Lanxess beats estimates but sees no recovery in core markets (updated)

LANXESS AG

07/08/2026 06:20

Adds share move in paragraph 2, CEO quote in paragraph 7 and analysts comments in paragraphs 10 and 11
By Ozan Ergenay
Aug 7 (Reuters) - Speciality chemicals maker Lanxess LXSG.DE on Friday reported quarterly core profit slightly above expectations, but left its full-year guidance unchanged and warned it saw no signs of a broader recovery in its core markets, sending its shares down around 5%.
Shares in the company were down 5% at 0956 GMT.
The Cologne-based company posted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) pre-exceptionals of 152 million euros ($175 million) in the second quarter, above analysts' forecast of 150.6 million euros in a poll provided on its website.
Lanxess confirmed its full-year guidance for EBITDA pre-exceptionals of 450 million to 550 million euros in 2026.
However, Lanxess said it saw no signs of a broader recovery in its core markets and expected conditions to remain challenging.

        The company said it was largely able to offset higher raw-material and energy costs through price increases, but cautioned that recent improvements did not signal a sustained turnaround.
"Nobody knows for how long this situation is going to continue in the Middle East, we therefore have to take the situation as it is and handle the challenges as best as we can on the customer side," Chief Executive Matthias Zachert told reporters.
Lanxess said higher demand, including temporary benefits stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, contributed to its performance.
The conflict has disrupted fuel and feedstock markets and raised costs across the chemicals industry. Some European producers have benefited as supply disruptions increased costs for Asian competitors and prompted customers to prioritise reliability over price.
"Despite the cautious tone, we believe the assumptions underpinning the guidance remain relatively conservative and continue to see the upper end of the range as the more likely outcome," Equita SIM analyst Massimo Bonisoli said.
"We therefore do not believe today's release provides sufficient evidence to materially change consensus estimates in either direction," he added.


 (Reporting by Ozan Ergenay in Gdansk, editing by Matt Scuffham)
 ((Ozan.Ergenay@thomsonreuters.com; +48 58 746 90 34))