LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB), headquartered in Houston, Texas, operates as a chemical company. Valued at $17.2 billion by market cap, the company manufactures plastic, chemical, and fuel products. It offers products for the manufacturing of personal care products, fresh food packaging, lightweight plastics, construction materials, automotive, and more.
Shares of this global leader in developing and supplying materials have considerably underperformed the broader market over the past year. LYB has declined 45.5% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 16.1%. In 2025, LYB stock is down 28.7%, compared to the SPX’s 9.7% rise on a YTD basis.
Narrowing the focus, LYB’s underperformance is also apparent compared to the Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLB). The exchange-traded fund has declined about 1.2% over the past year. Moreover, the ETF’s 6.4% returns on a YTD basis outshine the stock’s double-digit losses over the same time frame.
On Aug. 1, LYB shares closed down more than 7% after reporting its Q2 results. Its revenue stood at $7.7 billion, down 11.8% year over year. The company’s adjusted EPS declined 71.8% from the year-ago quarter to $0.62.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect LYB’s EPS to decline 53.1% to $3 on a diluted basis. The company’s earnings surprise history is disappointing. It missed the consensus estimate in three of the last four quarters while matching the forecast on another occasion.
Among the 19 analysts covering LYB stock, the consensus is a “Hold.” That’s based on three “Strong Buy” ratings, one “Moderate Buy,” 12 “Holds,” and three “Strong Sells.”
This configuration is less bullish than three months ago, with four analysts suggesting a “Strong Buy.”
On Aug. 7, Joshua Spector from UBS maintained a “Sell” rating on LYB with a price target of $44.
The mean price target of $62.74 represents an 18.5% premium to LYB’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $90 suggests an ambitious upside potential of 70%.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani 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.
