Europe materials industry feels US tariff, China heat
A basket of essential companies that supply products like plastic, aluminum, and paper — not your typical household names — reported the highest level of earnings misses so far this season. More than 65% of the MSCI Europe materials index missed earnings per share estimates for the fourth quarter, compared with just 35% of misses in the overall index, data compiled by Bloomberg shows.
The sector, which includes companies like paint-maker Akzo Nobel NV, fertiliser producer Yara International ASA and flavorings manufacturer Symrise AG, is dragged down by weak demand in China, where economic woes have led to a slowdown in construction activity, and the threat of US tariffs.
«This leaves most of the heavy lifting for materials' EPS growth to cost-cutting and productivity gains to improve margin,» which is complicated by higher raw materials prices and rising labor costs, according to Bloomberg Intelligence strategists Kaidi Meng and Laurent Douillet.
The sector's underperformance stands out in a region where most companies either met or beat expectations. A strong performance in the healthcare, financial and tech segments has emboldened sentiment and driven overall estimates for the MSCI Europe index higher.
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