Sectors & IndustriesBasic MaterialsSpecialty Chemicals
Best Specialty Chemical Stocks to Buy Now (2025)
Top specialty chemical stocks in 2025 ranked by overall Zen Rating. "A" Rated stocks have returned an average of +32.52% per year, and are the best specialty chemical stocks to buy now. Learn More.

Industry: Specialty Chemicals
C
Specialty Chemicals is Zen Rated C and is the 73rd ranked industry out of 145 stock market industries
Learn how the Zen Ratings work
Ticker
Company
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Vol 1d %
MATV
MATIV HOLDINGS INC
$12.62-2.62%4.47%-4.47%2.44%90.92%5.52%-37.25%-67.95%-68.82%$13.55$4.346.86%190.78%1.22211,000-46.31%
NGVT
INGEVITY CORP
$58.87-2.65%11.26%19.78%1.24%36.27%25.12%-19.81%-16.10%N/A$61.77$28.494.69%106.63%1.25347,0003.89%
SSL
SASOL LTD
$6.26-1.57%4.33%-10.06%-10.70%29.07%21.08%-59.35%-27.96%-74.82%$7.39$2.7815.29%125.18%1.02431,000-43.59%
HDSN
HUDSON TECHNOLOGIES INC
$7.460.54%2.05%3.61%-26.57%0.54%29.74%-37.31%421.68%159.03%$10.52$5.1129.09%45.99%1.06458,00033.14%
ALTO
ALTO INGREDIENTS INC
$2.50-2.34%-0.40%30.89%111.86%127.27%68.92%-18.57%-57.84%-39.47%$2.92$0.7614.38%228.95%1.20836,000-13.19%
MTX
MINERALS TECHNOLOGIES INC
$61.940.65%4.68%9.20%-2.56%10.61%-22.07%2.87%2.91%19.00%$80.28$49.5422.85%25.03%1.02153,000-3.77%
KWR
QUAKER CHEMICAL CORP
$138.99-2.28%3.23%1.21%-1.82%16.39%-8.86%-21.71%-43.51%78.06%$154.46$95.9110.02%44.92%1.29138,0003.76%
IOSP
INNOSPEC INC
$78.19-0.55%4.20%4.45%-5.44%-10.31%-32.44%-27.43%-8.15%41.88%$117.08$70.1033.22%11.54%0.86195,000-65.12%
ECVT
ECOVYST INC
$9.16-1.29%4.81%5.17%-0.97%14.36%21.00%0.99%-34.05%N/A$9.69$5.245.42%74.81%1.051,212,000-31.29%
ODC
OIL-DRI CORP OF AMERICA
$50.531.02%-5.71%-11.71%-22.90%-12.17%17.35%201.94%177.64%173.95%$69.76$40.6627.56%24.27%0.43151,00034.82%
BCPC
BALCHEM CORP
$155.98-0.70%3.64%-0.78%-0.23%-4.82%-12.00%18.82%41.81%154.62%$177.40$139.1712.07%12.08%0.78177,0001.14%
CMT
CORE MOLDING TECHNOLOGIES INC
$20.47-1.06%9.17%7.06%-3.53%22.72%26.91%93.30%59.92%68.89%$22.29$12.258.17%67.10%0.6637,00015.63%
SXT
SENSIENT TECHNOLOGIES CORP
$93.91-1.93%1.65%-0.95%-11.76%-0.87%21.36%26.58%30.25%51.05%$121.54$66.1522.73%41.98%0.82386,00014.88%
SQM
CHEMICAL & MINING CO OF CHILE INC
$65.831.25%7.46%24.70%56.85%97.39%67.46%-29.16%44.02%344.20%$66.18$29.360.53%124.22%1.191,208,00035.27%
ECL
ECOLAB INC
$263.600.87%1.51%0.97%-3.31%-2.71%5.94%75.14%21.47%131.96%$286.04$221.627.85%18.94%0.871,009,00040.92%
NEU
NEWMARKET CORP
$752.37-2.77%-1.83%-4.37%-10.17%14.88%39.67%139.43%89.77%100.35%$875.97$480.0014.11%56.74%0.6094,00016.92%
SHW
SHERWIN WILLIAMS CO
$328.69-0.19%-1.33%-4.65%-8.72%-7.72%-10.40%29.47%37.17%274.45%$379.65$308.8413.42%6.43%0.831,633,000-14.05%
