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Clariant AG (CH:CLN)
:CLN

Clariant AG (CLN) AI Stock Analysis

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CH:CLN

Clariant AG

(CLN)

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Neutral 59 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:59Neutral
Price Target:
CHF9.00
▲(6.89% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/28/26
The score is held back primarily by weakening financial performance (revenue downtrend, 2025 net loss, and higher leverage), partially offset by improved cash flow and resilient EBITDA margins. Technically, the stock shows solid upward momentum, while valuation is mixed (loss-driven negative P/E but a ~5% dividend). Earnings-call commentary supports the margin story but also highlights weak end-market demand and restructuring costs.
Positive Factors
EBITDA margin improvement
A sustained ~230bp margin uplift to 17.9% reflects durable operational leverage from pricing, cost control and performance programs. Over 2–6 months, higher core margins improve cash generation capacity, fund restructuring and protect returns if revenues remain weak.
Improved cash generation
Stronger operating and free cash flow despite earnings volatility enhances liquidity and reduces near-term financing dependency. Consistent cash conversion supports investment, deleveraging and dividend policy resilience even if top-line growth is muted.
Diversified specialty-chemicals mix
A portfolio across personal care, catalysis and natural resources provides exposure diversification and higher-value, sticky customer relationships. Structural demand for sustainable, specialty inputs supports pricing power and longer-term product durability.
Negative Factors
Revenue downtrend & 2025 net loss
A multi-year revenue decline culminating in a 2025 net loss signals weakening demand and impaired growth momentum. Persisting top-line erosion constrains reinvestment, increases dependence on margin fixes, and raises execution risk over the medium term.
Rising leverage
Higher leverage reduces financial flexibility and raises interest and refinancing risk if profitability falters. With volatile net margins, elevated debt constrains funding for R&D, capex and acquisitions and makes the balance sheet more sensitive to downturns.
Weak end-markets & segment risk
Durable weakness in key segments (catalysts down sharply, adsorbents affected by regulatory uncertainty) reduces revenue visibility and exposes cyclicality. Structural demand shifts in China and renewable fuels can depress volumes and elongate recovery timelines.

Clariant AG (CLN) vs. iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF (EWL)

Clariant AG Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionClariant AG operates as a specialty chemical company worldwide. It operates through three segments: Care Chemicals, Catalysis, Natural Resources. The company offers flame retardants, performance additives, and advanced surface solutions for use in plastics, coatings, inks, and consumer applications; and catalysts for the petrochemical and fuel refining, synthesis gas, chemical, emissions control, specialty zeolites and zeolite-based, and custom catalyst markets. It also provides bentonite-based specialty products for the oil purification, foundry additive, feed additives, civil engineering, wastewater treatment, clay specialties, paper and detergent additive, PVC stabilizer, BTX-catalyst, and kerosene and jet fuel purification industries. In addition, the company offers industrial and consumer specialty chemicals and application solutions for the automotive brake fluid and coolant, aircraft anti-itching and deicing fluid, construction chemical, agrochemical and agricultural adjuvants, food ingredients, gas treatment, heat transfer fluid, home care, industrial cleaning, industrial lubricant additive, special solvent, paint and coating, healthcare, and personal care ingredient markets. Further, it offers oilfield production chemicals for enhanced oil recovery, offshore and deep water, conventional and unconventional oil and gas, heavy oil, paraffin control technologies, and well services additives, as well as Veritrax, an intelligent chemical management system; chemical solutions for the end-to-end mining process; refinery services' additives; biofuels and derivatives, such as sunliquid, an agricultural residue converted to cellulosic ethanol; and organic, inorganic, and anti-corrosive pigments, as well as pigment preparations, dyes, and specialty material for use in coatings, plastics, printing and digital printing, home, fabric, personal care, and other applications. Clariant AG was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Muttenz, Switzerland.
How the Company Makes MoneyClariant AG generates revenue primarily through the sale of specialty chemicals across its various sectors. The company's revenue model is driven by its ability to provide high-value, innovative solutions to meet the specific needs of its customers in different industries. Key revenue streams include sales from care chemicals, which are used in personal care and household products; catalysis, which provides catalysts for industrial processes; and natural resources, which involves products for oil and mining industries. Clariant also benefits from strategic partnerships with other companies and organizations, enhancing its product offerings and market reach. Additionally, the company's focus on sustainability and development of eco-friendly products further strengthens its position in the market and attracts a growing customer base committed to sustainable practices.

