance of others if specific triggering events occur. Additional information related to guarantees can be found in the “Guarantees” section of Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Fair Value Measurements
See Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information related to fair value measurements of pension and other postretirement benefit plan assets; see Note 21 for information related to other-than-temporary impairments; and, see Note 22 for additional information concerning fair value measurements.
OTHER MATTERS
Recent Accounting Guidance
See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a summary of recent accounting guidance.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make judgments, assumptions and estimates that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements describes the significant accounting policies and methods used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements. Following are the Company’s accounting policies impacted by judgments, assumptions and estimates:
Asbestos-Related Matters of Union Carbide Corporation
Union Carbide is and has been involved in a large number of asbestos-related suits filed primarily in state courts during the past several decades. These suits principally allege personal injury resulting from exposure to asbestos-containing products and frequently seek both actual and punitive damages. The alleged claims primarily relate to products that Union Carbide sold in the past, alleged exposure to asbestos-containing products located on Union Carbide’s premises, and Union Carbide’s responsibility for asbestos suits filed against a former Union Carbide subsidiary, Amchem Products, Inc. ("Amchem"). Each year, Ankura Consulting Group, LLC ("Ankura") performs a review for Union Carbide based upon historical asbestos claims, resolution and asbestos-related defense and processing costs, through the terminal year of 2049. Union Carbide compares current asbestos claim and resolution activity, including asbestos-related defense and processing costs, to the results of the most recent Ankura study at each balance sheet date to determine whether the asbestos-related liability continues to be appropriate.
For additional information, see Part I, Item 3. Legal Proceedings; Asbestos-Related Matters of Union Carbide Corporation in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; and Notes 1 and 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Environmental Matters
The Company determines the costs of environmental remediation of its facilities and formerly owned facilities based on evaluations of current law and existing technologies. Inherent uncertainties exist in such evaluations primarily due to unknown environmental conditions, changing governmental regulations and legal standards regarding liability, and emerging remediation technologies. The recorded liabilities are adjusted periodically as remediation efforts progress, or as additional technical or legal information becomes available. At December 31, 2024, the Company had accrued obligations of $1,113 million for probable environmental remediation and restoration costs, including $234 million for the remediation of Superfund sites. This is management’s best estimate of the costs for remediation and restoration with respect to environmental matters for which the Company has accrued liabilities, although it is reasonably possible that the ultimate cost with respect to these particular matters could range up to approximately two times that amount. For further discussion, see Environmental Matters in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Notes 1 and 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits
The amounts recognized in the consolidated financial statements related to pension and other postretirement benefits are determined from actuarial valuations. Inherent in these valuations are assumptions including expected return on plan assets, discount rates at which the liabilities could have been settled at December 31, 2024, rate of increase in future compensation levels, mortality rates and health care cost trend rates. These assumptions are updated annually and are disclosed in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, actual results that differ from the assumptions are accumulated and amortized over future periods and, therefore, affect expense recognized and obligations recorded in future periods. The U.S. pension plans represent 73 percent of the Company’s pension plan assets and 70 percent of the pension obligations. The U.S. pension plans were frozen effective December 31, 2023, and therefore, participants do not accrue additional benefits for future service and compensation.
The Company uses the spot rate approach to determine the discount rate utilized to measure the service cost and interest cost components of net periodic pension and other postretirement benefit costs for the United States and other selected countries, as applicable. Under the spot rate approach, the Company calculates service cost and interest cost by applying individual spot rates from the Willis Towers Watson RATE:Link yield curve (based on high-quality corporate bond yields) for each selected country to the separate expected cash flow components of service cost and interest cost; service cost and interest cost for all other plans are determined on the basis of the single equivalent discount rates derived in determining those plan obligations.
The following information relates to the U.S. plans only; a similar approach is used for the Company’s non-U.S. plans.
The Company determines the expected long-term rate of return on assets by performing a detailed analysis of historical and expected returns based on the strategic asset allocation approved by the Company's Investment Committee and the underlying return fundamentals of each asset class. The Company’s historical experience with the pension fund asset performance is also considered. The expected return of each asset class is derived from a forecasted future return confirmed by historical experience. The expected long-term rate of return is an assumption and not what is expected to be earned in any one particular year. The weighted-average long-term rate of return assumption used for determining net periodic pension expense for 2024 was 7.07 percent. The weighted-average assumption to be used for determining 2025 net periodic pension expense is 7.04 percent. Future actual pension expense will depend on future investment performance, changes in future discount rates and various other factors related to the population of participants in the Company’s pension plans.
