New York, Jan 9, 2026, 11:45 EST — Regular session
- Westlake shares were up about 0.8% on Friday, coming off a 6.8% jump in the previous session
- Mizuho raised its price target to $88, while BofA cut its target to $82 and still kept a buy rating
- Investors are watching late-February earnings for hints on 2026 demand and pricing
Westlake Corp shares added to Friday’s gains, keeping Thursday’s sharp rebound going as investors digested new analyst target changes. The stock was up about 0.8% at $80.20 after jumping 6.8% on Thursday, and it traded between $78.49 and $81.19 during the session. 1
Westlake is worth watching here: it’s caught between U.S. housing and global industrial demand, two forces that have whipsawed chemical makers in recent quarters. The Houston-based group sells chemicals, polymers and building products, which keeps the stock exposed to swings in construction activity and commodity pricing. 2
BofA Securities this week cut its Westlake price target to $82 from $83 and reiterated a buy rating, analyst Matthew DeYoe said. He warned of another year of “growing oversupply” in commodities, but cited potential catalysts including firmer PMI readings — a survey-based gauge of factory activity — rate cuts and capacity rationalization in China. Still, the note said those supports were “too new to rely on.” 3
In a separate update, Mizuho lifted its price target on Westlake to $88 from $82 and kept an outperform rating, according to a GuruFocus report. A price target is an analyst’s estimate of where a stock could trade over the next year, and “outperform” flags an expectation the shares will beat peers or the broader market. 4
Brokerages have been busily revising their calls after Westlake earlier this week wrapped up its purchase of the ACI/Perplastic Group’s global compounding solutions businesses, according to a filing. Westlake said the transaction was complete in an 8-K, which included the related press release as an exhibit. 5
Technicians are also tracking whether the stock can punch through Thursday’s peak near $81.55, after shares whipsawed across a wide $73.50 to $81.55 band in the prior session. The stock’s previous close ahead of Thursday’s rally was $74.47, a handy nearby marker if pullback chatter picks up. 6
Chemicals were a mixed bag on Friday. Dow Inc added about 0.5%, while LyondellBasell and Olin each slipped roughly 0.5%, making Westlake’s move look more stock-specific than anything happening across the group.
The rebound leaves little room to get comfortable. If commodity spreads don’t loosen, or if housing and industrial demand don’t pick up, the stock’s rally could peter out fast — particularly while investors keep debating whether chemicals are actually bottoming or merely taking a breather.
Next on deck are earnings and 2026 guidance, where Westlake will need to spell out whether demand and pricing are finally stabilizing or still slipping. The company hasn’t put out a date, and Nasdaq’s earnings calendar currently lists Feb. 23 as an estimate for the next report. 7