Clariant AG Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Oct 30, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 08, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
Clariant demonstrated strong performance improvement in terms of EBITDA margin and cost management, with significant savings achieved. However, these achievements were tempered by challenges in sales growth, particularly in the Catalysts segment and due to currency effects. The company remains optimistic about maintaining profitability margins despite a challenging market environment.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
EBITDA Margin Improvement
Clariant achieved a significant margin improvement of 230 basis points to 17.9%, driven by performance improvement programs and effective price and cost management. EBITDA before exceptional items increased by 5% in absolute terms to CHF 162 million.
Savings Program Progress
Clariant achieved savings of CHF 19 million in Q3, bringing the total savings to CHF 31 million in the first 9 months of 2025. The program is on track to deliver CHF 80 million by 2027.
Care Chemicals Margin Uplift
Care Chemicals recorded a strong margin uplift to 18.9%, representing a 150 basis points improvement, driven by positive mix, pricing discipline, and contributions from the performance improvement programs.
Adsorbents and Additives Growth
Sales in Adsorbents and Additives increased by 1% in local currency, with profitability driven by pricing, mix effects, and benefits from performance improvement programs.
Negative Updates
Sales Decline
Clariant experienced a 3% decrease in sales in local currencies and a 9% decrease in Swiss francs, impacted by a 6% negative currency translation effect.
Catalysts Segment Weakness
Sales in the Catalysts segment decreased by 8% in local currency due to lower volumes and weak demand, particularly in China, with a high double-digit percentage rate decline in Propylene and Catalysts.
Challenges in U.S. Renewable Fuels
Adsorbents sales in the Americas decreased at a high single-digit percentage rate, impacted by regulatory uncertainties and temporary weakness in demand for biodiesel and SAF.
Company Guidance
In the recent third-quarter conference call, Clariant provided guidance for the full year 2025, indicating that the company expects local currency sales growth at the lower end of its 1% to 3% range, attributable to weaker industrial production and consumer sentiment. The company reaffirmed its profitability target, projecting an EBITDA margin before exceptional items of 17% to 18%, reflecting confidence in maintaining improved profitability levels. Clariant achieved significant growth in EBITDA before exceptional items in Q3 2025, with an increase of 5% in absolute terms to CHF 162 million, despite a 3% sales decrease in local currencies. The company also reported a margin improvement of 230 basis points to 17.9%, supported by performance improvement programs and effective price and cost management. Clariant's savings program contributed CHF 19 million in Q3, bringing total savings to CHF 31 million for the first nine months of 2025, with an ultimate goal of achieving CHF 80 million by 2027. However, the company anticipates booking CHF 75 million in restructuring charges related to this program in 2025.

Clariant AG Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Results are mixed: cash generation improved and operating margins held in the mid-to-high teens, but revenues remain in a multi-year decline and the company returned to a net loss in 2025. Rising leverage (debt-to-equity up to ~1.07) adds balance-sheet risk if profitability does not stabilize.
Income Statement
44
Neutral
Revenue has been in a multi-year downtrend (down again in 2025), and earnings quality has weakened: after a profitable 2023–2024, the company swung back to a net loss in 2025. Operating profitability remains moderate (EBITDA margin has held in the mid-teens in 2024–2025), but net margin volatility and the return to losses reduce confidence in the earnings trajectory.
Balance Sheet
48
Neutral
Leverage has moved higher recently: debt rose in 2025 and debt-to-equity increased to ~1.07 from ~0.81 in 2024, which limits flexibility versus prior years. Equity remains substantial, but the 2025 net loss pushed return on equity negative, highlighting pressure on shareholder returns and increasing balance-sheet risk if profitability does not stabilize.
Cash Flow
63
Positive
Cash generation is a relative bright spot: operating cash flow stayed solid in 2025 and free cash flow improved meaningfully versus 2024, supporting liquidity despite weaker earnings. However, cash flow conversion remains only moderate (operating cash flow is well below reported EBITDA), and free cash flow has been inconsistent historically (including very weak free cash flow in 2021).
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Mar 2022
Income Statement
Total Revenue3.92B4.15B4.38B5.20B4.37B
Gross Profit1.22B1.26B1.20B1.02B1.29B
EBITDA650.00M696.00M510.00M337.00M723.00M
Net Income-75.00M244.00M134.00M-101.00M344.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets5.87B6.26B5.35B6.19B7.04B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments617.00M471.00M593.00M758.00M476.00M
Total Debt2.16B1.88B1.35B1.46B1.95B
Total Liabilities3.69B3.76B3.17B3.67B4.49B
Stockholders Equity2.02B2.33B2.02B2.34B2.36B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow234.00M209.00M214.00M290.00M3.00M
Operating Cash Flow379.00M418.00M421.00M502.00M363.00M
Investing Cash Flow-309.00M-805.00M45.00M140.00M-143.00M
Financing Cash Flow-28.00M277.00M-356.00M-652.00M-538.00M

Clariant AG Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price8.42
Price Trends
50DMA
7.58
Positive
100DMA
7.34
Positive
200DMA
7.86
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.17
Positive
RSI
63.68
Neutral
STOCH
65.37
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CH:CLN, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 8.42 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 8.10, above the 50-day MA of 7.58, and above the 200-day MA of 7.86, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.17 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 63.68 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 65.37 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for CH:CLN.

Clariant AG Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
70
Outperform
CHF28.53B26.642.24%5.93%6.00%
69
Neutral
CHF25.59B24.512.23%-1.05%-1.46%
66
Neutral
CHF14.95B32.0022.08%3.16%-4.25%-0.03%
61
Neutral
$10.43B7.12-0.05%2.87%2.86%-36.73%
59
Neutral
$2.78B-36.635.38%5.97%-2.40%38.08%
* Basic Materials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CH:CLN
Clariant AG
8.43
-1.12
-11.71%
CH:GIVN
Givaudan SA
3,092.00
-893.41
-22.42%
CH:SIKA
Sika AG
159.50
-65.57
-29.13%
CH:EMSN
EMS-CHEMIE HOLDING AG
639.00
26.06
4.25%
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.Date of analysis: Feb 28, 2026