BASF Balances Green Investment and Portfolio Pruning Against a Cautious Broker View
Published on 11/13/2026 at 10:02 | Editorial boerse-global.de
BASF is pressing ahead on several fronts at once, pairing a fresh sustainability commitment for its plastics additives with a major US production milestone and the divestment of a legacy business — even as one brokerage turned more cautious on the stock.
The Ludwigshafen-based chemicals group said Tuesday that its polyisobutene range made in Europe for external customers will be produced entirely with electricity from renewable sources starting in January 2027. The switch covers the full European-made portfolio destined for outside buyers.
A billion-dollar bet in Louisiana
On the investment side, BASF formally commissioned a new MDI plant at its Geismar integrated site in Louisiana on Wednesday. The project carried a price tag of roughly USD 1 billion and lifts annual MDI capacity at the location to about 600,000 tonnes. BASF has described the facility as its largest single investment in the United States.
The group's innovation pipeline also produced a customer-facing result: together with Hyundai Motor Company-Kia and Alten Korea, BASF developed a concept car seat for the Kia EV3 Study Car 2.0, unveiled Monday. The partners point to circular materials and a design geared toward later disassembly as the concept's core principles.
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Mining chemicals headed to SNF
On the portfolio front, BASF signed an agreement Tuesday to sell its global mining business to France's SNF. The transaction covers roughly 140 employees and the production site in Cork, Ireland. Closing is expected in 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions; financial terms were not disclosed.
FairWild nod for shea-based ingredient
Separately, BASF received FairWild certification on Tuesday for Cegesoft SB 45 TR, a shea butter-based ingredient.
Executives push back on CO? rules
Chief executive Markus Kamieth has joined Covestro counterpart Markus Steilemann in opposing a planned conditioning of free CO? allowances. According to Handelsblatt, the two executives made their case in a joint letter against the proposed requirements. The same outlet reported Tuesday on a warning from German chemicals association VCI about a weak economy and rising gas prices.
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Jefferies turns bearish
Against that operating backdrop, Jefferies downgraded BASF from "Hold" to "Underperform" on Wednesday while keeping its price target unchanged at EUR 44. Analyst Priyanka Patel cited margin pressure, overcapacity and higher gas prices among the reasons for the move. BASF shares were up 1.0% today.
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