WDFC
WD 40 CO
$204.031.44%6.97%1.58%-3.32%-17.02%-24.85%21.03%-21.69%107.51%$269.22$186.1924.22%9.58%0.50140,00019.66%
PPG
PPG INDUSTRIES INC
$103.540.76%2.48%6.21%-6.48%-7.58%-16.51%-21.75%-26.96%5.94%$124.87$90.2417.08%14.74%0.991,708,0008.93%
FUL
FULLER H B CO
$60.39-0.92%3.85%4.34%-2.04%7.69%-17.91%-21.80%18.46%67.94%$73.70$47.5618.06%26.98%1.02383,000-24.46%
RPM
RPM INTERNATIONAL INC
$107.220.07%1.82%-0.23%-15.17%-6.65%-19.28%3.86%24.04%141.32%$134.23$95.2820.12%12.54%0.88756,000-24.70%
KOP
KOPPERS HOLDINGS INC
$29.01-0.85%3.57%1.61%0.90%-11.37%-14.12%-7.17%5.34%59.57%$35.61$22.9918.53%26.19%1.08107,000-2.73%
ESI
ELEMENT SOLUTIONS INC
$26.39-4.49%0.00%-4.11%0.27%21.95%-5.14%40.22%61.90%160.77%$27.97$16.775.65%57.36%1.333,818,000163.13%
SCL
STEPAN CO
$47.99-0.37%6.27%9.77%-0.25%-13.81%-35.27%-57.05%-59.11%-2.42%$73.65$41.8234.84%14.75%0.88236,00068.57%
PRM
PERIMETER SOLUTIONS INC
$28.41-1.29%-0.84%7.86%27.63%111.54%120.40%223.58%N/AN/A$29.78$8.764.60%224.32%1.061,112,000-16.52%
OEC
ORION SA
$5.26-0.19%5.62%10.04%-43.32%-53.41%-69.87%-71.49%-65.14%-47.87%$17.37$4.3569.72%21.06%1.23378,000-28.95%
CBT
CABOT CORP
$68.34-0.31%4.61%11.16%-13.49%-10.35%-34.35%-3.65%66.89%68.62%$103.76$58.3334.13%17.16%1.13422,000-42.97%
LIN
LINDE PLC
$416.243.21%4.17%-2.97%-13.65%-11.54%-5.08%23.86%68.11%N/A$486.38$387.7814.42%7.34%0.784,727,00044.47%
GEVO
GEVO INC
$2.32-2.93%1.31%9.43%38.92%88.62%53.64%20.83%11.54%-99.15%$2.98$0.9222.23%151.90%2.043,803,00015.95%
LWLG
LIGHTWAVE LOGIC INC
$4.15-4.60%2.98%-23.01%28.88%209.70%133.15%-41.71%366.29%615.52%$6.26$0.7933.71%425.32%1.93681,00012.38%
ASH
ASHLAND INC
$59.15-2.42%0.96%18.13%12.09%14.48%-20.21%-46.13%-21.00%-42.51%$75.34$45.2121.49%30.83%0.93566,000-39.79%
ALB
ALBEMARLE CORP
$132.74-1.37%6.03%20.32%74.70%112.45%28.50%-48.82%-1.36%177.93%$136.10$49.432.47%168.54%1.572,775,00021.07%
FSI
FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL INC
$7.143.33%4.08%-11.08%-26.69%62.64%82.61%109.38%193.83%684.62%$11.48$3.4637.80%106.66%0.7964,000274.27%
SNES
SENESTECH INC
$2.57-7.22%-13.47%-14.05%-50.10%-8.21%-14.33%-99.14%-99.93%N/A$6.24$1.3058.81%97.69%0.8942,300336.08%
AVNT
AVIENT CORP
$30.96-1.75%0.88%5.09%-14.48%-13.33%-35.93%-10.78%-19.73%-1.56%$47.67$27.4835.05%12.66%1.44580,000-20.77%
HWKN
HAWKINS INC
$142.250.65%3.54%7.29%-17.92%6.91%7.30%251.67%462.25%653.24%$186.15$98.3023.58%44.71%0.85120,00017.65%
OLN
OLIN CORP
$22.18-0.63%8.41%11.40%-15.92%5.37%-41.77%-59.60%-2.59%20.94%$36.86$17.6639.82%25.59%1.361,580,000-50.61%
FEAM
5E ADVANCED MATERIALS INC
$3.82-3.78%-2.80%-16.59%0.00%-5.45%-60.67%-98.14%N/AN/A$24.84$2.8284.62%35.46%1.0242,500-2.07%
CC
CHEMOURS CO
