Westlake Corporation’s (WLK) Westlake Royal Building Products unit is introducing fire-rated roofing and stone solutions designed to protect homeowners in wildfire-prone regions. These class A fire-rated roofing solutions and fire-rated wall cladding systems are mainly developed keeping in mind the increased threat of wildfires, especially in densely brushed areas like California.The portfolio has assembled the durability and superior performance of leading fire-rated roofing brands like Newpoint Concrete R ...

Core Insights - Westlake Corporation (WLK) is launching EpoVIVE, a new epoxy product portfolio focused on sustainability, at JEC World in Paris from March 4-6 [1] - EpoVIVE aims to provide significant sustainability benefits over traditional products, featuring safer materials and energy-efficient applications, aligning with WLK's environmental goals [2] - The EpoVIVE portfolio is designed to cater to various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and construction, showcasing its versatility [3] Company Performance - WLK currently holds a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell), indicating a less favorable outlook compared to other stocks in the Basic Materials sector [4] - Ingevity Corporation (NGVT) has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) with a current-year earnings estimate of $2.75 per share, demonstrating strong performance [5] - Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS) has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) with a current fiscal-year earnings estimate of $6.95 per share and a significant share price increase of 207.1% over the past year [6] - ArcelorMittal (MT) also holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) with a current-year earnings estimate of $3.72 per share, showing consistent performance with an average earnings surprise of 4.11% [7]

Westlake Corporation (WLK) logged a profit of $7 million or 6 cents per share for the fourth quarter of 2024. This compares to a loss of $497 million or $3.86 in the year-ago quarter. The bottom line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04.Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.Sales rose around 0.6% year over year to $2,843 million in the quarter. It missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,904.6 million. A 3% growth in sales volume was offset by a 2% decline in averag ...

Financial Performance - The company reported a significant increase in revenue, reaching $X billion, representing a Y% growth compared to the previous year[7]. - User data showed an increase in active users, with a total of Z million users, reflecting a growth rate of A% year-over-year[7]. - The company provided an optimistic outlook for the next quarter, projecting revenue growth of B% and an expected operating margin of C%[7]. Product Development and Innovation - New product launches are anticipated to contribute an additional $D million in revenue, with a focus on innovative technologies in the pipeline[7]. - The company is investing $H million in R&D to develop new technologies aimed at sustainability and efficiency improvements[21]. Market Expansion - The company plans to expand its market presence in E regions, aiming for a market share increase of F% by the end of the fiscal year[7]. Acquisitions and Synergies - Recent acquisitions are expected to yield synergies of approximately $G million, enhancing operational efficiencies[21]. Capital Expenditures - Future capital expenditures are projected to be $I million, focusing on capacity expansions and modernization of existing facilities[21]. Economic Factors and Compliance - The company is closely monitoring macroeconomic factors, including inflation and interest rates, which could impact future performance[25]. - Compliance with new environmental regulations is expected to incur costs of approximately $J million, affecting the overall financial outlook[21].

Westlake Corporation (NYSE:WLK) Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call February 24, 2025 1:00 PM ET Company Participants John Zoeller - Vice President and Treasurer Albert Chao - Executive Chairman Jean-Marc Gilson - President and CEO Steve Bender - Executive Vice President and CFO Conference Call Participants John McNulty - BMO Capital Markets Patrick Cunningham - Citi Salvator Tiano - Bank of America Securities David Begleiter - Deutsche Bank Jeffrey Zekauskas - J.P. Morgan Aleksey Yefremov - KeyBanc Capital Ma ...

Westlake (WLK) Q4 2024 Earnings Call February 24, 2025 09:17 PM ET Company Participants Johnathan Zoeller - VP & TreasurerJean-Marc Gilson - President & CEOSteven Bender - CFO & EVPDavid Begleiter - Managing DirectorAleksey Yefremov - MD & Equity ResearchJohn Roberts - Managing DirectorMichael Leithead - Director - Equity ResearchKevin McCarthy - PartnerJosh Spector - Executive DirectorMichael Sison - Managing DirectorAziza Gazieva - Vice PresidentMatthew Blair - Managing Director Conference Call Participan ...

Earnings Presentation 4Q and Full Year 2024 1 Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Highlights Fifth consecutive quarter of YoY sales volume growth with momentum into 2025 $2.8B Net Sales 1% increase YoY $416M EBITDA(1) 7% increase YoY (2) $434M Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities $12.1B Net Sales 3% decrease YoY $2.3B EBITDA(1,2) 12% decrease YoY(2) $1.3B Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities 4Q 2024 Financial Results FY 2024 Financial Results (1) Reconciliation of EBITDA excl. Identified Item to Net ...

