New York, Feb 3, 2026, 15:20 EST — Regular session
- Shares of LyondellBasell surged Tuesday following revised price targets from analysts.
- Investors are balancing short-term margin squeezes with ongoing cost reductions and cash flow strategies.
- Plastics prices continue to fluctuate, driven by energy costs and weather-related supply disruptions.
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. shares surged 6.4% to $53.46 in Tuesday afternoon trading, earlier peaking at $54.72. RBC Capital raised its price target to $51 from $49 but kept a “Sector Perform” rating, warning that the upcoming quarter might still be challenging. (TipRanks)
The shift matters because plastics and chemicals stocks are acting like a macro barometer again: even small changes in earnings forecasts can swing sentiment. For LyondellBasell, the key is spreads — the difference between the cost of oil- and gas-based feedstocks and the revenue from selling resins and fuels.
This comes as analysts digest last week’s earnings and adjust their 2026 forecasts—right around the time target updates start stacking up. A “price target” reflects an analyst’s fair-value guess; ratings like “Sector Perform” or “Equal Weight” typically signal returns expected to match the broader group.
Wells Fargo’s Michael Sison lifted his price target on the stock to $48 from $45, while keeping an “Equal Weight” rating. He pointed out the shares have recovered since December but cautioned that “trough-like earnings will linger well into 2026.” The firm also cut its estimates again. (TipRanks)
Citigroup’s Patrick Cunningham raised his price target to $49 from $46, maintaining a neutral rating. (TipRanks)
The buying spree wasn’t confined to a single stock. On Monday, the Dow and S&P 500 climbed broadly, with chemical companies like Dow Inc. and Westlake Corporation seeing notably strong gains that day. (MarketWatch)
In its Jan. 30 earnings release, the company announced it exceeded its 2025 “Cash Improvement Plan” goal and bumped the cumulative target to $1.3 billion by the end of 2026. That includes an extra $500 million in cash compared to 2025 actuals. CEO Peter Vanacker said the company is “increasing” that cumulative goal. Management also noted ongoing swings in feedstock and energy prices, plus winter storm-related supply cuts, which have helped bolster polyethylene price hikes in North America. (LyondellBasell Investors)
But the downside scenario remains straightforward. On Tuesday, generation outages on PJM Interconnection spiked sharply as a cold snap threw fuel supplies out of balance. Spot natural gas prices in Pennsylvania jumped dramatically—a shift that can quickly push up petrochemical input costs and squeeze margins. (mmBtu stands for million British thermal units, a standard gas pricing unit.) (Reuters)
Investors are gearing up for fresh insights on plastics demand and pricing as the company heads to key industry events—specifically, the AMI Polyethylene Films conference on Feb. 17 in Tampa and the Plastics Recycling Conference on Feb. 23 in San Diego. (LyondellBasell)
