Potashcorp Settles Antitrust Cases in United States

Symbol: POT
Listed:  TSX, NYSE

SASKATOON, Jan. 30, 2013 /CNW/ - Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) announced today that it and its wholly owned subsidiary PCS Sales (USA) Inc. have settled eight private antitrust lawsuits, which were filed by direct and indirect purchasers of potash in the United States in U.S. federal courts in 2008, for a total of $43.75 million.  The settlements are subject to final approval of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.  PotashCorp expressly denies any wrong-doing but decided to settle after weighing the multi-year financial cost and resources that would be required to defend these meritless allegations. The other potash producers who were defendants in these cases also have settled with the plaintiffs.

"These allegations are completely without merit and we deny all of the claims asserted in the lawsuit," said Bill Doyle, President and CEO for PotashCorp. "The reality is that we weighed the multi-year effort in time and resources that would have been required to defend this lawsuit, and determined that our management should remain focused on the production of potash and serving our customers. This settlement serves as another example of the well documented abuse of class actions in the United States where self-interested plaintiffs' attorneys enlist nominal plaintiffs - some of whom have served in that capacity in multiple class actions - to assert meritless claims in lawsuits where neither the plaintiffs' lawyers nor their clients have anything to lose but in which defendants face the enormous burden, distraction and expense of litigation even though we did nothing wrong. This is simply a wasteful and unnecessary cost of doing business in the United States."

_______________________________________

PotashCorp is the world's largest crop nutrient company and plays an integral role in global food production. The company produces the three essential nutrients required to help farmers grow healthier, more abundant crops. With global population rising and diets improving in developing countries, these nutrients offer a responsible and practical solution to meeting the long-term demand for food. PotashCorp is the largest producer, by capacity, of potash and third largest producer of nitrogen and phosphate. While agriculture is its primary market, the company also produces products for animal nutrition and industrial uses. Common shares of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange.

This release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information (forward-looking statements). These statements can be identified by expressions of belief, expectation or intention, as well as those statements that are not historical fact. These statements are based on certain factors and assumptions including with respect to foreign exchange rates, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities and effective tax rates. While the company considers these factors and assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Several factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: variations from our assumptions with respect to foreign exchange rates, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, and effective tax rates; fluctuations in supply and demand in the fertilizer, sulfur, transportation and petrochemical markets; costs and availability of transportation and distribution for our raw materials and products, including railcars and ocean freight; changes in competitive pressures, including pricing pressures; adverse or uncertain economic conditions and changes in credit and financial markets; the results of sales contract negotiations with major markets; the European sovereign debt crisis and the recent downgrade of US sovereign debt and political concern over budgetary matters; timing and impact of capital expenditures; risks associated with natural gas and other hedging activities; changes in capital markets and corresponding effects on the company's investments; unexpected or adverse weather conditions; changes in currency and exchange rates; unexpected geological or environmental conditions, including water inflow; imprecision in reserve estimates; adverse developments in new and pending legal proceedings or government investigations; acquisitions we may undertake; strikes or other forms of work stoppage or slowdowns; changes in and the effects of, government policies and regulations; security risks related to our information technology systems  and earnings, exchange rates and the decisions of taxing authorities, all of which could affect our effective tax rates. Additional risks and uncertainties can be found in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 under the captions "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A - Risk Factors" and in our other filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian provincial securities commissions. Forward-looking statements are given only as at the date of this release and the company disclaims any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc.