Oct 7 (Reuters) - Monsanto (NYSE:MON) Co MON.N :
* Global portfolio, leading innovation and financial discipline enabled year of
solid performance for Monsanto, backing confidence in long-term growth
opportunity
* Q4 sales $2.4 billion versus I/B/E/S view $2.76 billion
* Sees FY 2016 earnings per share $4.44 to $5.01 from continuing operations
* Says announces new $3 billion accelerated share repurchase program under its
current share repurchase authorization
* Says confirms five year plan to deliver more than double 2014 ongoing EPS by
2019
* Says more than 20 percent annual growth in ongoing EPS expected to begin as
soon as FY 2017
* Q4 total seeds and genomics sales $1.25 billion versus $1.38 billion
* Says expects to achieve ongoing EPS of $5.10 to $5.60 in fiscal year 2016
* Says plans to begin the new accelerated share repurchase program in the
near-term and complete it sometime in the next six months
* Says for the fourth quarter, the company reported earnings per share loss of
$0.19 on an ongoing basis
* Qtrly loss per share (as reported) $1.06
* Q4 loss per share of $1.06 on an as-reported basis
* Says also announced plans for global restructuring actions to enhance
competitiveness
* Says initial phase is expected to lead to annual savings of $275 to $300
million by the end of fiscal year 2017
* Restructuring plans include an expected separation of approximately 2,600
employees over the next 18-24 months
* Says the agricultural productivity segment to deliver $900 million to $1.1
billion of gross profit in 2016
* Further plans to reduce operating spending by additional $100 million,
bringing annual expected savings to potentially $400 million
* Global restructuring actions, in part, include streamlining, reprioritizing
some commercial, enabling and research and development efforts
* Q4 earnings per share view $-0.02 -- Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S
* FY 2016 earnings per share view $6.19 -- Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S
* Source text for Eikon ID:nBw9JCl4Wa
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