Celanese (CE)
NYSE:CE
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Celanese
(NYSE:CE)
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Rating:58Neutral
Price Target:
$67.00
▲(4.59% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/18/26
The score is held back primarily by weak current profitability (losses and compressed margins) and only moderate balance-sheet flexibility, partially offset by resilient positive free cash flow. Technicals are supportive with the stock trading above key moving averages, though momentum is overextended (RSI/Stoch), increasing pullback risk. Management’s 2026 free-cash-flow guidance and cash-focused execution plan provide some offset, but near-term operational headwinds and pricing/volume pressure keep the overall score in the mid-range.
Positive Factors
Strong cash generation
Despite recent net losses, Celanese generates solid trailing‑12‑month operating and free cash flow. Durable positive cash generation provides liquidity to fund operations, service debt, pursue divestitures and execute efficiency programs, supporting stability while earnings recover.
Negative Factors
Weak profitability
Trailing‑12‑month operating and net losses and meaningful margin compression erode earnings power. Sustained weak profitability reduces retained cash flow, limits reinvestment capacity, increases reliance on cash levers and divestitures, and lengthens the timeline to rebuild returns.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Strong cash generation
Despite recent net losses, Celanese generates solid trailing‑12‑month operating and free cash flow. Durable positive cash generation provides liquidity to fund operations, service debt, pursue divestitures and execute efficiency programs, supporting stability while earnings recover.
Read all positive factors
Celanese (CE) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$7.02B
Dividend Yield0.29%
Average Volume (3M)2.77M
Price to Earnings (P/E)―
Beta (1Y)0.92
Revenue Growth-7.34%
EPS Growth-382.79%
CountryUS
Employees11,000
SectorBasic Materials
Sector Strength58
IndustryChemicals
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)0.67
Shares Outstanding109,571,976
10 Day Avg. Volume2,625,501
30 Day Avg. Volume2,773,764
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 Cap1.03
Enterprise Value/Revenue0.76
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit3.77
Enterprise Value/Ebitda24.74
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$63.47Price Target Upside-0.92% Downside
Rating ConsensusModerate Buy
Number of Analyst Covering16
EPS Forecast (FY)5.04
Revenue Forecast (FY)$9.49B
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 | 13.13B | 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
Positive
64.06
Price Trends
54.51
Positive
48.20
Positive
47.99
Positive
Market Momentum
3.13
Negative
62.34
Neutral
73.54
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CE, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 64.06 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 58.82, above the 50-day MA of 54.51, and above the 200-day MA of 47.99, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 3.13 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 62.34 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 73.54 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
64 Neutral | $680.42M | 9.44 | 6.06% | 3.81% | -5.05% | 35.01% | |
61 Neutral | $10.43B | 7.12 | -0.05% | 2.87% | 2.86% | -36.73% | |
58 Neutral | $7.02B | -3.97 | -25.13% | 0.29% | -7.34% | -382.79% | |
56 Neutral | $29.71B | -6.34 | -15.53% | 9.17% | -5.25% | -208.14% | |
53 Neutral | $1.46B | -1.41 | -29.85% | 8.27% | -7.81% | -334.15% | |
51 Neutral | $2.25B | -6.29 | -10.06% | 8.44% | -3.46% | -191.77% | |
43 Neutral | $1.31B | -0.66 | 142.56% | ― | -10.68% | 36.31% |
* Basic Materials Sector Average
CE
Celanese
64.06
23.65
58.53%
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Celanese Corporate Events
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...
Executive/Board Changes
Celanese director Scott Sutton resigns for external CEO role
Neutral
Jan 6, 2026
On January 4, 2026, Celanese Corporation announced that Scott M. Sutton resigned from its Board of Directors as he assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer at Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc., with the company formally disclosing the move in a ...
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.