KWR
Basic MaterialsQuaker Chemical Corporation · Chemicals - Specialty · $2B
What is Quaker Chemical Corporation?
Quaker Chemical Corporation is a specialty chemicals company serving heavy industrial and manufacturing markets worldwide. Headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, it operates across four global segments and has served industrial customers for over a century.
Quaker Chemical develops and sells formulated chemical products used throughout industrial manufacturing processes — from metalworking and steel production to automotive and aerospace applications. Revenue comes from direct product sales and chemical management services, where the company oversees a customer's entire fluid program. Its global reach spans the Americas, EMEA, and Asia/Pacific regions, giving it exposure to industrial activity across major economies.
Quaker Chemical was founded in 1918 and is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
- Metal removal and forming fluids
- Corrosion inhibitors and surface treatment chemicals
- Rolling lubricants and hydraulic fluids
- Chemical management services
Is KWR a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates KWR as Below Average overall.
Among KWR's five pillars, Valuation stands out as the relative bright spot, rated Good — suggesting the market may not be pricing in an optimistic scenario for the business.
Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk are all rated Weak, reflecting broad fundamental challenges across profitability, competitive positioning, earnings trajectory, and balance-sheet resilience.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does KWR pay dividends?
Yes — Quaker Chemical Corporation pays a dividend.
Quaker Chemical pays a regular dividend, which may appeal to income-oriented investors in the specialty chemicals space. For a mid-cap industrial company, maintaining a dividend signals a degree of capital discipline. Investors should weigh the dividend against the company's Weak Risk and Quality pillar ratings when assessing sustainability.
When does KWR report earnings?
Quaker Chemical reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with standard practice for US-listed equities.
Given Weak Growth and Quality pillar ratings, recent quarters have reflected pressure on profitability and top-line momentum relative to sector peers. Industrial end-market softness has weighed on results across the specialty chemicals space broadly.
For the most recent quarter's results, visit Quaker Chemical's investor relations page directly.
KWR Price History
-37.7% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in Quaker Chemical Corporation?
Based on Quaker Chemical Corporation's historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
KWR Long-term Outlook
KWR's Weak Growth pillar suggests limited near-term earnings expansion, while the Weak Risk pillar points to meaningful uncertainty in the outlook. The Good Valuation rating indicates the stock may already reflect a cautious fundamental view. Recovery would likely depend on a rebound in heavy industrial activity and improved operational execution.
Growth drivers
- Recovery in steel, automotive, and aerospace end markets
- Expansion of chemical management services contracts globally
- Growth in Asia/Pacific industrial activity
Key risks
- Sustained weakness in heavy industrial demand
- Margin pressure from input cost volatility
- Elevated financial risk given the Weak Risk pillar rating
KWR vs Peers
Quaker Chemical competes in the specialty chemicals and industrial fluids space alongside several focused peers.
Minerals Technologies focuses on mineral-based specialty solutions for paper, packaging, and construction markets, giving it a different end-market mix than KWR's heavy industrial focus.
Ingevity specializes in high-performance specialty chemicals derived from pine-based feedstocks, serving road technologies and industrial applications with a distinct raw-material advantage.
Ashland targets life sciences, personal care, and coatings markets, positioning it in higher-margin specialty segments compared to KWR's core metalworking and industrial fluids business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Quaker Chemical do?
Quaker Chemical develops and sells specialty chemical products used in heavy industrial and manufacturing processes. Its products include metalworking fluids, corrosion inhibitors, hydraulic fluids, and surface treatment chemicals. The company also provides chemical management services, helping industrial customers manage their entire fluid programs. It serves sectors including steel, aluminum, automotive, aerospace, and mining.
Does KWR pay dividends?
Yes, Quaker Chemical pays a regular dividend. Income-focused investors may find this relevant, though the company's Weak Quality and Risk pillar ratings are worth considering alongside the dividend when evaluating overall investment suitability. For current dividend details, check Quaker Chemical's investor relations page.
When does KWR report earnings?
Quaker Chemical reports on a quarterly cadence, as is standard for US-listed companies. Specific upcoming earnings dates are not covered by our data source. For the most current schedule, visit the company's investor relations page.
