Koppers (NYSE:KOP) Announces Earnings Results

07 Aug 2026, 03:40 by Michael Walen · The Markets Daily

Koppers (NYSE:KOP – Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The specialty chemicals company reported $1.37 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.12 by $0.25, FiscalAI reports. Koppers had a return on equity of 14.53% and a net margin of 4.10%.The company had revenue of $520.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $506.10 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.48 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Koppers updated its FY 2026 guidance to 3.800-4.200 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Koppers’ conference call:

Transformation and cash generation advanced: First-half operating cash flow reached a record $96 million and free cash flow was $73 million, while Catalyst delivered $33 million of year-over-year benefits and has identified more than $90 million of opportunities through 2028.
Stickney closure was accelerated: Koppers now expects to end distillation operations at the Illinois facility by September 30, 2026, targeting annual adjusted EBITDA benefits of $15 million-$20 million, $1-$1.20 of annual adjusted EPS improvement, and lower capital requirements.
Performance Chemicals and utility poles were strong: Performance Chemicals sales rose 10% excluding currency and adjusted EBITDA increased 31% to $38 million, while utility pole demand drove approximately 16% volume growth in North America and supported continued optimism around AI-related infrastructure spending.
2026 guidance was maintained at a cautious level: The company expects sales of $1.9 billion-$2.0 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $240 million-$250 million, and adjusted EPS of $3.80-$4.20, reflecting stronger Performance Chemicals results but continued pressure in Railroad Products and Services and Carbon Materials and Chemicals.
Input-cost and end-market pressures remain significant: Coal tar costs increased 12% year over year and 15% sequentially, while rail demand from Class 1 customers weakened and CMC expects a $4.6 million adverse oil-price impact in the second half; management does not expect these cost challenges to ease soon.

Koppers Stock Up 2.4%

KOP stock traded up $1.24 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $52.27. 251,530 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 148,716. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 2.71. Koppers has a 1-year low of $25.00 and a 1-year high of $53.00. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $46.25 and its 200 day simple moving average is $40.08. The firm has a market cap of $1.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.76, a P/E/G ratio of 12.35 and a beta of 1.25.

Koppers Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.09 per share. This represents a $0.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 28th. Koppers’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 9.47%.

Key Koppers News

Here are the key news stories impacting Koppers this week:

Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter adjusted results exceeded expectations: EPS was $1.37 versus the $1.12 analyst consensus, while revenue rose 3% year over year to $520.1 million, topping estimates of $506.1 million. The earnings and revenue beats are the primary reasons investors have responded favorably. Koppers Q2 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
Positive Sentiment: Koppers outlined 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance of $240 million to $250 million and maintained full-year revenue guidance of approximately $1.9 billion to $2.0 billion, indicating continued expectations for solid operating performance. Koppers 2026 EBITDA Guidance
Positive Sentiment: The board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.09 per share, payable September 14 to shareholders of record August 28. The dividend provides ongoing shareholder support, though its annualized yield is modest at roughly 0.7%. Koppers Quarterly Cash Dividend
Neutral Sentiment: Analysts’ longer-term estimates remain constructive, with Sidoti projecting $5.24 EPS for fiscal 2028 versus the current-year consensus of $4.13, but these projections do not materially change the immediate earnings reaction.
Negative Sentiment: Koppers reported a $147.5 million net loss, including $215.8 million in impairment, restructuring and plant-closure costs. EPS also declined from $1.48 in the year-ago quarter, highlighting the effect of one-time charges and ongoing operational pressure. Koppers Second Quarter 2026 Results
Negative Sentiment: The company is accelerating the closure of its Illinois plant and plans to shift production to Denmark. While the move may improve efficiency over time, near-term execution risk, transition costs and potential disruption could weigh on sentiment. Koppers Accelerates Illinois Plant Closure
Negative Sentiment: Full-year EPS guidance of $3.80 to $4.20 brackets the $4.10 consensus estimate, leaving room for a result below expectations despite the quarterly beat.

Insider Buying and Selling at Koppers

In other news, CEO M Leroy Ball sold 3,412 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.90, for a total transaction of $149,786.80. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 436,243 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $19,151,067.70. This represents a 0.78% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 7.28% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Koppers

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in KOP. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its holdings in Koppers by 258.1% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,930 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 1,391 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP boosted its position in shares of Koppers by 95.6% during the second quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP now owns 2,130 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $68,000 after buying an additional 1,041 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its position in shares of Koppers by 23.5% during the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 3,235 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $104,000 after buying an additional 615 shares during the period. Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Koppers during the fourth quarter worth about $114,000. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Koppers during the third quarter worth about $160,000. 92.75% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

KOP has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Barrington Research reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $55.00 price objective on shares of Koppers in a report on Monday, May 4th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Koppers from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 16th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Koppers in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Singular Research upgraded Koppers to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $52.50.

Check Out Our Latest Report on KOP

Koppers Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Koppers Company, Inc is a global specialty chemicals and materials manufacturer serving diverse industrial markets. The company operates through two primary segments: Carbon Materials & Chemicals, which produces a range of coal tar–based products, phenolic specialties and carbon compounds; and Railroad Products & Services, which offers wood treating and infrastructure services for rail and utility customers.

In its Carbon Materials & Chemicals segment, Koppers supplies coal tar pitch, refined creosote, coal tar‐based distillates and phenolic resins used in aluminum smelting, graphite electrode manufacture, carbon fiber production, and water treatment applications.