6 Undervalued Chemicals Stocks for Wednesday, October 09

By Omar Beirat
October 09, 2024
Diamond graphic indicating best value stocks in their industry
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Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 6 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Chemicals industry. Those looking for value stocks to add to their portfolio may want to use this list as a starting point for further investment research.

Why Focus on Undervalued Chemicals Stocks?

Value investors seek to buy stocks at a discount to their intrinsic value. Long-term returns show that such strategies are advantageous. Value stocks, as a group, tend to outperform growth stocks over extended periods of time. Typically, value investors perform financial analysis of numerous metrics, don’t follow the herd and are long-term investors.

AAII’s A+ Investor Value Grade is derived from a stock’s Value Score. The Value Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of the price-to-sales ratio, price-earnings ratio, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, shareholder yield, price-to-book-value ratio and price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. The score is variable, meaning it can consider all six ratios or, should any of the six ratios not be valid, the remaining ratios that are valid. To be assigned a Value Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) ratio and corresponding ranking for at least two of the six valuation ratios.

What Goes Into AAII’s Value Grade?

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data as well as the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movement. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors with that task.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A–F grades for more than just value. It is possible for a stock to appear cheap based on one valuation metric but appear expensive on another. It is also possible for one valuation ratio to be associated with outperforming stocks during certain periods of time but not others. Some stocks may even have null values for certain metrics like the price-earnings ratio or the price-to-book ratio but not others. An example of this would be a company with losses instead of profits or a negative book value because of heavy borrowing. Negative earnings or book value result in non-meaningful ratios that are left blank or null.

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6 Undervalued Chemicals Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 6 undervalued stocks in the Chemicals industry for Wednesday, October 09, 2024. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Chemicals industry median.

Company Ticker Price/Sales Price/Earnings EV/EBITDA Shareholder Yield Price/Book Value Price/Free Cash Flow Value Grade
Bon Natural Life Limited BON 0.07 0.8 3.8 (44.2%) 0.06 na A
Ecovyst Inc. ECVT 1.12 13.7 9.2 1.5% 1.09 9.5 B
Flexible Solutions International, Inc. FSI 1.14 15.7 7.2 2.8% 1.12 21.6 B
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. LYB 0.75 13.2 9.0 5.7% 2.35 34.0 B
Olin Corporation OLN 0.87 20.5 8.3 8.7% 2.42 11.2 B
Sasol Limited SSL 0.02 na 3.2 (4.1%) 0.03 na A

The Value Grade is assigned based on how each stock’s composite valuation compares to all other stocks.

The process for assigning grades starts with each variable for a given stock. The percentile rankings for all valid ratios that a stock has are calculated. So, for instance, a stock could have a price-to-book ranking in the 43rd percentile, a price-earnings ranking in the 67th percentile, a price-to-sales ranking in the 23rd percentile, etc. Then, those rankings are averaged for each stock. (A minimum of two valid variables are required, though all six will be used if available.)

Once the average of the individual variables is calculated, that average is ranked against all stocks. Put another way, each stock’s composite valuation is compared to all other stocks. These ranks are then sorted into quintiles from the cheapest 20% (a grade of A) to the most expensive 20% (a grade of F).

As always, we recommend that you conduct proper due diligence and research before investing in any security. We also suggest that investors utilize numerous grades, not just value, when it comes to deciding whether a company is a good fit for their allocation needs.

