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Westlake Corporation (WLK)
NYSE:WLK
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Westlake Corporation (WLK) AI Stock Analysis

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WLK

Westlake Corporation

(NYSE:WLK)

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Neutral 49 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:49Neutral
Price Target:
$88.00
▼(-21.85% Downside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:06/16/26
The score is held back primarily by sharply weakened financial performance (margin collapse, recent losses, and negative free cash flow). Technicals also lean bearish with the stock below key moving averages and negative MACD. Offsetting factors are moderate valuation support via the dividend, a cautiously optimistic earnings outlook tied to cost-savings/EBITDA uplift targets, and corporate actions that bolster strategic footprint and liquidity.
Positive Factors
Liquidity & Balance‑Sheet Cushion
The company holds meaningful liquidity (about $2.5B cash) against manageable gross debt (~$5.6B) and has recent actions calling debt. That cushion supports capex, working capital and opportunistic M&A while margins recover, reducing near‑term refinancing and covenant risk.
Negative Factors
Margin & Profitability Deterioration
A multi‑year collapse in margins to near‑break‑even and large net losses signal structural earnings impairment. This reduces reinvestment capacity, depresses returns on capital and means recovery depends on sustained favorable feedstock spreads, pricing and higher utilization—each outside short‑term control.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Liquidity & Balance‑Sheet Cushion
The company holds meaningful liquidity (about $2.5B cash) against manageable gross debt (~$5.6B) and has recent actions calling debt. That cushion supports capex, working capital and opportunistic M&A while margins recover, reducing near‑term refinancing and covenant risk.
Read all positive factors

Westlake Corporation (WLK) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Westlake Corporation Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description
Westlake Corporation operates as a global producer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers, and a diverse range of building materials. Its business activities are structured into two main divisions: Performance and Essential Materials, and Housin...
How the Company Makes Money
Westlake makes money primarily by manufacturing and selling chemicals and downstream building products. Its major revenue streams come from: (1) Petrochemicals—selling olefins and polyolefins (notably ethylene and polyethylene) to packaging, consu...

Westlake Corporation Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:May 05, 2026
(Q1-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Aug 04, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call conveyed a cautiously optimistic outlook: underlying operational progress and market tailwinds (Middle East-driven supply disruptions, strong sequential volume recovery, $150M Q1 EBITDA uplift and return of Epoxy to profitability) provide clear momentum. At the same time, near-term headwinds—primarily a transitory natural gas cost spike (~34% QoQ impact referenced), delayed seasonal demand from cold weather, PVC price-reset timing, GAAP one-time charges ($85M) and remaining litigation exposure—kept GAAP results negative and forced cautious guidance updates. Management expects the pricing and cost-saving actions to have stronger impact in Q2–Q3 and reiterated a $600M annual EBITDA improvement target, supporting a positive operational outlook despite near-term uncertainties.
Positive Updates
Solid Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA
Reported net sales of $2.7 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $235 million for Q1 2026 (non-GAAP, excludes identified items).
Negative Updates
GAAP Net Loss
Reported GAAP net loss of $100 million ($0.77 per share) in Q1 2026 versus a net loss of $33 million in Q1 2025; identified items ($85 million aggregate) were excluded from non-GAAP commentary.
Read all updates
Q1-2026 Updates
Negative
Solid Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA
Reported net sales of $2.7 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $235 million for Q1 2026 (non-GAAP, excludes identified items).
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
Management guided HIP revenue toward the lower end of the previously communicated $4.4–$4.6 billion range with an HIP EBITDA margin of 19%–21% (all excl. identified items), reiterated company 2026 capex of $900 million (≈$100 million below 2025) and expected cash interest of about $215 million, and reconfirmed a 2026 target to deliver $600 million of EBITDA uplift from its 3‑pillar plan (≈$150 million of that uplift realized in Q1). They said the ~$45 million Q1 natural‑gas EBITDA headwind is transitory, cited a favorable FIFO pretax estimate of $37 million in Q1, and noted balance‑sheet and cash metrics of $2.5 billion cash & investments, $5.6 billion total debt (with $500 million of debt to be called in Q2) and Q1 operating cash use of $94 million; Q1 results were $2.7 billion sales, $235 million EBITDA and a $100 million net loss ($0.77/sh), and identified items totaled $85 million ($67M legal settlement + $18M shutdown costs).

