Should I buy, hold, or sell KWR stock right now?

Quaker Houghton (KWR) currently earns a Roarable Rating of D (Sell — SELL) with 46/100 RQD Confidence. Stretched risk/reward at current multiples (2% return on capital) under elevated 10-year interest-rate pressure.

What is KWR's 12-month price target and RQD AI Jury consensus?

KWR's 12-month base price target is $142.8 (range $111.38 to $192.16), backed by transparent SEC XBRL cash-flow, Form 4 insider, and CBOE options flow analysis.

Stock Ratings / Materials / KWR

NGVT (66) IOSP (69) ROG (48) WDFC (73) ⌘ Pro Terminal →

Quaker Houghton (KWR) — RQD Stock Rating Cockpit

$150.95 -4.38% NYSE • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $149.47

Quaker Houghton (KWR) carries a Roarable Rating of D (Sell) with 46/100 RQD Confidence due to weak cash-flow efficiency and sensitivity to current interest rates. Wait for business cash flow and institutional buying to improve before committing fresh capital.

ROARABLE D • SELL / AVOID Cap $2.60B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

⚡ INSTANT AI QUANT PREVIEW • $0 FREE TIER Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on KWR Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude

🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is KWR stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

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As of 2026-11-03, Quaker Houghton (NYSE: KWR) is rated D (Sell / SELL) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 46/100 at a spot price of $150.95 (-4.38% 1D, market cap $2.60B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 12/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 7/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 10/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 9/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 8/20. Across 270 tracked Materials issuers, KWR ranks #119 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does KWR compare to NGVT and IOSP in the Materials sector?

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Within the Materials sector (Major Chemicals), KWR carries a Roarable D (46/100 RQD), trailing P/E of N/A, gross margin of 36.0%, and ROIC of 2.1%. By comparison, NGVT (Ingevity Corporation) holds a C+ grade (66/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC 85.0%, cap $2.55B) and IOSP (Innospec Inc.) posts a C+ grade (69/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC 9.9%, cap $2.46B). Among the 5-stock peer group, WDFC leads on earnings multiple (32.3x) while NGVT leads on capital efficiency (85.0% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for KWR?

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Per KWR's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0000081362), Quaker Houghton generated $1.89B in revenue (+2.7% YoY), -$2.5M in net income, and $80.6M in free cash flow against $2.80B in total assets and $834.9M in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Established market leader in Materials with deep daily trading liquidity. Primary risk factors monitored: Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $149.47 (-0.98%)🧬 Disciplined Float (-0.12% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 12/20 (C-) • 4.3% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record Warning: Scores below 50 (46/100 · D) historically underperformed SPY in 71% of rolling 90-day windows (-6.1% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 29.0% hit rate).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERSELL / AVOID • D

2-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bearish Warning

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw D · Rk D

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE-5.4% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for KWR)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±5.8%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (46/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY KWR SCORES 46/100 (D) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Cash Engine Quality+12/20 pts (26% of score)

SEC XBRL FY 2025 (10-K): 4.3% FCF Margin ($80.6M FCF) & 36% Gross Margin

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: SEC 10-K Forensic Risk+10/20 pts (22% of score)

Altman Z-Score 2.41 (WATCH ZONE (1.8–3.0)) • Piotroski F-Score 6/9

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Whale & Options Positioning7/20 pts (-13 pt drag)

Put hedging (50% put share) caps near-term gamma upside (-13 pts vs max)

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade C-$160.82-1.8% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade C-$157.97-0.6% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade D$157.09-3.9% Next Q

Current

Grade D$150.95-6.1% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: C- (54) → D (46)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)CONTRARIAN TURNAROUND & SHORT-SQUEEZE DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: What Could Spark a KWR Turnaround Squeeze

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

While KWR currently carries a cautious 46/100 (D) rating due to Whale & Options Positioning (7/20), shorts face asymmetric squeeze risk if free cash flow inflects or management executes accretive buybacks.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #1

Established market leader in Materials with deep daily trading liquidity.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #2

Options & Short-Covering Gamma: Reclaiming the 50-day SMA ($158.38) and Max Pain ($158.50) forces dealer call-delta covering toward $192.16.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #3

Forensic Repair Trigger: Halting share dilution (Disciplined Float (-0.12% YoY Shares)) or retiring high-cost debt immediately upgrades the SEC 10-K Forensic pillar.