Is KWR a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates KWR as Below Average, reflecting Weak ratings across Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk pillars. The Valuation pillar is rated Good, which may be of interest to contrarian investors. Whether KWR fits your portfolio depends on your risk tolerance and investment goals. The full pillar breakdown is available to Pro members.
Is KWR overvalued?
KWR's Valuation pillar is rated Good within the UQS framework, suggesting the stock does not appear richly priced relative to its fundamentals. However, a favorable valuation rating alone does not offset the Weak readings across other pillars. View the complete valuation metrics with a UQS Pro account.
How does KWR compare to its competitors?
Compared to specialty chemical peers like Minerals Technologies, Ingevity, and Ashland, Quaker Chemical is more narrowly focused on heavy industrial and metalworking applications. This concentration gives it deep expertise in those niches but also ties its performance closely to cyclical industrial demand. The UQS competitor comparison tool shows relative pillar scores side by side.
What is KWR's market cap bracket?
Quaker Chemical is classified as a mid-cap company. This places it in a segment of the market that can offer more growth potential than large-caps but with greater volatility and liquidity considerations than mega-cap peers in the chemicals sector.
Who founded Quaker Chemical?
Quaker Chemical was founded in 1918, originally under the name Quaker Chemical Products Corporation. The company changed its name to Quaker Chemical Corporation in August 1962. Detailed founding history is publicly available through the company's official records and investor materials.
Is KWR a long-term quality investment?
As a long-term quality indicator, KWR's UQS profile raises caution. Weak ratings across Quality, Moat, Growth, and Risk pillars suggest the business faces structural and cyclical headwinds that could limit compounding over time. Long-term investors may want to monitor whether industrial end-market conditions and operational metrics improve before building a position.
What sector does KWR belong to?
Quaker Chemical operates in the Basic Materials sector, specifically within specialty chemicals. Its products are inputs for heavy industrial processes, meaning its business performance is closely linked to activity levels in steel, automotive, aerospace, and other manufacturing industries.
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Pro Analysis
KWR — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 2026 | 36.5 | 12.5 | 29.0 | 40.6 | 41.9 | 78.4 | +0.5 |
| May 8, 2026 | 36.0 | 12.5 | 29.0 | 36.9 | 41.9 | 80.0 | -0.3 |
| May 7, 2026 | 36.3 | 25.7 | 29.0 | 36.9 | 36.7 | 64.9 | +0.3 |
| May 3, 2026 | 36.0 | 24.6 | 29.0 | 36.9 | 36.7 | 64.7 | -0.1 |
| May 1, 2026 | 36.1 | 24.6 | 29.0 | 36.9 | 36.7 | 65.1 | -0.1 |
| Apr 26, 2026 | 36.2 | 24.6 | 29.0 | 37.4 | 36.7 | 65.6 | -0.1 |
| Apr 20, 2026 | 36.3 | 24.6 | 29.0 | 37.4 | 36.7 | 65.9 | +0.2 |
| Apr 19, 2026 | 36.1 | 24.6 | 29.0 | 36.6 | 36.7 | 65.9 | -1.0 |
| Apr 18, 2026 | 37.1 | 25.7 | 29.0 | 36.6 | 36.7 | 70.7 | -1.3 |
| Apr 12, 2026 | 38.4 | 25.7 | 29.0 | 36.6 | 36.7 | 79.1 | -0.3 |
KWR — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 29.0/100 (25%)Quaker Chemical Corporation currently shows below-average quality metrics, suggesting challenges with profitability.
How effectively capital is deployed to generate returns.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Asset productivity — how much gross profit each dollar of assets generates.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 41.5/100 (20%)Quaker Chemical Corporation shows steady but unspectacular growth, typical for mature companies.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 42.2/100 (15%)Quaker Chemical Corporation has some risk factors including moderate leverage or solvency concerns.
Debt levels relative to earnings capacity.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 59.6/100 (15%)Quaker Chemical Corporation trades at a reasonable valuation with decent earnings yield and FCF multiples.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 29/100 (25%)Quaker Chemical Corporation operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for KWR.
Score Composition
Financial Data
More Stock Analysis
How is the KWR UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Quaker Chemical Corporation is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses Quaker Chemical Corporation's competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether Quaker Chemical Corporation is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.