Analyze the sentiment of this statement extracted from a financial news article. Provide your answer as either negative, positive, or neutral.
Text: 20 October 2010 - Finnish environmental management company Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj HEL : LAT1V , or L&T , said Monday it expects its operating profit , excluding non-recurring items , for the whole 2010 to be slightly lower than in 2009 .
Answer:
negative