The discount rates utilized to measure the pension and other postretirement obligations of the U.S. plans are based on the yield on high-quality corporate fixed income investments at the measurement date. Future expected actuarially determined cash flows for the Company’s U.S. plans are individually discounted at the spot rates under the Willis Towers Watson U.S. RATE:Link 60-90 corporate yield curve (based on 60th to 90th percentile high-quality corporate bond yields) to arrive at the plan’s obligations as of the measurement date. The weighted average discount rate utilized to measure pension obligations increased to 5.74 percent at December 31, 2024, from 5.30 percent at December 31, 2023.
At December 31, 2024, the net underfunded status of the U.S. tax-qualified plans on a projected benefit obligation basis was $1,360 million. The net underfunded amount increased $168 million compared with December 31, 2023. The increase in the net underfunded amount in 2024 was primarily due to the unfavorable returns on plan assets partially offset by the market-related impact of higher discount rates. The Company uses a generational mortality table to determine the duration of its pension and other postretirement obligations.
The following discussion relates to the Company’s significant pension plans.
The Company bases the determination of pension expense on a market-related valuation of plan assets that reduces year-to-year volatility. This market-related valuation recognizes investment gains or losses over a five-year period from the year in which they occur. Investment gains or losses for this purpose represent the difference between the expected return calculated using the market-related value of plan assets and the actual return based on the market value of plan assets. Since the market-related value of plan assets recognizes gains or losses over a five-year period, the future value will be impacted when previously deferred gains or losses are recorded. Over the life of the plans, both gains and losses have been recognized and amortized. At December 31, 2024, net losses of $2,899 million remain to be recognized in the calculation of the market-related value of plan assets. These net
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losses will result in increases in future pension expense as they are recognized in the market-related value of assets.
The net decrease in the market-related value of assets due to the recognition of prior losses is presented in the following table:
Net Decrease in Market-Related Asset Value Due to Recognition of Prior Losses
In millions
2025 $ 1,126
2026 1,264
2027 266
2028 243
Total $ 2,899
Excluding the impact of the Company's 2024 one-time pension events, the Company expects net periodic benefit cost ("NPBC") credit to decrease in 2025 by approximately $88 million compared with 2024. The reduction in the NPBC credit is due to a smaller expected increase in assets and increased amortization, partially offset by reduced interest and service cost.
A 25 basis point increase or decrease in the long-term return on assets assumption would change the Company’s NPBC credit for 2025 by $48 million. A 25 basis point increase in the discount rate assumption would increase the Company's NPBC credit for 2025 by $9 million. A 25 basis point decrease in the discount rate assumption would decrease the Company's NPBC credit for 2025 by $8 million.
Income Taxes
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, applying enacted tax rates expected to be in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. Based on the evaluation of available evidence, both positive and negative, the Company recognizes future tax benefits, such as net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards, to the extent that realizing these benefits is considered to be more likely than not.
At December 31, 2024, the Company had a net deferred tax asset balance of $865 million, after valuation allowances of $2,748 million.
In evaluating the ability to realize the deferred tax assets, the Company relies on, in order of increasing subjectivity, taxable income in prior carryback years, the future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, tax planning strategies and forecasted taxable income using historical and projected future operating results.
The Company files tax returns in multiple jurisdictions and is subject to examination by taxing authorities throughout the world. Tax authorities have the ability to review and challenge matters that could be subject to differing interpretation of applicable tax laws and regulations as they relate to the amount, character, timing or inclusion of revenue and expenses or the sustainability of tax attributes. The ultimate resolution of such uncertainties could last several years. When an uncertain tax position is identified, the Company considers and interprets complex tax laws and regulations in order to determine the need for recognizing a provision in its financial statements. Significant judgment is required in determining the timing and measurement of uncertain tax positions. The Company utilizes internal and external expertise in interpreting tax laws to support the Company's tax positions. The Company recognizes the financial statement effects of an uncertain income tax position when it is more likely than not, based on technical merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination. At December 31, 2024, the Company had uncertain tax positions for both domestic and foreign issues of $422 million and $327 million for interest and penalties.
Goodwill
The Company performs goodwill impairment testing at the reporting unit level. Reporting units are the level at which discrete financial information is available and reviewed by business management on a regular basis. The Company tests goodwill for impairment annually (in the fourth quarter), or more frequently when events or changes in circumstances indicate it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit has declined below its carrying value. Goodwill is evaluated for impairment using qualitative and/or quantitative testing procedures. At December 31, 2024, goodwill was carried by five out of six of the Company's reporting units.
