Celanese price target lowered to $88 from $122 at RBC Capital

RBC Capital analyst Arun Viswanathan lowered the firm’s price target on Celanese (CE) to $88 from $122 and keeps an Outperform rating on the shares as part of a broader research note previewing 2025 in the Chemicals & Packaging sector. The firm continues to favor names with cost reduction programs given margin improvement potential before demand starts to improve, companies with strong operating leverage and potential for positive volume growth inflection in the second half of the year, and names with low leverage, the analyst tells investors in a research note. For the company, RBC warns that higher energy costs, particularly natural gas in Europe and in its Emerging Market segment, will likely continue to pressure margins.