Methanex idles plants as gas shortages bite, but record profits cushion the blow
Titan plant in Trinidad idled indefinitely Methanex is shutting its Titan methanol plant in Trinidad for good because it could not secure a new natural gas contract. This removes 860,000 tonnes of yearly production, a real hit to future supply and earnings, though the plant is preserved for a possible restart.
This is a major new supply loss that directly reduces Methanex's production capacity and future revenue.
Record Q2 profit and cash flow Methanex reported record quarterly earnings: $198 million profit, $577 million adjusted EBITDA, and revenue up 75% to $1.4 billion. Strong methanol prices and record North American output let it repay debt and return cash to shareholders, a clear boost to the stock.
This shows the company's core business is generating huge profits and cash, which supports the share price.
New Zealand plants to close, gas entitlements sold Methanex will sell its New Zealand gas contracts and idle its plants there by early 2027 because domestic gas supply keeps falling. This removes another production region, tightening the company's overall output and adding to worries about long-term supply.
This is a fresh, significant loss of production capacity that further reduces Methanex's future supply.
Oil price spike lifts energy shares U.S.-Iran strikes pushed oil above $75 and energy stocks up nearly 4%, with Methanex jumping 6.2% in a single day. Higher oil prices make methanol more competitive as a fuel and chemical feedstock, but this boost is tied to volatile geopolitics and may not last.
It explains a sharp short-term price move and the link between oil prices and methanol demand.