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The Company has the option to first perform qualitative testing to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. Qualitative factors assessed at the Company level include, but are not limited to, GDP growth rates, long-term hydrocarbon and energy prices, equity and credit market activity, discount rates, foreign exchange rates and overall financial performance. Qualitative factors assessed at the reporting unit level include, but are not limited to, changes in industry and market structure, competitive environments, planned capacity and new product launches, cost factors such as raw material prices, and financial performance of the reporting unit. If the Company chooses not to complete a qualitative assessment for a given reporting unit or if the initial assessment indicates that it is more likely than not that the estimated fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, additional quantitative testing is required.
Quantitative testing requires the fair value of the reporting unit to be compared with its carrying value. If the reporting unit's carrying value exceeds its fair value, an impairment charge is recognized for the difference. The Company utilizes a discounted cash flow methodology to calculate the fair value of its reporting units. This valuation technique has been selected by management as the most meaningful valuation method due to the limited number of market comparables for the Company's reporting units. However, where market comparables are available, the Company includes EBIT/EBITDA multiples as part of the reporting unit valuation analysis. The discounted cash flow valuations are completed using the following key assumptions: projected revenue growth rates or compounded annual growth rates, discount rates, tax rates, terminal values, currency exchange rates, and forecasted long-term hydrocarbon and energy prices, by geographic region and by year, which include the Company's key feedstocks as well as natural gas and crude oil (due to its correlation to naphtha). Currency exchange rates and long-term hydrocarbon and energy prices are established for the Company as a whole and applied consistently to all reporting units, while revenue growth rates, discount rates and tax rates are established by reporting unit to account for differences in business fundamentals and industry risk. These key assumptions drive projected EBIT/EBITDA and EBIT/EBITDA margins, which are key elements of management’s internal control over the reporting unit valuation analysis.
2024 Goodwill Impairment Testing
In 2024, there were no events or changes in circumstances that warranted interim goodwill impairment testing. In the fourth quarter of 2024, qualitative testing was performed for all reporting units carrying goodwill. Based on the results of the qualitative testing, quantitative testing was performed on one reporting unit. For the qualitative assessments, management considered factors at both the Company level and the reporting unit level. Based on the qualitative assessments for the reporting units, management concluded it is more likely than not that the carrying value of the reporting unit is less than the fair value of the reporting unit. For the quantitative testing, the fair value exceeded the carrying value of the reporting unit.
Environmental Matters
Environmental Policies
Dow is committed to world-class environmental, health and safety (“EH&S”) performance, as demonstrated by industry-leading results, a long-standing commitment to the American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care ® program, a strong commitment to achieve the Company's 2025 Sustainability Goals and Dow's drive to deliver against its targets around a circular economy and climate protection. These goals and targets set the standard for sustainability in the chemical industry, focusing on improvements in the Company’s local corporate citizenship and product stewardship, and by actively pursuing methods to reduce the Company's environmental impact.
To meet the Company’s public commitments, as well as the stringent laws and government regulations related to environmental protection and remediation to which its global operations are subject, the Company has well-defined policies, requirements and management systems. The Company's EH&S Management System (“EMS”) defines the “who, what, when and how” needed for the businesses to implement the Company’s policies and requirements and meet performance objectives, leadership expectations and public commitments. To ensure effective utilization, the EMS is integrated into a company-wide management system for EH&S, Operations, Quality and Human Resources.
The Company believes third-party verification and transparent public reporting are cornerstones of world-class EH&S performance and building public trust. Numerous Dow sites in EMEAI, Latin America, Asia Pacific and the U.S. & Canada have received third-party verification of the Company’s compliance with Responsible Care ® and with outside specifications such as ISO-14001. The Company continues to be a global champion of Responsible Care ® and has worked to broaden the application and impact of Responsible Care ® around the world through engagement with peer companies, suppliers, customers and joint venture partners.
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Dow manages environmental data for reporting with a waste, water and emissions inventory system. All emitting manufacturing sites globally record their emissions and water use in the system. The data is reviewed at the facility level and then by global coordinators before being aggregated for corporate environmental reporting purposes.
Dow's EH&S policies help to ensure the Company achieves its annual health and safety performance targets and the Company seeks to continuously improve on these targets through process and personal safety project implementations. Improvement in these areas, as well as environmental compliance, remains a top management priority, as the Company continues to implement its 2025 Sustainability Goals and progressive, multi-decade sustainability targets that include advancing a circular economy and climate protection. Progress is reviewed annually by management and with the Environment, Health, Safety & Technology ("EHS&T") Committee of the Board.
Detailed information on Dow’s performance regarding environmental matters and goals is accessible through the Company's Science & Sustainability webpage at www.dow.com/sustainability . Dow's website and its content are not deemed incorporated by reference into this report.
