Olin Corporation’s shares fell to a 52-week low of $17.72 on Tuesday, extending a decline that has left the stock 42% below its prior peak of $30.46. The drop reflects persistent headwinds in the chlor-alkali market, where caustic soda prices have softened, compounded by unplanned outages at industrial facilities and ongoing litigation-related cash outflows.
The company reported an adjusted loss of $0.12 per share in the second quarter, missing Wall Street’s consensus forecast of a $0.12 profit, while revenue totaled $1.74 billion against expectations of $1.81 billion. Year-to-date, the stock is down 10%, with a 23% decline over the past six months and a 22.7% drop over the last 12 months.
Analysts have adjusted their outlooks in response to the weaker operating environment. Truist Securities maintained a Hold rating but reduced its price target from $24 to $20, citing the financial impact of prolonged plant outages. RBC Capital kept its Sector Perform rating but similarly lowered its target from $24 to $20 following Olin’s downward guidance for the third quarter. Wells Fargo downgraded the stock to Equal Weight from Overweight, pointing to sustained weakness in caustic soda prices and a less favorable market outlook for chlor-alkali products.
Despite the challenges, Olin retains a dividend yield of 4.35%, marking 53 consecutive years of uninterrupted payouts. The company remains under pressure from both operational disruptions and broader market volatility in chemical commodities, which has weighed on investor sentiment.
