LYB Enters Into Agreement and Negotiations to Sell Assets to AEQUITA

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. LYB recently entered into an agreement and exclusive negotiations with AEQUITA to divest select olefins & polyolefins assets and the associated business in Europe. Being located in Berre (France), Münchsmünster (Germany), Carrington (UK) and Tarragona (Spain), these sites were part of Europe’s strategic assessment.

The transaction will not only include the acquisition of integrated and non-integrated sites within LYB’s olefins and polyolefins business in Europe but also support central functions at its Rotterdam headquarters and various locations. The sites are strategically located near a longstanding customer base and have easy access to key infrastructure.

AEQUITA, on acquiring these assets, will receive a strong operational base in addition to a committed team of employees. LYB will also move a step forward in its transformation objective. As Europe remains a key market for LYB, it will now focus more on value creation, and circular and renewable solutions. The deal is a put option deed under which AEQUITA has consented to enter into an agreed form purchase agreement if LyondellBasell exercises its put option. The transaction is planned to be completed by the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory and other closing conditions.

LYB stock has lost 34.8% over the past year compared with the industry’s 23.6% decline.

The company anticipates stronger seasonal demand in the second quarter across most segments, aided by lower U.S. feedstock and crude oil costs. Oxyfuels’ margins are projected to improve while ongoing capacity reductions in Europe are expected to support supply-demand balance. Despite economic uncertainty, packaging demand remains resilient.

LYB’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks

LYB currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Akzo Nobel N.V. AKZOY, Newmont Corporation NEM and Balchem Corporation BCPC. While AKZOY currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), NEM and BCPC carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Akzo Nobel’s current-year earnings is pegged at $1.66 per share, implying an 18.6% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters while missing once.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NEM’s current-year earnings is pegged at $4.18 per share, indicating a 20.1% year-over-year rise.Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with an average surprise of 32.41%. NEM’s shares have gained 34.8% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BCPC’s 2025 earnings is pegged at $5.15 per share, indicating a rise of 31% from year-ago levels. The company’s earnings beat the consensus estimate in two of the trailing four quarters while missing the rest. Its shares have gained 11.5% in the past year.

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