PPG Industries beats quarterly profit estimates, raises FY earnings forecast

(Reuters) – PPG Industries (NYSE:) on Wednesday beat Wall Street estimates for third-quarter profit and raised its full-year earnings outlook, as high sales volumes in the automotive and aerospace sector helped boost coatings sales at the company.

The company’s shares were up 1.5% at $129.60 in after market trade.

New vehicle sales in the United States had risen in the reported quarter on improving supply and steady demand, leading to increasing demand for coatings and furnishings materials.

PPG reported a profit of $2.07 per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with analysts’ average estimate of $1.94 per share, according to LSEG data.

The company said its industrial coatings income rose 28% to $246 million in the reported quarter from a year ago, helped by higher selling price and lower costs.

“Looking ahead, while demand in Europe and China are at or nearing trough levels and will likely present growth opportunities in 2024, we anticipate soft global macroeconomic conditions will persist in the fourth quarter,” PPG’s chief executive officer Tim Knavish said.

PPG raised its full-year 2023 earnings forecast to a range of $7.58 and $7.64 per share from $7.28 to $7.48 per share, higher than analysts’ average estimate of $7.49.

Quarterly net sales rose 3.9% to $4.64 billion from a year earlier, in line with analysts’ estimate.