We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Dow Chemical (DOW) Q3 Earnings & Sales Trounce Estimates
Read MoreHide Full Article
Dow Chemical (DOW - Free Report) continued its positive earnings surprise streak with a solid beat in third-quarter 2016, helped by its cost-cutting and productivity actions. The U.S. chemical giant logged adjusted earnings (barring one-time items) of 91 cents per share for the quarter that topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 80 cents.
On a reported basis, the company registered a profit of $719 million or 63 cents per share, a roughly 44% decline from a profit of $1,290 million or $1.09 per share recorded a year ago. The results in the reported quarter include charges associated with the Dow Corning ownership restructure.
Dow, in June, took full control of Dow Corning – earlier a 50-50 joint venture between Dow and Corning Inc. Moreover, the bottom line in the year-ago quarter was boosted by a sizable gain from the sale of AgroFresh specialty chemical business.
Dow’s EBITDA margin (as adjusted) rose 25 basis points year over year to 20% in the quarter, supported by its productivity and cost-cutting actions and focus on consumer-driven end-markets.
Dow achieved $76 million in productivity savings during the reported quarter, bringing the year-to-date tally to $254 million. The company expects to surpass its cost savings goal of $300 million for this year.
Dow’s revenues rose roughly 4% year over year to $12,483 million. Sales came ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $12,076 million. The company witnessed gains across all segments barring Performance Materials & Chemicals in the reported quarter.
Volumes (excluding divestments and acquisitions) rose 6% in the quarter on the back of broad-based, consumer-driven demand. Gains were witnessed across all geographic areas.
Sales rose roughly 6% year over year to $1.2 billion in the quarter on higher volumes and pricing. Crop Protection sales fell modestly due to lower volumes and currency headwinds. Seeds sales rose by double digits on strong demand in Latin America coupled with higher volumes and prices.
Consumer Solutions
Revenues from the division were roughly $1.6 billion, up around 42%, supported by the addition of the silicones business. Automotive Systems benefited from a double-digit gain in Asia Pacific and continued adoption of structural adhesives by OEMs. Volumes rose in Electronic Materials on new business wins and market share gains in the semiconductor, interconnect and display.
Infrastructure Solutions
Sales from the division jumped around 33% to $2.5 billion in the quarter as the addition of the silicones business more than offset reduced pricing in all businesses.
The company’s building and construction business saw higher volume on healthy demand for acrylic-based construction chemicals and sustained adoption of Bluedge polymeric flame retardant technology. In Energy and Water Solutions, volumes fell on weak demand for reverse osmosis membranes used in industrial water applications and sustained weakness in the energy market. Coating materials volumes rose on healthy growth in Asia Pacific and gains across architectural and industrial markets. Performance Materials & Chemicals
Revenues slid 25% to $2.4 billion in the quarter, reflecting the impacts of the sale of Dow Chlorine Products and lower pricing. Polyurethane volumes rose on higher demand for downstream, higher-margin system applications. Volumes rose in the industrial solutions business across all regions barring Latin America.
Performance Plastics
Sales inched up 0.8% to $4.7 billion as volume gains across the board more than offset pricing headwinds. Elastomers business registered record volumes on robust demand for automotive plastic components. Moreover, Electrical and Telecommunications volumes rose on double-digit gains in the Americas on power cable installations and sustained demand for fiber optics.
Financials and Shareholder Returns
Dow had cash and cash equivalents of roughly $7 billion at the end of the quarter, down around 8% year over year. Total long-term debt rose around 20% year over year to roughly $21 billion.
Dow returned $928 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in the quarter.
Outlook
Moving ahead, Dow envisions steady growth in North America and Europe and expects strength of the consumer and emphasis on growth in Southeast Asia and second-tier cities in China to continue to boost its results in Asia Pacific. Dow also expects sustained strong growth fundamentals in its core markets of packaging, automotive and construction. The company remains committed to productivity actions and strategic investments.
Dow should continue to gain from its productivity improvement and cost control actions. Moreover, the company remains committed to invest in attractive regions through highly-accretive projects including the expansions in the U.S. Gulf Coast and Sadara joint venture in the Middle East. The company is also progressing well with the integration of Dow Corning’s silicones business, having reached a cost synergy run-rate of more than $200 million.
Moreover, Dow is moving forward with its planned mega-merger with DuPont (DD - Free Report) . The proposed merger is projected to deliver cost synergies of around $3 billion, expected to be achieved with the first two years after the deal closure.
The deal secured approvals from shareholders of both companies in July and is now subject to customary closing conditions including receipt of regulatory clearances. The European Commission (EC), in August, started a Phase II review for the planned merger.
The EU antitrust regulators resumed their investigation into the mega merger earlier this month after suspending their scrutiny in September due to lack of data. The EC is expected to complete the investigation by Feb. 6, 2017. Dow and DuPont are working constructively with regulators in key jurisdictions and expects the deal to complete in first-quarter 2017.
Celanese has an expected earnings growth of around 9.4% for the current year. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2.
Confidential from Zacks
Beyond this Analyst Blog, would you like to see Zacks' best recommendations that are not available to the public? Our Executive VP, Steve Reitmeister, knows when key trades are about to be triggered and which of our experts has the hottest hand. Click to see them now>>
Unique Zacks Analysis of Your Chosen Ticker
Pick one free report - opportunity may be withdrawn at any time
Image: Bigstock
Dow Chemical (DOW) Q3 Earnings & Sales Trounce Estimates
Dow Chemical (DOW - Free Report) continued its positive earnings surprise streak with a solid beat in third-quarter 2016, helped by its cost-cutting and productivity actions. The U.S. chemical giant logged adjusted earnings (barring one-time items) of 91 cents per share for the quarter that topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 80 cents.
