LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB), headquartered in Houston, Texas, operates as a chemical company. Valued at $19.6 billion by market cap, the company manufactures plastic, chemical, and fuel products. It offers products for the manufacturing of personal care products, fresh food packaging, lightweight plastics, construction materials, automotive, and more.

Companies worth $10 billion or more are generally described as “large-cap stocks,” and LYB perfectly fits that description, with its market cap exceeding this mark, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the specialty chemicals industry. LYB's strengths include its diversified portfolio, global scale, and economies of scale in procurement, manufacturing, and distribution, enabling cost efficiency, improved margins, and competitiveness. The company also boasts strong brand equity, financial resilience, and technological capabilities, driving innovation in areas like advanced polymers and sustainable materials. A skilled workforce and robust supply chain infrastructure further enhance operational excellence. 

Despite its notable strength, LYB slipped 40.1% from its 52-week high of $100.46, achieved on Jul. 31, 2024. Over the past three months, LYB stock declined 16.7%, underperforming the Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLB) 4.1% gains during the same time frame.

In the longer term, shares of LYB dipped 19% on a YTD basis and fell 37.3% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming XLB’s YTD gains of 5.1% and 1.6% dip over the last year.

To confirm the bearish trend, LYB has been trading below its 200-day moving average over the past year, experiencing slight fluctuations. However, the stock has been trading above its 50-day moving average recently.

LYB’s performance was impacted by the tariff-uncertainty and slowing economy.

On Apr. 25, LYB shares closed up marginally after reporting its Q1 results. Its revenue stood at $7.7 billion, down 7.6% year over year. The company’s adjusted EPS declined 74.8% year over year to $0.33.

In the competitive arena of specialty chemicals, Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) has taken the lead over LYB, showing resilience with a 13.6% downtick on a YTD basis and 24% losses over the past 52 weeks.

Wall Street analysts are cautious on LYB’s prospects. The stock has a consensus “Hold” rating from the 19 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $67.25 suggests a potential upside of 11.8% from current price levels.