Chemical stocks defy expectations after ratings changes

  • DuPont stock double-downgraded to Sell from Buy
  • Dow Inc. stock upgraded to Buy from Hold
  • Chemical stocks not reacting as expected to ratings changes
  • Analyst sees petrochemical industry improving
  • Concerns about legal liabilities impacting DuPont
  • Celanese and FMC stocks also downgraded
  • Investors hesitant to buy chemical stocks

DuPont stock received a double-downgrade from Buy to Sell, causing its price to drop. In contrast, Dow Inc. saw an upgrade from Hold to Buy, but its stock did not see a significant increase. This unusual reaction is observed across the chemical industry after ratings changes from BofA Securities. Analyst Steve Byrne believes that the petrochemical industry is improving, predicting 50% Ebitda growth for Dow by 2025. However, concerns about legal liabilities related to PFAS chemicals continue to impact DuPont. Byrne also downgraded Celanese and FMC stocks, citing various factors such as stock performance and falling incomes for farmers. Despite these changes, investors remain hesitant to buy chemical stocks, with lower Buy-rating ratios compared to the S&P 500 average.

Public Companies: DuPont (unknown), Dow Inc. (unknown), Celanese (unknown), FMC (unknown), Ecolab (unknown)
Private Companies:
Key People: Steve Byrne (Analyst)

Factuality Level: 7
Justification: The article provides information about ratings changes for chemical stocks by BofA Securities analyst Steve Byrne. It includes details about the downgrades and upgrades for specific stocks, as well as the reasons behind them. The article also mentions the performance of the stocks and the analyst’s price targets. Overall, the information provided seems to be factual and based on the analyst’s opinions and assessments.

Noise Level: 3
Justification: The article provides information about ratings changes for chemical stocks, but it lacks depth and analysis. It mainly focuses on the actions of the analyst and the stock performance without providing much context or insights. The article also includes some irrelevant information about the Buy-rating ratio for Dow and DuPont.

Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: Chemical industry, specifically DuPont, Dow Inc., Celanese, FMC, and Ecolab

Presence of Extreme Event: No
Nature of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating of the Extreme Event: No
Justification: The article discusses ratings changes for several chemical companies, which can impact their stock prices and potentially the overall chemical industry. However, there is no mention of any extreme events or significant financial impacts.

Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com