Huntsman Corporation (HUN) Stock Forecast: What Could Drive It in 2026
Last updated July 2026
Short answer
What is actually driving Huntsman Corporation (HUN) right now is Pending Olin merger: In June 2026 Huntsman agreed to an all-stock merger of equals with Olin, with Huntsman holders set to receive about 0.5476 Olin shares per Huntsman share and to own roughly 45.5 percent of the combined 'OlinHuntsman.' The deal is pitched as creating a vertically integrated North American chemicals leader with more than $12 billion of revenue and over $400 million of targeted cost synergies. Revenue (FY2025) is ~$5.7B. If that keeps playing out, the setup is favourable; the risk to it is huntsman is deeply cyclical and was loss-making in 2025 and early 2026, with net debt leverage around 6.1x and credit ratings cut to below investment grade, so a prolonged downturn strains the balance sheet. No one can predict where HUN trades, and Walnut does not publish targets, so treat this as a scenario, not a price target or prediction.
What could drive Huntsman Corporation (HUN) higher?
1. Pending Olin merger
In June 2026 Huntsman agreed to an all-stock merger of equals with Olin, with Huntsman holders set to receive about 0.5476 Olin shares per Huntsman share and to own roughly 45.5 percent of the combined 'OlinHuntsman.' The deal is pitched as creating a vertically integrated North American chemicals leader with more than $12 billion of revenue and over $400 million of targeted cost synergies. Until it closes, HUN largely tracks Olin's share price and the market's confidence in the deal.
2. Polyurethanes and MDI cycle
Polyurethanes is the largest segment and its earnings swing with MDI margins, which have been depressed by soft construction and automotive demand and by aggressive Chinese capacity additions. Q1 2026 showed about 4 percent year-over-year volume growth in Polyurethanes, including some European improvement, so a cyclical recovery in MDI pricing would be a meaningful lever if demand firms.
3. Advanced Materials and aerospace
Advanced Materials has been a relative bright spot, with revenues growing over 10 percent year over year in Q1 2026 as sales into aerospace increased. Higher-value formulation and specialty applications carry better margins than commodity polyurethanes and offer some ballast against the MDI cycle.
4. Cost cuts and self-help
Management has leaned on restructuring, plant closings and cost reduction to protect cash flow while end markets stay weak. These programs, plus the synergy case behind the Olin merger, are the main drivers of any earnings improvement independent of a broad chemicals recovery, though restructuring charges have also weighed on reported results.
What could weigh on HUN?
Huntsman is deeply cyclical and was loss-making in 2025 and early 2026, with net debt leverage around 6.1x and credit ratings cut to below investment grade, so a prolonged downturn strains the balance sheet. The dividend was reduced sharply and is not guaranteed. The Olin merger introduces deal risk: it requires shareholder and regulatory approvals and could be delayed or blocked, and because it is all-stock the value received depends on Olin's share price. Low-cost Chinese MDI capacity, weak construction and automotive demand, and volatile feedstock costs such as benzene and European natural gas can all pressure margins further.
Where HUN trades today
A forecast starts from where the stock actually is. These are HUN's current figures, not a projection: the drivers and risks above are what would move them.
Snapshot for HUN as of July 2026, sourced from Yahoo Finance and may be delayed. Valuation figures move with price and earnings; verify the current numbers with your broker before deciding.
How to think about a HUN forecast
Rather than chasing a price target, it tends to help to weigh the drivers above against the risks, decide how long you are willing to hold, and size the position so a wrong call is survivable. A “forecast” is really a probability-weighted view of those drivers playing out, not a number.
For the full picture, see the HUN guide and whether HUN is a buy. In Walnut you can pressure-test the thesis against your real portfolio.
The bottom line on the HUN outlook
The bottom line: what is driving Huntsman Corporation (HUN) is Pending Olin merger, with revenue (fy2025) at ~$5.7B. If that keeps playing out the setup is favourable; the risk is huntsman is deeply cyclical and was loss-making in 2025 and early 2026, with net debt leverage around 6.1x and credit ratings cut to below investment grade, so a prolonged downturn strains the balance sheet. No one can predict the price, so treat any HUN forecast as a scenario, not a target or prediction, and decide from your own thesis and time horizon. Walnut is not an investment adviser.
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FAQ
What is the forecast for Huntsman Corporation (HUN)?
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No one can reliably predict where HUN will trade, and Walnut does not publish price targets. What is more useful is the setup: the drivers that could push Huntsman Corporation higher and the risks that could weigh on it. This page lays out both so you can form your own view. Not a recommendation.
What could drive HUN higher?
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The main growth drivers are Pending Olin merger; Polyurethanes and MDI cycle; Advanced Materials and aerospace. Whether they play out is the real question, not a guaranteed path.
What are the risks to HUN?
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Huntsman is deeply cyclical and was loss-making in 2025 and early 2026, with net debt leverage around 6.1x and credit ratings cut to below investment grade, so a prolonged downturn strains the balance sheet. The dividend was reduced sharply and is not guaranteed. The Olin merger introduces deal risk: it requires shareholder and regulatory approvals and could be delayed or blocked, and because it is all-stock the value received depends on Olin's share price. Low-cost Chinese MDI capacity, weak construction and automotive demand, and volatile feedstock costs such as benzene and European natural gas can all pressure margins further.
Will HUN stock go up in 2026?
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Nobody knows, and anyone who says they do is guessing. Huntsman Corporation's direction depends on whether the drivers above outweigh the risks, plus the broader market. Focus on the thesis and your time horizon rather than a single-year call.
Is HUN a buy?
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That depends on your thesis, time horizon, and what you already own, not on a forecast. See the HUN "is it a buy?" page for a framework. Walnut is not an investment adviser.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. This page describes drivers and risks; it is not a price forecast, target, or recommendation. Markets are uncertain and past performance does not predict future results.