Chemical Security
Public and political attention continues to be placed on the protection of critical infrastructure, including the chemical industry, from security threats. Sabotage, terrorism, war, natural disasters and cybersecurity incidents have increased global concerns about the security and safety of chemical production and distribution. Many, including the Company and the American Chemistry Council, have called for uniform risk-based and performance-based national standards for securing the U.S. chemical industry. The Company is subject to U.S. regulations with established risk-based and performance-based standards that must be met at U.S. Coast Guard-regulated facilities promulgated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Company is also subject to the requirements of the Rail Transportation Security Rule issued by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. The Company continues to support uniform risk-based national standards for securing the chemical industry.
The Company maintains a comprehensive, multi-level security plan that focuses on security, emergency planning, preparedness and response. This plan, which has been activated in response to significant world and national events, is reviewed on an annual basis. The Company continues to improve its security plans, placing emphasis on the safety of Dow communities and people by being prepared to meet risks at any level and to address both internal and external identifiable risks. The security plan includes regular vulnerability assessments, security audits, mitigation efforts and physical security upgrades designed to reduce vulnerability. The Company’s security plans are also designed to avert interruptions of normal business operations that could materially and adversely affect the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The Company played a key role in the development and implementation of the American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care ® Security Code ("Security Code"), which requires that all aspects of security – including facility, transportation and cyberspace – be assessed and gaps addressed. Through the global implementation of the Security Code, the Company has permanently heightened the level of security – not just in the United States, but worldwide. The Company employs several hundred employees and contractors in its Emergency Services and Security department worldwide. In 2019, the Company established its Global Security Operations Center ("GSOC") to provide 24-hour/day, 365-day/year real-time monitoring of global risks to Dow assets and people. The GSOC employs state-of-the-art social media monitoring, threat reporting and geo-fencing capabilities to analyze global risks and report those risks, facilitating decision-making and actions to prevent Dow crises.
Through the implementation of the Security Code, including voluntary security enhancements and upgrades, the Company is well-positioned to comply with U.S. chemical facility regulations and other regulatory security frameworks. The Company participates with the American Chemistry Council to periodically review and update the Security Code.
The Company continues to work collaboratively across the supply chain on Responsible Care ® , supply chain design, emergency preparedness, shipment visibility and transportation of hazardous materials. The Company cooperated with public and private entities to lead the implementation of advanced tank car design, and track and trace technologies. Further, the Company’s Distribution Risk Review process addresses potential threats in all modes of transportation across the Company’s supply chain. To reduce vulnerabilities, the Company maintains security measures that meet or exceed regulatory and industry security standards in all areas in which they operate.
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The Company's initiatives relative to chemical security, emergency preparedness and response, Community Awareness and Emergency Response and crisis management are implemented consistently at all Dow sites on a global basis. Each Dow site has established outreach programs designed to engage community stakeholders with objectives centered around awareness of Dow operations, products, and efforts to protect worker and community health and the environment. These programs also educate community members on emergency planning and response, emissions and waste, future site plans to reduce waste and emissions, and process safety systems. Finally, these outreach efforts establish an opportunity for Dow site leaders to hear about community stakeholder expectations and address questions and concerns about safety, health, environmental or other issues. The Company participates with chemical associations globally and participates as an active member of the Global Congress on Chemical Security and Emerging Threats and in positions of leadership in the U.S. Chemical Sector Coordinating Council.
Climate Protection
Evaluation of climate-related risks and opportunities continues to be a catalyst for the development of the Company’s Decarbonize & Grow strategy (Dow’s climate transition plan), its broad water stewardship efforts and its new nature goal. Dow's science-based strategy includes a phased approach to decarbonize while meeting the growing demand for Dow's products and contributing to a low-emissions future through continued investment in new products, technologies and processes.
In 2020, Dow set a target to be carbon neutral by 2050 across Scopes 1, 2 and 3, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, plus product benefits. Dow’s Protect the Climate goals include reducing net annual GHG emissions by 5 million metric tons by 2030 versus its 2020 baseline, representing approximately a 15 percent reduction versus 2020 and a nearly 30 percent reduction since 2005. In 2021, Dow outlined a path to decarbonize its production processes (Scope 1 and 2 CO 2 e emissions), utilizing a phased approach in which end-of-life capacity is replaced with higher-efficiency, lower GHG emitting assets. In 2024, Dow continued near-term progression in its Decarbonize & Grow strategy by starting construction of its Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero project which will be the world’s first net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions ethylene complex, when completed, and will decarbonize approximately 20 percent of Dow’s global ethylene production capacity. Dow also continued to advance a project with X-energy, a nuclear energy innovation company, to commercialize an advanced small modular nuclear reactor that will generate GHG emissions-free process heat and energy at its site in Seadrift, Texas. In the near term, energy reduction and optimization projects will provide continuous progress toward Dow’s carbon-neutral ambitions.
