Diversified Chemicals

Jefferies is lowering its 2011E EPS estimate from $3.25 to $3.15. “Cabot Corp. (NYSE: CBT) intends to spend $180m to expand carbon black capacity by 300,000 tpy (15% of capacity) in emerging regions. Given no recent competitor capacity announcements, the market could remain tight into 2012-13,”...

In a Form 4 filed earlier today, LSB Industries Inc. (NYSE: LXU) CFO, Antonio Shelby, reported that he sold 25,000 shares of LXU on March 21st for an average price of $36.02. The transaction totaled $900,500. Mr. Shelby owns 118,589 direct shares and 19,000 indirect shares of LXU. Source: The...

PPG Industries (NYSE: PPG) today announced that it has reached an agreement to purchase certain assets of Equa-Chlor, Inc., a producer of chlorine, caustic soda and muriatic acid. Equa-Chlor, a privately-held company with 65 employees, maintains its singular manufacturing site and business...

ShengdaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDTH) announced that on March 16, 2011, it received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market advising the Company that due to its inability to file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 with the...

The automotive OEM coatings business of PPG Industries (NYSE: PPG) announced today that it will implement price increases and surcharges for its electrocoat primer coatings line and related products effective May 1 or as contracts permit.

ShengdaTech (NASDAQ: SDTH) filed an SEC filing today to delay its 10-K.

Shares of PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE: PPG) are higher on the session by 2.97%, trading at $88.06. Overall put volume is now running at 2.06x the daily average, with 2% of all puts traded being purchases on the offer. 1,077 contracts have traded on the session so far. PPG Industries, Inc. is a...

Ashland (NYSE: ASH) has announced a $400m share buyback and bumped its dividend by 17%. It also announced that CEO James O'Brien will play a more limited role for 2-3 months due to health issues. Given its 6% FCF yield, operating leverage and strong balance sheet, Jefferies reiterates its Buy...

In a report published by Morgan Stanley, Eastman Chemical (NYSE: EMN) has a long term opportunity on acetylated wood. Morgan Stanley said that the gap between our estimates and consensus has narrowed 10-15% since Eastman's investor day, but the shares have de-rated due to the current volatile...

Shares of Solutia Inc. (NYSE: SOA) are higher on the session by 2.10%, currently trading at $22.40. The stock has been moving largely higher over the past six months and is currently consolidating around the 50-day moving average. Options traders are buying calls on the name today. A short while...

ShengdaTech, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDTH) announced that it had appointed a special committee of the Board of Directors to investigate potentially serious discrepancies and unexplained issues relating to the Company and its subsidiaries' financial records identified by the Company's auditors in the course...

Cabot (China) Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT), has entered into a joint venture with Risun Chemicals Company, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Risun Coal Chemicals Group, Ltd., company officials announced today. Cabot owns a 60-percent equity interest in the new...

Shares of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) are higher on the session by 4.07%, currently trading at $58.32. The stock has been moving largely higher over the past six months and is currently trading above the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Options traders are buying calls on the name today. A short...

Solutia Inc. (NYSE: SOA) reports that no one was injured at the company's facility in Kashima, Japan during Friday's earthquake, which was centered about 250 kilometers from Kashima. Employees of Solutia's Tokyo office also were safe after the quake.

As we mentioned earlier, this month we are going to be looking at the stocks that make up the DJIA. . Next up Dupont (DD). You would think that Dupont (DD) would be in the sweet spot as they are involved in the chemical sector as well as agriculture goods. They are, but their trend [...]