Feb 26 (Reuters) - Belgian chemicals group Syensqo reported fourth-quarter core earnings below market expectations on Thursday, impacted by its struggling specialty polymers unit. The group said its
Syensqo Predicts 2026 Profit Decline, Shares Plummet 20%
By Dimitri Rhodes
Feb 26 (Reuters) - Belgian chemicals group Syensqo on Thursday said it expected lower 2026 adjusted core profit, sending its shares down over 20%, as continued economic uncertainty impacted its main markets.
Syensqo's Financial Forecast and Market Reaction
Shares in the company were down 24.4% at 1030 GMT, on track for their worst day ever and at the bottom of the STOXX 600 index
Syensqo said it expects a year-on-year drop in underlying EBITDA in 2026 to 1.1 billion euros ($1.30 billion), from the 1.21 billion it reported last year. Analysts polled by Vara Research had forecast EBITDA of 1.29 billion euros for the coming year.
Analysts at J.P. Morgan noted the "very weak FY26 guidance vs. expectations."
Syensqo's Growth Potential Under Scrutiny
HIGH GROWTH COMPANY?
Syensqo spun off from Belgian chemicals group Solvay as a pure specialty chemicals player in 2023, and was seen by analysts and analysts as a growth company.
The group's new profit guidance has tested this perception. "Especially when shares were up 15% YTD before reporting, setting the bar higher," Bernstein analyst James Hooper told Reuters.
CEO's Perspective on Future Growth
New CEO Mike Radossich told reporters the group was coming off a record performance year in defense and expects low double-digit growth in its aerospace segment.
"I have absolutely no doubt we are a growth company," he said, noting the group's high exposure to aerospace should deliver very strong growth in the coming years.
($1 = 0.8477 euros)
(Reporting by Dimitri Rhodes in Gdansk; Editing by Matt Scuffham)
