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Dec 31, 2020
LyondellBasell Q4 2020 Earnings Report
LyondellBasell reported net income for the fourth quarter 2020.
Key Takeaways
LyondellBasell reported a resilient performance amidst a challenging global environment. The company demonstrated financial and operational resilience, with strong consumer-driven demand and improved margins in several business segments. New joint ventures contributed to profitability, and the company advanced its sustainability goals.
Net income was $0.9 billion, or $0.7 billion excluding LCM and Impairment.
Diluted earnings per share were $2.55 per share, or $2.19 per share excluding LCM and Impairment.
EBITDA was $1.4 billion, or $1.3 billion excluding LCM and Impairment.
The company refinanced $2.4 billion of debt and had a liquidity of $5.2 billion as of December 31, 2020.
LyondellBasell
LyondellBasell
Forward Guidance
LyondellBasell anticipates improving trends from the end of December 2020 to continue into the first quarter of 2021, providing a bridge to seasonal upticks in the second and third quarters. They expect strong margins for Olefins and Polyolefins, increased demand for Advanced Polymer Solutions, and potential upside for oxyfuels and refining businesses in the latter half of the year with wider vaccine deployment.
Positive Outlook
- Elevated export demand to China and Latin America combined with tight markets are supporting strong margins for our Olefins and Polyolefins businesses.
- Increased demand from automotive and construction markets has pushed the January order book for our Advanced Polymer Solutions segment to higher levels than the fourth quarter 2020 average.
- With wider deployment of coronavirus vaccines, we anticipate that increasing mobility and transportation fuel demand could provide significant upside for our oxyfuels and refining businesses during the latter half of this year.
- LyondellBasell's measured approach to advancing value-driven growth is delivering results.
- The Advanced Polymer Solutions platform is serving broader markets and beginning to capture the benefits from more than $200 million in synergies.
Challenges Ahead
- Near term priority for balance sheet is debt reduction.
- Oxyfuels & Related Products results decreased $175 million driven by lower margins due to reduced gasoline prices and lower octane blend premiums.
- Technology EBITDA decreased $93 million versus the fourth quarter 2019 primarily due to reduced licensing revenue.
- Refining - EBITDA decreased $96 million versus the fourth quarter 2019, excluding a favorable variance of $2 million due to LCM benefits in the fourth quarter 2020.
- EBITDA decreased $133 million versus the fourth quarter 2019.