Potash sales, lower prices hit PotashCorp

摘要

PotashCorpreportedfourth-quarterearningsof$243.6million thisweek,comparedto$788millioninthesameperiodlastyear, butthecompany'sexecutivessaidtheindustry'sretrenchmentis overandimprovedmarketconditionsshouldprevailthisyear. Full-year2009earningsof$987.8millionwerethethirdhighestin companyhistory,butfarbelowtherecord$3.5billionearnedin 2008.Theproducerstayedintheblackdespitethelowestpotash salesvolumessincebecomingapubliclytradedcompanyin1989. Potashremainedthelargestdriverofgrossmargin,contributing 74% of the $279.6 million generated in fourth-quarter 2009 and 71%ofthe$1billionforthefullyear.