With LyondellBasell Industries Stock Sliding, Have You Assessed The Risk?

LYB: LyondellBasell Industries logo
LYB
LyondellBasell Industries

LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) stock is down 11.8% in 5 trading days. The recent slide reflects renewed concerns around weak demand for plastics and chemicals and margin pressures, but sharp drops like this often raise a tougher question: is the weakness temporary, or a sign of deeper cracks in the story?

Before judging its downturn reslience, let’s look at where LyondellBasell Industries stands today.

  • Size: LyondellBasell Industries is a $14 Bil company with $35 Bil in revenue currently trading at $42.28.
  • Fundamentals: Last 12 month revenue growth of -6.3% and operating margin of 4.3%.
  • Liquidity: Has Debt to Equity ratio of 0.84 and Cash to Assets ratio of 0.05
  • Valuation: LyondellBasell Industries stock is currently trading at P/E multiple of 60.5 and P/EBIT multiple of 27.5
  • Has returned (median) 110% within a year following sharp dips since 2010. See LYB Dip Buy Analysis.

These metrics point to a Very Weak operational performance, alongside High valuation – making the stock Very Unattractive. For details, see Buy or Sell LYB Stock

That brings us to the key consideration for investors worried about this fall: how resilient is LYB stock if markets turn south? This is where our downturn resilience framework comes in. Suppose LYB stock falls another 20-30% to $30 – can investors comfortably hold on? Turns out, the stock has fared much worse than the S&P 500 index during various economic downturns, based on (a) how much the stock fell and, (b) how quickly it recovered. Below, we dive deeper into each such downturn.

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2022 Inflation Shock

  • LYB stock fell 35.7% from a high of $112.30 on 7 June 2022 to $72.20 on 26 September 2022 vs. a peak-to-trough decline of 25.4% for the S&P 500.
  • The stock is yet to recover to its pre-Crisis high
  • The highest the stock has reached since then is $105.86 on 3 April 2024 , and currently trades at $42.28

  LYB S&P 500
% Change from Pre-Recession Peak -35.7% -25.4%
Time to Full Recovery Not Fully Recovered 464 days

 
2020 Covid Pandemic

  • LYB stock fell 63.1% from a high of $94.48 on 1 January 2020 to $34.90 on 16 March 2020 vs. a peak-to-trough decline of 33.9% for the S&P 500.
  • However, the stock fully recovered to its pre-Crisis peak by 6 January 2021

  LYB S&P 500
% Change from Pre-Recession Peak -63.1% -33.9%
Time to Full Recovery 296 days 148 days

 
2018 Correction

  • LYB stock fell 35.4% from a high of $121.49 on 26 January 2018 to $78.52 on 24 December 2018 vs. a peak-to-trough decline of 19.8% for the S&P 500.
  • The stock is yet to recover to its pre-Crisis high

  LYB S&P 500
% Change from Pre-Recession Peak -35.4% -19.8%
Time to Full Recovery Not Fully Recovered 120 days

 
Feeling jittery about LYB stock? Consider portfolio approach.

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