Top 20 global chemical companies by revenue in 2025

Wanhua Chemical released its 2025 annual results. Total operating revenue amounted to RMB 203.235 billion (approximately USD 29.8 billion), an increase of 11.62% year-on-year; net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 12.527 billion, down 3.88% year-on-year; and net profit attributable to shareholders excluding non-recurring gains and losses was RMB 12.144 billion, down 9.10% year-on-year. Revenue from the petrochemical series reached RMB 84.204 billion, while revenue from the polyurethane series totaled RMB 75.058 billion. Revenue from the domestic market was RMB 106.061 billion, and revenue from overseas markets was RMB 96.321 billion. Hengli Petrochemical released its 2025 annual results. Total operating revenue stood at RMB 200.986 billion (approximately USD 29.4 billion), a decrease of 14.93% year-on-year; net profit attributable to shareholders of the listed company was RMB 7.075 billion, up 0.44% year-on-year. Formosa Chemicals & Fibre (FCF) announced its consolidated financial results for 2025. Total operating revenue was NT$287.0 billion (approximately USD 9.128 billion), down from NT$348.6 billion in the prior year. Operating loss for the year was NT$4.044 billion, compared with an operating loss of NT$1.555 billion in the prior year. Net loss attributable to owners of parent was NT$5.797 billion, versus net profit of NT$0.379 billion in the prior year. Nan Ya Plastics Corporation announced its consolidated financial results for 2025. Total operating revenue was NT$259.9 billion (approximately USD 8.273 billion), virtually unchanged from NT$259.6 billion in the prior year. Operating profit for the year was NT$3.703 billion, up from NT$0.448 billion in the prior year. Net profit attributable to owners of parent was NT$4.519 billion, up from NT$3.34 billion in the prior year. Formosa Plastics Corporation announced its consolidated financial results for 2025. Total operating revenue was NT$175.4 billion (approximately USD 5.583 billion), down from NT$200.0 billion in the prior year. Operating loss for the year was NT$7.505 billion, versus a net loss of NT$4.162 billion in the prior year. Net loss for the period was NT$10.049 billion, compared with a net loss of NT$1.232 billion in the prior year. Mitsubishi Chemical Group reported financial results for the nine months ended December 31, 2025. Sales revenue for the period totaled JPY 2.737263 trillion (approximately USD 17.2 billion), down 8.2% year-on-year from JPY 2.982711 trillion. Operating profit was JPY 113.322 billion, down 22.2% year-on-year from JPY 145.661 billion. Net profit attributable to owners of parent was JPY 105.429 billion, up 77.6% year-on-year from JPY 59.369 billion. Asahi Kasei Corporation reported financial results for the nine months ended December 31, 2025. Net sales for the period totaled JPY 2.261263 trillion (approximately USD 14.2 billion), slightly up from JPY 2.259252 trillion in the prior year. Operating profit was JPY 173.949 billion, up from JPY 163.776 billion in the prior year. Net profit attributable to owners of parent was JPY 120.607 billion, up from JPY 98.319 billion in the prior year. Dongfang Shenghong disclosed its 2025 annual report. Total operating revenue was RMB 125.587 billion (approximately USD 18.4 billion), down 8.78% year-on-year; net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 0.134 billion, compared with a net loss of RMB 2.297 billion in the prior year; and net loss attributable to shareholders excluding non-recurring gains and losses was RMB 0.543 billion.

Dividends are payments made by a company to its shareholders—here’s how they work

However, companies sometimes pay dividends in newly issued shares. Moreover, in certain cases, companies offer Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIPs), allowing investors to use their dividends to purchase additional shares—often at a discount. In the United States, companies typically pay dividends on a quarterly basis. However, payments may also occur monthly or semiannually. Stocks that pay dividends Most dividend-paying companies are large-cap, mature, and financially robust enterprises. These established firms do not need to reinvest earnings back into their businesses as aggressively as small- or mid-cap companies—or startups—typically do. Industries with numerous dividend-paying companies—and often generous payouts—include: ・Telecommunications ・Energy / Basic Materials ・Financials ・Healthcare / Pharmaceuticals ・Utilities ・Consumer Staples Types of dividends Although all dividends originate from the same source—company earnings—their nature depends on the class of stock you hold. ・Common stock dividends are paid to holders of a company’s common stock. Their amounts fluctuate each quarter (or upon issuance). While it is in the company’s interest to maintain or grow them, such consistency is not guaranteed. ・Preferred stock dividends are paid to holders of preferred stock. These are fixed in amount and remain unchanged—they neither decline nor increase. However, if a company faces financial distress, preferred dividends take priority over common dividends in the payment hierarchy. Occasionally, companies issue special dividends—extra payments to common shareholders. Special dividends are typically issued by firms that have accumulated substantial cash reserves over many years or experienced unexpected windfalls—for example, proceeds from spinning off a subsidiary. Though usually significantly larger than regular dividends, such ‘extra’ payouts are one-time only. Key dividend dates to remember Several key dates surround dividend payments—especially those determining when shareholders become eligible to receive them. ・Announcement date: The day management declares the dividend, subject to shareholder approval. ・Record date: The cutoff date set by the company to determine which shareholders are eligible to receive the dividend. You must be recorded as a shareholder on the company’s books by this date to qualify. ・Ex-dividend date: The date set by stock exchange rules, specifying when a shareholder must own the stock to receive the dividend during the payout period. It is typically set one business day before the record date. Shareholders who held the stock on the business day before the ex-dividend date will receive the dividend payment. Those who purchase the stock on or after the ex-dividend date will not. ・Payment date: The date the company disburses the dividend payment, and when shareholders receive the funds in their brokerage accounts. Are dividends taxed? These dates matter not only because they determine whether you’ll receive a dividend, but also how it will be taxed. From a tax perspective, dividends fall into two categories: ・Qualified dividends are taxed at rates similar to capital gains: 0%, 15%, or 20%. ・Non-qualified dividends are taxed as ordinary income, at your regular marginal tax rate. Of course, the applicable rate depends on your tax bracket—but qualified rates are generally lower. Whether a dividend qualifies depends on your holding period: you must have held the stock for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date. How to evaluate dividends Beyond the basic dollar amount, dividends are assessed in several ways. Dividend yield When evaluating dividends, investors focus on a stock’s dividend yield—the annual dividend amount divided by the stock price on a specific date.