Bon Natural Life Limited’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score BON Industry Median
Price/Sales 3 0.07 1.36
Price/Earnings 0 0.8 26.0
EV/EBITDA 9 3.8 11.9
Shareholder Yield 91 (44.2%) 1.4%
Price/Book Value 2 0.06 1.63
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 20.9

Bon Natural Life Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of functional active ingredients extracted from natural herb plants in the People’s Republic of China and internationally. It offers personal care ingredients, such as plant extracted fragrance compounds to perfume and fragrance manufacturers; and natural health supplements comprising powder drinks and bioactive food ingredient products used as food additives and nutritional supplements. Its products are used by manufacturer customers in the functional food, personal care, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Xi'an, the People’s Republic of China.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Bon Natural Life Limited has a Value Score of 95, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Bon Natural Life Limited’s price-to-sales ratio at 0.07 compared to the industry median at 1.36, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Bon Natural Life Limited’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Bon Natural Life Limited’s price-earnings ratio is 0.80 compared to the industry median at 26.00. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Bon Natural Life Limited more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Bon Natural Life Limited’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 3.8, when compared to the industry median of 11.9, the company may be considered undervalued in relation to its peers. Value investors could use the enterprise multiple to identify stocks that are considered overvalued or undervalued relative to their industry.

Shareholder yield is the sum of a stock’s dividend yield (paid over previous 12 months minus special dividends) and the percentage of net share buybacks over the previous 12 months. Bon Natural Life Limited’s shareholder yield is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.40%. Value investors may look for an attractive shareholder yield because it can be a powerful tool for identifying if the company has a good management team.

As one of the most common value metrics, the price-to-book ratio evaluates a company’s current market price relative to its book value. Bon Natural Life Limited’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.63. This could make Bon Natural Life Limited more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Ecovyst Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score ECVT Industry Median
Price/Sales 36 1.12 1.36
Price/Earnings 35 13.7 26.0
EV/EBITDA 34 9.2 11.9
Shareholder Yield 35 1.5% 1.4%
Price/Book Value 36 1.09 1.63
Price/Free Cash Flow 23 9.5 20.9

Ecovyst Inc. offers specialty catalysts and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Ecoservices and Advanced Materials & Catalysts. The Ecoservices segment provides sulfuric acid recycling services and end-to-end logistics for production of alkylate for refineries; and virgin sulfuric acid for mining, water treatment, and industrial applications. The Advanced Materials & Catalysts segment offers advanced materials and specialty catalyst products and process solutions to producers and licensors of polyethylene and advanced silicas. This segment also supplies specialty zeolites and zeolite-based catalysts to customers for refining of oil primarily hydrocracking catalyst and dewaxing, sustainable fuels, and emission control systems for both on-road and non-road diesel engines. The company was formerly known as PQ Group Holdings Inc. and changed its name to Ecovyst Inc. in August 2021. Ecovyst Inc. was founded in 1831 and is headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Ecovyst Inc. has a Value Score of 78, which is considered to be undervalued.

Ecovyst Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 13.7 compared to the industry median at 26.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Ecovyst Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Ecovyst Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Ecovyst Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.63.

You can read more about Ecovyst Inc.’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Flexible Solutions International, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score FSI Industry Median
Price/Sales 36 1.14 1.36
Price/Earnings 41 15.7 26.0
EV/EBITDA 22 7.2 11.9
Shareholder Yield 27 2.8% 1.4%
Price/Book Value 37 1.12 1.63
Price/Free Cash Flow 54 21.6 20.9

Flexible Solutions International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets specialty chemicals that slow the evaporation of water in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Energy and Water Conservation Products, and Biodegradable Polymers. The company offers thermal polyaspartates (TPAs) for oilfields to reduce scale and corrosion in various water systems; and for the agricultural industry to reduce fertilizer crystallization before, during, and after application, as well as to prevent crystal formation between fertilizer and minerals present in the soil. It also provides TPAs for irrigation to prevent early plugging of drip irrigation ports, reduce maintenance costs, and lengthen the life of equipment; TPAs for cleaning products to prevents the re-deposition of dirt onto the surfaces; and TPAs as additives for household laundry detergents, consumer care products, and pesticides. In addition, the company offers nitrogen conservation products for agriculture that slow down nitrogen loss from fields. Further, it provides HEATSAVR, a chemical product for use in swimming pools and spas that forms a thin and transparent layer on the water’s surface; and WATERSAVR to reduce water evaporation in reservoirs, potable water storage tanks, livestock watering ponds, aqueducts, canals, and irrigation ditches, as well as for lawn and turf care, and potted and bedding plants. The company was incorporated in 1991 and is headquartered in Taber, Canada.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Flexible Solutions International, Inc. has a Value Score of 71, which is considered to be undervalued.

