US-based acetyls and engineered materials producer Celanese reported a Q1 adjusted earnings/share of USD2.01, beating its earlier guidance of USD1.50-1.75, said the company.
Despite the guidance beat, the company's first quarter net income still fell year on year. The following tables show the company's Q1 financial performance. Figures are in millions of dollars. So far, underlying demand in April and May have increased by insignificant amounts over March. The increase has been too small to support higher prices.
In such a market, Celanese is trying to modestly increase volumes in the second quarter given its stronger start when compared with that for the first quarter. Also, the company wants to preserve its pricing spreads over raw-material costs.
Celanese expects adjusted earnings/share to reach USD2.50 in the second quarter, an increase that it attributes to steps taken by the company. Adjusted earnings/share could increase higher if demand increases to the extent that it could support higher prices, particularly in the company's Acetyl Chain business.
For the Acetyl Chain business, adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) should be USD330m-360m. That compares with USD316m in Q1 adjusted EBIT.
For Engineered Materials, Celanese expects to report USD235m-260m in adjusted EBIT. That compared with USD215m in adjusted EBIT that Celanese reported in the first quarter.
We remind, Celanese Corporation, a global chemical and specialty materials company, announced today two joint venture (JV) actions with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. to extend their longstanding strategic partnership. Celanese announced the signing of a term sheet to form a Food Ingredients JV with Mitsui, subject to customary approvals.
Celanese Corporation is a global chemical leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications.
mrchub.com