Dow is also committed to advancing water stewardship within the Company's operations and supply chain and with downstream customers and to working collaboratively to enhance water management at the watershed level. In addition to Dow's target to reduce freshwater intake intensity at six key water-stressed sites by 20 percent from its 2015 baseline by the end of 2025, Dow announced in 2024 a robust new 2050 water resilience strategy as well as a 50,000 acre habitat conservation target to address these key elements of climate adaptation.
Despite these commitments, climate change-related risks and uncertainties, legal or regulatory responses to climate change, and failure to meet climate change commitments could negatively impact Dow’s results of operations, financial condition and/or reputation. Climate-related risks include both physical and transition risks.
Physical Risks
Climate-related physical risks include more frequent severe weather events, potential changes in precipitation patterns, water scarcity and extreme variability in weather patterns, which can disrupt the operations of the Company as well as those of its customers, partners and vendors.
To evaluate physical risks, Dow partnered with S&P Global Trucost (“Trucost”) to assess the Company’s exposure to physical risks based on the geographic location of its manufacturing operations. The risks assessed included water stress, flood, heat waves, cold waves, hurricanes, wildfires and sea level rise. The analysis included an assessment of the physical risks using a baseline year of 2020 with time periods for medium- (year 2030) and long-term (year 2050) using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change representative concentration pathways. These pathways represent varying degrees of global atmospheric GHG concentrations (low, medium and high), and thus different expectations on global temperature rise. Results will be incorporated into Dow’s long-term assessments of its manufacturing sites, which is a key input into Dow’s capital approval process.
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Transition Risks
Climate-related transition risks include the availability, development and affordability of lower GHG emissions technology, the effects of CO 2 e pricing, and changes in public sentiment, regulations, taxes, public mandates or requirements as they relate to CO 2 e, water or land use.
Climate-related risks, including both physical and transition risks, are assessed with input from internal and external sources including corporate, business, function and geographic leaders; subject matter experts; investors; and other stakeholders. The evaluation of climate-related risks and opportunities is integrated into an annual company-wide risk management process, known as enterprise risk management (“ERM”). ERM identifies significant or major risks to the Company and develops action plans to modify or mitigate risks.
Every few years, Dow also utilizes a robust scenario analysis to assess the long-term materiality and impact of climate-related risks and opportunities. Scenario analysis is used to challenge business-as-usual assumptions and strengthen the resiliency of the Company’s Decarbonize & Grow strategy. Scenarios are used to evaluate both physical and transition risk and are particularly useful in evaluating the potential and impact of emerging risks.
Managing Climate Risks
Management of climate risk is assigned to Dow’s Climate Steering Team (“CST”), which is accountable for developing and implementing plans to mitigate risk and for tracking actions and progress against those plans. With oversight and accountability by the CST, specific carbon-related risks are managed by Dow’s Climate Program Management Office (“PMO”). The PMO partners with subject matter experts to develop and implement strategies to mitigate or eliminate climate-related risks. The team develops specific action plans and ensures owners are assigned to drive forward progress in order to reduce Dow’s risk exposure. Risk mitigation status updates are provided to executive leaders on a regular basis and discussions include risk time horizons and/or magnitude of impact to confirm that the strategy remains solid.
Decarbonize & Grow
Dow’s Decarbonize & Grow strategy involves specific actions to mitigate identified climate-related physical and transition risks, while also advancing opportunities in several key areas. These include:
• Optimizing Manufacturing Facilities and Processes for Sustainability: In addition to implementing near-term growth and efficiency investments, Dow is phasing out inefficient assets, decarbonizing remaining assets and building best-in-class, net-zero assets, as well as investing in innovative technologies such as clean hydrogen, advanced nuclear and carbon capture and storage. Dow has committed to investing approximately $1 billion in annual capital across the economic cycle to decarbonize assets in a phased approach, while growing capacity.
• Increasing Use of Clean Energy and Steam: As a major user and producer of energy, Dow is committed to reducing the use of fossil fuels for energy production and increasing consumption of clean energy, including both renewable and net-zero-emissions sources.
• Developing Low-Emissions Products, Technologies and Services: As a leading materials science company, Dow products are capable of making important contributions to the reduction of GHG emissions, including products that facilitate energy efficiency, lightweighting, fuel transition, circularity, increased operational efficiency and resource reductions.
