CC vs WDFC: Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?
Last updated August 2026
Short answer
CC and WDFC are similarly sized, but CC trades noticeably cheaper on forward earnings (7.44x vs 34.78x): the market is paying up for WDFC's profile and pricing CC more conservatively, or for faster growth. Which you prefer comes down to the drivers you believe, and whether adding either over-concentrates what you already own.
CC vs WDFC: the tie-breaker metrics
Same yardstick, side by side (as of August 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.
| Metric | CC | WDFC | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $2.50B | $3.05B | Size. The larger name is the incumbent; the smaller has more room to grow and more to prove. |
| Forward P/E | 7.44 | 34.78 | Valuation on next year's expected earnings, the same yardstick for both. Lower is cheaper for that growth; higher means the market is paying up. |
| Beta | 1.40 | 0.25 | Volatility vs the market. Above 1 swings harder than the index; below 1 is steadier. Higher beta means bigger drawdowns to hold through. |
| Price vs 52-week range | 34% of range | 42% of range | Where today's price sits between the 52-week low and high. Near the high is momentum with less margin of safety; near the low is out of favor or a discount, depending on why. |
| Price / book | 11.62 | 10.95 | How much you pay over book value. Very high can signal an asset-light, high-return business or a rich price. |
Reading it: CC is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.
Before you buy: how CC and WDFC affect your concentration
The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. CC and WDFC share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.
This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined CC and WDFC exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.
What does The Chemours Company (CC) do?
The Chemours Company is a US-listed specialty chemicals producer spun out of DuPont in 2015. It reports through three segments: Thermal & Specialized Solutions (refrigerants and thermal management, led by the Opteon low-global-warming-potential product line), Titanium Technologies (TiO2 white pigment used in paints, plastics, and paper), and Advanced Performance Materials (high-end fluoropolymers and advanced materials). Full-year 2025 net sales were roughly $5.8 billion, and the company operates globally across industrial, construction, automotive, and electronics end markets.
What does WD-40 Company (WDFC) do?
WD-40 Company makes multi-purpose maintenance products (the flagship WD-40 spray, the WD-40 Specialist line of silicone lubricants, white lithium grease and contact cleaners, plus the 3-IN-ONE brand) alongside a smaller homecare and cleaning products group. Roughly 97% of revenue now comes from its core maintenance products, sold in more than 175 countries and produced through a capital-light, outsourced-manufacturing model that lets the company focus on brand, formulation and distribution.
CC vs WDFC: how do they differ?
Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.
- CC drivers: Opteon refrigerant growth; TiO2 pigment cyclical recovery.
- WDFC drivers: Core maintenance-product strength; Pricing power and margin recovery.
Which fits which kind of investor
A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: PFAS environmental litigation and remediation are the defining risk: Chemours faces thousands of personal injury claims in the AFFF multi-district litigation with bellwether trials that could produce unpredictable damages, on top of the $450 million EPA and DOJ settlement already reached in 2026. For WDFC, wD-40 depends heavily on a single flagship brand, so any reputational, formulation or regulatory issue with that product would be outsized.
CC or WDFC: which should you pick?
CC vs WDFC: the full fundamentals
CC. Chemours trades at a low equity valuation relative to its ~$5.8 billion revenue base, reflecting cyclical earnings and PFAS liability overhang rather than a high-growth multiple. Q1 2026 showed revenue up modestly year over year but a net loss, with 2026 guidance calling for 3 to 5 percent sales growth. EV/EBITDA has run in the low-to-mid teens, so much of the enterprise value sits in debt and litigation obligations.
WDFC. As of early July 2026 WDFC traded around $246 with a market cap near $3.3 billion, a trailing P/E in the high 20s and a forward dividend yield around 1.7%. The premium multiple reflects the market pricing in the franchise's consistency and high returns on capital rather than rapid growth.
Headline figures (approximate, JULY 2026): CC shows revenue (fy2025) ~$5.8B, q1 2026 revenue ~$1.38B, q1 2026 net loss ~$29M, 2026 adj. ebitda guide ~$800-900M; WDFC shows q2 fy2026 net sales ~$161.7M (+11% YoY), fy2026 sales guidance ~$630M-$655M, q2 fy2026 gaap eps ~$1.50 (-32% YoY), market cap ~$3.3B.
The bottom line: CC vs WDFC
CC and WDFC are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined CC and WDFC exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.
Wondering how CC or WDFC fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.
Investing in The Chemours Company with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how CC fits what you actually hold: whether you own it already through a fund, what it would do to your concentration, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.
FAQ
What is the difference between CC and WDFC?
+
The Chemours Company is a US-listed specialty chemicals producer spun out of DuPont in 2015. WD-40 Company makes multi-purpose maintenance products (the flagship WD-40 spray, the WD-40 Specialist line of silicone lubricants, white lithium grease and contact cleaners, plus the 3-IN-ONE brand) alongside a smaller homecare and cleaning products group. They show up together because they share investment themes, but they are different businesses, so the better fit depends on which thesis you are expressing.
Is CC or WDFC the better stock?
+
Neither is universally better; they suit different views and risk levels. Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Compare what each does, the tie-breaker metrics above, and the risks, then decide which fits your thesis and what you already own.
Which is cheaper, CC or WDFC?
+
On forward P/E (as of August 2026), CC trades at 7.44x and WDFC at 34.78x, so CC is the cheaper of the two on next year's expected earnings. A lower multiple is not automatically the better buy: a richer valuation can be justified by faster growth, and a lower one can reflect real risk. Weigh the multiple against how fast each business is compounding.
Should you own both CC and WDFC?
+
Because they share themes, owning both concentrates you in that theme. That can be intentional (a focused bet) or accidental (less diversification than it looks). Walnut can show your combined exposure across both, and whether adding either over-concentrates you, before you buy.
What are the risks of CC vs WDFC?
+
CC: PFAS environmental litigation and remediation are the defining risk: Chemours faces thousands of personal injury claims in the AFFF multi-district litigation with bellwether trials that could produce unpredictable damages, on top of the $450 million EPA and DOJ settlement already reached in 2026. The Titanium Technologies segment is cyclical and exposed to weak construction and coatings demand plus low-cost pigment competition. The company posted a net loss in Q1 2026, underscoring thin profitability. Leverage and the cash demands of legal settlements constrain financial flexibility. Regulatory, raw-material, and currency swings add further volatility to results. WDFC: WD-40 depends heavily on a single flagship brand, so any reputational, formulation or regulatory issue with that product would be outsized. GAAP EPS fell about 32% year over year in Q2 fiscal 2026, showing that input costs, tax items and one-off charges can pressure reported profit even when sales grow. The stock carries a premium valuation (trailing P/E in the high 20s to low 40s depending on the earnings measure used), which leaves little room for disappointment if growth slows. It also faces currency swings on international sales, competition from lower-priced lubricants, and the slow-growth nature of a mature maintenance-products category.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. This page is descriptive and not a recommendation to buy or sell CC or WDFC; figures are approximate and dated (as of August 2026). Verify current data before investing.