Companies /Basic Materials

Kronos Worldwide Inc

NYSE: KRO Specialty Chemicals
$8.05
▼ $0.09 (−1.11%) today
Markets closed · 8:18pm ET

Q1 2026 Earnings

Reported May 6, 2026, 4:16pm ET · SEC source
$-0.04
Beat +66.67%
EPS · est. $-0.12
$509.8M
Beat +0.95%
Revenue · est. $505.0M
−8.1%
Trailing market
KRO vs S&P since report
2 quarters
Consecutive EPS beats

Market Reaction

% change · around the report
−8%−4%0May 6May 7report 4:16pm ETearnings−0.3%−10.2%
−8%−4%0May 6May 7earnings−0.3%−10.2%
KRO −10.2%S&P 500 −0.3%
−8%−4%0May 6May 7report 4:16pm ETearnings−0.3%−10.2%
−8%−4%0May 6May 7earnings−0.3%−10.2%
KRO −10.2%NASDAQ −0.3%
−10%−5%0May 5May 14report 4:16pm ETearnings+1.9%−6.9%
−10%−5%0May 5May 14earnings+1.9%−6.9%
KRO −6.9%S&P 500 +1.9%
−10%−5%0+5%May 5May 14report 4:16pm ETearnings+3.5%−6.9%
−10%−5%0+5%May 5May 14earnings+3.5%−6.9%
KRO −6.9%NASDAQ +3.5%
−6.87%
Day of report
+3.40%
Next session
+3.69%
One week
−7.38%
30 days

S&P 500 over the same 30 days: +0.75%.

Did KRO Beat Earnings? Q1 2026 Results

Kronos Worldwide delivered a cleaner-than-expected first quarter for 2026, posting a loss of $0.04 per share against a consensus estimate of $0.12 per share, a beat of 66.67%, as cost reduction initiatives launched in Q4 2025 began flowing through the income statement. Revenue climbed 4.1% year-over-year to $509.80 million, edging past the $505.00 million consensus, driven by a 4% increase in TiO2 sales volumes to 142,000 metric tons and a roughly $30.00 million tailwind from favorable currency moves, primarily the euro. The brighter-than-expected bottom line, however, still reflected real pressure: net income swung to a loss of $4.80 million from a profit of $18.10 million a year ago, as average TiO2 selling prices fell 6% year-over-year and production volumes contracted to 128,000 metric tons from 143,000. A German tax audit added a $0.02 per share hit to the quarter's results. Sequentially, TiO2 segment profit improved by $74.50 million from a Q4 2025 loss, and management noted that average selling prices ticked up 2% during Q1, signaling early traction in the company's ongoing effort to rebuild pricing and permanently lower its cost structure.

Key Takeaways
  • Higher TiO2 sales volumes (up 4% YoY to 142,000 metric tons)
  • Favorable currency exchange rate impact of approximately $30 million (primarily euro)
  • Lower average TiO2 selling prices (down 6% YoY)
  • Lower production volumes (128,000 vs 143,000 metric tons YoY)
  • Lower production costs from Q4 2025 cost reduction initiatives
  • Lower raw material and energy costs
  • $6 million unfavorable currency impact on segment profit

“The fourth quarter of 2025 reflected the difficult actions we took to structurally realign our operations, which contributed to a segment loss of $59.4 million and negative EBITDA in that period. Those actions, together with several other strategic initiatives, were designed to permanently improve our cost structure, and we are encouraged by the $74.5 million sequential improvement in segment profit in the first quarter as these actions begin to benefit our results. We remain focused on executing our pricing and cost initiatives to drive further improvement.”

Kronos Worldwide CEO, on the earnings call

Forward Guidance & Outlook

Management indicated that average TiO2 selling prices increased 2% during Q1 2026 as the company works to recover pricing lost during 2025. The company remains focused on executing pricing and cost initiatives to drive further improvement. Cost reduction measures from Q4 2025, including workforce reductions and operational realignment, are designed to permanently improve the cost structure and enable more efficient operation at lower production rates for extended periods.

KRO YoY Financials

Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025 · SEC filings Q1 2025 Q1 2026
$0$200.0M$400.0M$489.8M$509.8MRevenue$106.8M$83.3MGross Profit$38.4M$12.6MOperating Income
$0$200.0M$400.0MRevenueGross ProfitOperating Income

KRO Revenue by Segment

TiO2$509.8M

Figures from SEC filings and company reports. Not investment advice.