Celanese Corp (CE)
NYSE:CE
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Celanese
(NYSE:CE)
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Rating:57Neutral
Price Target:
$64.00
▲(3.18% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:04/21/26
The score is held back primarily by weak current profitability and compressed margins, partially offset by resilient positive free cash flow and manageable (though historically higher) leverage. Technicals are moderately supportive with an improving longer-term trend and neutral momentum. Valuation is mixed: a very high dividend yield helps, but losses (negative P/E) raise sustainability and earnings-visibility risk, while earnings-call guidance supports the outlook mainly through cash and cost levers amid continued end-market and pricing headwinds.
Positive Factors
Cash Generation
Sustained positive operating and free cash flow amid accounting losses shows the business generates real cash from operations. This durable cash generation supports debt repayment, dividends, working-capital flexibility and funding for strategic actions without depending on equity issuance.
Negative Factors
Weak Profitability
Operating and net losses following prior strong years indicate a structural earnings gap. Continued margin compression and modest revenue decline reduce retained capital, limit internal reinvestment, and heighten reliance on cash levers and cyclical recovery to restore sustainable profitability.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Cash Generation
Sustained positive operating and free cash flow amid accounting losses shows the business generates real cash from operations. This durable cash generation supports debt repayment, dividends, working-capital flexibility and funding for strategic actions without depending on equity issuance.
Read all positive factors
Celanese (CE) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$7.75B
Dividend Yield0.29%
Average Volume (3M)2.56M
Price to Earnings (P/E)61.0
Beta (1Y)0.86
Revenue Growth-7.16%
EPS Growth23.87%
CountryUS
Employees11,000
SectorBasic Materials
Sector Strength58
IndustryChemicals
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)0.67
Shares Outstanding111,922,760
10 Day Avg. Volume2,305,435
30 Day Avg. Volume2,556,969
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio0.17
Price to Book (P/B)1.14
Price to Sales (P/S)0.49
P/FCF Ratio5.77
Enterprise Value/Market Cap2.45
Enterprise Value/Revenue1.99
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit9.90
Enterprise Value/Ebitda64.92
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$65.47Price Target Upside5.54% Upside
Rating ConsensusModerate Buy
Number of Analyst Covering16
EPS Forecast (FY)5.48
Revenue Forecast (FY)$9.78B
Celanese Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Celanese Corporation, a technology and specialty materials company, manufactures and sells high performance engineered polymers in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Engineered Materials, Acetate To...
How the Company Makes Money
Celanese primarily makes money by producing chemical and materials products and selling them to business customers (B2B) under supply agreements and purchase orders, generating revenue largely based on shipment volumes and market- and contract-bas...
Celanese Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Any
Net Sales By Segment
Reveals revenue generated from each business unit, highlighting which segments drive growth and where the company might need to improve or expand.
Reveals revenue generated from each business unit, highlighting which segments drive growth and where the company might need to improve or expand.
Data provided by:
The Fly
The FlyCelanese Earnings Call Summary
Earnings Call Date:Feb 17, 2026
(Q4-2025)
| % Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 05, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The call presented a mixed picture: material operational weakness in 2025 (notably in the Acetyl Chain and acetate tow) and ongoing demand/headwinds in parts of Asia were balanced by strong management focus on cash generation, refinancing, targeted cost actions, divestiture progress, and clear free cash flow guidance ($650–$750M). Management expressed confidence in hitting cash and deleveraging targets while acknowledging near-term H1 pressure (inventory timing and scheduled turnarounds) and the need for market stabilization in certain product lines. Overall, improvements are primarily expected through cash/cost levers and selective growth in Engineered Materials (electronics and select auto/medical), with stabilization in challenged pockets anticipated by mid-year rather than immediate recovery.Positive Updates
Focused Cash Generation and Refinancing
Management emphasized cash generation as the primary priority, noting successful bond refinancing, materially lower near-term maturities, and confidence in deleveraging without issuing equity.
Negative Updates
Significant EBIT Declines in 2025
Adjusted EBIT fell materially in 2025: Acetyl Chain down approximately $400 million year-over-year and Engineered Materials down approximately $120 million, driven largely by volume and price deterioration (mix also a factor).
Read all updates
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive
Negative
Focused Cash Generation and Refinancing
Management emphasized cash generation as the primary priority, noting successful bond refinancing, materially lower near-term maturities, and confidence in deleveraging without issuing equity.
