By John Richardson
EARNINGS estimates for South Korean petrochemicals companies for the full-year 2012 remain around 30 percent above where they should be because “most financial analysts remain in denial“, said an industry source.
A sign of how bad …
By John Richardson
THE majority of chemicals analysts have yet to wake up and smell the coffee, according to an industry observer.
“South Korean stocks have come off by 15-30% since their big recovery in January, but it is only …
By Malini Hariharan
Analysts are predicting a quick recovery for South Korean petrochemical companies after a dismal performance in the last quarter.
Honam Petrochemical’s Q4 2011 sales were down 14.7% quarter on quarter at Won3,488 bn. Operating profit declined 59.8% …
By Malini Hariharan
It is the results season and numbers posted so far confirm that the last quarter has been rough with depressed demand, weak product prices and firm feedstock costs affecting earnings.
Siam Cement Group’s EBITDA for the chemicals …
By John Richardson
AROUND $6bn worth of proposed petrochemical investments in Kazakhstan – the giant central Asian country with abundant oil and gas reserves – once again confirms the three most important factors for success: Feedstock, feedstock and feedstock.
“The …
By Malini Hariharan
The margin pain experienced in Asia in the last quarter is clearly evident in the recently released results by South Korean majors Honam Petrochemical and LG Chem.
Honam’s operating profit for Q2 declined 36.8% from the previous …
By John Richardson
OUR sympathies again go to the people of Japan. The main focus should be on providing as much support as possible to the rescue efforts and let’s hope that petrochemical companies globally step forward.
But as we …
By Malini Hariharan
Predictions about a steady recovery in petrochemical margins from financial analysts have multiplied in recent weeks and producers too have turned bullish with many expecting to sail through 2011 without any major difficulties.
But in the midst …
By John Richardson
THE potential returns from LG Chem’s electric battery and electronic materials are tremendous and are leading to some bullish forecasts from analysts as to future earnings.
What will be interesting, though, is what will be the …
By Malini Hariharan
This is a tough time for those who are in the business of forecasting. Predictions of petrochemical margins hitting the bottom in 2009 have so far not materialised and volumes from new plants are being digested quite …