Core Insights - Westlake Chemical reported $2.84 billion in revenue for Q4 2024, a year-over-year increase of 0.6%, but fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by -2.12% [1] - The company's EPS for the same period was $0.06, a significant decline of -91.67% compared to $0.72 a year ago, representing a surprise of -94.23% against the consensus estimate of $1.04 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Net external sales in Performance and Essential Materials were $1.86 billion, slightly below the average estimate of $1.88 billion, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of -1% [4] - Net external sales in Housing and Infrastructure Products reached $981 million, slightly below the estimated $986.27 million, but showed a year-over-year increase of +3.7% [4] - Net external sales for Housing Products were $818 million, compared to an estimate of $827.85 million, marking a +2.9% change year-over-year [4] - Essential Materials within Performance and Essential Materials reported $741 million, below the estimate of $826.41 million, indicating a -4.1% change year-over-year [4] - Infrastructure Products in Housing and Infrastructure Products achieved $163 million, exceeding the estimate of $151.67 million, with a year-over-year increase of +8% [4] - Performance Materials reported $1.12 billion, slightly below the average estimate of $1.15 billion, reflecting a +1.3% change year-over-year [4] - EBITDA for Housing and Infrastructure Products was $188 million, surpassing the average estimate of $150.48 million [4] - EBITDA for Performance and Essential Materials was $220 million, below the average estimate of $294.76 million [4] Stock Performance - Westlake's shares have returned -6.8% over the past month, underperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite, which changed by -0.5% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance in the near term [3]

Financial Performance - Westlake Chemical reported quarterly earnings of $0.06 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04 per share, and down from $0.72 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of -94.23% [1] - The company posted revenues of $2.84 billion for the quarter ended December 2024, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.12%, and slightly up from $2.83 billion year-over-year [2] Market Performance - Westlake shares have declined approximately 4.3% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has gained 2.2% [3] - The current Zacks Rank for Westlake is 4 (Sell), indicating expected underperformance in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.51 on revenues of $3.05 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $7.44 on revenues of $12.64 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for Westlake has been unfavorable ahead of the earnings release, which may impact future stock movements [6] Industry Context - The Chemical - Plastic industry, to which Westlake belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 19% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8]

Financial Performance - Westlake reported fourth quarter 2024 net sales of $2.8 billion, a 1% increase year-over-year, driven by a 3% sales volume growth[6]. - The company achieved a net income of $7 million for the fourth quarter, which includes a one-time non-cash tax charge of $45 million[10]. - Full year 2024 net sales totaled $12.1 billion, with net income of $677 million, reflecting a decrease from $1.1 billion in 2023[13]. - EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $416 million, a 7% increase from $390 million in the same period last year[12]. - Gross profit for Q4 2024 was $328 million, significantly up from $199 million in Q4 2023, contributing to a total gross profit of $1,957 million for the year, down from $2,219 million[31]. - The company reported a net income of $19 million in Q4 2024, recovering from a net loss of $487 million in Q4 2023, with a total net income of $647 million for the year compared to $522 million in 2023[31]. - Earnings per share for Q4 2024 were $0.06, a recovery from a loss of $3.86 per share in Q4 2023, with annual earnings per share increasing to $4.66 from $3.73[31]. Segment Performance - The Housing and Infrastructure Products segment reported an annual income from operations of $807 million and EBITDA of $1.1 billion[4]. - Performance and Essential Materials segment net sales for 2024 were $7.8 billion, a decrease of $0.5 billion compared to 2023, with a loss from operations of $204 million[21]. - The Housing and Infrastructure Products segment reported net sales of $981 million in Q4 2024, up from $946 million in Q4 2023, while the Performance and Essential Materials segment saw a slight decrease in sales to $1,862 million from $1,880 million[37]. - The Performance and Essential Materials segment reported net external sales of $2,019 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $1,880 million in the same period of 2023, reflecting a growth of 7.4%[52]. - The Housing and Infrastructure Products segment achieved an operating income margin of 18% for the three months ended September 30, 2024, up from 13% in the same period of 2023[49]. Cash Flow and Liquidity - The company generated $434 million in net cash from operating activities in the fourth quarter and $1.3 billion for the full year 2024[15]. - Westlake's cash and cash equivalents stood at $2.9 billion, with total debt of $4.6 billion as of December 31, 2024[15]. - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of 2024 were $2,935 million, down from $3,319 million at the end of 2023[35]. - The company’s operating cash flow for 2024 was $1,314 million, a decrease from $2,336 million in 2023[35]. - Free cash flow for the three months ended September 30, 2024, was $254 million, compared to $149 million in the same period of 2023, marking an increase of 70.5%[46]. Future Outlook - The company anticipates continued growth in the Housing and Infrastructure Products segment due to increased demand for residential housing in the U.S.[9]. - Westlake plans to focus on cost-saving initiatives and new product innovations to enhance earnings growth in 2025[9]. - Westlake Corporation plans to continue focusing on operational efficiency and strategic investments to enhance long-term growth prospects[26]. Restructuring and Costs - The company incurred restructuring, transaction, and integration-related costs of $8 million in Q4 2024, down from $22 million in Q4 2023[31].