LyondellBasell vs Sherwin-Williams
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KIRA’s take AI analyst
I put LyondellBasell and Sherwin-Williams side by side, using each one’s latest annual report. Here is what stands out:
- LyondellBasell is the larger business, with $30.2B of revenue in fiscal 2025 against $23.6B for Sherwin-Williams.
- Sherwin-Williams grew revenue faster (2.1%, against −9.7%).
- Sherwin-Williams turned more of its sales into free cash flow (11.3% FCF margin, against 1.3%).
- Sherwin-Williams earned a higher return on the capital invested in it (19.9%, against −1.9%).
Who comes out ahead
Of the 8 measures where higher (or lower) is clearly better, how many each company leads.
LyondellBasell
LYB
0/8
Sherwin-Williams
SHW
8/8
Revenue growth5-year growthGross marginNet marginFCF marginReturn on capitalReturn on equityNet debt / EBITDA
Side by side
Best in the row
| Latest fiscal year | LYB FY25 | SHW FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ||
| Market cap | — | $82.4B |
| Revenue | $30.2B | $23.6B |
| Free cash flow | $384M | $2.7B |
| Net income | −$738M | $2.6B |
| Growth | ||
| Revenue growth | −9.7% | 2.1% |
| 5-year growth | 1.7% | 5.1% |
| Share count change | — | −1.5% |
| Profitability | ||
| Gross margin | 8.6% | 48.9% |
| Operating margin | −1.4% | — |
| Net margin | −2.5% | 10.9% |
| FCF margin | 1.3% | 11.3% |
| Return on capital | −1.9% | 19.9% |
| Return on equity | −6.6% | 59.4% |
| Balance sheet | ||
| Net debt | $7.5B | $10.9B |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 7.7x | 2.4x |
| Dividends and buybacks | $2.0B | $2.4B |
| Valuation & quality | ||
| P/E | — | 30.9x |
| Piotroski F-score | — | 6 |
Ten years
Revenue
FY16
LYB $29.2B
SHW $11.9B
FY17
LYB $34.5B
SHW $15.0B
FY18
LYB $39.0B
SHW $17.5B
FY19
LYB $34.7B
SHW $17.9B
FY20
LYB $27.8B
SHW $18.4B
FY21
LYB $46.2B
SHW $19.9B
FY22
LYB $50.5B
SHW $22.1B
FY23
LYB $33.3B
SHW $23.1B
FY24
LYB $33.4B
SHW $23.1B
FY25
LYB $30.2B
SHW $23.6B
LYB
SHW
Operating margin
FY16
LYB 17.3%
SHW 18.3%
FY17
LYB 15.8%
SHW 14.9%
FY18
LYB 13.4%
SHW 14.9%
FY19
LYB 11.9%
SHW 15.7%
FY20
LYB 5.6%
SHW 18.4%
FY21
LYB 14.7%
SHW 15.5%
FY22
LYB 10.1%
SHW 15.3%
FY23
LYB 8.2%
SHW 18.1%
FY24
LYB 5.7%
SHW —
FY25
LYB −1.4%
SHW —
LYB
SHW
Free cash flow
FY16
LYB $3.4B
SHW $1.1B
FY17
LYB $3.7B
SHW $1.7B
FY18
LYB $3.4B
SHW $1.7B
FY19
LYB $2.3B
SHW $2.0B
FY20
LYB $1.5B
SHW $3.1B
FY21
LYB $5.7B
SHW $1.9B
FY22
LYB $4.2B
SHW $1.3B
FY23
LYB $3.4B
SHW $2.6B
FY24
LYB $2.0B
SHW $2.1B
FY25
LYB $384M
SHW $2.7B
LYB
SHW
Return on capital
FY16
LYB 29.0%
SHW 55.3%
FY17
LYB 35.0%
SHW 26.4%
FY18
LYB 27.9%
SHW 15.8%
FY19
LYB 18.4%
SHW 17.0%
FY20
LYB 7.7%
SHW 22.0%
FY21
LYB 25.8%
SHW 21.5%
FY22
LYB 19.0%
SHW 21.0%
FY23
LYB 11.0%
SHW 23.9%
FY24
LYB 9.0%
SHW 22.1%
FY25
LYB −1.9%
SHW 19.9%
LYB
SHW
Each company's latest fiscal year; fiscal years end in different months. The best value in each row is highlighted where higher (or lower) is clearly better. Not investment advice.