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Why You Should Retain DuPont (DD) Stock in Your Portfolio

DuPont de Nemours, Inc. DD is benefiting from strong demand in a number of markets, productivity and pricing actions and innovation-driven investment amid headwinds from higher raw material and energy costs and slowdown across certain markets.

The company’s shares are down 3.7% over a year compared with the 2.9% rise of its industry.

 

Zacks Investment Research
Zacks Investment Research


Image Source: Zacks Investment Research



Let’s find out why this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is worth retaining at the moment.

What’s Working in DD’s Favor?

DuPont is gaining from healthy underlying demand in several end markets, including water and general industrial. The company envisions sustained strength in water and automotive adhesives and stable demand across industrial end-markets including aerospace and healthcare products in 2023.

The company also continues to implement strategic price increases in the wake of raw material and energy cost inflation. These actions are likely to support its results in 2023.

DuPont also remains focused on driving growth though innovation and new product development. Its innovation-driven investment is focused on several high-growth areas. It remains committed to drive returns from its R&D investment. It is also benefiting from cost synergy savings and productivity improvement actions. Its structural cost actions are contributing to its bottom line.

The company is also managing its portfolio with an aim for value creation. It is divesting non-core assets to focus more on high-growth, high-margin businesses. DuPont completed the divestment of the majority of its Mobility & Materials unit to Celanese on Nov 1, 2022 as part of its ongoing transformation.

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The company received $11 billion in gross cash from the transaction. The move is expected to boost its underlying performance, strengthen its balance sheet, maximize shareholders’ return and provide opportunities to grow business through targeted mergers and acquisitions.

A Few Headwinds

The company is exposed to headwinds from higher raw material and logistics costs. Supply constraints for major raw materials are expected to continue over the near term. Higher energy costs driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict are also expected to impact its results.

DuPont also faces challenges from a slowdown in the consumer electronics and semiconductor markets during first-half 2023. The company expects lower volumes during the first half in consumer electronics and semiconductors due to reduced consumer spending, inventory destocking and the impacts of COVID-related restrictions in China.

The company also expects a slowdown in semiconductor fab production rates in the quarter. This may impact its performance in the first quarter. The softness in construction end-markets is also expected to impact the Water & Protection unit in 2023.

 

DuPont de Nemours, Inc. Price and Consensus

 

DuPont de Nemours, Inc. Price and Consensus
DuPont de Nemours, Inc. Price and Consensus

DuPont de Nemours, Inc. price-consensus-chart | DuPont de Nemours, Inc. Quote

 

Stocks to Consider

Better-ranked stocks worth considering in the basic materials space include Steel Dynamics, Inc. STLD, Olympic Steel, Inc. ZEUS and Nucor Corporation NUE.

Steel Dynamics currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for STLD's current-year earnings has been revised 20.1% upward in the past 60 days. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Steel Dynamics’ earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 11.3%, on average. STLD has rallied around 60% in a year.

Olympic Steel currently sports a Zacks Rank #1. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ZEUS's current-year earnings has been revised 60.6% upward in the past 60 days.

Olympic Steel’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of roughly 26.2%, on average. ZEUS has rallied around 68% in a year.

Nucor currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NUE’s current-year earnings has been revised 10.7% upward in the past 60 days.

Nucor beat Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters. It delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 7.7% on average. NUE’s shares have gained roughly 15% in the past year.

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Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Nucor Corporation (NUE) : Free Stock Analysis Report

DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (DD) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Olympic Steel, Inc. (ZEUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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