Koppers (NYSE:KOP) Announces Earnings Results

Koppers (NYSE:KOP) issued its earnings results on Thursday. The specialty chemicals company reported $0.70 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.59 by $0.11, Briefing.com reports. Koppers had a return on equity of 15.85% and a net margin of 2.98%.The business had revenue of $432.70 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $445.00 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.77 EPS. Koppers’s revenue was down 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. Koppers updated its FY 2026 guidance to 4.200-5.000 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Koppers’ conference call:

• Koppers delivered a strong 2025 with adjusted EBITDA of $256.7 million and a 13.7% margin (a company high as‑reported), $4.07 adjusted EPS, $122.5 million operating cash flow, $38.2 million of buybacks and a raised quarterly dividend; net leverage was 3.4x with a goal of 2–3x.
• The company’s transformation program, Catalyst, produced $46 million of benefits in 2025 and management now expects up to $75 million of cumulative benefits across 2026–2028, targeting $20–40 million in 2026 and a mid‑teens margin run rate by 2028.
• Performance Chemicals is forecast to grow top line ~11% in 2026 from market‑share gains and new commercial wins, but results remain sensitive to copper and tariff risk—management says continued high copper could necessitate roughly a $50 million pricing pass‑through despite hedging.
• Utility & Industrial Products outlook is constructive (AI, data centers, EVs driving electrical demand), and a small Douglas fir procurement acquisition secures a key supply, while cost and production consolidations (including idling Vance plant) should drive most 2026 UIP improvements.
• The CMMC segment faces near‑term headwinds—Q4 sales and EBITDA fell, global coal‑tar costs are higher, a U.S. tar supplier exit reduces throughput, and pricing pressure may require capacity rationalization with margin challenges persisting into 2026.

Koppers Stock Up 1.4%

NYSE:KOP traded up $0.53 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $37.77. 342,711 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 154,095. The stock has a market capitalization of $740.73 million, a PE ratio of 13.64 and a beta of 1.40. Koppers has a 12-month low of $22.99 and a 12-month high of $38.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 2.63. The business has a 50-day moving average of $30.43 and a two-hundred day moving average of $29.14.

Koppers Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, March 6th will be given a dividend of $0.09 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. This is a positive change from Koppers’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.08. This represents a $0.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. Koppers’s dividend payout ratio is currently 40.00%.

Institutional Trading of Koppers

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its position in shares of Koppers by 258.1% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,930 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 1,391 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP raised its stake in Koppers by 95.6% in the second quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 2,130 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $68,000 after buying an additional 1,041 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its holdings in Koppers by 23.5% in the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 3,235 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $104,000 after acquiring an additional 615 shares in the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Koppers in the fourth quarter worth about $114,000. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Koppers during the third quarter worth about $160,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.75% of the company’s stock.

Koppers News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Koppers this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Barrington Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $55.00 price target (~45% upside vs. current levels), which supports upside momentum and may attract buy interest. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Koppers beat Q4 EPS estimates ($0.70 vs. $0.59 consensus) and provided FY‑2026 EPS guidance of $4.20–$5.00, roughly in line with analyst expectations — a combination that likely underpins the stock’s strength. Press Release / Slide Deck
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors can review the full Q4 earnings call transcript and highlights for color on demand trends, margin drivers and capital allocation plans; these details will matter for sustaining sentiment but are not a clear directional catalyst on their own. Earnings Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue declined ~9.3% year‑over‑year to $432.7M and missed the consensus (~$445M), signaling softer demand in the quarter — a headwind that tempers the EPS beat and raises questions on topline recovery. Zacks Article
• Negative Sentiment: Koppers announced it will idle two plants and lay off dozens as part of a restructuring, which could reduce near‑term production and create execution risk (and PR/headcount costs) even if it improves longer‑term margin structure. BizJournals Article

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Koppers from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Koppers from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday. Barrington Research reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $55.00 price objective on shares of Koppers in a report on Friday. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Koppers from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Koppers has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $52.50.

Koppers Company Profile

Koppers Company, Inc is a global specialty chemicals and materials manufacturer serving diverse industrial markets. The company operates through two primary segments: Carbon Materials & Chemicals, which produces a range of coal tar–based products, phenolic specialties and carbon compounds; and Railroad Products & Services, which offers wood treating and infrastructure services for rail and utility customers.

In its Carbon Materials & Chemicals segment, Koppers supplies coal tar pitch, refined creosote, coal tar‐based distillates and phenolic resins used in aluminum smelting, graphite electrode manufacture, carbon fiber production, and water treatment applications.