Diversified Chemicals

To strengthen its industrial biotech and food platforms, DuPont (NYSE: DD) will purchase Danisco for $6.3bn (including $500m of debt), a 25% premium to yesterday's close, Jefferies reports. “The deal represents a $0.30-$0.45 headwind in 2011 and to be modestly accretive in 2012,” Jefferies writes...

Earnings for the fourth quarter for the S&P 500 are expected to be the highest they've been in years, according to this article from Bloomberg. Companies like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), and Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW) are all expected to post strong earnings, thanks in large...

Penford Corp.'s (NASDAQ: PENX) Q1 EPS of $0.03 was “$0.17 above our estimate,” Jefferies reports. “Sales increased 8% YoY (vs 2% forecast), though gross and operating margins contracted 300bps and 60bps, respectively,” Jefferies writes. “Operating profits beat our estimates by $0.20 led by an $0.11...

Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) today announced that its subsidiary, Hercules Incorporated, has signed a definitive agreement to sell its pentaerythritol business to Perstorp Polyols Inc., a subsidiary of Perstorp Holding AB. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Below are the top chemicals-major diversified stocks on the NYSE and in terms of PEG ratio. Kraton Performance Polymers Inc (NYSE: KRA) has a PEG ratio of 0.38. KRA's trailing-twelve-month ROE is 25.83%. Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN) has a PEG ratio of 0.94. EMN's trailing-twelve-month ROE...

The chemical sector was hot in 2010 as manufacturing picked up worldwide. Can it continue in 2011? Huntsman Corporation (HUN) grew earnings by over 100% in 2010 and is expected to see double digit earnings growth in 2011. Even though shares have soared, Huntsman is a value play, trading at just...

The chemical sector was hot in 2010 as manufacturing picked up worldwide. Can it continue in 2011? Huntsman Corporation (HUN) grew earnings by over 100% in 2010 and is expected to see double digit earnings growth in 2011. Even though shares have soared, Huntsman is a value play, trading at just...

3M Company (MMM) has acquired a Port St. Lucie, FL-based manufacturer of structural honeycomb core and fiber-reinforced foam core materials, Nida-Core Corp. The company did not reveal the terms of the deal. Nida-Core offers a range of high-strength, low-weight, engineered materials. Through its...

FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) has announced new executive leadership assignments for the company's specialty and industrial chemicals businesses, effective immediately. D. Michael Wilson was named president, Specialty Chemicals Group, which includes the FMC BioPolymer and Lithium divisions. Wilson...

3M Company (MMM) has acquired a Port St. Lucie, FL-based manufacturer of structural honeycomb core and fiber-reinforced foam core materials, Nida-Core Corp. The company did not reveal the terms of the deal. Nida-Core offers a range of high-strength, low-weight, engineered materials. Through its...

With more favorable fundamentals likely into 2011, limited balance sheet risk, a more favorable raw material environment, and ongoing structural improvements, Jefferies is reiterating its Buy rating on shares of Cabot Corp. (NYSE: CBT), and raise its target $3 to $45, 7x 2011E EBITDA. “We estimate...

Jefferies reports that it recently hosted investor meetings with Solutia (NYSE: SOA) management. Key topics included operating leverage to improving utilization rates, potential divestitures and vertical integration, and levers to further improve Solutia's relative cost position. “We estimate...

Jefferies & Company has raised the price target on Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) from $42 to $45 and maintains its Buy rating.