Westlake Adds Nickel Gap/V-Groove Plank to its Product Portfolio

Westlake Corporation’s WLK unit, Westlake Royal Building Products, has introduced a new Reversible Nickel Gap/V-Groove profile to its Kleer cellular PVC trim line. This product features a tongue-and-groove joint that simplifies installation, vertically or horizontally, by creating the nickel gap on one side and the V-groove on the other, making it suitable for modern and traditional home styles.The new Nickel Gap/V-Groove profile is made to be waterproof, termite resistant and low maintenance, like all other products in the Kleer cellular PVC lineup. The planks measure ¾” by 5-1/2” and 18” in length and come in white or can be painted on site. This profile offers durability while also keeping in mind the aesthetics and looks demanded by homeowners. It can be used both in creating durable interior accent walls as well as exterior soffits and porch ceilings.WLK, on its fourth-quarter call, said that it is optimistic about the outlook for its Housing and Infrastructure Products segment, which is supported by the need to boost the supply of residential housing in the United States after more than 15 years of underbuilding to support population growth and subsequent housing demand.While global macroeconomic conditions remain tough to begin the year, the Performance and Essential Materials segment is well-positioned to benefit from a future resurgence in global industrial and manufacturing activity. The company's focus for 2025 will be on improving the components of earnings growth that it can control, such as carrying out cost-cutting plans, increasing the value it provides to its customers, ensuring the safety and reliability of its plants and commercializing new product innovations.Westlake Corp. Price and Consensus Westlake Corp. price-consensus-chart | Westlake Corp. QuoteWLK’s Zacks Rank and Key PicksWLK currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Ingevity Corporation NGVT, Carpenter Technology Corporation CRS and ArcelorMittal MT. While NGVT sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present, CRS and MT carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ingevity’s current-year earnings is pegged at $4.45 per share. NGVT beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average earnings surprise being 202.9%.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Carpenter Technology’s current fiscal-year earnings is pegged at $6.95 per share. CRS beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average earnings surprise being 15.7%. Its shares have soared 211.7% in the past year.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ArcelorMittal’s current-year earnings is pegged at $3.72 per share. MT surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters but missed it in one, with an average earnings surprise of 4.11%. Just Released: Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2025Hurry – you can still get in early on our 10 top tickers for 2025. Handpicked by Zacks Director of Research Sheraz Mian, this portfolio has been stunningly and consistently successful. From inception in 2012 through November, 2024, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,112.6%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +475.6%. Sheraz has combed through 4,400 companies covered by the Zacks Rank and handpicked the best 10 to buy and hold in 2025. You can still be among the first to see these just-released stocks with enormous potential. See New Top 10 Stocks >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Westlake Corp. (WLK): Free Stock Analysis Report ArcelorMittal (MT): Free Stock Analysis Report Carpenter Technology Corporation (CRS): Free Stock Analysis Report Ingevity Corporation (NGVT): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks