DuPont lifts 2026 profit, sales forecasts on price hikes

DuPont de Nemours

05/05/2026 11:01

May 5 (Reuters) - Industrial materials maker DuPont DD.N raised its annual forecast for adjusted profit and sales after beating first-quarter earnings estimates on Tuesday, driven by price hikes and gains from the sale of its Kevlar-producing Aramids business.

The escalation of the Iran conflict has disrupted oil and petrochemical flows through the Strait of Hormuz, tightening global chemicals supply and raising prices of plastics, polymers and resins.

"Our full-year net sales guidance now assumes about 4% organic growth, including about 1% of pricing due to actions taken to fully offset higher input costs related to the Middle East conflict," said Chief Financial Officer Antonella Franzen.

DuPont raised its 2026 adjusted earnings forecast to between $2.35 and $2.40 per share, from its previous range of $2.25 to $2.30 per share.

It now expects annual net sales of $7.16 billion to $7.26 billion, compared with its prior forecast of $7.08 billion to $7.14 billion.

DuPont on April 1 said it had completed the sale of Aramids, its heat-resistant fiber business that houses brands such as body armor maker Kevlar, to peer Arclin for $1.8 billion.

Net sales at the healthcare and water technologies segment rose 5.6% to $806 million in the quarter, driven by growth in medical packaging and biopharma markets.

Meanwhile, sales at its diversified industrials unit rose 3% to $875 million, as strength in the aerospace and automotive sectors offset ongoing weakness in construction markets.

On an adjusted basis, the company posted a profit of 55 cents per share for the three months ended March 31, beating the average of analysts' estimates of 48 cents, according to data compiled by LSEG.

 (Reporting by Pooja Menon in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)

 ((Pooja.Menon@thomsonreuters.com;))