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Orion (OEC) Prioritizes Value Creation After Emissions Upgrades

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Orion S.A. (OEC - Free Report) , a prominent global specialty chemicals producer, completed the comprehensive upgrade of air emissions control technology across all four of its carbon black plants in the United States. This significant effort marks the largest sustainability-focused initiative in the company's history.

The final phase of this initiative recently concluded with the completion of the air emissions project at the Belpre, OH, plant. Prior to this, Orion had undertaken similar upgrades at its facilities in Borger, TX, Ivanhoe, LA, and Orange, TX, in alignment with an initiative mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, applicable to all carbon black producers in the country. Orion faced considerable challenges, including contractor issues, COVID-19 disruptions and supply chain obstacles. Despite these hurdles, the company managed to finish ahead of some competitors.

Orion expressed satisfaction with the successful completion of its challenging journey to enhance the environmental performance of its facilities. The company is entering an exciting new era with a heightened focus on investing in profitable growth, reducing debt and delivering value to shareholders.

Emphasizing sustainability as a key focus for Orion's growth strategy, the company plans to continue investing in projects linked to environmental responsibility. This commitment includes initiatives such as the production of conductive materials for lithium-ion batteries and the development of products contributing to the circular economy.

Orion S.A. Price and Consensus

 

Orion S.A. Price and Consensus

Orion S.A. price-consensus-chart | Orion S.A. Quote

 

Considering a slower recovery in end markets and facing downtime due to the final EPA project, Orion anticipates its 2023 results to be at the lower end of its adjusted EBITDA guidance of $330-$340 million. While demand is on the rebound, the recovery is progressing at a slower pace than initially expected in various markets.

Looking ahead to 2024, Orion is projecting a fourth consecutive year of earnings growth, with the anticipated rate similar to the mid-single-digit EBITDA increase achieved in 2023. This outlook reflects the company's optimistic stance on future financial performance.

Orion’s shares have gained 18.8% in the past year compared with the industry's 17% rise in the same period.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Orion currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Cameco Corporation (CCJ - Free Report) , Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS - Free Report) and The Andersons (ANDE - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Cameco has a projected earnings growth rate of 156% for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CCJ’s current-year earnings has been revised upward by 6.7% in the past 60 days. The stock is up around 78.7% in a year.

The consensus estimate for CRS’s current fiscal year earnings is pegged at $3.96, indicating a year-over-year surge of 247.4%. CRS beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all of the last four quarters, with the average earnings surprise being 14.3%. The company’s shares have rallied 49.9% in the past year.

ANDE beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters and missed one, with the average earnings surprise being 32.8%. The company’s shares have increased 47.5% in the past year.

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