Baker Hughes Shares Edge Lower Following Q4 Warning

Baker Hughes Incorporated

provides the following update to North America and International operations for the fourth quarter of 2012: North America revenue and profit margins are expected to be lower than previous expectations due to weaker than anticipated onshore activity and further price erosion within Pressure Pumping operations. As a result, North America operating profit before tax margin^1 is now expected to be between 8.5% and 9.5% for the fourth quarter of 2012, as compared to 11.7% in the third quarter of 2012. International operations are being adversely impacted by several factors, including weaker than anticipated rig count activity in Brazil and Colombia, activity delays in the North Sea, and continued operational delays in Iraq. Despite these factors, International operating profit before tax margin^1 is expected to be similar to the 12.0% reported in the third quarter of 2012 (excluding the impact of bad debts recognized in Latin America and Europe). Baker Hughes will discuss the final results of the fourth quarter of 2012 in detail during its previously announced fourth quarter earnings conference call, which is scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, January 23, 2013. Operating profit before tax is a non-GAAP measure defined as profit before tax ("income before income taxes") less certain identified costs. Operating profit before tax margin is a non-GAAP measure defined as operating profit before tax divided by revenue. Management uses each of these measures because it believes they are widely accepted financial indicators used by investors and analysts to analyze and compare companies on the basis of operating performance and that these measurements may be used by investors to make informed investment decisions.  The results for the third quarter of 2012 exclude the impact of a $43 million before-tax charge related to internally developed software and other information technology assets, and a $20 million before-tax charge associated with the closure of a chemical manufacturing facility in the United Kingdom.  Currently, there are no adjustments included in the outlook for the fourth quarter of 2012.