LANXESS Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:LXS) reported an 11% increase in third-quarter EBITDA to €139 million as higher prices helped offset rising raw material and energy costs. Management narrowed its full-year guidance to a range of €450 million to €500 million and said it expects to be toward the upper end.
Chief Executive Officer Matthias Zachert said the economic environment remained difficult and described the quarter’s EBITDA as “still too low.” Sales increased 10%, with pricing contributing about 8 percentage points, he said.
The company began announcing and implementing price increases in the second quarter, with increases on quarterly contracts becoming visible in the third. Zachert said volumes were also positive in the third quarter, although businesses must be prepared to lose some volume when raising prices.
Chief Financial Officer Oliver Stratmann said the company’s price increases fully offset higher raw material and energy costs at the group level. Zachert added that both business units in the intermediates division raised prices to mitigate energy costs.
Energy costs and fourth-quarter outlook
Management said rising energy costs will create pressure in the fourth quarter. Stratmann estimated an additional energy cost burden of about €50 million in that period and declined to provide a forecast for 2027.
Zachert said LANXESS expects its 2026 energy bill to be about €520 million, up roughly €70 million from approximately €450 million in 2025. He said the company will seek to pass the fourth-quarter increase on to customers, although it expects the steepest energy cost rise of the year in that period.
Stratmann said some customer contracts allow energy costs to be passed through after a delay. Combined with financial hedges, those arrangements cover around 30% of the company’s energy exposure, he said.
Zachert said gas is the predominant source of the energy cost pressure. He expects energy prices to remain elevated but considers it likely they could decline from 2026 levels. He also said current gas prices may reflect an overreaction to concerns about European storage levels.
Asked how LANXESS could reach the upper end of its guidance despite the fourth-quarter energy burden, Zachert pointed to pricing measures and cost savings that are weighted toward the latter part of the year. He said headcount reductions were accelerating.
Cash flow and debt reduction
Zachert said improving cash flow remains a priority and that LANXESS will work to deliver positive free cash flow in the fourth quarter. He attributed the improvement in operational free cash flow to cost savings and tight capital and working capital management.
Working capital was broadly stable year over year in absolute terms despite higher raw material and energy costs, Zachert said. He added that the company intends to reduce net financial debt.
Asked whether LANXESS might sell assets to accelerate deleveraging, Zachert did not comment on specific businesses. He said reducing debt remained a priority and noted the company’s history of adjusting its portfolio.
Stratmann also addressed tariff refunds received in the third quarter, describing them as being in the “mid-teens.” He said the refunds provided relief in the company’s cost base, while ongoing tariffs continued to generate expenses and cash outflows.
Questions about Envalior
Analysts also questioned the value of LANXESS’ Envalior stake and its shareholder loan. In response to concerns about Envalior’s debt costs, Zachert cited an October Moody’s report that described the company’s liquidity as adequate. He said the report showed about €212 million in cash and access to €208 million on a syndicated loan at the end of June.
Zachert added that Envalior’s term loans were trading in the 70s and 80s, which he characterized as a sign of lender confidence, though not the strongest possible position.
Stratmann said the fair value of LANXESS’ shareholder loan had increased slightly from December through September 30. He said the loan, including interest, must be repaid in proportion to any Envalior stake sold in 2028.
About LANXESS Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:LXS)
LANXESS Aktiengesellschaft, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty chemicals company that engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of chemical intermediates, additives, specialty chemicals, and consumer protection products worldwide. It operates through three segments: Consumer Protection, Specialty Additives, and Advanced Intermediates. The Consumer Protection segment provides material protection products; disinfectant, hygiene, and preservative solutions; flavors and fragrances; liquid purification technologies for the treatment of water and other liquids; and precursors and intermediates for the agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and specialty chemicals industries.