• Developing Next Generation, Low-Carbon Manufacturing Technologies: Dow is investing in longer-term, future-focused manufacturing technologies that will be critical in the decarbonization of the Company's manufacturing.
• Building a Value-Generating Scope 3 Decarbonization Pathway: Approximately 70 percent of Dow’s emissions footprint fall into Scope 3 categories and more than half of those emissions derive from the raw materials, transportation and other services purchased as a company. Dow is actively validating and developing Scope 3 emissions reduction and mitigation efforts. Collaboration with the Company’s partners along the entire value chain is key to lowering Scope 3 carbon emissions.
Water Stewardship
Water is Dow’s largest dependency on nature. Water-related risk considers water availability (too much, too little), water quality (intake and effluents), access to safe drinking water, health of ecosystems and reputational and regulatory challenges. Dow’s approach to identifying water-related risks and impacts includes identification of
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physical, regulatory and reputational risks. Dow’s methodology uses scientifically robust external tools such as WRI Aqueduct and the World Wildlife Fund water risk filter tool. Dow’s actions are also informed by the Trucost physical risk assessment, wherein water scarcity is recognized and addressed as the biggest climate-related threat to corporate assets with potential substantive financial or strategic impact on business.
Dow’s water risk management approach recognizes that every site and every business is accountable for water and certain watersheds require additional measures to address specific water stress challenges. Many Dow locations have specific water action plans to address local challenges, and Dow's new water strategy calls for water stewardship plans at its 20 water-dependent sites by 2030 and for all manufacturing sites by 2035. These action plans include mitigations for local water scarcity or quality issues and consider the needs of other local users for freshwater. Additionally, in 2015 Dow identified six sites, located in Texas (2); Bahia Blanca, Argentina; Terneuzen, The Netherlands; Böhlen, Germany; and Tarragona, Spain; where its operations are located in a water-stressed watershed, have local water quality issues, have competition among local users for water, or have some local knowledge of watershed challenges, and these six sites have since been the focus of Company actions. In 2024, the Company secured the use of a reservoir asset at one of its main U.S. Gulf Coast manufacturing sites, with a 35-year contract period that is expected to commence upon completion of construction in 2028.
In addition to site water stewardship efforts, Dow will work with suppliers to understand and mitigate water and biodiversity impacts and dependencies in its supply chain and will continue to innovate products that enable society to have reduced impacts on water bodies and other ecosystems.
Accountability for operational water stewardship begins at the site level where the operating permits exist. The Company's progress against its broader water and nature targets is reviewed regularly by management and with the EHS&T Committee of the Board.
Advancing a Circular Economy
Since Dow is only one part of the materials ecosystem, Dow advocates for the adoption of policies to accelerate the broader pathway to circularity. Circularity-enabling policies such as recycling mandates; mandates for recycled content in products; extended producer responsibility systems to finance state-of-the-art local access to collection, sorting and recycling; and policies to incentivize investments in innovative circular technologies are all critical to ensure that post-use products are diverted away from landfilling, incineration, open dumps and open burning and instead enter the circular economy. To accelerate the materials ecosystem, Dow is working toward its Transform the Waste target collectively with partners. The goal is to boost recycling rates for materials by developing the associated ecosystems to increase collection, sorting and recycling. As part of Dow’s sustainability targets, Dow intends to transform waste and alternative feedstocks to commercialize 3 million metric tons per year of circular and renewable solutions by 2030.
Although the volume base is fairly small today, circular products are seeing increasing promise with commercially attractive growth rates, and Dow expects this market to gain an increasingly larger market share over the coming decades, as supporting policies, technology and economics improve. Dow is partnering to build industrial ecosystems to collect, reuse or recycle waste and expand its portfolio to meet rapidly growing demand for circular solutions. Further, Dow is redesigning product formulations in order to use circular feedstocks such as waste and renewable materials, thereby reducing the reliance on virgin fossil feedstocks.
A circular economy requires embedding circularity in all parts of the value chains downstream from Dow. This includes product design for recyclability, accessible collection, sorting and recycling facilities, and appropriate economic incentives to make recycling economically viable. Through innovative developments, combined with partnerships and value chain collaboration, Dow is assisting its customers to design downstream applications for recyclability.
Developing Safer Materials
Chemistry-based products provide many benefits to society. Like any product, they must be managed responsibly to minimize any potential adverse effects on humans or the environment. Dow takes this responsibility seriously and works hard to ensure that its products are designed, stored, transported, used, disposed of, or recycled in a manner that shows high regard for human health, safety and environmental stewardship.
