About this content About Josh Lamb After graduating from the University of Kent in the summer of 2022 with a degree in History, Josh joined Proactive later that year as a journalist in the UK editorial team. Josh has reported on a range of areas whilst at Proactive, including energy companies during a time of global crisis, aviation and airlines as the sector recovers from the pandemic, as well as covering economic, social and governance issues. Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and ...

Amid the DeepSeek sell-off and Trump’s tariff tantrums, the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index showed its resilience and emerged stronger than the other two major indices last month. The blue-chip index logged the best January since 2019, gaining 4.2%. SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) , which tracks the Dow Jones, gained nearly 4.4% in January. While most of the stocks in the fund’s portfolio pushed the ETF up, we have highlighted the ones that have led the way higher. These are 3M Company (MMM) ...

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EnglishItalianoEspañolPortuguêsDeutschالعربيةFrançaisImportant DisclaimersThe content provided on the website includes general news and publications, our personal analysis and opinions, and contents provided by third parties, which are intended for educational and research purposes only. It does not constitute, and should not be read as, any recommendation or advice to take any action whatsoever, including to make any investment or buy any product. When making any financial decision, you should perform your ...

Earnings Reports Overview - The earnings reports of major companies, including Caterpillar Inc (CAT) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT), are currently under scrutiny as they have recently released their financial results [1] Microsoft Corp (MSFT) - MSFT experienced a significant decline of 6%, trading at $416.03, marking its worst day since October and its fourth loss in five days [2] - Despite beating both top- and bottom-line estimates in its fiscal second quarter, MSFT provided a disappointing outlook for cloud growth and justified increased spending on artificial intelligence (AI) [2] - Following the earnings report, MSFT faced six price-target cuts, with BMO reducing its target from $510 to $500, making it the biggest loser on the Dow [3] - MSFT is also the second most-traded stock in options markets, with a notable interest in the weekly 1/31 420-strike call options [3] Caterpillar Inc (CAT) - CAT's stock fell by 4.3% to $376.12, despite reporting a profit beat for the fourth quarter, as it missed revenue expectations and lowered its sales forecast for 2025 [4] - The stock struggled to break through the $410 level in previous sessions, reflecting ongoing pressure since November [4] - CAT is experiencing its worst single-day percentage drop since September, although it still shows a year-over-year gain of 25.5% [4] - Options traders have shown a preference for calls, as indicated by CAT's 50-day call/put volume ratio of 1.54, which is higher than all other annual readings [5]

Core Viewpoint - Dow Inc. reported a narrower loss in Q4 2024 compared to the previous year, but missed earnings estimates and faced declining sales due to macroeconomic challenges [1][2][10]. Financial Performance - Dow recorded a loss of $53 million or 8 cents per share in Q4 2024, an improvement from a loss of $105 million or 15 cents per share in Q4 2023 [1]. - Adjusted earnings per share were break-even, down from 43 cents a year ago, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 23 cents [1][2]. - Net sales for the quarter were $10,405 million, a 2% decrease year over year, and below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10,427.5 million [2]. - For the full year 2024, revenues totaled $43 billion, down approximately 4% year over year, while earnings per share increased to $1.57 from 82 cents in the previous year [7]. Segment Performance - **Packaging & Specialty Plastics**: Sales fell 6% year over year to $5,315 million, below the estimate of $5,525.4 million, with volumes down 1% [4]. - **Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure**: Sales were flat at $2,948 million, below the estimate of $2,961.9 million, with local prices down 1% [5]. - **Performance Materials & Coatings**: Revenues rose 4% year over year to $1,965 million, below the estimate of $2,055.9 million, with volumes increasing by 5% [6]. Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of 2024 were $2,189 million, a decrease of around 27% from the prior year [8]. - Long-term debt increased to $15,711 million, up approximately 5% year over year [8]. - The company returned $492 million to shareholders in Q4 2024, totaling $2.5 billion for the year, which included $2 billion in dividends and $0.5 billion in share buybacks [9]. Future Outlook - Dow expects to benefit from the completion of growth projects and an increased focus on operational discipline in 2025, anticipating demand growth in packaging, energy, and electronics [10]. - The company plans to cut costs by $1 billion, including a workforce reduction of around 1,500 roles globally, and reduce capital spending plans by $300-$500 million in response to macroeconomic challenges [11]. Stock Performance - Dow's shares have declined by 23.4% over the past year, contrasting with a 0.2% decline in the Zacks Chemicals Diversified industry [12].

