Dow Inc. (DOW)
Dow Inc. is a global chemical giant that turns raw materials into the essential plastics, coatings, and silicones used in everything from packaging to cars.
Is Dow Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: A dominant player in the essential chemicals market. Worth weighing: Currently experiencing negative profit margins.
Is this normal for this company?
Each figure against the range this same company has produced recently. Neither end of a range is the good end.
Profit as a share of sales, from the company's own quarterly statements. The range covers the 5 quarters we hold, and the figure shown is its most recent one.
How these ranges are built
Every number here is the company's own reported figure, not a comparison with other companies. The ranges come from this company's own results and its share price. Where it reports in a different currency from the one its shares trade in, the price-to-earnings range is left out rather than mixing the two.
What does Dow Inc. do?
Dow is a massive industrial player that creates the building blocks for thousands of everyday products. The bulk of the cash is generated by selling these chemicals to other manufacturers, meaning their success is tied closely to the health of the global economy. It comes down to how they juggle costs and demand, since recent profitability has been squeezed by a challenging market environment.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on growth and value, and weakest on quality.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 4.6% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 20% over the year
- Growth screens high
- Quality screens low
Does Dow Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Dow Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 4.6% a year, which is £46 a year for every £1,000 invested (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it. An ISA doesn't shelter the US tax on this one →
What do the numbers say about Dow Inc.'s dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
Most recent ex-dividend date: 29 May 2026. To receive a dividend you must already own the shares before the ex-dividend date; become a holder on or after it and the previous owner keeps that payment. Why the price usually falls that morning →
Does Dow Inc. have more cash or more debt?
It holds about $4.24B in cash against about $19.44B of debt - so it has net debt of about $15.20B. Debt is not automatically a problem - it funds growth - but it has to be serviced and repaid, which matters more when profits wobble.
From the latest reported balance sheet. Cash and debt levels change, and some borrowing is normal - this is context, not a judgment.
What do Dow Inc.'s numbers mean?
How has it performed?
Growth of £1,000, the worst fall, and year by year
Over about 2 years to 2026-09-11. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has Dow Inc. actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, Dow Inc. fell as much as −63% from a high to a later low. Falls like this are normal when you own a share.
Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
How has it done year by year?
Calendar-year total return - the share price with dividends reinvested - from adjusted closing prices. The current year is only part-complete. Past returns are not a guide to the future.
A closer look at the numbers
Ownership, earnings history, where the money goes, and the outlook range
Does the share price tell you if it's cheap or expensive?
Who owns Dow Inc.?
About 73% of Dow Inc., or about 73 in every 100 shares, is held by big institutions such as pension and index funds. The rest, roughly 27%, is held by the public and smaller investors.
What this does and doesn't tell you
This is a recent snapshot of the share register, and it moves. We don't read anything into who owns what - a high institutional share is common for any large listed company and is not a signal about it.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
How much money does Dow Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
When does Dow Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Dow Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-22 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
‘Beat’ and ‘missed’ are against what analysts expected, not whether the business is doing well.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-23 | $1.28 | $1.44 | Beat +13% |
| 2026-04-23 | $-0.29 | $-0.14 | Beat +52% |
| 2026-01-29 | $-0.51 | $-0.34 | Beat +34% |
| 2025-10-23 | $-0.30 | $-0.19 | Beat +37% |
| 2025-07-24 | $-0.17 | $-0.42 | Missed -146% |
| 2025-04-24 | $-0.01 | $0.02 | Beat +250% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Dow Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 5 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Where these figures come from
Each quarter a company reports its results against a consensus of analyst forecasts. The figures here are reported versus expected earnings per share from published results; the expectation is that analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates and can move.
What are the scenarios for Dow Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros, cons and common questions?
The case each way, and the questions people ask
Innovation in sustainable materials leads to new revenue streams.
Failure to adapt to stricter environmental regulations.
What are the pros and cons of Dow Inc.?
A balance check, not a score or verdict.
- A dominant player in the essential chemicals market
- Provides a steady dividend income for investors
- Lower price volatility compared to the broader market
- Currently experiencing negative profit margins
- Revenue is shrinking year-over-year
- Highly sensitive to the ups and downs of the global economy
- Rising costs of raw materials and energy
- Stricter environmental laws impacting production methods
- Weak demand from major industries like construction and automotive
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A return to consistent, positive net profit margins
- A significant shift in revenue growth from negative to positive
Common questions about Dow Inc.
Does Dow Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Dow Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 4.6% a year. Dividends are a share of profit paid to holders; the yield moves with the price and payouts can be cut.
When does Dow Inc. report earnings next?
Dow Inc. is next scheduled to report results on about 2026-10-22. Report dates are estimates and can move; this is a diary note for when to look, not a forecast of the outcome.
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This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.