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Dow Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 20% year-over-year: Net sales were $12.1 billion against $10.1 billion a year earlier, with increases in all segments and regions. Source
  • Operating EBIT rose $1.7 billion: Op. EBIT was $1.6 billion against a $21 million loss a year earlier. Management credited higher prices and self-help initiatives. Source
  • Packaging profit rose $1.2 billion: Segment Op. EBIT was $1.3 billion, up from $71 million. Higher polyethylene prices widened margins, and self-help helped, partly offset by planned maintenance. Source
  • Volume fell 1% overall: Total volume fell 1%. Gains in Performance Materials & Coatings were more than offset by Packaging & Specialty Plastics declines. Source
  • Operating cash flow reached $1.3 billion: Cash from continuing operations was $1.3 billion, which the company tied to higher earnings across all businesses. Source
  • Transform delivering growth and productivity: Management said Transform to Outperform is improving growth and productivity across the company. Source

“Our actions to become a leaner, more competitive company position Dow well to continue winning with our customers while delivering enhanced long-term shareholder value.”

Karen S. Carter, Dow CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Transform to Outperform in-year benefits, total self-help Source2026 (this year)greater than $1.3 billionRaised
Transform to Outperform in-year benefits, incremental Source2026 (this year)approximately $200 million moreNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The 2026 in-year self-help benefit target was raised to greater than $1.3 billion, with about $200 million added. Source
  • New: The release names Karen S. Carter as Dow CEO; the prior release quoted Jim Fitterling as chair and CEO. Source
  • Ended: The EMEAI cracker that was idled in mid-2025 restarted in June, as the release reports. Source
  • New: The quarter included an in-period shutdown of the Barry, U.K. upstream siloxanes plant, with associated costs. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 20% year-over-year: Net sales were $12.1 billion against $10.1 billion a year earlier, with increases in all segments and regions. Source
  • Price drove most of the sales gain: Local price added 20 points, currency added 1 point, and volume subtracted 1 point, per the release's variance table. Source
  • Operating EBIT rose $1.7 billion: Op. EBIT was $1.6 billion against a $21 million loss a year earlier. Management credited higher prices and self-help initiatives. Source
  • GAAP EPS turned positive: GAAP diluted EPS was $0.99 against a $1.18 loss a year earlier. Operating EPS was $1.44 against a $0.42 loss. Source

Segments and regions

  • Packaging & Specialty Plastics sales up 27%: Segment sales were $6.4 billion. Local price rose 30%, and volume fell 4%. Source
  • Packaging profit rose $1.2 billion: Segment Op. EBIT was $1.3 billion, up from $71 million. Higher polyethylene prices widened margins, and self-help helped, partly offset by planned maintenance. Source
  • Industrial sales up 14% on price: Segment sales were $3.2 billion. Local price rose 15% across both businesses and all regions, and volume fell 2%. Source
  • Industrial segment returned to profit: Segment Op. EBIT was $246 million against a $185 million loss, on higher margins and self-help benefits. Source
  • Performance Materials sales up, profit down: Segment sales were $2.4 billion, up 11%. Op. EBIT fell $19 million to $133 million as self-help gains were offset by higher fixed costs. Source
  • Latin America sales up 41%: Latin America net sales rose 41%, with local price up 32% and volume up 9%, per the release's regional variance table. Source

“As we look into the second half of 2026, we will continue to build a more agile and resilient company that sets a new competitive standard”

Karen S. Carter, Dow CEO

Products and customers

  • Data center demand aided Industrial Solutions: Industrial Solutions volume rose on recent alkoxylation investments and data center demand, with local price gains in all regions. Source
  • Flexible packaging prices rose most: Packaging and Specialty Plastics sales rose on higher polyethylene prices, most notably in flexible packaging applications. Source
  • Downstream silicones volume gains: Consumer Solutions sales rose on volume gains in downstream silicones across consumer, electronics and home care uses. Source
  • Monomers and coatings up in all regions: Coatings & Performance Monomers sales rose in all regions on higher price and volume in acrylic monomers and architectural coatings. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Transform costs sit in significant items: Transform to Outperform significant items were $526 million pretax, with $445 million of severance and related benefits and $81 million of costs to achieve. Source
  • Tax item partly offset significant items: Significant items totaled $0.45 per share. A $150 million income tax related item, tied to NOVA Chemicals cash received in March, partly offset them. Source
  • Selling costs rose sharply: SG&A was $535 million against $347 million a year earlier. Restructuring and asset charges fell to $503 million from $591 million. Source
  • Sadara equity losses no longer recognized: Recognition of equity losses from Sadara was suspended, which helped Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure profit. Source

Demand and volumes

  • Market conditions described as supportive: Management described market conditions as supportive in the quarter. The release gives no order backlog figure. Source
  • Volume fell 1% overall: Total volume fell 1%. Gains in Performance Materials & Coatings were more than offset by Packaging & Specialty Plastics declines. Source
  • Olefins prices lifted Hydrocarbons sales: Hydrocarbons & Energy sales rose on higher olefins prices, which more than offset lower volumes. Source

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Operating cash flow reached $1.3 billion: Cash from continuing operations was $1.3 billion, which the company tied to higher earnings across all businesses. Source
  • Free cash flow was $692 million: Free cash flow was $692 million after $632 million of capital expenditures, against a $1.1 billion outflow a year earlier. Source
  • Dividends of $253 million paid: Dividends totaled $253 million in the quarter. The release shows $505 million paid to stockholders in the first half. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Transform delivering growth and productivity: Management said Transform to Outperform is improving growth and productivity across the company. Source
  • Three priorities for the second half: Management named growth in end markets, investment in the portfolio, and balanced capital allocation as its second-half priorities. Source
  • Actions framed as long-term value: Management tied the actions to winning with customers and enhanced long-term shareholder value. Source

People and leadership

  • Karen S. Carter named as Dow CEO: The release quotes Karen S. Carter as Dow CEO. The April release quoted Jim Fitterling as chair and CEO. Source
  • About 34,600 employees at year end: The company reports about 34,600 employees as of year-end 2025 and manufacturing sites in 29 countries. Source
  • Execution credited for results: Management credited disciplined and timely execution and reliable service to customers for the quarter's results. Source

Coming up, as management said on 23 July 2026

  • Transform impact ramps into 2027: Management expects the impact of Transform to Outperform to ramp significantly through the rest of 2026 and into 2027. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Volume change, total, year-over-year Source-1%
Local price change, total, year-over-year Source+20%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Middle East conflict offset industrial volume growth. Industrial market applications volume gains were more than offset by conflict impacts. Source
  • Demand: Lower polyethylene volumes in EMEAI and Asia Pacific, linked by the company to the Middle East conflict, were more than offset by higher prices. Source
  • Operational: Packaging & Specialty Plastics volume fell 4%, mainly from higher planned maintenance in Hydrocarbons & Energy, which lowered merchant sales. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said the self-help initiatives delivered ahead of plan, further reinforcing the improvement in earnings. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.