$12.95-1.52%1.97%2.70%-22.69%12.90%-33.25%-57.57%-50.02%146.20%$20.12$9.1335.64%41.84%1.591,378,000-14.52%
AVTR
AVANTOR INC
$11.17-2.62%2.20%-3.29%-9.26%-17.50%-50.42%-47.80%-58.32%N/A$23.32$10.6252.10%5.18%1.009,440,000-17.00%
EMN
EASTMAN CHEMICAL CO
$65.12-1.09%5.83%6.86%-3.04%-17.52%-34.71%-24.70%-35.00%-2.37%$103.82$56.1137.28%16.06%1.112,200,0002.90%
IFF
INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC
$63.260.02%-5.84%-3.29%-3.60%-19.28%-28.20%-40.39%-42.10%-45.62%$88.09$59.1428.19%6.97%0.873,276,000-28.46%
APD
AIR PRODUCTS & CHEMICALS INC
$243.00-0.30%-6.79%-7.09%-17.01%-14.22%-21.84%-23.95%-8.44%88.43%$341.14$229.1128.77%6.06%0.763,054,00059.73%
LYB
LYONDELLBASELL INDUSTRIES NV
$44.39-1.60%2.40%2.49%-19.61%-26.18%-41.73%-46.49%-49.04%-48.22%$79.39$41.5844.09%6.76%0.943,450,000-26.23%
WTTR
SELECT WATER SOLUTIONS INC
$10.85-4.57%-3.13%0.28%20.42%17.93%-22.28%33.46%137.42%N/A$14.66$7.2025.96%50.69%1.05642,000-19.45%
KRO
KRONOS WORLDWIDE INC
$5.114.07%8.03%5.58%-15.26%-20.78%-50.82%-48.64%-64.27%-0.39%$10.37$4.0850.72%25.25%1.07573,00076.31%
FF
FUTUREFUEL CORP
$3.37-2.60%4.98%-2.03%-12.47%-12.92%-36.42%-59.40%-71.63%-74.94%$5.78$3.0941.70%9.06%0.80150,000-46.04%
BSLK
BOLT PROJECTS HOLDINGS INC
$2.13-2.74%0.00%-8.58%-44.53%-11.25%-74.02%-98.94%N/AN/A$25.00$1.4491.48%47.92%0.7149,000-22.22%
WLK
WESTLAKE CORP
$74.40-0.69%9.38%18.45%-15.58%-5.37%-38.06%-31.37%-8.46%40.75%$120.24$56.3338.12%32.08%1.091,931,000-1.48%
TSE
TRINSEO PLC
$0.631.12%-5.11%-44.56%-74.10%-81.30%-88.91%-97.45%-98.50%-97.59%$6.85$0.6090.77%5.51%1.71824,000-0.60%
AXTA
AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS LTD
$31.191.93%7.26%6.38%0.06%3.42%-20.17%20.33%8.64%16.86%$38.37$26.2818.71%18.68%1.093,862,000-15.68%
YMAT
J-STAR HOLDING CO LTD
$0.843.09%3.86%-5.86%-41.20%N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A$6.45$0.6587.05%28.46%0.5111,700-96.87%
NTIC
NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORP
$7.460.13%1.08%-8.35%-3.87%2.75%-46.21%-40.51%-24.72%-2.93%$14.75$6.7549.42%10.52%0.5215,700-36.18%
BGLC
BIONEXUS GENE LAB CORP
$4.15-2.58%0.97%-14.26%-23.57%42.37%53.14%N/A66.00%N/A$15.60$2.0173.40%106.78%41.2626,80090.07%
CITR
GENERAL ENTERPRISE VENTURES INC
$7.35-0.68%-6.13%N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A$9.50$7.0022.63%5.00%-1.9919,400-32.17%
CNEY
CN ENERGY GROUP INC
$0.65-19.25%-32.00%-62.22%-72.33%-77.07%-92.40%-99.89%N/AN/A$12.23$0.6494.72%1.57%1.06205,000365.91%
DD
DUPONT DE NEMOURS INC
$40.93-1.35%1.04%0.34%-47.04%-40.20%-49.82%-41.42%-37.76%-73.40%$85.00$33.3451.85%22.77%1.083,537,00011.16%
LOOP
LOOP INDUSTRIES INC
$1.050.96%-3.67%-16.67%-45.60%-35.19%-14.63%-57.49%-88.73%N/A$2.29$0.8554.15%23.53%1.0730,000-31.03%

