Celanese Corporation - CE STOCK NEWS

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Santoprene™ TPV elastomers business from Exxon Mobil Corporation for $1.15 billion. This acquisition includes the Santoprene™, Dytron™, and Geolast™ brands, key production facilities, customer contracts, and a comprehensive intellectual property portfolio. Celanese expects the transaction to be accretive to its 2022 adjusted earnings per share and free cash flow. The acquisition aims to enhance Celanese's elastomers portfolio and drive shareholder value, focusing on growth in markets like mobility and sustainability.

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) announced the acquisition of specific polyacetal (POM) production technology from Grupa Azoty S.A., which is discontinuing its POM manufacturing. The deal enables Celanese to serve existing Tarnoform® customers while leveraging its own assets. Although the transaction includes intellectual property and contracts, it does not encompass employees or manufacturing facilities from Azoty. Senior Vice President Tom Kelly highlighted the acquisition as a strategic move to enhance the growth of Celanese's Engineered Materials business. The closing is anticipated for early July 2021.

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) reported first-quarter 2021 GAAP diluted earnings per share of $2.83, adjusted EPS of $3.46, and net sales of $1.8 billion, reflecting a 15% increase in pricing despite a 3% volume decline. Operating profit stood at $326 million, with adjusted EBIT at $482 million, both surpassing pre-COVID levels. The company faced challenges from Winter Storm Uri, incurring costs but maintaining momentum with a strong outlook of adjusted earnings of approximately $4.00 per share for Q2 2021. Celanese returned $328 million to shareholders through buybacks and dividends.

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.68 per share on its common stock, set to be paid on May 10, 2021. Stockholders recorded as of April 26, 2021 are eligible for this dividend. Celanese is a global leader in chemical and specialty materials production, employing around 7,700 people worldwide and achieving $5.7 billion in net sales for 2020. The company aims to create value through its comprehensive chemistry and technology expertise.

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) has announced a conference call scheduled for April 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, to discuss its first quarter 2021 results. The earnings press release will be available after the market closes on April 22, 2021. Interested participants can join via a hosted webcast or dial-in. The call will also be accessible for replay until May 7, 2021. In 2020, Celanese reported net sales of $5.7 billion and employs approximately 7,700 people globally.

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) is hosting a virtual Investor Day where CEO Lori Ryerkerk will discuss business strategies aimed at growth through 2023. The company reports a total shareholder return of 271% over the past decade and anticipates adjusted EPS of $13.00 to $14.00 in 2023. Key segments include Acetyl Chain, expected to deliver adjusted EBIT of $900-$1,000 million, and Engineered Materials with $700-$750 million. Celanese plans to allocate $6 billion for growth initiatives, including share repurchases and dividends, indicating strong cash generation and a robust financial outlook.

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) has announced a three-year plan to expand its engineered materials compounding capacities in Asia, specifically in Nanjing and Suzhou, China, as well as Silvassa, India. The expansion includes adding approximately 52KT of compounding and long-fiber thermoplastics capacity in Nanjing by late 2023, and 7KT each for nylon compounding in Suzhou and annual compounding capacity in Silvassa, both by early 2022. Financial details are undisclosed, but the initiative aims to enhance the company's competitive advantage in the region.

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) plans to expand its GUR® ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) production capacity in Europe, adding approximately 34KT of capacity by 2024. This expansion follows a similar increase in Bishop, Texas, which adds 15KT annually starting in 2022. The new facility aims to meet growing demand in the electric vehicle market, particularly for lithium-ion battery separators, projected to grow at over 25% annually through 2025. Financial details of the expansion remain undisclosed, but Celanese is well-positioned as a leading global manufacturer.

Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) announced strategic expansions in its emulsion polymers and vinyl acetate production, focusing on facilities in Nanjing, China, and Frankfurt, Germany. The Nanjing site will see a 50,000KT to 90,000KT increase in vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) capacity, while acetic anhydride production will grow by 10KT annually. New VAE reactors in both locations aim to enhance production by 65KT and 45KT respectively by 2023. Additionally, debottlenecking in Europe will add 20KT to redispersible polymer powders capacity by 2023, strengthening Celanese's market leadership.