Flexible Solutions International, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 15.7 compared to the industry median at 26.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Flexible Solutions International, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Flexible Solutions International, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Flexible Solutions International, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.63.

You can read more about Flexible Solutions International, Inc.’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

LyondellBasell Industries N.V.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score LYB Industry Median
Price/Sales 26 0.75 1.36
Price/Earnings 33 13.2 26.0
EV/EBITDA 33 9.0 11.9
Shareholder Yield 13 5.7% 1.4%
Price/Book Value 63 2.35 1.63
Price/Free Cash Flow 69 34.0 20.9

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. operates as a chemical company in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Poland, France, Japan, China, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company operates in six segments: Olefins and Polyolefins—Americas; Olefins and Polyolefins—Europe, Asia, International; Intermediates and Derivatives; Advanced Polymer Solutions; Refining; and Technology. It produces and markets olefins and co-products, polyethylene, and polypropylene; and propylene oxide and derivatives; oxyfuels and related products; and intermediate chemicals, such as styrene monomer, acetyls, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol. In addition, the company produce and markets compounding and solutions including polypropylene compounds, engineered plastics, masterbatches, engineered composites, colors and powders, and advanced polymers including catalloy and polybutene-1; and refines heavy, high-sulfur crude oil and other crude oils, as well as refined products, including gasoline and distillates. Further, it develops and licenses chemical and polyolefin process technologies; manufactures and sells polyolefin catalysts; and serves food packaging, home furnishings, automotive components, and paints and coatings applications. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. has a Value Score of 65, which is considered to be undervalued.

LyondellBasell Industries N.V.’s price-earnings ratio is 13.2 compared to the industry median at 26.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes LyondellBasell Industries N.V. more attractive for value investors.

LyondellBasell Industries N.V.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make LyondellBasell Industries N.V. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.63.

You can read more about LyondellBasell Industries N.V.’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Olin Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score OLN Industry Median
Price/Sales 30 0.87 1.36
Price/Earnings 53 20.5 26.0
EV/EBITDA 29 8.3 11.9
Shareholder Yield 6 8.7% 1.4%
Price/Book Value 64 2.42 1.63
Price/Free Cash Flow 28 11.2 20.9

Olin Corporation manufactures and distributes chemical products in the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Canada. It operates through three segments: Chlor Alkali Products and Vinyls; Epoxy; and Winchester. The Chlor Alkali Products and Vinyls segment offers chlorine and caustic soda, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomers, methyl chloride, methylene chloride, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, perchloroethylene, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen, bleach products, potassium hydroxide, and chlorinated organics intermediates and solvents. The Epoxy segment provides Allylics, such as allyl chloride, epichlorohydrin, and glycerin; aromatics, including acetone, bisphenol, cumene, and phenol; liquid and solid epoxy resins; and converted epoxy resins and additives. The Winchester segment offers sporting ammunition products, including shotshells, small caliber centerfire, and rimfire ammunition products for hunters and recreational shooters, and law enforcement agencies; small caliber military ammunition products for use in infantry and mounted weapons; and industrial products comprising gauge loads and powder-actuated tool loads for maintenance applications in power and concrete industries, and powder-actuated tools in construction industry. The company markets its products through its sales force, as well as directly to various industrial customers, mass merchants, retailers, wholesalers, gun clubs, other distributors, and the U.S. Government and its prime contractors. Olin Corporation was incorporated in 1892 and is based in Clayton, Missouri.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Olin Corporation has a Value Score of 74, which is considered to be undervalued.

Olin Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 20.5 compared to the industry median at 26.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Olin Corporation more attractive for value investors.

