2026-10-25
Element Solutions clears the business-activity screen and the figures we can measure look clean, but one or more financial figures are still pending, so the verdict is not final yet.
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latest tape · as of 18:05 UTC
The Screen · Basic Materials · Specialty Chemicals
Element Solutions Inc
ESI · the NYSE · USD · Market cap $7.6B · 5,200 employees
Element Solutions Inc operates as a specialty chemicals technology company in the United States, China, and internationally.
Not yet scored31.35 USD
Price as of 6 Nov 2026Daily close, not a live quote
Screened 2026-11-06 · the tape above runs as of 18:05 UTC · two dates, stated on purpose · verdict and workings shown in full · never trimmed
Key facts today
- Price31.35 USD at the 6 Nov 2026 close
- Our value readFair vs our fair value, as of 6 Nov 2026
- Our regime readDistribution, as of 7 Nov 2026
- Ethical screenNot yet scored
- OptionsOpen interest leans slightly to calls (put/call 0.78)
- Last reviewed6 Nov 2026 (1 days ago)
- Release timesRelease and earnings times on your chart: Event Guard Mentor
A summary of the dated readings below, not a live quote and not advice.
PRICE · ONE YEAR
Our fair-value range: $32.90 to $37.84, base estimate $32.90 (screen dated 2026-11-06).
- Trend Distribution
- Insiders no filings inside 60 days, left as found
- Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
- Options put/call open interest 0.78, read 2026-11-05
- Ethical screen not yet scored
Price31.35 USD
Fair value32.90
Ethical score70.0/100
Value readFairas of 6 Nov 2026
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-10-28Read Distribution33.21-5.6% to today ✓Markup gives way to Distribution first Distribution read since August
2026-10-02Read Markup33.42-6.2% to today Distribution gives way to Markup after a 24% slide in 13 weeks
2026-07-02Read Distribution43.70-28.3% to today ✓First review on file: Distribution
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
The full research record, in depth, below
This name holds its distribution label.
Element Solutions Inc holds its Distribution at $31.35. Consolidating, no directional conviction, held for 72 days.
| Phase | Distribution · caution |
| Quantitative state | Consolidating, no directional conviction, held for 72 days |
| Price at the screen | $31.35 |
| Valuation | 36.88 trailing · 14.47 forward price to earnings |
| Values screen | Not scored · score 70.0 |
| Beta | 1.29 |
Five Screens, Shown in Full
This security has not been fully scored against the values screen yet.
| Test | Figure | Limit | What it means | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business activity | Permissible | Core business clean | Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending. | Pass |
| Debt load | 32.20% | Below 33% | Interest-bearing debt is just 32.2% of its assets, well under the one-third ceiling: it does not run on borrowed money. | Pass |
| Interest-bearing cash | 0.00% | Below 33% | Cash held in interest-bearing accounts and securities is 0.0% of assets, under the one-third limit. | Pass |
| Receivables | 22.43% | Below 49% | Money owed to the company is 22.4% of assets, under the 49% limit. | Pass |
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical ReadThe Read, in Plain English
Element Solutions clears the business-activity screen and the figures we can measure look clean, but one or more financial figures are still pending, so the verdict is not final yet.
Read as at 2026-11-07. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
2026-09-24
Clears
Element Solutions clears all five screens. Its business is in a permissible area, its interest-bearing debt is about 32%, inside the ~33% line, and almost none of its income is interest, so it passes.
Earlier reads, kept as written. The ethical profile is tracked over time, not overwritten.
What the Numbers Say It Is WorthThe Fair Value Range
Our analysis reads Fair vs our fair value, as of 6 Nov 2026: it trades at roughly a 5% discount to our $32.90 fair value, narrow competitive moat, 51.70% revenue growth.
How a fair value is estimated: discounted cash flow (DCF).
Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-11-06 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. A 4.7% discount to the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets: 12 covering, consensus Strong Buy. The average target sits +52% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Both our model and the analysts see meaningful upside from here.
Price History & ProjectionsWhere our models see it going: fair-value estimate $32.90, with a range of $32.90 to $37.84, dated to the 2026-11-06 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain WordsChemicals growth masks a narrow moat
Picture a supplier of plating chemicals for circuit boards. Sales jump when phone and car makers restock, yet the same volumes vanish in the next downturn. Element Solutions shows 42% revenue growth and clears the ethical screen, yet its 5% profit margin and 6% return on equity leave little cushion once demand normalises.
