Chemicals - Specialty
Compare Stocks
2 / 10Stock Comparison
EMN vs LYB
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Chemicals - Specialty
EMN vs LYB — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Chemicals - Specialty | Chemicals - Specialty |
| Market Cap | $8.66B | $23.67B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $8.64B | $22.48B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $399M | $-774M |
| Gross Margin | 19.8% | -19.3% |
| Operating Margin | 9.4% | -0.9% |
| Forward P/E | 12.8x | 10.2x |
| Total Debt | $5.08B | $15.96B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $566M | $3.45B |
EMN vs LYB — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastman Chemical Co… (EMN) | 100 | 111.3 | +11.3% |
| LyondellBasell Indu… (LYB) | 100 | 115.2 | +15.2% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: EMN vs LYB
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
EMN is the clearest fit if your priority is growth exposure.
- Rev growth -6.7%, EPS growth -46.5%, 3Y rev CAGR -6.0%
- -6.7% revenue growth vs LYB's -25.2%
- 4.6% margin vs LYB's -3.4%
LYB carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and long-term compounding.
- Dividend streak 2 yrs, beta 0.38, yield 7.5%
- 49.4% 10Y total return vs EMN's 36.1%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.38, current ratio 1.77x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | -6.7% revenue growth vs LYB's -25.2% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (10.2x vs 12.8x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 4.6% margin vs LYB's -3.4% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.38 vs EMN's 1.36 | |
| Dividends | 7.5% yield, 2-year raise streak, vs EMN's 4.4% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +40.1% vs EMN's +3.9% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 2.6% ROA vs LYB's -3.0%, ROIC 6.7% vs -1.1% |
EMN vs LYB — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
EMN vs LYB — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
EMN leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LYB is the larger business by revenue, generating $22.5B annually — 2.6x EMN's $8.6B. EMN is the more profitable business, keeping 4.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to LYB's -3.4%. On growth, EMN holds the edge at -4.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $8.6B | $22.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.2B | $865M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $399M | -$774M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $498M | $3.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +19.8% | -19.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +9.4% | -0.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +4.6% | -3.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.8% | +13.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -4.9% | -100.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -40.8% | -100.0% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — EMN and LYB each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, EMN's 9.1x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than LYB's 34.0x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $8.7B | $23.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $13.2B | $36.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.47x | -31.27x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.85x | 10.19x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 5.75x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.12x | 34.04x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.99x | 0.79x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.45x | 2.32x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 20.43x | 61.65x |
Profitability & Efficiency
EMN leads this category, winning 9 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
EMN delivers a 6.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $7 in annual profit, vs $-7 for LYB. EMN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.84x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LYB's 1.56x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), EMN scores 5/9 vs LYB's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.7% | -7.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.6% | -3.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.7% | -1.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.5% | -1.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.84x | 1.56x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $4.5B | $12.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $566M | $3.4B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $5.1B | $16.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.22x | -1.42x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
LYB leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in LYB five years ago would be worth $9,035 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $7,381 for EMN. Over the past 12 months, LYB leads with a +40.1% total return vs EMN's +3.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors EMN at 1.9% vs LYB's -1.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +19.0% | +67.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +3.9% | +40.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +6.0% | -3.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -26.2% | -9.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +36.1% | +49.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.9% | -1.1% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — EMN and LYB each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
LYB is the less volatile stock with a 0.38 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than EMN's 1.36 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.36x | 0.38x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $84.18 | $83.94 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $56.11 | $41.58 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +90.0% | +87.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.8 | 60.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.5M | 8.1M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — EMN and LYB each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EMN as "Buy" and LYB as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 2.0% upside for EMN (target: $77) vs 0.2% for LYB (target: $74). For income investors, LYB offers the higher dividend yield at 7.46% vs EMN's 4.35%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $77.29 | $73.60 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 35 | 39 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.4% | +7.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 12 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $3.30 | $5.48 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.2% | +0.8% |
EMN leads in 2 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). LYB leads in 1 (Total Returns). 3 tied.
EMN vs LYB: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EMN or LYB a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) is the stronger pick with -6.
7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -25. 2% for LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB). Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) offers the better valuation at 18. 5x trailing P/E (12. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) a "Buy" — based on 35 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — EMN or LYB?
On forward P/E, LyondellBasell Industries N.
V. is actually cheaper at 10. 2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EMN or LYB?
Over the past 5 years, LyondellBasell Industries N.
V. (LYB) delivered a total return of -9. 6%, compared to -26. 2% for Eastman Chemical Company (EMN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LYB returned +49. 4% versus EMN's +36. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — EMN or LYB?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), LyondellBasell Industries N.
V. (LYB) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 38β versus Eastman Chemical Company's 1. 36β — meaning EMN is approximately 256% more volatile than LYB relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 84% versus 156% for LyondellBasell Industries N. V. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — EMN or LYB?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) is pulling ahead at -6.
7% versus -25. 2% for LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Eastman Chemical Company grew EPS -46. 5% year-over-year, compared to -156. 6% for LyondellBasell Industries N. V.. Over a 3-year CAGR, EMN leads at -6. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — EMN or LYB?
Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) is the more profitable company, earning 5.
4% net margin versus -2. 5% for LyondellBasell Industries N. V. — meaning it keeps 5. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EMN leads at 10. 6% versus -1. 1% for LYB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EMN leads at 21. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is EMN or LYB more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, LyondellBasell Industries N.
V. (LYB) trades at 10. 2x forward P/E versus 12. 8x for Eastman Chemical Company — 2. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EMN: 2. 0% to $77. 29.
08Which pays a better dividend — EMN or LYB?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB) offers the highest yield at 7. 5%, versus 4. 4% for Eastman Chemical Company (EMN).
09Is EMN or LYB better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, LyondellBasell Industries N.
V. (LYB) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 38), 7. 5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LYB: +49. 4%, EMN: +36. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between EMN and LYB?
Both stocks operate in the Basic Materials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that outperform both.
You Might Also Compare
Based on how these companies actually compete and overlap — not just which sector they're filed under.