Does CELANESE CORPORATION have an economic moat?

Based on its FY2025 SEC filings, the Moat Index scores CELANESE CORPORATION (CE) 42.1 out of 100 — a Shallow moat. The four filters behind that score (each 0–100): pricing power 35, returns on capital 45, balance-sheet safety 28, capital discipline 64.

How has CE's Moat Score changed over time?

The record logs 3 readings since Jul 17, 2026; the latest reads 42.1 out of 100 (shallow moat). No tier changes on record yet. The history is append-only — readings are only ever added, never rewritten.

The Moat Index

CELANESE CORPORATION

CE · Materials · FY2025 filings · Shallow moat ·

Doesn't clear the bar

Shallow moat

The four filters

Pricing power35

Median gross margin 24.6% over 10y, stable.

Returns on capital45

Median ROIC 10.4%, above the 9% hurdle in 60% of years.

Balance-sheet safety28

Net debt/EBITDA n/ax, interest coverage -1x.

Capital discipline64

Owner earnings trend unclear, share count shrinking (buybacks).

Margin of safety

Above valueOn sale

No price data

Owner earnings (normalized): $1.9B
Est. intrinsic value / share: —
Recent price: $45.70
Discount to value: No price data

Conservative model: 9% discount rate, 0% assumed growth (capped at 4%), maintenance capex ≈ min(capex, D&A).

20 years of fundamentals

The business, in plain English

CELANESE CORPORATION booked $9.5B of revenue in FY2025 in the Materials sector and kept 20.5% of it as gross profit — a moderate-margin business by that measure. After every other cost, −12.2% of each revenue dollar reached the bottom line.

Across the filed record, revenue grew from $6.4B (FY2007) to $9.5B (FY2025) — about 2.2% a year compounded over 18 years.

It earned −4.0% on invested capital in FY2025, with a median of 10.6% across 17 filed years. The Returns on Capital filter above scores it 45/100.

The balance sheet carried $12.7B of total debt in FY2025. Balance-Sheet Safety scores it 28/100.

The share count fell 19.5% between FY2017 and FY2024 — management has been retiring shares, which concentrates each remaining owner's claim. Capital Discipline scores it 64/100.

Put together: Capital Discipline is the strongest of the four filters (64/100) and Balance-Sheet Safety the weakest (28/100), which is how CE lands at 42/100 — a Shallow moat.

This breakdown is generated from the filed numbers and sub-scores above — no outside narrative, no estimates. Where a filing doesn’t disclose an input, the sentence that would need it is omitted instead of guessed.

RevenueSales, as filed$9.5B FY2025

Gross marginRevenue kept after cost of goods20.5% FY2025

Return on invested capitalOperating profit on the capital employed−4.0% FY2025

Owner earningsCash an owner could take out−$748.0M FY2025

Gaps in a line mean that item isn’t in CE’s filings for that year — the series is never interpolated or estimated. The Table view lists every filed value, including operating and net margins, total debt, and share count.

Moat Score history

Moat Score over timeLast scored reading of each day, on the 0–100 scale42.1 / 100

Score history begins Jul 17, 2026 — the record builds from here and can’t be backfilled.

Tier changesSame-methodology crossings of the Wide / Narrow / Shallow bars

None yet — CE has read Shallow moat for every logged capture since Jul 17, 2026.

Scores are logged append-only and never overwritten — this record can’t be backfilled, which is exactly why it’s worth keeping.

Materials context

#94 of 214 scored Materials companies, ranked by Moat Score.

Nearest peers by Moat Score

#92SXT Sensient Technologies Corp42.5 out of 100, Shallow moatShallow moat
#93YCBD cbdMD, Inc.42.5 out of 100, Shallow moatShallow moat
#95OLPX OLAPLEX HOLDINGS, INC.42.1 out of 100, Shallow moatShallow moat
#96LBRT Liberty Energy Inc.41.0 out of 100, Shallow moatShallow moat

Compare CE with its nearest peers →All Materials companies on the Index →

Common questions about CE

Does CELANESE CORPORATION have an economic moat?: Based on its FY2025 SEC filings, the Moat Index scores CELANESE CORPORATION (CE) 42.1 out of 100 — a Shallow moat. The four filters behind that score (each 0–100): pricing power 35, returns on capital 45, balance-sheet safety 28, capital discipline 64.
How has CE's Moat Score changed over time?: The record logs 3 readings since Jul 17, 2026; the latest reads 42.1 out of 100 (shallow moat). No tier changes on record yet. The history is append-only — readings are only ever added, never rewritten.

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Scored from primary SEC filings via the public methodology. Educational only — not a recommendation to buy or sell CE. See the disclaimer.