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $KWR• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “KWR Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 30, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 46%NO 54%Trade / Inspect Odds →

RSI-14 MOMENTUMNEUTRAL RANGE

40.730 Oversold · 70 Hot

ALTMAN-Z SHIELDWATCH ZONE (1.8–3.0)

2.41>3.0 Fortress Safe

PIOTROSKI F-SCORESOLID CORE (5–6)

6 / 99-Pt Accounting

52-WEEK LASER RANGE55% OF RANGE

L: $112$150.95H: $183

1. Money & Cash Health● MIXED

Are profits real cash in the bank?

Decent core business (36.0% gross margin), though cash flow growth is moderate rather than explosive right now.

Factor Grade: C-RQD 12 / 20

2. Big Money & Insiders● TRIMMING

Are whales & executives buying or selling?

Insiders and big institutional desks have been trimming shares rather than stepping up to buy.

Factor Grade: D-RQD 15 / 40

3. Hidden Risks & Market Weather● WARNING

SEC fine-print scan & interest-rate fit

High sensitivity to tight interest rates or new risk warnings added to recent SEC annual filings.

Factor Grade: DRQD 19 / 40

MULTI-MODEL JEV QUANT JURY DELIBERATION

2-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bearish Warning on KWR

Cash & Moat Bull AI

ROIC & Free Cash Flow Model

NEUTRAL (60)

2.1% ROIC with 36.0% gross margin and 2.97% FCF yield.

SEC Forensic Auditor AI

10-K Accruals & Altman-Z Guard

BEARISH (50)

Altman-Z 2.41 and Piotroski 6/9 pass balance-sheet audit.

Whale & Macro Hawk AI

Options Skew, 13F & Fed NetLiq

BEARISH (40)

15/40 institutional & smart-money positioning score with 9/20 macro alignment.

Bull Case: Why Buyers Like KWR

✓Established market leader in Materials with deep daily trading liquidity.

Bear Case: What Could Go Wrong

!Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately.
!Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.
!Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Forensic Quant Desk

Red-Light Warning Desk: Spotting SEC Cash-Flow & Dilution Risks Before Downgrades (Featuring KWR)

✓Walkthrough of KWR's RQD Radar, SEC cash-conversion gap & downside invalidation levels
✓3 asymmetric Bear/Hedge frameworks when 10-year Treasury yields stay elevated
✓Includes nightly RQD rating-change & forensic signal email alerts on your tracked stocks

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

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KWR // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +9.85%🛡️ HOLDING TREND SUPPORT

2026-11-03O $157.9H $157.9L $151.0C $151.0VOL 251.0K

RES: $163.8SUP: $150.3SMA50: $158.4SMA200: $150.2

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

KWR Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 KWR Butterfly Map → + Track KWR →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle

31.7%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. +2.7% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on KWR today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for KWR. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for KWR today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (KWR)

Materials Rank #119 of 270 ⚔️ NGVT vs KWR Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Materials Peer Comparison (KWR vs. NGVT, IOSP, ROG, WDFC)

Industry: Major Chemicals (67 Tracked Issuers)

Across 270 tracked Materials securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Quaker Houghton (KWR) ranks #119 by composite RQD confidence (46/100, grade D) and #98 by equity capitalization ($2.60B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, WDFC leads on earnings valuation at 32.3x trailing P/E, while NGVT leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 85.0% ROIC and 39.5% gross margin. WDFC currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 73/100 (B) compared with KWR at 46/100 (D).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
KWR ACTIVE Quaker Houghton	D	46/100	—	36.0%	2.1%	-4.38%	$2.60B	Benchmark Subject
NGVT Ingevity Corporation	C+	66/100	—	39.5%	85.0%	-1.39%	$2.55B	/ngvt-vs-kwr →
IOSP Innospec Inc.	C+	69/100	—	27.7%	9.9%	-1.50%	$2.46B	/iosp-vs-kwr →
ROG Rogers Corporation	D	48/100	—	31.7%	-3.6%	-5.18%	$2.37B	/rog-vs-kwr →
WDFC WD-40 Company	B	73/100	32.3x	55.1%	27.2%	+0.55%	$2.95B	/wdfc-vs-kwr →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-31 • CIK 0000081362 ↗

