WLK
Westlake Corporation
Chemicals - Specialty
Market Cap$12.77B
5Y Perf.+109.1%
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Stock Comparison
WLK vs LYB vs DOW vs OLN
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
LYB
LyondellBasell Industries N.V.
Chemicals - Specialty
Market Cap$23.67B
5Y Perf.+15.2%
DOW
Dow Inc.
Chemicals
Market Cap$27.71B
5Y Perf.-0.3%
OLN
Olin Corporation
Chemicals - Specialty
Market Cap$3.28B
5Y Perf.+139.4%
WLK vs LYB vs DOW vs OLN — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | WLK | LYB | DOW | OLN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Chemicals - Specialty | Chemicals - Specialty | Chemicals | Chemicals - Specialty |
| Market Cap | $12.77B | $23.67B | $27.71B | $3.28B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $10.98B | $22.48B | $39.33B | $6.78B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-1.64B | $-774M | $-2.76B | $-43M |
| Gross Margin | 1.5% | -19.3% | 6.2% | 7.4% |
| Operating Margin | -15.5% | -0.9% | -2.3% | 0.2% |
| Forward P/E | 26.7x | 10.2x | 13.0x | — |
| Total Debt | $6.44B | $15.96B | $19.60B | $3.39B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $2.72B | $3.45B | $3.82B | $168M |
WLK vs LYB vs DOW vs OLN — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
WLK
LYB
DOW
OLN
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westlake Corporation (WLK) | 100 | 209.1 | +109.1% |
| LyondellBasell Indu… (LYB) | 100 | 115.2 | +15.2% |
| Dow Inc. (DOW) | 100 | 99.7 | -0.3% |
| Olin Corporation (OLN) | 100 | 239.4 | +139.4% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: WLK vs LYB vs DOW vs OLN
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: OLN leads in 4 of 7 categories, making it the strongest pick for growth and revenue expansion and profitability and margin quality. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. is the stronger pick specifically for valuation and capital efficiency and capital preservation and lower volatility. WLK also leads in specific categories worth noting. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
WLK
Westlake Corporation
The Long-Run Compounder
WLK is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding and sleep-well-at-night.
- 138.6% 10Y total return vs LYB's 49.4%
- Lower volatility, beta 1.06, Low D/E 69.3%, current ratio 2.24x
- 2.1% yield, 12-year raise streak, vs LYB's 7.5%
Best for: long-term compounding and sleep-well-at-night
LYB
LyondellBasell Industries N.V.
The Income Pick
LYB is the #2 pick in this set and the best alternative if income & stability and defensive is your priority.
- Dividend streak 2 yrs, beta 0.38, yield 7.5%
- Beta 0.38, yield 7.5%, current ratio 1.77x
- Lower P/E (10.2x vs 13.0x)
- Beta 0.38 vs OLN's 1.47, lower leverage
Best for: income & stability and defensive
DOW
Dow Inc.
The Income Angle
DOW lags the leaders in this set but could rank higher in a more targeted comparison.
Best for: basic materials exposure
OLN
Olin Corporation
The Growth Play
OLN carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure.
- Rev growth 3.7%, EPS growth -140.7%, 3Y rev CAGR -10.2%
- 3.7% revenue growth vs LYB's -25.2%
- -0.6% margin vs WLK's -14.9%
- +44.6% vs WLK's +29.2%
Best for: growth exposure
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | OLN | 3.7% revenue growth vs LYB's -25.2% |
| Value | LYB | Lower P/E (10.2x vs 13.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | OLN | -0.6% margin vs WLK's -14.9% |
| Stability / Safety | LYB | Beta 0.38 vs OLN's 1.47, lower leverage |
| Dividends | WLK | 2.1% yield, 12-year raise streak, vs LYB's 7.5% |
| Momentum (1Y) | OLN | +44.6% vs WLK's +29.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | OLN | -0.6% ROA vs WLK's -8.2%, ROIC 1.7% vs -9.0% |
WLK vs LYB vs DOW vs OLN — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2025
FY 2025
FY 2025
FY 2025
WLK vs LYB vs DOW vs OLN — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 4 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLOLNLAGGINGDOW
Who Leads Where
OLN leads in 3 of 6 categories
LYB leads 1 • WLK leads 0 • DOW leads 0 • 2 tied
Explore the data ↓DOWDow Inc.
0leads
WLKWestlake Corporation
0leads
LYBLyondellBasell Indust…
1leads
OLNOlin Corporation
3leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs LYBvs WLKMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
OLN4/6
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
OLN4/6
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
OLN8/9
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
LYB3/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
Tied
—
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
Tied
—
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
OLN leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
DOW is the larger business by revenue, generating $39.3B annually — 5.8x OLN's $6.8B. OLN is the more profitable business, keeping -0.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to WLK's -14.9%. On growth, OLN holds the edge at -0.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | WLKWestlake Corporat… | LYBLyondellBasell In… | DOWDow Inc. | OLNOlin Corporation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $11.0B | $22.5B | $39.3B | $6.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$462M | $865M | $1.3B | $538M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$1.6B | -$774M | -$2.8B | -$43M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$508M | $3.1B | -$2.0B | $248M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +1.5% | -19.3% | +6.2% | +7.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -15.5% | -0.9% | -2.3% | +0.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -14.9% | -3.4% | -7.0% | -0.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -4.6% | +13.6% | -5.1% | +3.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -6.8% | -100.0% | -6.1% | -0.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -3.2% | -100.0% | -68.2% | -9.2% |
OLN leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
OLN leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, OLN's 10.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than LYB's 34.0x.
