LyondellBasell Industries N.V. is a leading global petrochemical producer with significant operations in North America and Europe. The firm's earnings have trailed off over the past couple of years, and the company now has a high dividend payout ratio. Given the macroeconomic uncertainty, earnings could be depressed for a while, placing strain on the dividend.
Evercore ISI lowered the firm's price target on LyondellBasell to $90 from $110 and keeps an In Line rating on the shares as a new analyst took over coverage of the stock and 10 other chemical names. Dissonance between sputtering industrial demand into year-end and prospects for a "less bad" 2025 has "muddled the forward outlook for chemicals investors" and the firm's sense is further EBITDA and EPS cuts coming to Q1 and FY25 "are needed to clear the deck," the analyst says. However, Evercore suspects the stocks "move sharply higher with signs of improving demand, so begin to position accordingly," the analyst added.
Value investing is currently out of favor, but LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) presents a compelling value opportunity with a 7% yield and less leverage than peers. LYB's $75 support zone, strong dividend growth, and free cash flow cushion make it attractive despite its cyclical nature and recent underperformance. LYB maintains a lower Net Debt/Ebitda ratio compared to peers, enhancing its dividend sustainability and making it a safer bet in the commodity chemical sector.
LyondellBasell, a global petrochemical company, is now a $25 billion (by market cap) petrochemicals leader. To date, the company has already increased its dividend for 14 consecutive years, with a 10-year dividend growth rate of 9.5%. Expansion activities are pressuring free cash flow, further limiting flexibility around the dividend.
LyondellBasell Industries NV is a leading global producer of olefins, polyolefins, and polypropylene, with a strong focus on North America. LYB is transitioning to recycling and renewable polymers, aiming to recycle 2M tons per year by 2030, enhancing its sustainability. The company has a robust dividend history, recently yielding 6.9%, and is considered a reliable conservative investment with a strong balance sheet.
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB ) Goldman Sachs Industrials and Materials Conference December 4, 2024 8:00 AM ET Company Participants Michael McMurray - CFO Conference Call Participants Duffy Fischer - Goldman Sachs Duffy Fischer Awesome.
LyondellBasell offers a compelling value proposition with a 6.3% dividend yield. Despite Q3 challenges, LYB's Olefins & Polyolefins Americas segment showed strong growth, highlighting operational strength amid higher feedstock costs and oversupply. LYB's strategic focus on low-cost and circular solutions, along with value-enhancing programs, positions it for long-term growth and earnings rebound.
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LyondellBasell Industries has underperformed, losing 4% over the past year and falling 15% from its 52-week high due to weak Chinese demand. Despite solid US performance, global results are challenged, with European operations exploring strategic alternatives and the refining unit facing closure. LYB maintains a strong balance sheet with a 6.2% dividend yield, but lacks upward momentum due to declining returns on capital and slow economic growth.
Although the revenue and EPS for LyondellBasell (LYB) give a sense of how its business performed in the quarter ended September 2024, it might be worth considering how some key metrics compare with Wall Street estimates and the year-ago numbers.
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB ) Q3 2024 Earnings Conference Call November 1, 2024 11:00 AM ET Company Participants David Kinney - Head of Investor Relations Peter Vanacker - Chief Executive Officer Michael McMurray - Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Kim Foley - Executive Vice President of Global Olefins & Polyolefins and Refining Aaron Ledet - Executive Vice President of Intermediates & Derivatives and Supply Chain Torkel Rhenman - Executive Vice President of Advanced Polymer Solutions Conference Call Participants Vincent Andrews - Morgan Stanley Patrick Cunningham - Citi David Begleiter - Deutsche Bank Jeffrey Zekauskas - JPMorgan Aleksey Yefremov - KeyBanc Capital Markets Joshua Spector - UBS Frank Mitsch - Fermium Research Michael Sison - Wells Fargo Kevin McCarthy - Vertical Research Partners Hassan Ahmed - Alembic Global Advisors Operator Hello, and welcome to the LyondellBasell Teleconference.
LYB sees higher polyethylene margins in North America in Q3, driven by favorable ethane and natural gas costs and higher polyethylene prices.