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Quaker Houghton (KWR) reported GAAP revenue of $1.89B (+2.7% vs. FY2024 revenue of $1.84B , and -3.3% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of -$2.5M, operating cash flow of $136.5M, and free cash flow of $80.6M (-50.5% YoY). On the balance sheet, KWR closed FY2025 with $2.80B in total assets against $834.9M in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 2.41, Piotroski F-Score: 6/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2025-12-31	$1.89B	-$2.5M	$136.5M	$80.6M	$2.80B	$834.9M
FY2024 (FY)	2024-12-31	$1.84B	$116.6M	$204.6M	$162.8M	$2.61B	$669.6M
FY2023 (FY)	2023-12-31	$1.95B	$112.7M	$279.0M	$279.0M	—	—

3. KWR Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is KWR stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does KWR compare to NGVT and IOSP in the Materials sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for KWR?

Where is KWR trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

KWR last traded at $150.95 (-4.38% on volume of 251,032 shares), positioning the stock -4.69% below its 50-day simple moving average ($158.38) and +0.50% above its 200-day simple moving average ($150.20). Across its 52-week range of $112.18 to $183.01, KWR sits at the 54.7% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 40.7 (NEUTRAL RANGE) and an implied next-earnings move of ±5.8% ($142.19 to $159.71).

Direct Sub-Reports: KWR RQD Cockpit KWR 12M Forecast KWR Earnings & Move KWR Dividends & DRIP KWR Insiders & 13F KWR Whale Options KWR Profit Sankey KWR News & Why

ROARABLE RATING BRIEF • RQD 46/100 (D) ✓ SEC XBRL & RQD VERIFIED

KWR — Quaker Houghton: What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor

Methodology: RQD v6.2 Deterministic 5-Pillar & SEC XBRL Audit

Updated: 2025-12-31

1. Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor

Quaker Houghton (KWR) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 46/100, corresponding to a D letter grade (Roarable Sell) at a spot price of $150.95 (-4.38% 1D, market capitalization $2.60B).

Fundamental Cash Engine (12/20): Anchored by return on invested capital (ROIC) of 2.1%, gross margin of 36.0%, operating margin of 2.8%, and free cash flow yield of 2.97%.
Whale 13F & Options Flow (7/20) + Insider Conviction (8/20): Tracks institutional 13F accumulation, CBOE options call/put positioning, and SEC Form 4 / Congressional PTR filings.
Macro Regime Fit (9/20) + Forensic Balance Sheet (10/20): Incorporates a 1.00x equity beta, Altman Z-Score of 2.41, Piotroski F-Score of 6/9, and Debt/Equity of 0.61x.

2. Business Model, Unit Margins & SEC Financial Trajectory

Is a NYSE-listed issuer in the Materials sector and Major Chemicals industry, with a market capitalization of $2.7B. Per the market data, gross margin is 36% while operating margin is 2.8% and net margin is -0.1%.

In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-12-31), Quaker Houghton (KWR) reported $1.89B in annual revenue (up from $1.84B in FY2024, +2.7% YoY) and -$2.5M in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($1.95B revenue, $112.7M net income) through FY2025, KWR scaled operating cash flow to $136.5M and free cash flow to $80.6M, backed by $2.80B in total assets against $834.9M in total debt.

3. Institutional Bull vs. Bear Thesis & Valuation Tradeoff

🐂 Primary Bull Case (D • RQD 46/100): Established market leader in Materials with deep daily trading liquidity. Free cash flow yield of 2.97% and institutional whale pillar of 7/20. With Fundamental Cash Engine at 12/20 and Institutional Whale Flow at 7/20, sustained execution supports upside toward the upper end of the $112.18 – $183.01 52-week range.
🐻 Primary Bear Case & Valuation Risk: Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately. Investors must weigh current valuation and 33.6x EV/EBITDA against 2.8% operating margins and a 1.00x macro beta.

