Major European Chemical Firms Stand by Full-Year 2026 Earnings Guidance
2026-6-11
Despite soft market fundamentals and murky industry outlooks recently, top European chemical players remain confident in their full-year 2026 operational targets, backed by rebounding demand and product price hikes logged in March and April alongside protracted supply chain disruptions stemming from tensions in the Middle East.
Leading chemical corporations noted that market tailwinds brought by geopolitical conflicts will underpin second-quarter revenue and earnings. Nevertheless, volatile global geopolitics together with bottlenecks in energy, feedstock and chemical trade chains render accurate forward market forecasting extremely challenging. Industry insiders widely expect raw material, logistics and shipping costs to stay elevated or even climb further in the coming months.
BASF reaffirmed its 2026 profitability guidance, projecting adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) in the range of EUR 6.2 billion to EUR 7.0 billion, compared with EUR 6.6 billion registered in 2025. The group acknowledged that rapid shifts in the Middle Eastern situation make it impossible to quantify the tangible fallout from the conflict for now. Its Chief Financial Officer stated that first-quarter results were bound by previously locked-in contracts, while pricing power across all business segments will gradually materialize in Q2, pointing to an overall positive performance trajectory.
Evonik Industries also kept its full-year earnings target unchanged, forecasting adjusted EBITDA of EUR 1.7 billion to EUR 2.0 billion. On May 8, the firm reported noticeable volume growth across select business lines starting March, driven by clientsĄŻ pre-emptive inventory building. Evonik projected Q2 to mark the earnings peak for 2026, with rising inflation in the second half set to curb consumption and investment and weigh on market demand. Mounted energy and key feedstock prices plus weakened supply chain reliability amid Middle Eastern tensions will sustain client stockpiling activity, offering near-term operational support through Q2.
Bayer AG confirmed its full-year performance outlook, targeting adjusted EBITDA of EUR 9.6 billion to EUR 10.1 billion and total revenue between EUR 45 billion and EUR 47 billion. The group warned exchange rate volatility will persist through 2026. Calculated based on April forward exchange rates, currency headwinds could slash revenue by roughly EUR 1 billion and earnings by around EUR 400 million, with the negative impact already evident in its Q1 financials.
Lanxess held fast to its annual profit target of adjusted EBITDA at EUR 450 million to EUR 550 million. The company cautioned the sluggish economic climate and geopolitical uncertainties seen in Q1 will linger, yet operational metrics will improve markedly in Q2. Supply chain disruptions hitting Asian chemical producers due to Middle Eastern strife have steered customers toward European suppliers. Leveraging consistent delivery capacity, Lanxess secured competitive edges and passed on inflated feedstock, energy and logistics expenses via product price hikes.
Wacker Chemie not only retained its profitability targets but also upgraded its full-year revenue forecast to a high single-digit growth band. The group said a flood of orders were pulled forward and booked in March amid Middle Eastern geopolitical strains, driving a sharp uptick in order volumes. However, senior executives underscored extreme market volatility, leaving substantial uncertainty hanging over its full-year earnings projection.
Leading chemical corporations noted that market tailwinds brought by geopolitical conflicts will underpin second-quarter revenue and earnings. Nevertheless, volatile global geopolitics together with bottlenecks in energy, feedstock and chemical trade chains render accurate forward market forecasting extremely challenging. Industry insiders widely expect raw material, logistics and shipping costs to stay elevated or even climb further in the coming months.
BASF reaffirmed its 2026 profitability guidance, projecting adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) in the range of EUR 6.2 billion to EUR 7.0 billion, compared with EUR 6.6 billion registered in 2025. The group acknowledged that rapid shifts in the Middle Eastern situation make it impossible to quantify the tangible fallout from the conflict for now. Its Chief Financial Officer stated that first-quarter results were bound by previously locked-in contracts, while pricing power across all business segments will gradually materialize in Q2, pointing to an overall positive performance trajectory.
Evonik Industries also kept its full-year earnings target unchanged, forecasting adjusted EBITDA of EUR 1.7 billion to EUR 2.0 billion. On May 8, the firm reported noticeable volume growth across select business lines starting March, driven by clientsĄŻ pre-emptive inventory building. Evonik projected Q2 to mark the earnings peak for 2026, with rising inflation in the second half set to curb consumption and investment and weigh on market demand. Mounted energy and key feedstock prices plus weakened supply chain reliability amid Middle Eastern tensions will sustain client stockpiling activity, offering near-term operational support through Q2.
Bayer AG confirmed its full-year performance outlook, targeting adjusted EBITDA of EUR 9.6 billion to EUR 10.1 billion and total revenue between EUR 45 billion and EUR 47 billion. The group warned exchange rate volatility will persist through 2026. Calculated based on April forward exchange rates, currency headwinds could slash revenue by roughly EUR 1 billion and earnings by around EUR 400 million, with the negative impact already evident in its Q1 financials.
Lanxess held fast to its annual profit target of adjusted EBITDA at EUR 450 million to EUR 550 million. The company cautioned the sluggish economic climate and geopolitical uncertainties seen in Q1 will linger, yet operational metrics will improve markedly in Q2. Supply chain disruptions hitting Asian chemical producers due to Middle Eastern strife have steered customers toward European suppliers. Leveraging consistent delivery capacity, Lanxess secured competitive edges and passed on inflated feedstock, energy and logistics expenses via product price hikes.
Wacker Chemie not only retained its profitability targets but also upgraded its full-year revenue forecast to a high single-digit growth band. The group said a flood of orders were pulled forward and booked in March amid Middle Eastern geopolitical strains, driving a sharp uptick in order volumes. However, senior executives underscored extreme market volatility, leaving substantial uncertainty hanging over its full-year earnings projection.