4Q 2024 RESULTS January 30, 2025 AGENDA 2 ▪ QUARTERLY AND FULL YEAR RESULTS ▪ OPERATING SEGMENT PERFORMANCE ▪ OUTLOOK ▪ ADVANCING OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 4Q 2024 PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW Preserving Operational and Financial Discipline Through Challenging Macroeconomic Conditions Optimizing Our Portfolio for Growth $10.4B N E T S A L E S $454MM O P E R AT I N G E B I T $811MM O P E R AT I N G C A S H F L O W ¹ $492MM S H A R E H O L D E R R E M U N E R AT I O N Non-GAAP measures are defined in the appendix 1. C ...

Earnings Call Overview - Dow Inc held its Q4 2024 earnings conference call on January 30, 2025, with key executives including Chairman and CEO Jim Fitterling, CFO Jeff Tate, and newly appointed COO Karen S Carter [1][3] - The call was led by Andrew Riker, VP of Investor Relations, and included participation from analysts at major financial institutions such as Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, and JPMorgan [1][2] Financial Reporting Details - The company provided accompanying slides for the earnings call, which were accessible through the webcast and posted on Dow's website [3] - Financial figures discussed during the call excluded significant items unless otherwise specified, and non-GAAP measures were referenced [4] Forward-Looking Statements - The company's comments during the call contained forward-looking statements, with cautionary notes referenced in the earnings news release and slides [4] - Additional information about principal risks and uncertainties was available in Dow's public filings [4]

Core Insights - Dow reported disappointing earnings for Q4 2024, with adjusted EPS of $0, missing analysts' expectations of $0.24, and total revenue of $10.4 billion, below the forecast of $10.51 billion, reflecting a challenging macroeconomic environment [2][3] Financial Performance - Adjusted EPS for Q4 2024 was $0, a 100% decrease from $0.43 in Q4 2023 [3] - Total revenue was $10.4 billion, down 2.1% from $10.62 billion in Q4 2023 [3] - Operating EBIT decreased to $454 million, an 18.8% decline from $559 million in the previous year [3] - Cash from operations fell by 50.2% to $811 million, compared to $1.63 billion in Q4 2023 [3] Business Overview - Dow operates in various segments including packaging & specialty plastics, industrial intermediates & infrastructure, and performance materials & coatings, which helps mitigate market risks through diversification [4] - The company is focusing on sustainability and innovation, with projects aimed at achieving net-zero emissions [5] Segment Performance - The packaging & specialty plastics segment, which constitutes over half of Dow's revenue, saw a 6% year-over-year decline in net sales due to lower pricing in Asia Pacific [6] - Industrial intermediates & infrastructure maintained stable net sales, with EBIT improving by $69 million [6] - Performance materials & coatings experienced a 4% increase in net sales year-over-year, although there was an 11% sequential decline [7] Macroeconomic Challenges - The macroeconomic environment remains difficult, particularly in Europe and China, affecting demand and pricing across Dow's segments [8] - Unplanned operational disruptions, such as the Texas cracker outage, have necessitated adjustments to maintain supply chain efficiency [8] Future Outlook - Dow's management did not provide specific guidance on revenue or earnings but emphasized strategic initiatives in high-growth markets like electronics and packaging [9] - The company plans to reduce capital expenditure for 2025 by $300 million to $500 million and aims to cut annual costs by $1 billion through operational efficiency improvements [9]

Core Insights - Dow Inc. reported $10.41 billion in revenue for Q4 2024, a 2% decline year-over-year, with an EPS of $0.00 compared to $0.43 a year ago, indicating a significant drop in profitability [1] - The revenue fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.43 billion by 0.22%, and the EPS was 100% below the consensus estimate of $0.23 [1] Revenue Performance by Segment - Performance Materials & Coatings generated $1.97 billion, exceeding the average estimate of $1.94 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 3.8% [4] - Corporate revenues reached $177 million, surpassing the average estimate of $135.01 million, marking a year-over-year growth of 28.3% [4] - Packaging & Specialty Plastics reported $5.32 billion, below the average estimate of $5.55 billion, showing a year-over-year decline of 5.8% [4] - Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure achieved $2.95 billion, slightly above the average estimate of $2.90 billion, with no change year-over-year [4] Operating EBITDA Performance - Operating EBITDA for Packaging & Specialty Plastics was $832 million, lower than the average estimate of $927.98 million [4] - Corporate operating EBITDA was -$56 million, better than the average estimate of -$66.88 million [4] - Performance Materials & Coatings had an operating EBITDA of $189 million, below the average estimate of $224.78 million [4] - Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure reported an operating EBITDA of $240 million, significantly above the average estimate of $136.21 million [4] Stock Performance - Dow Inc. shares have returned +2.3% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.2% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell), suggesting potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]