We pass. The shares trade at 18.3 times forward earnings against our fair value of 32.90, a 12% premium with no margin of safety. A narrow moat in a cyclical industry means today's growth can quickly become tomorrow's overcapacity, and low returns on equity offer scant protection when volumes fall.
Analyst targets sit higher, but history shows specialty chemicals often trade on peak earnings that later reset. The combination of stretched valuation and modest profitability is the classic cyclical trap, not a bargain. Analysis, not advice.
| Forward P/E | 14.5xcheap for a company growing this fast |
| Trailing P/E | 36.9xexpensive: the price assumes strong growth ahead |
| EPS, trailing | 0.85 |
| EPS, forward | 2.17 |
| Revenue growth | +51.7%growing very fast |
| Profit margin | 5.9%thin but positive margins |
| Return on equity | 7.4%a modest return on shareholder capital |
| FCF yield | 1.50% |
| Dividend yield | 73.00% |
| Debt to equity | 0.72moderate, manageable leverage |
| Current ratio | 2.78comfortably covers its short-term bills |
| Beta | 1.29moves a little more than the market |
| Short interest, float | 0.05% |
| 52-week range | 22.86 - 49.25 |
| Moat | NARROW |
| Market cap | $7.6B |
| Employees | 5,200 |
Another profit measure, before interest, tax and non-cash costs: EBITDA.
The risks · The main risks here are ordinary market swings and the chance our fair-value read proves too optimistic.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to TradeESI trades on the NYSE. As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
Every Entry, As Written
2026-11-04
Distribution $35.07
+5.6% Entry 16
The analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved up 5.6% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47.
2026-10-28
Distribution · changed $33.21
-6.5% Entry 15
The framework has shifted from markup to distribution since the last review. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 6.5% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47.
2026-10-21
Markup $35.53
+0.0% Entry 14
The analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: not fully scored yet. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-20
Markup $35.53
+0.0% Entry 13
The analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-19
Markup $35.53
+0.0% Entry 12
The analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-18
Markup $35.53
+0.0% Entry 11
The analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 37% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-17
Markup $35.53
+0.0% Entry 10
The analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 37% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-16
Markup $35.53
-2.2% Entry 9
The analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 2.2% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 37% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-15
Markup $36.32
+0.0% Entry 8
The analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 37% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
2026-10-14
Markup $36.32
+8.7% Entry 7
The analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 8.7% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 37% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 82%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 31%. The street (10 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $47. It reported earnings in this window, a natural checkpoint for the thesis.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
- Element Solutions: 3 Key Takeaways for Long-Term Investors Yahoo Finance · 9d ago
- ESI Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates on Electronics Strength Yahoo Finance · 9d ago
- Is Element Solutions (ESI) Outperforming Other Basic Materials Stocks This Year? Yahoo Finance · 12d ago
- Element Solutions (ESI) After Q3 Results Is The Undervalued Story Still Intact Yahoo Finance · 15d ago
- Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Element Solutions, Perimeter Solutions and Quaker Chemical Yahoo Finance · 15d ago
Headlines from third-party outlets, linked for reference: not our reporting, not advice.
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| Date | Politician | Party | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-21 | Pete Sessions | Republican | sell | < 1K |
| 2026-09-14 | Kevin Hern | Republican | sell | 15K–50K |
| 2026-09-14 | Kevin Hern | Republican | sell | 15K–50K |
| 2026-09-14 | Kevin Hern | Republican | sell | 15K–50K |
| 2026-09-11 | Ro Khanna | Democrat | buy | 1K–15K |
| Period | Price then | Price return | Divs per share | $1,000 became | Total return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $44.98 | -11.7% | $0.08 | $885 | -11.5% |
| 2 months | $37.52 | +5.9% | $0.08 | $1,061 | +6.1% |
| 3 months | $30.03 | +32.3% | $0.08 | $1,326 | +32.6% |
| 6 months | $27.52 | +44.4% | $0.16 | $1,450 | +45.0% |
| 1 year | $21.82 | +82.1% | $0.32 | $1,835 | +83.5% |
| 2 years | $23.10 | +72.0% | $0.64 | $1,747 | +74.7% |
| 3 years | $17.82 | +123.0% | $0.96 | $2,283 | +128.3% |
| 5 years | $23.04 | +72.5% | $1.58 | $1,793 | +79.3% |
Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever ESI does next, these words stay.
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