4. 2nd-Order Butterfly Ripples & Key Questions to Watch

No upstream or downstream dependencies, butterfly links, or proprietary signals are recorded for KWR. Sector correlation data beyond the Materials / Major Chemicals classification is — Second-order bottlenecks cannot be identified from the provided sources.

Key Question #1: Can KWR sustain or expand its 2.8% operating margin and 2.1% ROIC against Major Chemicals peers over the next 4 quarters?
Key Question #2: Following FY2025 revenue of $1.89B and free cash flow of $80.6M, how will capital allocation balance growth reinvestment against $834.9M in total debt?
Key Question #3: How sensitive is KWR's equity valuation to Materials capital spending cycles and macro interest-rate shifts (Beta 1.00x)?

KWR Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire

Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Quaker Houghton (KWR) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below

💬 Jump to KWR Debate Forum (3) ↓

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo! Finance Canada • 22h ago

Quaker Chemical Corporation (KWR) Stock Price, News, Quote & History

Yahoo! Finance Canada report covering Quaker Houghton (KWR) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE TradingView • 1d ago

Quaker Houghton Estimates – NYSE:KWR

TradingView report covering Quaker Houghton (KWR) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Why Quaker Houghton (KWR) Holds Re-Rating Potential?

Yahoo Finance report covering Quaker Houghton (KWR) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Stock Titan • 1d ago

A live webcast will carry Quaker Houghton's Oct. 30 earnings call.

Stock Titan report covering Quaker Houghton (KWR) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Simply Wall St • 1d ago

Earnings Beat Might Change The Case For Investing In Quaker Houghton Stock (KWR)

Simply Wall St report covering Quaker Houghton (KWR) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST TradingView • 1d ago

KWR Q3 Earnings Beat on Pricing Gains and Volume Growth

TradingView report covering Quaker Houghton (KWR) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Quaker Houghton Announces Third Quarter 2026 Earnings and Investor Call

Yahoo Finance report covering Quaker Houghton (KWR) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE ad-hoc-news.de • 1d ago

Royal Bank of Canada lifts target for Quaker Houghton stock to USD 202.00

ad-hoc-news.de report covering Quaker Houghton (KWR) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔥 THE ROAR PIT • LIVE COMMUNITY DEBATE 3 Active Posts & Replies

KWR Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $150.95?

🐂 67% BULLISH CONVICTION COMMUNITY TUG-OF-WAR ON KWR 🐻 33% BEARISH CONVICTION

DE DeltaGamma_99 RQD DEBATE OPENER • Options Flow Specialist 🐂 BULLISH 🎯 Target: $199.25 (+32.0%)

📌 Pinned Debate

Recent news flags an earnings beat driven by pricing gains and volume growth, with a 36% gross margin supporting the business.

Long KWR at $150.95 targeting $199.25. Recent news flags an earnings beat driven by pricing gains and volume growth, with a 36% gross margin supporting the business.. Institutional whale score is 7/20 and the risk/reward vs. the $112.18 52-week low is skewed heavily in favor of bulls.

RetailWhale_TX 🐂 BULL

Both sides have a point here — KWR's 10/20 balance sheet score keeps downside contained, so the real swing factor next earnings call is backlog and FCF conversion.

RI RiskArb_Desk RQD DEBATE OPENER • Hedged Event Driven 🐻 BEARISH 🎯 Target: $129.82 (-14.0%)

Spot @ $150.95

Operating income fell from $214.5M in FY 2023 to $53.0M in FY 2025 while net margin turned slightly negative at -0.1%, with an RQD scor

I respect the product at Quaker Houghton, but the stock at $150.95 is a different story. Operating income fell from $214.5M in FY 2023 to $53.0M in FY 2025 while net margin turned slightly negative at -0.1%, with an RQD score of 49 and D grade.. FCF yield is 2.97% and RQD sits at 46/100 (D) — why pay up here when you can wait for next quarter's numbers?