FINWIRES · TerminalLIVE
FINWIRES

Research Alert: CFRA Maintains Sell Opinion On Shares Of Celanese Corporation

By

-- CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:

After reviewing Q1 earnings, we raise our 12-month target price by $2 to $43 on a forward P/E of 7.4x our 2027 EPS view of $5.78, a discount to the three-year average of 10.4x justified by CE's high debt levels and subdued demand. We raise our 2026 EPS view by $1.35 to $6.14 and decrease 2027's by $0.09 to 5.78. Our sales estimates are $9.7 billion for 2026 and $10.1 billion for 2027. On the positive side, CE's Acetyl Chain's Q2 2026 Adjusted EBIT guidance of $300M-$325M was solid, led by higher expected volumes and prices. However, the acetate tow business remains weak and feedstock costs have risen sharply. Meanwhile, Engineered Materials' Q2 2026 Adjusted EBIT guidance of $190M-$210M was more conservative due to inventory reductions and additional costs from the POM facility turnaround. Overall, we believe CE's 48% year-to-date stock gain is excessive and expect earnings to decline once again in 2027 as the temporary margin boost from the Middle East conflict fades.

Related Articles

Sectors

Sector Update: Health Care Stocks Mixed Wednesday Afternoon

Health care stocks were mixed Wednesday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index increasing 0.1% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) shedding 0.1%.The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) climbed 1.8%.In corporate news, CVS Health (CVS) raised its full-year earnings outlook after reporting better-than-expected Q1 results driven by improvement in its health-care benefits segment. Its shares gained 6.8%.Novo Nordisk (NVO) expects generic versions of its Ozempic medication to face approval delays in China until next year, Bloomberg reported, citing the drugmaker. The patent for semaglutide, the main ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, expired in China in March, but the company said it still has regulatory data protection until April 2027 due to a trade agreement between China and Switzerland, Bloomberg reported. Novo shares rose 2.5%.Eli Lilly (LLY) is looking to raise about $8 billion from an investment-grade bond sale to fund an acquisition spree, Bloomberg reported. Lilly shares added 0.3%.

$CVS$LLY$NVO
Sectors

Sector Update: Consumer Stocks Mixed in Afternoon Trading

Consumer stocks were mixed Wednesday afternoon, with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) decreasing 0.1% and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) rising 1.5%.In corporate news, Walt Disney's (DIS) fiscal Q2 results came in ahead of market estimates amid revenue gains across all business operations, while the media and entertainment giant reiterated its expectations for growth to accelerate in H2. Its shares climbed 6.6%.Uber (UBER) on Wednesday issued a bookings growth outlook that surpassed Wall Street's estimates, while the ride-hailing company's Q1 profit grew year-on-year. Uber shares popped 7.5%.Sony Group's (SONY) Sony Music is nearing a deal to acquire a music catalog including works by artists such as Justin Bieber and Neil Young from Blackstone (BX), Bloomberg reported. Sony is in discussions to acquire Recognition Music through a joint venture with Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC, which will pay from $3.5 billion to $4 billion, the report said. Sony Group shares added 2.9%.

$DIS$SONY$UBER
Commodities

US Natural Gas Update: Futures Drop in Line with Crude on Middle East Peace Progress

US natural gas futures declined on Wednesday, tracking declines in crude as energy markets reacted to reports that Iran is reviewing a US-backed peace proposal that could ease tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and restore critical global shipping flows.The front-month Henry Hub contract and the continuous benchmark both fell 2.33% to $2.724 per million British thermal units.Analysts said the move largely followed the drop in oil prices alongside subdued near-term weather-driven demand."This market appears to be seeing spillover from the huge decline in oil pricing, and with the weather factor offering little support," Ritterbusch & Associates said in a note cited by the Wall Street Journal.The Strait of Hormuz remains a key geopolitical focal point, with any de-escalation seen as potentially restoring stable flows of liquefied natural gas to Asian buyers, who account for a large share of global LNG demand.On the domestic side, US fundamentals remain broadly stable. Production is forecast to hold near 107.3 billion cubic feet per day, roughly in line with recent levels and slightly above April averages, NRG Energy said.Demand trends were mixed. According to Aegis Hedging, residential and commercial consumption rose by 2.5 Bcf/d, offsetting a 1.4 Bcf/d decline in power burn demand.Looking ahead, weather models show short-term cooling across the Midwest before a shift to above-normal temperatures in western regions next week, which could support cooling demand later in the month. Ritterbusch said it still sees upside risk for prices over the next one to two months if hotter weather materializes.Storage expectations remain in focus ahead of Thursday's government report. NRG Energy said it expects a 70 Bcf injection for the week ending May 1, below both last year's build and the five-year average. Even so, inventories are projected to remain about 7% above the seasonal norm.Liquefied natural gas export demand is currently subdued, with feedgas flows forecast around 17 Bcf/d, NRG said. Lower volumes at the Corpus Christi and Cameron facilities due to maintenance are weighing on exports, limiting near-term support for prices.