Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
WestlakeWLK -0.87%60 Forward PE Ratio is 25.19 as of Aug. 03, 2026. GuruFocus rates WLK with a GF Score™ of 60/100 and a GF Value™ of $105.70 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 661 Chemicals companies, Westlake ranks worse than 68.38% on this metric.
The Forward PE Ratio of a company is often used to compare current earnings to estimated future earnings, as well as gaining a clearer picture of what earnings will look like without charges and other accounting adjustments. If earnings are expected to grow in the future, the Forward PE Ratio will be lower than the current PE Ratio. This measure is also used to compare one company to another with a forward-looking focus.
Trailing PE Ratio relies on what is already done. It uses the current share price and divides by the total EPS (Basic) over the past 12 months. PE Ratio can be affected by Non Operating Income such as the sale of part of businesses. This may increase for the current year or quarter dramatically. But it cannot be repeated over and over. Therefore PE Ratio without NRI is a more accurate indication of valuation than PE Ratio .
Westlake Forward PE Ratio Related Terms
Westlake Forward PE Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Westlake's Forward PE Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Westlake Forward PE Ratio Chart
Westlake Annual Data
Trend
2015-12
2016-12
2017-12
2018-12
2019-12
2020-12
2021-12
2022-12
2023-12
2024-12
2025-12
Forward PE Ratio
10.31
14.35
15.87
8.33
15.38
31.95
7.39
9.61
14.03
14.57
82.59
Westlake Quarterly Data
2015-12
2016-03
2016-06
2016-09
2016-12
2017-03
2017-06
2017-09
2017-12
2018-03
2018-06
2018-09
2018-12
2019-03
2019-06
2019-09
2019-12
2020-03
2020-06
2020-09
2020-12
2021-03
2021-06
2021-09
2021-12
2022-03
2022-06
2022-09
2022-12
2023-03
2023-06
2023-09
2023-12
2024-03
2024-06
2024-09
2024-12
2025-03
2025-06
2025-09
2025-12
2026-03
Forward PE Ratio
10.31
10.46
10.88
13.53
14.35
16.31
15.65
16.45
15.87
13.32
11.72
9.50
8.33
9.78
12.27
10.95
15.38
19.34
42.74
23.31
31.95
19.27
11.43
8.87
7.39
9.29
5.25
5.38
9.61
11.34
10.99
11.30
14.03
19.08
19.46
16.16
14.57
17.33
66.15
27.44
82.59
101.70
WLK vs SOLS, ESI, EMN: Forward PE Ratio Comparison
For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Westlake's Forward PE Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Forward PE Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Westlake Forward PE Ratio vs Chemicals Industry
For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Westlake's Forward PE Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Westlake's Forward PE Ratio falls into.
It's a measure of the price-to-earnings ratio (PE Ratio) using forecasted earnings for the calculation. While the earnings used are just an estimate and are not as reliable as current earnings data, there is still benefit in estimated P/E analysis. The forecasted earnings used in the formula can either be for the next 12 months or for the next full-year fiscal period.
Westlake (WLK) has a Forward PE Ratio of 25.19 as of Aug. 03, 2026. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Westlake and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Westlake ranks #452 out of 661 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 68.4%.
Is Westlake's Forward PE Ratio too high?
Westlake's current Forward PE Ratio is 25.19. The Chemicals industry median Forward PE Ratio is 17.68. Westlake's value of 25.19 is 42.5% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Westlake ranks #452 out of 661 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Westlake has a GF Score™ of 60/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Westlake's Forward PE Ratio compare to SOLS and ESI?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Westlake ranks #452 out of 661 companies for Forward PE Ratio. This places Westlake in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Forward PE Ratio is 17.68. Westlake's value of 25.19 is 42.5% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Forward PE Ratio for a Chemicals company?
The median Forward PE Ratio among Chemicals companies is 17.68, based on 661 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Forward PE Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Forward PE Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Westlake's current Forward PE Ratio of 25.19 is 42.5% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Forward PE Ratio mean?
A high Forward PE Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Forward P/E ratio is the share price dividend by the expected per-share earnings in the next 12 months. View historical data on Westlake and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median Forward PE Ratio is 17.68 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Westlake's current Forward PE Ratio is 25.19. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Westlake stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Westlake (WLK) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $105.70, compared to a current price of $69.89 — trading 33.9% below its estimated fair value. The current Forward PE Ratio is 25.19 and 42.5% above the Chemicals industry median of 17.68. Westlake's overall GF Score™ is 60/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Forward PE Ratio calculated?
Forward PE Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Westlake (WLK), the current Forward PE Ratio is 25.19 as of Aug. 03, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Westlake (WLK) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Westlake stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $69.89 is trading 33.9% below its estimated GF Value™ of $105.70.
GuruFocus considers Westlake to be Possible Value Trap.
Key valuation signals for WLK:
Forward PE Ratio: 25.19
GF Value™: $105.70 vs. price of $69.89 (33.9% below fair value)
Industry Position: 42.5% above the Chemicals median (#452 of 661)
No single metric tells the full story. See the WLK stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Westlake is a forward-integrated commodity chemicals firm based in Houston. It began as a single low-density polyethylene plant and expanded its capabilities to include ethylene, vinyl chloride monomers, and polyvinyl chloride over the next two decades. The acquisition of Axiall in 2016 made it a North American leader in chlor-alkali and PVC. Today, Westlake has two defined segments: performance and essential materials, and housing and infrastructure products. The HIP segment began operating in 2022 following a series of acquisitions in the building products space. The firm aims to maximize the value of its chemical production by integrating with the HIP segment, realizing the higher margins of finished commercial goods.
60GF Score
Get the complete analysis for WLK
Forward PE Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
WLK has been successfully added to your 
