Syensqo fourth quarter and full year 2025 results

Core Insights - Syensqo reported a full year free cash flow of €356 million, exceeding prior expectations, and a pro forma underlying EBITDA of €1.21 billion with resilient margin performance [1][5][19] - The company experienced a 4% year-on-year net sales growth in Composite Materials, supported by a strong fourth quarter [1][5][19] Q4 2025 Highlights - Net sales for Q4 2025 were €1.42 billion, impacted by year-on-year foreign exchange movements (-6%) and lower volumes (-5%), while pricing remained stable [5][39] - Gross profit decreased by 18% year-on-year to €397 million, resulting in a gross margin of 28% [5][39] - Underlying EBITDA for Q4 was €238 million, a 20.2% decrease year-on-year, primarily due to lower performance in Specialty Polymers and Technology Solutions [5][39] - The underlying EBITDA margin contracted to 16.8%, down 190 basis points year-on-year [5][39] - Operating cash flow was €252 million, and free cash flow was €136 million, supported by working capital inflows [5][39] FY 2025 Highlights - Full year net sales totaled €6.14 billion, affected by foreign exchange movements (-3%) and lower volumes (-3%), with stable pricing [5][26] - Gross profit for the year was €1,901 million, down 14% year-on-year, leading to a gross margin of 31% [5][26] - Underlying EBITDA for the full year was €1,210 million, a 12% decrease year-on-year, mainly due to lower contributions from Specialty Polymers and Novecare [5][26] - The underlying EBITDA margin for the year was 20%, a decline of 210 basis points year-on-year [5][26] - The underlying profit attributable to Syensqo shareholders was €381 million [5][26] Shareholder Returns and Strategic Moves - The company repurchased approximately 1,687,000 shares, amounting to around €116 million, and proposed a dividend of €1.62 for 2025 [5][26] - The divestment of the Oil & Gas business unit was completed in January 2026 for an enterprise value of €135 million, advancing the company's specialty strategy [5][26] 2026 Outlook - The company anticipates continued macroeconomic and demand uncertainty across most end markets in 2026 [9][28] - Expected low single-digit volume growth in 2026, with Composite Materials leading the improvement due to strong demand in civil aerospace [10][48] - Specialty Polymers are expected to see modest volume growth, offset by lower volumes in Consumer Electronics [11][30] - The gross margin across core business units is expected to remain stable compared to 2025 [14][52] - The company is on track to deliver over €200 million in cost savings by the end of 2026 [15][53]