| Metric | WLKWestlake Corporat… | LYBLyondellBasell In… | DOWDow Inc. | OLNOlin Corporation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $12.8B | $23.7B | $27.7B | $3.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $16.5B | $36.2B | $43.5B | $6.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -8.50x | -31.27x | -10.43x | -77.84x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 26.71x | 10.19x | 13.02x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 34.04x | 14.06x | 10.24x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.14x | 0.79x | 0.69x | 0.48x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.38x | 2.32x | 1.56x | 1.71x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 61.65x | — | 13.23x |
OLN leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
OLN leads this category, winning 8 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
OLN delivers a -2.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-2 in annual profit, vs $-17 for WLK. WLK carries lower financial leverage with a 0.69x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to OLN's 1.76x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), OLN scores 5/9 vs DOW's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | WLKWestlake Corporat… | LYBLyondellBasell In… | DOWDow Inc. | OLNOlin Corporation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -16.8% | -7.2% | -15.4% | -2.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -8.2% | -3.0% | -4.6% | -0.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -9.0% | -1.1% | +0.6% | +1.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -8.8% | -1.1% | +0.5% | +1.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.69x | 1.56x | 1.12x | 1.76x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.7B | $12.5B | $15.8B | $3.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.7B | $3.4B | $3.8B | $168M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $6.4B | $16.0B | $19.6B | $3.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -24.17x | -1.42x | -1.51x | 0.62x |
OLN leads this category, winning 8 of 9 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
LYB leads this category, winning 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in WLK five years ago would be worth $10,590 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $7,064 for OLN. Over the past 12 months, OLN leads with a +44.6% total return vs WLK's +29.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LYB at -1.1% vs OLN's -17.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | WLKWestlake Corporat… | LYBLyondellBasell In… | DOWDow Inc. | OLNOlin Corporation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +35.2% | +67.1% | +60.1% | +34.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +29.2% | +40.1% | +39.8% | +44.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -10.8% | -3.4% | -15.3% | -43.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.9% | -9.6% | -25.5% | -29.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +138.6% | +49.4% | +14.6% | +67.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.7% | -1.1% | -5.4% | -17.1% |
LYB leads this category, winning 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — LYB and OLN 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 OLN's 1.47 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. OLN currently trades 94.5% from its 52-week high vs WLK's 80.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | WLKWestlake Corporat… | LYBLyondellBasell In… | DOWDow Inc. | OLNOlin Corporation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.06x | 0.38x | 0.76x | 1.47x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $124.23 | $83.94 | $42.74 | $30.46 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $56.33 | $41.58 | $20.40 | $18.08 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +80.3% | +87.5% | +90.1% | +94.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 37.3 | 60.4 | 59.4 | 58.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.2M | 8.1M | 14.3M | 2.7M |
Evenly matched — LYB and OLN each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — WLK and LYB each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: WLK as "Hold", LYB as "Hold", DOW as "Hold", OLN as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 2.7% upside for DOW (target: $40) vs -15.5% for OLN (target: $24). For income investors, LYB offers the higher dividend yield at 7.46% vs WLK's 2.12%.
| Metric | WLKWestlake Corporat… | LYBLyondellBasell In… | DOWDow Inc. | OLNOlin Corporation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $101.88 | $73.60 | $39.55 | $24.33 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 32 | 39 | 35 | 35 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.1% | +7.5% | +5.4% | +2.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 12 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.11 | $5.48 | $2.09 | $0.80 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.5% | +0.8% | 0.0% | +1.5% |
Evenly matched — WLK and LYB each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Key Takeaway
OLN leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). LYB leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Best OverallOlin Corporation (OLN)Leads 3 of 6 categories
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WLK vs LYB vs DOW vs OLN: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is WLK or LYB or DOW or OLN a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Olin Corporation (OLN) is the stronger pick with 3.
7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -25. 2% for LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB). Analysts rate Westlake Corporation (WLK) a "Hold" — based on 32 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 is the better long-term investment — WLK or LYB or DOW or OLN?
Over the past 5 years, Westlake Corporation (WLK) delivered a total return of +5.
9%, compared to -29. 4% for Olin Corporation (OLN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WLK returned +138. 6% versus DOW's +14. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — WLK or LYB or DOW or OLN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), LyondellBasell Industries N.
V. (LYB) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 38β versus Olin Corporation's 1. 47β — meaning OLN is approximately 287% more volatile than LYB relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Westlake Corporation (WLK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 69% versus 176% for Olin Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — WLK or LYB or DOW or OLN?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Olin Corporation (OLN) is pulling ahead at 3.
7% versus -25. 2% for LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Olin Corporation grew EPS -140. 7% year-over-year, compared to -352. 8% for Westlake Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, OLN leads at -10. 2% 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.
05Which has better profit margins — WLK or LYB or DOW or OLN?
Olin Corporation (OLN) is the more profitable company, earning -0.
6% net margin versus -13. 5% for Westlake Corporation — meaning it keeps -0. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OLN leads at 1. 7% versus -14. 1% for WLK. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LYB leads at 9. 0%, 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.
06Is WLK or LYB or DOW or OLN more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, LyondellBasell Industries N.
V. (LYB) trades at 10. 2x forward P/E versus 26. 7x for Westlake Corporation — 16. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DOW: 2. 7% to $39. 55.
07Which pays a better dividend — WLK or LYB or DOW or OLN?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
LyondellBasell Industries N. V. (LYB) offers the highest yield at 7. 5%, versus 2. 1% for Westlake Corporation (WLK).
08Is WLK or LYB or DOW or OLN 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%, OLN: +67. 4%), 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.
09What are the main differences between WLK and LYB and DOW and OLN?
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.
In terms of investment character: WLK is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; LYB is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; DOW is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; OLN is a small-cap quality compounder 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.
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