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
Celanese guided 2026 free cash flow of $650–$750 million, driven by a targeted $100 million of additional inventory reductions (after a ~$390 million working‑capital improvement in 2025), lower cash interest (roughly $50 million), lower cash taxes ($50–60 million), and reduced cash outlays for cost programs ($25–50 million); management reiterated an EPS improvement goal of $1–$2 versus 2025, expects results to be second‑half weighted, and still targets $1 billion of divestiture proceeds by 2027 (about halfway there with another deal expected in 2026), noted a Q1 $30 million inventory tailwind likely to reverse in Q2 alongside a sizable POM turnaround (Q2 impact in the same ~$30 million range), cited Lanaken closure savings of $20–25 million full year (~$5–10 million in 2026), expects China SIGTOE dividends of ~ $40 million per quarter, and highlighted operating leverage (≈ $15–20 million per 1% volume in Acetyl Chain; ≈ $20–25 million per 1% in Engineered Materials) with interest expense likely flat on the P&L year‑over‑year.Celanese Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
24
Negative
Balance Sheet
52
Neutral
Cash Flow
63
Positive
| Breakdown | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | |||||
| Total Revenue | 9.54B | 10.28B | 10.94B | 9.67B | 8.54B |
| Gross Profit | 1.79B | 2.36B | 2.60B | 2.38B | 2.68B |
| EBITDA | 292.00M | 503.00M | 2.61B | 2.30B | 2.72B |
| Net Income | -1.17B | -1.52B | 1.96B | 1.89B | 1.89B |
Balance Sheet | |||||
| Total Assets | 21.70B | 22.86B | 26.60B | 26.27B | 11.97B |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 1.26B | 962.00M | 1.80B | 1.51B | 546.00M |
| Total Debt | 12.93B | 12.95B | 14.10B | 15.13B | 4.20B |
| Total Liabilities | 17.22B | 17.25B | 19.05B | 20.17B | 7.44B |
| Stockholders Equity | 4.05B | 5.17B | 7.09B | 5.64B | 4.19B |
Cash Flow | |||||
| Free Cash Flow | 803.00M | 531.00M | 1.33B | 1.28B | 1.29B |
| Operating Cash Flow | 1.15B | 966.00M | 1.90B | 1.82B | 1.76B |
| Investing Cash Flow | -349.00M | -470.00M | -134.00M | -11.14B | -1.12B |
| Financing Cash Flow | -513.00M | -1.31B | -1.46B | 10.29B | -1.04B |
Celanese Technical Analysis
Neutral
62.03
Price Trends
57.97
Positive
50.78
Positive
48.44
Positive
Market Momentum
2.33
Positive
50.66
Neutral
62.88
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CE, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 62.03 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 63.20, above the 50-day MA of 57.97, and above the 200-day MA of 48.44, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 2.33 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 50.66 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 62.88 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for CE.
Celanese Risk Analysis
Celanese disclosed 4 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Celanese reported the most risks in the "Macro & Political" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks
Celanese Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
65 Neutral | $681.77M | 9.44 | 6.06% | 3.81% | 0.31% | 11.36% | |
61 Neutral | $10.43B | 7.12 | -0.05% | 2.87% | 2.86% | -36.73% | |
61 Neutral | $2.55B | -10.86 | -10.06% | 8.44% | -4.74% | -149.27% | |
57 Neutral | $7.75B | 60.97 | -25.13% | 0.29% | -7.16% | 23.87% | |
52 Neutral | $29.04B | -16.88 | -16.73% | 9.17% | -7.74% | -1093.11% | |
51 Neutral | $1.65B | -1.41 | -29.85% | 8.27% | -5.86% | -875.49% | |
43 Neutral | $1.36B | -0.66 | 142.56% | ― | -12.21% | 10.85% |
* Basic Materials Sector Average
CE
Celanese
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24.57
55.01%
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Celanese Corporate Events
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Celanese Expands Board, Adds Industry Veteran Anne Noonan
Positive
Apr 20, 2026
On April 16, 2026, Celanese Corporation’s board voted to expand its membership from nine to 10 directors and elected industry veteran Anne P. Noonan, 62, to the board, effective April 20, 2026, with plans for her to stand for re-election at ...
Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Celanese Shareholders Back Board, Auditor and Executive Pay
Positive
Apr 17, 2026
On April 16, 2026, Celanese Corporation held its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, where investors voted on the election of nine directors, the ratification of KPMG LLP as independent auditor for 2026, and an advisory resolution on executive co...
Executive/Board Changes
Celanese Announces Routine Board Transition After Director Resignation
Neutral
Mar 4, 2026
On February 27, 2026, Celanese Corporation announced that Board member Timothy Go resigned from the Board of Directors, effective the same day. The company stated that his resignation did not stem from any disagreement over operations, policies, o...
Financial Disclosures
Celanese to Present Q4 and Full-Year 2025 Results
Neutral
Feb 17, 2026
On February 18, 2026, Celanese President and CEO Scott A. Richardson is scheduled to present the company’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 financial results to investors and analysts via a company-hosted webcast. The event materials, inclu...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.