Peter Anthony Clark's questions to Solvay SA (SLVYY) leadership • Q1 2024
Question
Peter Anthony Clark of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. asked about the drivers of the peroxide recovery in Europe, the margin impact of seaborne Soda Ash volumes, and the status of the recovery in the Coatis business.
Answer
CEO Philippe Kehren attributed the peroxide recovery to strong performance in both HPPO plants, driven by restocking, and the merchant segment. He noted seaborne Soda Ash volumes helped offset softness elsewhere but were not a major profit driver. For Coatis, Kehren confirmed the business is recovering from a Q4 trough, with optimism for its integrated value chain, especially in solvents.