Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. (OEC) AI Stock Analysis
OEC AI stock analysis summary
AI ResearchOrion Engineered Carbons S.A. (OEC) is a global manufacturer and supplier of carbon black products operating across specialty and rubber segments. Over the trailing twelve months, the company generated $1.82B in revenue but recorded a net margin of -5.3% and an EPS of -$1.71. Its balance sheet carries $1.01B in total debt against $50.8M in cash and short-term investments as of June 30, 2026.
- Market cap
- $301.8M
- Revenue (TTM)
- $1.82B
- P/E
- — fwd 4.1x
- 1Y return
- -12.0% S&P 500 16.8%
- Avg. target
- $6.31 18.2% vs last close
Bull case
- OEC trades at a forward P/E of 4.1x, reflecting a lower valuation multiple than the median of its US-listed Basic Materials peers at 13.4x.
- Quarterly revenue for the period ended June 30, 2026, demonstrated top-line resilience with 7.4% year-over-year growth.
- The analyst mean price target of $6.31 indicates potential upside of 18.2% from the share price of $5.34.
Bear case
- Annual profitability deteriorated into negative territory in FY2025, recording net income of -$70.1M compared to $44.2M in FY2024.
- The balance sheet is heavily leveraged, carrying total debt of $1.01B against cash and short-term investments of $50.8M.
- Over the trailing twelve months, diluted EPS stood at -$1.71 alongside a profit margin of -5.3%.
What Orion Engineered Carbons does
Headquartered in Senningerberg, Luxembourg, Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. manufactures and supplies carbon black products globally across Germany, the United States, South Korea, Brazil, China, South Africa, and Europe. The company operates through two segments: Specialty Carbon Black and Rubber Carbon Black. The Specialty Carbon Black segment provides post-treated and conductive grades for coatings, printing, fibers, polymers, and battery electrodes. The Rubber Carbon Black segment delivers high-performance grades under brands such as PUREX and ECORAX, which serve tire manufacturing and mechanical rubber goods to improve durability and performance.
Growth and profitability
From FY2020 to FY2025, revenue expanded at a 5-year CAGR of 9.7%. Annual revenue grew from $1.55B in FY2021 to $2.03B in FY2022 before decreasing to $1.89B in FY2023, $1.88B in FY2024, and $1.81B in FY2025. Gross margin shrank from 25.0% in FY2021 to 19.9% in FY2025, while operating margin declined from 10.0% to 5.6%. Net income moved from $134.7M in FY2021 to -$70.1M in FY2025, yielding a net margin of -3.9%. Over the trailing twelve months, revenue totaled $1.82B with an operating margin of 4.2%. In the quarter ended June 30, 2026, revenue increased 7.4% year-over-year, while quarterly earnings declined 81.3%.
Balance sheet and cash flow
As of June 30, 2026, Orion Engineered Carbons had $50.8M in cash and short-term investments and total debt of $1.01B, leaving net debt at $958.9M. Its current ratio stood at 1.03, and debt-to-equity reached 2.66 based on shareholders' equity of $380.3M. In FY2025, the company generated operating cash flow of $211.2M and free cash flow of $50.2M. Capital deployment in FY2025 included $161.0M for capital expenditures, $24.8M for share buybacks, and $4.7M in dividends paid.
Valuation and performance
At the last close of $5.34 on October 16, 2026, Orion Engineered Carbons had a market cap of $301.8M and an enterprise value of $1.30B. The stock trades at a forward P/E of 4.1x, below the median of its US-listed Basic Materials peers of 13.4x. Its price-to-sales multiple of 0.2x and EV-to-EBITDA of 9.9x compare to peer medians of 1.8x and 10.5x, respectively. Over the trailing 1-year period, OEC shares fell 12.0% while the S&P 500 (SPY) returned 16.8%. Over 5 years, the stock dropped 70.7% compared to an 83.0% gain for the benchmark.
OEC dividend
Orion Engineered Carbons pays a quarterly dividend with an annual forward payout of $0.08 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 1.55%. The company has paid dividends for 5 consecutive years, maintaining a payout ratio of 30.7%. Over the past 5 years, the annualized dividend growth rate was -16.1%.
What analysts expect
Analyst coverage consists of 1 Strong Buy, 0 Buy, 1 Hold, 1 Sell, and 1 Strong Sell. The mean price target of $6.31 represents an 18.2% premium over the last close of $5.34. Consensus estimates for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, project revenue of $1.81B and EPS of $0.17. Over the last 4 quarters, the company exceeded EPS expectations 2 times. The next earnings date is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
Key risks and what to watch
- High financial leverage is evident in a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66 and net debt of $958.9M as of June 30, 2026.
- Operating profitability has compressed steadily, with gross margin dropping from 25.0% in FY2021 to 19.9% in FY2025.
- Quarterly earnings fell 81.3% year-over-year in the period ended June 30, 2026, signaling ongoing earnings volatility.
- Dividend distributions have shrunk over time, reflected in a 5-year annualized dividend growth rate of -16.1%.
AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer
About this OEC AI stock analysis
This page is an AI-written research summary of Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. (OEC). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.
Related: OEC income statement, OEC balance sheet, OEC key metrics, OEC analyst forecast, OEC chart. See the OEC stock overview for the latest quote and news.
OEC AI stock analysis FAQ
What is Orion Engineered Carbons' dividend yield?
OEC offers an annual forward dividend of $0.08 per share, which equates to a dividend yield of 1.55%. The company distributes dividends on a quarterly frequency and has paid them for 5 consecutive years.
How much debt does OEC carry?
As of June 30, 2026, Orion Engineered Carbons had $1.01B in total debt and $50.8M in cash and short-term investments, resulting in net debt of $958.9M. Its debt-to-equity ratio was 2.66.
When is Orion Engineered Carbons' next earnings report?
The company is scheduled to report its next financial results on November 3, 2026.
What are analysts forecasting for OEC's earnings?
For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, consensus estimates project an EPS of $0.17 on revenue of $1.81B. For the following fiscal year, analysts estimate EPS will reach $0.33.