Stock Market Live July 2, 2026: S&P 500 (SPY) Flat with New Jobs Data
Q1 26 EPS
$0.85
MISS 3.61%
Est. $0.88
Q1 26 Revenue
$2.34B
MISS 0.41%
Est. $2.35B
vs S&P Since Q1 26
-32.9%
TRAILING MARKET
CE -31.8% vs S&P +1.2%
Market Reaction
Did CE Beat Earnings? Q1 2026 Results
Celanese Corp. Delivered a mixed first quarter for 2026, posting results that showed genuine sequential momentum but fell just short of what Wall Street had expected. The specialty chemicals maker reported adjusted EPS of $0.85, trailing the consensu… Read more Celanese Corp. Delivered a mixed first quarter for 2026, posting results that showed genuine sequential momentum but fell just short of what Wall Street had expected. The specialty chemicals maker reported adjusted EPS of $0.85, trailing the consensus estimate of $0.88 by 3.61%, while net sales of $2.34 billion came in slightly below the $2.35 billion forecast and slipped 2.2% from a year earlier, weighed down by volume and pricing headwinds across both segments. The most telling pressure point was the Acetyl Chain, where adjusted EBIT fell to $131 million from $167 million a year ago as higher feedstock costs and softness in acetate tow eroded margins despite a late-quarter surge in China volumes. On the brighter side, free cash flow of $3 million marked a significant improvement from negative $73 million in Q1 2025, and net debt declined to $10.80 billion. Looking ahead, management guided Q2 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.00 to $2.40, raised its full-year free cash flow outlook to $700 to $800 million, and projected roughly $3.00 per share in the second half.
Key Takeaways
- • Favorable product and regional mix in Engineered Materials
- • Seasonal volume improvement across both segments
- • Late-quarter pricing and volume opportunities in China for Acetyl Chain
- • Cost productivity measures and value-based pricing
- • 5% sequential volume increase at the consolidated level
CE Forward Guidance & Outlook
Celanese expects meaningful sequential improvement in Q2 2026, driven by stronger volumes, price increase realization in the Acetyl Chain, pricing improvements in Engineered Materials, and seasonal demand across both businesses. Q2 2026 adjusted EPS is guided at $2.00 to $2.40. Second-half 2026 adjusted EPS is estimated at approximately $3.00 per share. The company raised its full-year 2026 free cash flow outlook to $700–$800 million and expects to bring net debt to operating EBITDA to approximately 4.8x through continued deleveraging actions.
CE YoY Financials
Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025, source: SEC Filings
CE Revenue by Segment
With YoY comparisons, source: SEC Filings
“We are taking decisive and intentional actions to drive business improvement. By staying ahead of dynamic global events, we were able to capitalize on opportunities while positioning the business for an improved earnings profile over the course of the year. At the same time, we are strengthening the long-term fundamentals of the business through operational improvements and increased resilience. This progress supports our decision to raise our full-year free cash flow outlook to $700 to $800 million and reinforces our confidence in the path forward.”
— Scott Richardson, Q1 2026 Earnings Press Release
CE Earnings Trends
CE vs Market 30 Day Price Reactions
30-day stock return vs benchmark after each earnings
CE EPS Trend
Earnings per share: estimate vs actual
CE Revenue Trend
Quarterly revenue: estimate vs actual
CE Quarterly Results
5 quarters of earnings data
| Quarter | EPS Est. | EPS Act. | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 26 MISS | $0.88 | $0.85 | -3.61% | $2.34B | -0.41% |
| Q4 25 MISS FY | $0.91 | $0.67 | -26.37% | $2.20B | -2.02% |
| FY Full Year | $4.25 | $3.98 | -6.42% | $9.54B | -0.41% |
| Q3 25 BEAT | $1.22 | $1.34 | +9.59% | $2.42B | -3.71% |
| Q2 25 BEAT | $1.40 | $1.44 | +2.82% | $2.53B | +1.89% |
| Q1 25 BEAT | $0.39 | $0.57 | +47.82% | $2.39B | +5.54% |