DailyIQ
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Sector:Basic MaterialsAll sectors
Last updated 5 minutes ago

CE·Celanese Corporation

$.
+. (+.%)
After Hours
High
$47.43
Open
$47.12
Market Cap
5.18B
52W High
$70.70
Low
$46.48
P. Close
$46.91
P/E
-
52W Low
$35.13
Fwd P/E
7.22
DailyIQ Est.
$71.41
Technical Score (1D)
27
SELL
News Sentiment
70
BULLISH
Argus Research has lifted its target price for Celanese to $46, citing expectations of stronger revenue growth and improved gross margins. This upgrade signals a more optimistic earnings trajectory that could lift investor sentiment in the next trading week. However, other analysts have cut their targets—BMO Capital to $57, RBC to $48, and Argus itself lowered to $44—reflecting concerns over margin pressure and competitive dynamics. The conflicting views create uncertainty about the near‑term upside and suggest that the market is still weighing the impact of rising raw‑material costs. Celanese’s upcoming second‑quarter earnings call on August 5 will be the key event to resolve these divergences, as management will provide guidance on revenue, margins, and capital allocation. Traders should watch the earnings release for any updates on cost‑control initiatives and demand recovery in automotive and industrial segments. A sustained improvement in gross margins would support the higher target, while a continued decline could validate the lower estimates. In addition, the company’s recent collaborations—such as the partnership with Siegwerk on sustainable inks and the use of CO₂‑based POM by Aisan—could offer new revenue streams that may offset margin compression. Monitoring the timing and scale of these product launches will help gauge whether the company can translate its ESG‑aligned innovations into tangible earnings growth.
Earnings Summary
Celanese Corporation, a long‑standing player in the basic materials sector, specializes in engineered polymers and acetyl products that serve automotive, medical, consumer electronics, and construction markets; its dual Engineered Materials and Acetyl Chain segments underpin a diversified revenue base. In the most recent quarters with complete data, Celanese’s earnings per share rose from $0.67 in Q4 2025 to $0.85 in Q1 2026, a 26% increase, while revenue rebounded from $2.204 billion to $2.337 billion, an 6% gain; this contrasts with a 4.5% revenue decline in Q3 2025 and an 8.9% drop in Q4 2025, indicating a recent recovery after a period of contraction. Across the six quarters with EPS estimates, the company beat analysts in four (Q4 2024, Q1 2025, Q2 2025, Q3 2025) and missed in two (Q4 2025, Q1 2026), underscoring a pattern of strong earnings performance that has recently slipped as margins face pressure. Historically, Celanese has shown a mixed YoY trajectory: revenue growth accelerated in early 2025 before softening in the fourth quarter, yet EPS remained largely above expectations until the most recent miss, suggesting that while top‑line momentum has fluctuated, profitability has been resilient until recent margin compression. Recent analyst commentary reflects this volatility: Argus Research raised its target price to $46 on the back of anticipated revenue growth and tighter gross margins, while BMO Capital and other firms cut targets amid concerns over commodity costs and competitive pressure, highlighting divergent views on the company’s near‑term outlook. Investors should watch for the Q2 2026 earnings call for guidance on revenue, margin trends, and cost‑control initiatives, as well as any updates on the Siegwerk ink partnership and the Aisan CO2‑based POM deal that could open new revenue streams; monitoring commodity price movements and broader industry demand will also be key to assessing Celanese’s ability to sustain earnings momentum in the coming quarter.

EPS

EstBeatMiss
$0.11$0.71$1.31$1.91$2.51Q1'25Q2'25Q3'25Q4'25Q1'26Q2'26
QtrEstActual+/−
Q2'26$2.24 - -
Q1'26$0.87$0.85-2.8%
Q4'25$0.94$0.67-28.6%
Q3'25$1.22$1.34+9.6%
Q2'25$1.40$1.44+2.8%
Q1'25$0.39$0.57+47.8%

Revenue

EstBeatMiss
$2.1B$2.3B$2.5B$2.7B$2.8BQ1'25Q2'25Q3'25Q4'25Q1'26Q2'26
QtrEstActual+/−
Q2'26$2.8B - -
Q1'26$2.4B$2.3B-2.5%
Q4'25$2.3B$2.2B-5.1%
Q3'25 - $2.4B -
Q2'25 - $2.5B -
Q1'25 - $2.4B -
Full Earnings BreakdownEstimates, actuals, guidance, and historical context
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Market Data

CE Stock Snapshot

CE is currently trading at $46.92, giving Celanese Corporation a market cap of 5.18B. Today's range spans $46.48–$47.43, with shares opening at $47.12 and moving up $0.01 (0.0%) from the prior close. DailyIQ's technical score sits at 27/100 (SELL) with a news sentiment reading of 70/100.

Over the past year CE has traded between $35.13 and $70.70 - the current price is +33.6% off the 52-week low and -33.6% from the high. 27 analysts cover the stock with a Buy consensus and a mean 12-month target of $68.70 (range $48.00–$86.17), implying upside of +46.4%.

Small-cap Basic Materials names like CE are high-beta on sentiment - and right now, sentiment is bullish (70/100). Technical score: 27/100 (SELL). Price: $46.92 (in the lower half of its 52-week range). At 5.18B in market cap, the 52-week range of $35.13–$70.70 is where the risk gets real: stocks at this size can cover the full range on a single catalyst, in either direction. The current setup doesn't yet show the ingredients for a positive one.

The absence of strong institutional sponsorship makes CE's SELL signal (27/100) more consequential than the same signal in a larger name — at 5.18B in Basic Materials market cap, there are fewer natural buyers to absorb selling pressure, which means the $35.13–$70.70 range's lower bound becomes a sharper test of the thesis. Sentiment at 70/100 (bullish) and price at $46.92 (in the lower half of its 52-week range) don't yet suggest stabilization is imminent.