Specialty Chemical Stocks FAQ

What are the best specialty chemical stocks to buy right now in Dec 2025?

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best specialty chemical stocks to buy right now are:

1. Mativ Holdings (NYSE:MATV)


Mativ Holdings (NYSE:MATV) is the #1 top specialty chemical stock out of 58 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +32.52% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Mativ Holdings (NYSE:MATV) is: Value: C, Growth: B, Momentum: C, Sentiment: A, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: C.

Mativ Holdings (NYSE:MATV) has a Due Diligence Score of 12, which is -20 points lower than the specialty chemical industry average of 32. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates MATV as a "A".

MATV passed 4 out of 38 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Mativ Holdings has seen its stock return 5.52% over the past year, overperforming other specialty chemical stocks by 13 percentage points.

2. Ingevity (NYSE:NGVT)


Ingevity (NYSE:NGVT) is the #2 top specialty chemical stock out of 58 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Ingevity (NYSE:NGVT) is: Value: B, Growth: C, Momentum: B, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: A, and AI: C.

Ingevity (NYSE:NGVT) has a Due Diligence Score of 16, which is -16 points lower than the specialty chemical industry average of 32. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates NGVT as a "B".

NGVT passed 5 out of 33 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Ingevity has seen its stock return 25.12% over the past year, overperforming other specialty chemical stocks by 33 percentage points.

Ingevity has an average 1 year price target of $62.50, an upside of 6.17% from Ingevity's current stock price of $58.87.

Ingevity stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 2 analysts covering Ingevity, 0% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 50% have issued a Buy, 50% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

3. Sasol (NYSE:SSL)


Sasol (NYSE:SSL) is the #3 top specialty chemical stock out of 58 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Sasol (NYSE:SSL) is: Value: B, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: B, Financials: C, and AI: A.

Sasol (NYSE:SSL) has a Due Diligence Score of 46, which is 14 points higher than the specialty chemical industry average of 32.

SSL passed 18 out of 38 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Sasol has seen its stock return 21.08% over the past year, overperforming other specialty chemical stocks by 29 percentage points.

What are the specialty chemical stocks with highest dividends?

Out of 34 specialty chemical stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 specialty chemical stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

1. Lyondellbasell Industries Nv (NYSE:LYB)


Lyondellbasell Industries Nv (NYSE:LYB) has an annual dividend yield of 9.19%, which is 7 percentage points higher than the specialty chemical industry average of 2.21%. Lyondellbasell Industries Nv's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% one times in the last 10 years. Lyondellbasell Industries Nv's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Lyondellbasell Industries Nv's dividend payout ratio of -144.5% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

2. Futurefuel (NYSE:FF)


Futurefuel (NYSE:FF) has an annual dividend yield of 5.34%, which is 3 percentage points higher than the specialty chemical industry average of 2.21%. Futurefuel's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Futurefuel's dividend has not shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Futurefuel's dividend payout ratio of -30.4% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

3. Eastman Chemical Co (NYSE:EMN)


Eastman Chemical Co (NYSE:EMN) has an annual dividend yield of 5.1%, which is 3 percentage points higher than the specialty chemical industry average of 2.21%. Eastman Chemical Co's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Eastman Chemical Co's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Eastman Chemical Co's dividend payout ratio of 54.9% indicates that its high dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Why are specialty chemical stocks down?

Specialty chemical stocks were down -0.48% in the last day, and up 1.52% over the last week. Lightwave Logic was the among the top losers in the specialty chemicals industry, dropping -4.6% yesterday.

Shares of companies within the broader technology sector are trading lower amid weakness in Broadcom after it issued cautious outlook. The sector is also being weighed down by reports that Oracle delayed some data center projects for OpenAI.

What are the most undervalued specialty chemical stocks?

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued specialty chemical stocks right now are:

1. Cabot (NYSE:CBT)


Cabot (NYSE:CBT) is the most undervalued specialty chemical stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Cabot has a valuation score of 43, which is 16 points higher than the specialty chemical industry average of 27. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Cabot's stock has dropped -34.35% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the specialty chemical industry by -27 percentage points.

2. Avient (NYSE:AVNT)


Avient (NYSE:AVNT) is the second most undervalued specialty chemical stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Avient has a valuation score of 71, which is 44 points higher than the specialty chemical industry average of 27. It passed 5 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Avient's stock has dropped -35.93% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the specialty chemical industry by -28 percentage points.

3. Orion Sa (NYSE:OEC)


Orion Sa (NYSE:OEC) is the third most undervalued specialty chemical stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Orion Sa has a valuation score of 14, which is -13 points higher than the specialty chemical industry average of 27. It passed 1 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates OEC a Valuation Rating of "B".

Orion Sa's stock has dropped -69.87% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the specialty chemical industry by -62 percentage points.

Are specialty chemical stocks a good buy now?

47.5% of specialty chemical stocks rated by analysts are a buy right now. On average, analysts expect specialty chemical stocks to rise by 19.98% over the next year.

2% of specialty chemical stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 16% of specialty chemical stocks are rated B (Buy), 66% are rated C (Hold), 6% are rated D (Sell), and 10% are rated F (Strong Sell).

What is the average p/e ratio of the specialty chemicals industry?

The average P/E ratio of the specialty chemicals industry is -1.23x.
WallStreetZen does not provide financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.

Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes and is not advice. WallStreetZen does not bear any responsibility for any losses or damage that may occur as a result of reliance on this data.