22.04.2025

Sales Recommendations in the Chemical and Consumer Goods Sector: What Investors Need to Know

Main Actors of the Sales Recommendations

  • Pernod Ricard: Barclays maintains its “Underweight” rating despite a slight increase in the price target (90→94 €), indicating structural weaknesses.
  • BASF: JPMorgan keeps the “Underweight” rating, likely due to margin pressure and weak demand in key markets.
  • Evonik: Jefferies confirms the “Underperform” rating, justified by high energy costs and stagnant demand in specialty chemicals.
  • RATIONAL: Baader Bank sticks to the “Reduce” recommendation, possibly due to saturated sales markets in the gastro-equipment sector.

Backgrounds and Market Trends

The recommendations reflect broader concerns:

  1. Interest Rate Environment – Higher refinancing costs burden indebted corporations.
  2. Global Consumption Decline – Evident for Pernod Ricard through decreasing spirits demand in key markets like China.
  3. Energy Transformation – Chemical companies like BASF struggle with CO₂ regulations and production relocations.

Action Options for Investors

Experts recommend defensive strategies:

  • Sector Rotation into utility or healthcare stocks with stable cash flow structures.
  • Use Stop Losses to limit losses on sharply declining stocks (e.g., trailing stop-loss at 8–10% below purchase price).

The current clustering of “Sell” ratings indicates a phase of heightened volatility – retail investors should review portfolios for overweightings in critical sectors.