Street View: Limited earnings upside for Celanese amid persistent headwinds

Chemicals maker Celanese CE.N forecast third-quarter profit below estimates on Monday, anticipating waning demand across most of its key markets in the second half of 2025

Shares down 16% in premarket trading

EXTENDED HEADWINDS TO IMPACT FUTURE EARNINGS

RBC Capital Markets ("sector perform," PT: $63) says it does not expect material earnings upside for the company in the next year on persistent headwinds in construction, industrial and auto sectors

"CE did mention auto destocking in Europe has eased and continued alleviation of inventory actions could result in an uplift in 2026" - brokerage

Baird ("outperform," PT: $67) says Q3 guidance is irrespectively likely to weigh on investor sentiment despite significant year-to-date underperformance

"In our opinion, while the management team of Celanese is pulling on the right self-improvement levers (cost-outs/asset sales/maximizing cash flow) ... end-market volumes remain at a low point - with 3Q earnings partly impacted by inventory reduction initiatives," - brokerage