Dow utilizes the Company’s strong innovation pipeline to develop safer materials or reduce or eliminate priority substances in its products. Dow also invests in clean upstream manufacturing technologies to reduce facility emissions and, where necessary, restricts downstream uses of some substances.
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At Dow, material safety is a continuous journey made possible through innovation, design and more predictive, enabling technologies. Dow works to offer products that – if used properly and in the manner intended – pose low risk to the environment, health and safety, and seeks to optimize products so they use resources more efficiently and sustainably.
Dow is working to deliver a sustainable future through its materials science expertise and collaboration with its customers. By constantly innovating how it sources, manufactures and delivers material solutions, Dow helps customers achieve their goals and create a better tomorrow. Dow also transparently communicates information on substances to customers via safety data sheets, regulatory data sheets and, in some cases, product handling guides.
Dow is committed to demonstrating the value of chemistry and materials science to society and improving the way the world understands and considers science in decision-making to maximize benefits to businesses, society and the planet. Through Dow’s 2025 Safe Materials for a Sustainable Planet goal, the Company has made progress toward this vision by innovating sustainable materials of tomorrow, leading candid conversations about product safety and committing to the advancement of open and transparent chemistry with value chain partners, customers and the public.
Environmental Remediation
For comparison of environmental remediation-related matters for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, see Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on January 31, 2024.
The Company accrues the costs of remediation of its facilities and formerly owned facilities based on current law and regulatory requirements. The nature of such remediation can include management of soil and groundwater contamination. The accounting policies adopted to properly reflect the monetary impacts of environmental matters are discussed in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. To assess the impact on the financial statements, environmental experts review currently available facts to evaluate the probability and scope of potential liabilities. Inherent uncertainties exist in such evaluations primarily due to unknown environmental conditions, changing governmental regulations and legal standards regarding liability, and the ability to apply remediation technologies. These liabilities are adjusted periodically as remediation efforts progress or as additional technical or legal information becomes available. The Company had an accrued liability of $879 million at December 31, 2024, related to the remediation of current or former Dow-owned sites. At December 31, 2023, the liability related to remediation was $939 million.
In addition to current and former Dow-owned sites, under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA") and equivalent state laws (hereafter referred to collectively as "Superfund Law"), the Company is liable for remediation of other hazardous waste sites where the Company allegedly disposed of, or arranged for the treatment or disposal of, hazardous substances. Because Superfund Law imposes joint and several liability upon each party at a site, the Company has evaluated its potential liability in light of the number of other companies that have also been named potentially responsible parties (“PRPs”) at each site, the estimated apportionment of costs among all PRPs, and the financial ability and commitment of each to pay its expected share. The Company’s remaining liability for the remediation of Superfund sites was $234 million at December 31, 2024 ($241 million at December 31, 2023). The Company has not recorded any third-party recovery related to these sites as a receivable.
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Information regarding environmental sites is provided below:
Environmental Sites Dow-owned Sites 1
Superfund Sites 2
2024 2023 2024 2023
Number of sites at Jan 1 154 171 133 130
Sites added during year 2 6 1 4
Sites closed during year — (23) (3) (1)
Number of sites at Dec 31 156 154 131 133
1. Dow-owned sites are sites currently or formerly owned by the Company. In the United States, remediation obligations are imposed by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act or analogous state law. At December 31, 2024, 25 of these sites (24 sites at December 31, 2023) were formerly owned by Dowell Schlumberger, Inc., a group of companies in which the Company previously owned a 50 percent interest. The Company sold its interest in Dowell Schlumberger in 1992.
2. Superfund sites are sites, including sites not owned by the Company, where remediation obligations are imposed by Superfund Law.
Additional information is provided below for the Company’s Midland, Michigan, manufacturing site and Midland off-site locations (collectively, the "Midland sites"), as well as a Superfund site in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, the locations for which the Company has the largest potential environmental liabilities.
In the early days of operations at the Midland manufacturing site, wastes were usually disposed of on-site, resulting in soil and groundwater contamination, which has been contained and managed on-site under a series of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permits and regulatory agreements . The Hazardous Waste Operating License for the Midland manufacturing site, issued in 2003, and renewed and replaced in September 2015, also included provisions for the Company to conduct an investigation to determine the nature and extent of off-site contamination from historic Midland manufacturing site operations. In January 2010, the Company, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") and the State of Michigan ("State") entered into an Administrative Order on Consent that requires the Company to conduct a remedial investigation, a feasibility study and a remedial design for the Tittabawassee River, the Saginaw River and the Saginaw Bay, and pay the oversight costs of the EPA and the State under the authority of CERCLA. See Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information relating to Midland off-site environmental matters.