Olin Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Olin Corporation more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.63.

You can read more about Olin Corporation’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Sasol Limited’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score SSL Industry Median
Price/Sales 0 0.02 1.36
Price/Earnings na na 26.0
EV/EBITDA 7 3.2 11.9
Shareholder Yield 73 (4.1%) 1.4%
Price/Book Value 1 0.03 1.63
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 20.9

Sasol Limited operates as a chemical and energy company in South Africa and internationally. It offers alumina, such as battery materials, catalyst supports, abrasives and polishing, and polymer additives; cobalt fischer-tropsch catalysts; carbon-based and recarburiser products; graphite electrodes; and mono-ethylene glycol and chlor-alkali products, monomers, mining chemicals and reagents, blends and hydrocarbons, methanol products, polymers, phenolics, and fertilizers. The company also provides linear alkyl benzene, sulfonate, macrogol/polyethylene glycol, ethanol, isopropyl, acetone, and MIBK and ethyl acetate products; and fatty alcohols, alkoxylates, ether sulfates, solvents, dispersants, diluents esters, alpha-hydroxy acids ester, waxes, diluents, guerbet alcohols, biosurfactants, C6-C20+ alcohols, ethoxylates, propoxylates, paraffins/isoparaffins, parafols, amines, alkylphenols, and sulfates. In addition, it offers alcohols, esters, ethers, carboxylic acids, surfactants, oil and water soluble polyglycols, formulation and surface modifiers, solvents and coalescents, wax cuts, blends and forms, FT hard waxes, blends, lubrication packages, nucleators, release agents, emulsifiers, wetting agents, tank-mix adjuvant components, fertilizer additives, and specialty solvents. Further, the company explores, develops, produces, markets, and distributes natural oil and gas, and associated products; markets fuels and lubricants; develops and implements GTL and CTL ventures; operates coal mines; trades and transports oil, petrochemicals, and chemical products and derivatives; and provides engineering, research and development, and technology transfer services. Sasol Limited was founded in 1950 and is based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Sasol Limited has a Value Score of 95, which is considered to be undervalued.

Sasol Limited’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Sasol Limited less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.63.

You can read more about Sasol Limited’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

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Other Chemicals Stock Grades

Value is just one of the five Stock Grades included in our A+ Investor service. AAII members can see the top-graded stocks—those with grades of A or B for value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality—on the A+ Stock Grades Screener.

Also, if you want full access to all of AAII’s premium services, you can subscribe to one convenient bundled plan called AAII Platinum where you can try out A+ Investor, AAII Dividend Investing, the Stock Superstars Report, Growth Investing and VMQ Stocks. With the other premium services, you can dive deep into additional metrics, portfolios, commentary and information about Chemicals stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 6 Best Chemicals Stocks Is Right for You

Choosing which value stocks to invest in will ultimately depend on your individual goals and allocation; however, comparing similar value stocks in the same industry can help you analyze which might be better investments for you in the long run. So, let’s take a look at the Value Grade for all of our stocks.

  • Bon Natural Life Limited stock has a Value Grade of A.
  • Ecovyst Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Flexible Solutions International, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • LyondellBasell Industries N.V. stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Olin Corporation stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Sasol Limited stock has a Value Grade of A.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 6 undervalued stocks in the Chemicals industry as well as their overall grades, it’s time for you to conduct additional research to see if these could fit your portfolio needs based on your goals and risk tolerance. AAII can help you figure out both and identify which investments align with what works best for you.

We do so through a program of education that teaches you to invest for yourself and become an effective manager of your own wealth—no more relying on others for your financial independence. You can rely on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis that makes you a better investor.

A+ Investor adds to that qualitative teaching by giving you a powerful data suite that helps you whittle down investment decisions to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

Learn More About A+ Investor

Additional Resources About Chemicals Stocks

Want to learn more about Chemicals stocks to see if they could be the right investment for you? Check out some additional resources and articles to help you on your financial journey.

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.



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