With a market cap of $20.6 billion, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB) is a global leader in the chemical industry, developing innovative solutions that support sustainable living and enable a circular, low-carbon economy. As one of the world’s largest polymer producers and a leader in polyolefin technologies, the company delivers high-quality products for applications including sustainable transportation, food safety, clean water and healthcare.
Shares of LyondellBasell Industries have underperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks. LYB stock has risen 19.6% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 20.4%. However, the stock has soared 47.4% on a YTD basis, outpacing SPX's 13.5% return.
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Looking closer, shares of the Rotterdam, the Netherlands-based company have exceeded the State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLB) 16.2% increase over the past 52 weeks.
www.barchart.com LyondellBasell Industries shares rose 2.7% on Jul. 31 as Q2 2026 results significantly exceeded the prior quarter, with EPS of $4.30 and EBITDA of $2.1 billion, more than tripling from Q1’s $0.49 EPS and $615 million EBITDA, driven by Middle East supply disruptions that lifted margins. Investor sentiment was further supported by management’s view that ~6 million tons of Middle East polyethylene capacity (20% - 25% of regional supply) may remain offline until at least 2027, while LYB announced a $0.10/lb polyethylene price increase for August and maintained its $500 million incremental cash flow target by year-end 2026.
For the fiscal year ending in December 2026, analysts expect LyondellBasell Industries' EPS to grow 452.4% year-over-year to $9.39. The company's earnings surprise history is mixed. It beat the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion.
Among the 20 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on seven “Strong Buy” ratings, two “Moderate Buys,” eight “Holds,” one “Moderate Sell,” and two “Strong Sells.”
www.barchart.com This configuration is slightly more bullish than three months ago, with six “Strong Buy” ratings on the stock.
On Aug. 3, BMO Capital raised LyondellBasell Industries’ price target to $68 and maintained a “Market Perform" rating.
The mean price target of $69.30 represents an 8.5% premium to LYB’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $88 suggests a 37.8% potential upside.
On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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