SEE vs DOW vs LYB vs HUN vs EMN

For growth investors, Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) is the stronger pick with -0.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -25. 2% for LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB). Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) offers the better valuation at 12. 3x trailing P/E (12. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) a "Buy" — based on 27 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.

On trailing P/E, Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) is the cheapest at 12.

3x versus Eastman Chemical Company at 18. 0x. On forward P/E, LyondellBasell Industries N. V. is actually cheaper at 9. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Eastman Chemical Company wins at 3. 62x versus Sealed Air Corporation's 9. 73x.

Over the past 5 years, LyondellBasell Industries N.

V. (LYB) delivered a total return of -10. 6%, compared to -38. 0% for Huntsman Corporation (HUN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HUN returned +59. 2% versus SEE's +4. 4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

31β versus Huntsman Corporation's 1. 82β — meaning HUN is approximately 480% more volatile than SEE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 84% versus 3% for Sealed Air Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) is pulling ahead at -0.

6% versus -25. 2% for LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sealed Air Corporation grew EPS 89. 5% year-over-year, compared to -335. 0% for Dow Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, SEE leads at -1. 7% 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.

Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) is the more profitable company, earning 9.

4% net margin versus -6. 6% for Dow Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SEE leads at 13. 5% versus -1. 1% for LYB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SEE leads at 29. 8%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 3. 62x versus Sealed Air Corporation's 9. 73x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB) trades at 9. 6x forward P/E versus 12. 5x for Dow Inc. — 2. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LYB: 10. 5% to $79. 30.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB) offers the highest yield at 7. 6%, versus 1. 9% for Sealed Air Corporation (SEE).

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. 32), 7. 6% yield). Huntsman Corporation (HUN) carries a higher beta of 1. 82 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (LYB: +49. 0%, HUN: +59. 2%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (SEE (Consumer Cyclical) and DOW (Basic Materials) and LYB (Basic Materials) and HUN (Basic Materials) and EMN (Basic Materials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: SEE is a small-cap deep-value stock; DOW is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; LYB is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; HUN is a small-cap income-oriented stock; EMN is a small-cap deep-value stock. 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.