Rohm and Haas, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is a PRP at the Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, Ventron/Velsicol Superfund Site, and the adjacent Berry’s Creek Study Area ("BCSA") (collectively, the "Wood-Ridge sites"). Rohm and Haas is a successor in interest to a company that owned and operated a mercury processing facility, where wastewater and waste handling resulted in contamination of soils and adjacent creek sediments. In 2018, the Berry’s Creek Study Area Potentially Responsible Party Group (“PRP Group”), consisting of over 100 PRPs, completed a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study for the BCSA. During that time, the EPA concluded that an “iterative or adaptive approach” was appropriate for cleaning up the BCSA. Thus, each phase of remediation will be followed by a period of monitoring to assess its effectiveness and determine if there is a need for more work. In September 2018, the EPA signed a Record of Decision ("ROD 1") which describes the initial phase of the EPA’s plan to clean-up the BCSA. ROD 1 will remediate waterways and major tributaries in the most contaminated part of the BCSA. The PRP Group has signed agreements with the EPA to design the selected remedy. Although there is currently much uncertainty as to what will ultimately be required to remediate the BCSA and Rohm and Haas's share of these costs has yet to be determined, the range of activities that are required in the interim Record of Decision is known in general terms. The PRP Group has been approached by the EPA to convene discussions for the Remedial Action Consent Decree the EPA is preparing for the Berry’s Creek Site. The group submitted the 95 percent design for EPA review and has identified and contracted with a Remedial Action contractor to support completion of the 100 percent design. Allocation remains incomplete.
At December 31, 2024, the Company had accrued liabilities totaling $303 million ($319 million at December 31, 2023) for environmental remediation at the Midland and Wood-Ridge sites. In 2024, the Company spent $45 million ($48 million in 2023) for environmental remediation at the Midland and Wood-Ridge sites.
In total, the Company’s accrued liability for probable environmental remediation and restoration costs was $1,113 million at December 31, 2024, compared with $1,180 million at December 31, 2023. This is management’s best estimate of the costs for remediation and restoration with respect to environmental matters for which the Company has accrued liabilities, although it is reasonably possible that the ultimate cost with respect to these particular matters could range up to approximately two times that amount. Consequently, it is reasonably possible that environmental remediation and restoration costs in excess of amounts accrued could have a material impact on
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the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. It is the opinion of the Company’s management, however, that the possibility is remote that costs in excess of the range disclosed will have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The amounts charged to income on a pretax basis related to environmental remediation totaled $197 million in 2024 and $203 million in 2023. The amounts charged to income on a pretax basis related to operating the Company's current pollution abatement facilities, excluding internal recharges, totaled $823 million in 2024 and $758 million in 2023. Capital expenditures for environmental protection were $208 million in 2024 and $228 million in 2023.
Asbestos-Related Matters of Union Carbide Corporation
Union Carbide is and has been involved in a large number of asbestos-related suits filed primarily in state courts during the past several decades. These suits principally allege personal injury resulting from exposure to asbestos-containing products and frequently seek both actual and punitive damages. The alleged claims primarily relate to products that Union Carbide sold in the past, alleged exposure to asbestos-containing products located on Union Carbide’s premises, and Union Carbide’s responsibility for asbestos suits filed against a former Union Carbide subsidiary, Amchem. In many cases, plaintiffs are unable to demonstrate that they have suffered any compensable loss as a result of such exposure, or that injuries incurred in fact resulted from exposure to Union Carbide’s products.
For comparison of asbestos-related matters of Union Carbide Corporation for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, see Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on January 31, 2024.
The table below provides information regarding asbestos-related claims pending against Union Carbide and Amchem based on criteria developed by Union Carbide and its external consultants:
Asbestos-Related Claim Activity 2024 2023
Claims unresolved at Jan 1 6,367 6,873
Claims filed 4,568 4,199
Claims settled, dismissed or otherwise resolved (5,122) (4,705)
Claims unresolved at Dec 31 5,813 6,367
Claimants with claims against both Union Carbide and Amchem (1,005) (1,236)
Individual claimants at Dec 31 4,808 5,131
Plaintiffs’ lawyers often sue numerous defendants in individual lawsuits or on behalf of numerous claimants. As a result, the damages alleged are not expressly identified as to Union Carbide, Amchem or any other particular defendant, even when specific damages are alleged with respect to a specific disease or injury. For these reasons and based upon Union Carbide’s litigation and settlement experience, Union Carbide does not consider the damages alleged against Union Carbide and Amchem to be a meaningful factor in its determination of any potential asbestos-related liability.
For additional information see Part I, Item 3. Legal Proceedings and Asbestos-Related Matters of Union Carbide Corporation in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
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