Westlake Corporation Chairman Sells 40,836 Shares for $3 Million
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 09 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- First Open-Market Sale: Albert Chao, the Executive Chairman of Westlake Corporation, executed his first open-market sale in over three years by selling 40,836 shares for approximately $3 million, indicating a need for liquidity amid challenging market conditions.
- Source of Shares Analysis: The shares sold were derived from the exercise of 81,673 options at a price of $44.42, with roughly half sold immediately to monetize value while the remainder increased Chao's direct ownership, reflecting his confidence in the company's future.
- Market Performance Context: The shares were sold at a weighted average price of $73.57, while the stock has declined 34.25% over the past year, highlighting the challenges faced by the company due to weak industrial demand and pricing pressures, which have affected investor sentiment.
- Financial Overview: In the most recent quarter, Westlake reported net sales of $2.8 billion, and despite a $727 million non-cash goodwill impairment loss, it demonstrated ongoing profitability in housing and infrastructure products, underscoring the company's resilience in a diversified market.
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Analyst Views on WLK
Wall Street analysts forecast WLK stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for WLK is 82.64 USD with a low forecast of 70.00 USD and a high forecast of 92.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
12 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 81.880
Low
70.00
Averages
82.64
High
92.00
Current: 81.880
Low
70.00
Averages
82.64
High
92.00
About WLK
Westlake Corporation is a global manufacturer and supplier of materials and products that enhance life every day. With operations in Asia, Europe, and North America, it provides building blocks for solutions from housing and construction to packaging and healthcare to automotive and the consumer. Its segments include Performance and Essential Materials and Housing and Infrastructure Products. The Performance and Essential Materials include Westlake North American Vinyls, Westlake North American Chlor-alkali & Derivatives, Westlake European & Asian Chlorovinyls, Westlake Olefins, Westlake Polyethylene and Westlake Epoxy. The Housing and Infrastructure Products include Westlake Royal Building Products, Westlake Pipe and Fittings, Westlake Global Compounds and Westlake Dimex. Its products are used in diverse consumer and industrial markets, including residential construction, automotive products, water treatment, wind turbines, coatings as well as other durable and non-durable goods.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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Westlake Executive Chairman Sells 40,836 Shares for $3 Million
- Insider Transaction: On December 22, Albert Chao, Executive Chairman of Westlake Corporation, sold 40,836 shares for approximately $3 million, reducing his direct holdings by 6.11%, indicating a cautious stance towards the market.
- Option Exercise: The shares sold were sourced from the exercise of 81,673 options, demonstrating Chao's strategy to capitalize on market opportunities while maintaining relatively stable direct ownership in the company.
- Financial Performance: Westlake reported third-quarter net sales of $2.8 billion, and despite a $727 million non-cash goodwill impairment, it continues to show profitability in housing and infrastructure products.
- Market Challenges: Westlake's stock has fallen roughly 34% over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500's 17% gain, reflecting ongoing industrial demand weakness and pricing pressures impacting the company's performance materials segment.
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