Westlake Corporation Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Overall fundamentals are pressured: revenue has trended down and profitability collapsed, with large net losses in 2025 and TTM. Balance-sheet support remains decent (sizable equity base; leverage not extreme), but cash generation has weakened and free cash flow is negative, reducing financial flexibility until margins recover.
Income Statement
24
Negative
Balance Sheet
56
Neutral
Cash Flow
35
Negative
BreakdownTTMDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue10.98B11.17B12.14B12.55B15.79B11.78B
Gross Profit139.00M289.00M1.96B2.22B4.07B3.50B
EBITDA-449.00M-199.00M2.21B1.96B4.18B3.69B
Net Income-1.64B-1.51B602.00M479.00M2.25B2.02B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets19.71B19.96B20.75B21.04B20.55B18.46B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments2.48B2.93B2.92B3.30B2.23B1.91B
Total Debt6.42B6.41B5.28B5.52B5.50B5.64B
Total Liabilities10.66B10.67B9.71B10.27B10.09B9.93B
Stockholders Equity8.55B8.79B10.53B10.24B9.93B7.96B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-508.00M-530.00M306.00M1.30B2.29B1.74B
Operating Cash Flow448.00M465.00M1.31B2.34B3.40B2.39B
Investing Cash Flow-1.06B-1.22B-1.00B-1.04B-2.48B-3.21B
Financing Cash Flow563.00M530.00M-650.00M-245.00M-587.00M1.44B

Westlake Corporation Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price112.61
Price Trends
50DMA
98.05
Negative
100DMA
100.49
Negative
200DMA
87.42
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-3.51
Negative
RSI
26.04
Positive
STOCH
10.18
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For WLK, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 112.61 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 86.27, above the 50-day MA of 98.05, and above the 200-day MA of 87.42, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -3.51 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 26.04 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 10.18 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for WLK.

Westlake Corporation Risk Analysis

Westlake Corporation disclosed 34 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Westlake Corporation reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Westlake Corporation Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
66
Neutral
$18.91B-81.15-2.35%1.10%7.87%69.44%
65
Neutral
$8.29B20.716.77%5.33%-7.41%-56.10%
63
Neutral
$22.04B27.6014.69%18.36%35.24%
61
Neutral
$10.43B7.12-0.05%2.87%2.86%-36.73%
54
Neutral
$6.54B-11.78-9.59%-1.99%-176.82%
52
Neutral
$19.39B-24.39-7.44%12.78%-21.87%-176.90%
49
Neutral
$10.29B-6.28-17.68%2.88%-8.63%-524.43%
* Basic Materials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
WLK
Westlake Corporation
80.28
8.62
12.03%
ALB
Albemarle
160.35
103.30
181.08%
EMN
Eastman Chemical
72.49
1.04
1.46%
LYB
LyondellBasell
60.07
6.84
12.86%
SQM
Sociedad Quimica Y Minera SA
79.69
47.02
143.93%
AVTR
Avantor
9.58
-3.85
-28.67%

Westlake Corporation Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyM&A Transactions
Westlake Expands European Chlorovinyls Footprint with German Acquisition
Positive
Jun 15, 2026
On June 15, 2026, Westlake Corporation announced that its German subsidiary, Westlake Vinnolit GmbH Co. KG, completed the acquisition of a polyvinyl chloride and vinyl chloride monomer production site in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, which had been in ...
Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Westlake Shareholders Endorse Board, Pay and Auditor
Positive
May 18, 2026
At its annual meeting of stockholders held on May 14, 2026, Westlake Corporation’s shareholders elected five members to the Board of Directors, confirming the company’s existing governance structure and leadership continuity. The vote ...
Business Operations and StrategyFinancial DisclosuresLegal Proceedings
Westlake Posts Q1 2026 Loss Amid Restructuring Efforts
Negative
May 5, 2026
In the first quarter of 2026, Westlake Corporation reported net sales of $2.7 billion, a net loss of $169 million, or $1.31 per share, and EBITDA of $150 million, with results weighed down by an $85 million impact from identified items including a...
Business Operations and StrategyM&A Transactions
Westlake Eyes German PVC Asset in Strategic Expansion
Positive
May 1, 2026
On April 27, 2026, Westlake Corporation and its subsidiary Westlake Vinnolit GmbH Co. KG signed a non-binding letter of intent with the preliminary insolvency administrator of VYNOVA Wilhelmshaven GmbH to acquire a polyvinyl chloride and vinyl ch...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Westlake Corporation Names Jonathan Baksht as New CFO
Positive
Apr 20, 2026
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 a...
Legal Proceedings
Westlake Settles Direct Purchaser PVC Antitrust Lawsuit
Negative
Apr 14, 2026
Westlake Corporation and other PVC pipe and fittings manufacturers have faced ten putative class action lawsuits in Illinois, filed between August 2024 and June 2025, alleging a conspiracy with an industry publication to fix, raise, maintain and s...
Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
Westlake Boosts Liquidity with New $1.5 Billion Credit Facility
Positive
Apr 6, 2026
On April 2, 2026, Westlake Corporation entered into a new unsecured revolving credit agreement providing up to $1.5 billion in borrowing capacity, replacing an existing facility of the same size that was terminated that day without costs or penalt...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Westlake Announces Leadership Transition in Key Materials Segment
Positive
Apr 2, 2026
On March 30, 2026, Westlake Corporation’s board approved a leadership transition tied to the planned retirement of Robert F. Buesinger, who has been serving as Executive Vice President and head of the Performance Essential Materials segment...
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: Jun 16, 2026