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Westlake Corporation Names Jonathan Baksht as New CFO

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Westlake Corporation Names Jonathan Baksht as New CFO

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Westlake Corporation ( (WLK) ) has provided an update.

On April 15, 2026, Westlake Corporation’s board appointed Jonathan H. Baksht as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective June 15, 2026, succeeding long-serving finance chief M. Steven Bender, who will shift to a special advisor role ahead of his planned retirement. The move brings in a CFO with experience across oil and gas, packaging and building products, and includes a compensation package of salary, bonus eligibility and long-term equity awards, signaling a focus on continuity and strategic financial leadership for the next phase of the company’s growth.

In tandem with the corporate appointment, Baksht will also become CFO and a director of Westlake Chemical Partners GP LLC, aligning financial oversight across Westlake’s master limited partnership structure. The leadership transition, announced publicly on April 20, 2026, is designed to maintain operational stability while leveraging Baksht’s capital markets and industry background to support Westlake’s expansion and value-creation plans for investors and other stakeholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (WLK) stock is a Hold with a $120.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Westlake Corporation stock, see the WLK Stock Forecast page.

Spark’s Take on WLK Stock

According to Spark, TipRanks’ AI Analyst, WLK is a Neutral.

The score is held back primarily by weak recent financial performance (losses, compressed margins, and negative free cash flow). Technicals are a notable offset with a strong uptrend and positive momentum, while the earnings call adds moderate support due to specific 2026 improvement targets and strong liquidity. Valuation support is limited by negative earnings, and corporate events are mixed (improved financing flexibility vs. legal settlement risk).

To see Spark’s full report on WLK stock, click here.

More about Westlake Corporation

Westlake Corporation is a Houston-based global manufacturer and supplier of materials and innovative products used in housing and construction, packaging, healthcare, automotive and consumer applications. With operations across Asia, Europe and North America, the company provides chemical and materials building blocks that support a diverse range of industrial and consumer end markets.

Average Trading Volume: 1,338,930

Technical Sentiment Signal: Buy

Current Market Cap: $14.76B

For a thorough assessment of WLK stock, go to TipRanks’ Stock Analysis page.

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