On a reported basis, the company registered a profit of $719 million or 63 cents per share, a roughly 44% decline from a profit of $1,290 million or $1.09 per share recorded a year ago. The results in the reported quarter include charges associated with the Dow Corning ownership restructure.
Dow, in June, took full control of Dow Corning – earlier a 50-50 joint venture between Dow and Corning Inc. Moreover, the bottom line in the year-ago quarter was boosted by a sizable gain from the sale of AgroFresh specialty chemical business.
Dow’s EBITDA margin (as adjusted) rose 25 basis points year over year to 20% in the quarter, supported by its productivity and cost-cutting actions and focus on consumer-driven end-markets.
Dow achieved $76 million in productivity savings during the reported quarter, bringing the year-to-date tally to $254 million. The company expects to surpass its cost savings goal of $300 million for this year.
Dow’s revenues rose roughly 4% year over year to $12,483 million. Sales came ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $12,076 million. The company witnessed gains across all segments barring Performance Materials & Chemicals in the reported quarter.
Volumes (excluding divestments and acquisitions) rose 6% in the quarter on the back of broad-based, consumer-driven demand. Gains were witnessed across all geographic areas.
Segment Analysis
Agricultural Sciences
Sales rose roughly 6% year over year to $1.2 billion in the quarter on higher volumes and pricing. Crop Protection sales fell modestly due to lower volumes and currency headwinds. Seeds sales rose by double digits on strong demand in Latin America coupled with higher volumes and prices.
Consumer Solutions
Revenues from the division were roughly $1.6 billion, up around 42%, supported by the addition of the silicones business. Automotive Systems benefited from a double-digit gain in Asia Pacific and continued adoption of structural adhesives by OEMs. Volumes rose in Electronic Materials on new business wins and market share gains in the semiconductor, interconnect and display.
Infrastructure Solutions
Sales from the division jumped around 33% to $2.5 billion in the quarter as the addition of the silicones business more than offset reduced pricing in all businesses.
The company’s building and construction business saw higher volume on healthy demand for acrylic-based construction chemicals and sustained adoption of Bluedge polymeric flame retardant technology. In Energy and Water Solutions, volumes fell on weak demand for reverse osmosis membranes used in industrial water applications and sustained weakness in the energy market. Coating materials volumes rose on healthy growth in Asia Pacific and gains across architectural and industrial markets.
Performance Materials & Chemicals
Revenues slid 25% to $2.4 billion in the quarter, reflecting the impacts of the sale of Dow Chlorine Products and lower pricing. Polyurethane volumes rose on higher demand for downstream, higher-margin system applications. Volumes rose in the industrial solutions business across all regions barring Latin America.
Performance Plastics
Sales inched up 0.8% to $4.7 billion as volume gains across the board more than offset pricing headwinds. Elastomers business registered record volumes on robust demand for automotive plastic components. Moreover, Electrical and Telecommunications volumes rose on double-digit gains in the Americas on power cable installations and sustained demand for fiber optics.
Financials and Shareholder Returns
Dow had cash and cash equivalents of roughly $7 billion at the end of the quarter, down around 8% year over year. Total long-term debt rose around 20% year over year to roughly $21 billion.
Dow returned $928 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in the quarter.
Outlook
Moving ahead, Dow envisions steady growth in North America and Europe and expects strength of the consumer and emphasis on growth in Southeast Asia and second-tier cities in China to continue to boost its results in Asia Pacific. Dow also expects sustained strong growth fundamentals in its core markets of packaging, automotive and construction. The company remains committed to productivity actions and strategic investments.
Dow should continue to gain from its productivity improvement and cost control actions. Moreover, the company remains committed to invest in attractive regions through highly-accretive projects including the expansions in the U.S. Gulf Coast and Sadara joint venture in the Middle East. The company is also progressing well with the integration of Dow Corning’s silicones business, having reached a cost synergy run-rate of more than $200 million.
Moreover, Dow is moving forward with its planned mega-merger with DuPont (DD - Free Report) . The proposed merger is projected to deliver cost synergies of around $3 billion, expected to be achieved with the first two years after the deal closure.
The deal secured approvals from shareholders of both companies in July and is now subject to customary closing conditions including receipt of regulatory clearances. The European Commission (EC), in August, started a Phase II review for the planned merger.
The EU antitrust regulators resumed their investigation into the mega merger earlier this month after suspending their scrutiny in September due to lack of data. The EC is expected to complete the investigation by Feb. 6, 2017. Dow and DuPont are working constructively with regulators in key jurisdictions and expects the deal to complete in first-quarter 2017.
Dow is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
DOW CHEMICAL Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
DOW CHEMICAL Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | DOW CHEMICAL Quote
Other Stocks to Consider
Other well-placed companies in the chemical space include The Chemours Company (CC - Free Report) and Celanese Corporation (CE - Free Report) .
Chemours holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The company has an expected earnings growth of 20.3% for the current year. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Celanese has an expected earnings growth of around 9.4% for the current year. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2.
Confidential from Zacks
Beyond this Analyst Blog, would you like to see Zacks' best recommendations that are not available to the public? Our Executive VP, Steve Reitmeister, knows when key trades are about to be triggered and which of our experts has the hottest hand. Click to see them now>>