AkzoNobel to Sell Southeast Asia Decorative Paints Unit to Nippon Paint for $1.35 Billion

Axalta Coating Systems is positioned to potentially extend its earnings-beat streak when it reports next on October 29, 2026. The high-performance coating maker has topped consensus estimates by an average of 11.38% over the last two quarters, most recently posting $0.72 per share against an expected $0.65, a surprise of 10.77%, after an earlier $0.56 versus $0.5, a surprise of 12.00%. The company currently carries a Zacks Earnings ESP of +0.51% alongside a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), a combination that Zacks research says produces a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. Zacks notes that a negative Earnings ESP reading does not indicate an earnings miss but does reduce the metric's predictive power.

Sika has acquired Azpects Group, a leading UK manufacturer of polymeric sands for the landscaping sector, in a move the company says strengthens its position in a fast-growing segment. Azpects manufactures and distributes a range of easy-to-use polymeric paving joint compounds and complementary landscaping products for patios, pathways and driveways, serving landscaping contractors across the UK through established trade distribution channels. Sika said the deal creates cross-selling opportunities through highly complementary product portfolios and distribution channels, and that Azpects' manufacturing facility offers a platform to grow and optimize Sika's UK production footprint, with significant cost synergies expected in manufacturing and logistics. Regional Manager EMEA Christoph Ganz said Sika's distribution network can bring Azpects' product range into new channels and customer segments, and welcomed the Azpects team to the company. Sika is a specialty chemicals company with subsidiaries in 102 countries, production in over 400 factories, more than 33,000 employees and CHF 11.20 billion in sales in 2025.

Delta Paint Public Company Limited, or DPAINT, sees opportunity in the post-flood recovery period now entering a cycle of home repair and renovation. Demand for architectural paint and construction materials, the company's core business, will be directly supported by the renovation market, spanning walls, surfaces, and interior and exterior areas that need repainting to restore homes to a livable condition. The company said demand is not limited to new project construction but also comes from repair and renovation, which plays a greater role after natural disasters, and it expects recovery to expand from initial repairs to major home renovations. At the same time, DPAINT is laying a long-term game through its investment in The City Phuket to enter the real estate business and create a new S-Curve, adding diversity to its revenue structure while keeping architectural paint and construction materials as the core business that generates cash flow. The company views Phuket as an area with potential in tourism and real estate, and if developed according to plan, it will complement the core business and create opportunities for stable growth in the future.