Univar Solutions Inc's Competitiveness
A competitive positioning analysis and financial ratio benchmarking of Univar Solutions Inc (UNVR) against its publicly traded competitors: sales growth, net income, profitability, valuation and market share, plus each peer's market capitalization, revenue, income and employees. Free below: the top 5 peers. Subscriber access adds the full competitor list and CSV downloads.
Key Findings: Univar Solutions Inc vs Its Competitors
- TTM: Trailing 12-month revenue of 10,835M vs 445M combined for tracked competitors (96.1% combined share).
- Trending: Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is decelerating (-5.0% annualized vs trailing 12 months), vs decelerating (-15.6%) for its tracked peer group.
- Growth: Univar Solutions Inc generated -14.7% revenue growth year over year in Q2 2023, vs 13.5% for its tracked competitors combined.
- Profitability: Its 8.2% net margin compares with 2.0% for the peer group.
- Peer revenue share: Univar Solutions Inc accounted for 96.5% of combined revenue among its tracked peer group, down from 97.3% a year earlier.
- Peer differentiation: Revenue per employee of $1.20M compares with $26.21M for the peer group (0.0x).
Every figure above is sourced and cited in detail further down this page (Market Structure, Profitability & Cost Structure, Productivity vs Peers).
UNVR Sales vs. its Competitors, Q2 2023
Univar Solutions Inc reported revenue contraction of 14.67 % year on year in Q2 2023, below its competitors' combined revenue growth of 13.53 %.
With a net margin of 8.15 %, Univar Solutions Inc achieved higher profitability than its competitors (2.02 %).
Univar Solutions Inc generated 96.48 % of the combined sales of its peer group, down from 97.33 % a year earlier.
Univar Solutions Inc vs. its Competitors, Q2 2023
Revenue growth, year on year
Net income growth, year on year
Net margin
Revenue run-rate vs trailing 12 months
TTM net margin
TTM = trailing twelve months. Run-rate annualizes the latest quarter (×4) and compares it to TTM. In millions of $. High-Confidence Competitors are named as a competitor directly in an SEC filing; Similar-Size Competitors are the closest peers by market-cap rank within the same industry; Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors are the closest peers by combined revenue growth, operating margin and ROIC, all independent of the competitor list.
TTM revenue, latest-quarter run-rate and net income/margin benchmarked across Univar Solutions Inc and its 4 competitor groupings. Available under Commercial License.
| Entity | TTM Revenue | Rev Run-rate vs TTM |
|---|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Competitors combined | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Similar Growth & Profitability (6) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
TTM revenue, run-rate and net margin benchmarking across Univar Solutions Inc's competitor groups requires a Commercial License.
For context: the Chemical Manufacturing industry grew revenue 2.6% year over year, combined, vs -14.7% for Univar Solutions Inc. Univar Solutions Inc's share of combined industry revenue moved from 3.30% to 2.75%, a loss of 0.55 percentage points.
Univar Solutions Inc's Competitor Quality Breadth
Share of each group, trailing 12 months: profitable (net margin > 0), expanding (revenue growth > 0), growing faster than the industry's own median, and financially distressed (Piotroski F-Score of 2 or below).
| Entity | Profitable | Expanding | Above Industry Growth | Distressed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | Yes | No | No | No |
| Competitors combined (1) | - | - | - | |
| Similar Growth & Profitability (8) | 75.00 % (6 of 8) | 25.00 % (2 of 8) | 12.50 % (1 of 8) | 0.00 % (0 of 7) |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Altman Z-Score is not shown here: it is not populated in the underlying data for any company. Percentages are of companies in each group that report the relevant metric, not of the full group size.
UNVR Stock Performance relative to its Competitors
UNVR Stock Performance relative to Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors
5 Best-Performing Tracked Competitors, Trailing 12 Months
| # | Competitor | TTM Share Price Return | vs U.S.A. 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evi Industries Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
TTM share price return and U.S.A. 500 outperformance for Univar Solutions Inc's best-performing tracked competitors requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months.
Univar Solutions Inc's Comment on Competition and Industry Peers
The chemical production, distribution and sales markets are highly competitive.
Most of the products that we distribute are made to industry standard specifications
and are either produced by, or available from, multiple sources or the producers
with which we work may also sell their products through a direct sales force
or through multiple chemical distributors.
Chemical distribution itself is a fragmented market in which only a small number
of competitors have substantial international operations. Our principal large
international competitor is Brenntag, which has a particularly strong position
in Europe.
Many other chemical distributors operate on a regional, national or local basis
and may have a strong relationship with local producers and customers that may
give them a competitive advantage in their local market. Some of our competitors
are either local or regional distributors with a broad product portfolio, while
others are niche players which focus on a specific end market, either industry
or product-based.
Chemical producers may also choose to limit their use of third party distributors,
particularly with respect to higher margin products, or to partner with other
chemical producers for distribution, each of which could increase competition.
We compete on the basis of price, diversification and flexibility in product
offerings and supply availability, market insight and the ability to provide
value-added services.
The independent chemical distribution market in North America is fragmented.
Our principal competitors in North America include Brenntag, Helm America, Hydrite
Chemical, Prinova and Nexeo Solutions. We also compete with a number of smaller
companies in certain niche markets.
Publicly Traded Peers of Univar Solutions Inc
Revenue and income for trailing 12 months, in millions of $, except employees| Company | Market Cap | Revenues |
|---|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | 5,764.33 | 10,835.10 |
| Evi Industries Inc | 271.77 | 445.49 |
| SUBTOTAL | 6,036.10 | 11,280.59 |
Sources: Univar Solutions Inc's official press releases and regulatory filings; CSIMarket.com's market research; and the financial filings and press releases of the other companies cited.
Updated on:
Focus of this report: publicly traded companies. Ten additional tables on Univar Solutions Inc versus competitors, including market share analysis, are in the navigation menu under Competition. To download the tables, please subscribe.
Univar Solutions Inc's Competitors Named by the Company
Competitive relationships identified from SEC filings and corroborating sources, each with a basis and confidence.| Competitor | Basis | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Azelis | Named by the company | 85% |
| Helm America | Named by the company | 85% |
| Brenntag | Named by the company | 85% |
| Barentz | Named by the company | 85% |
| Hydrite Chemical | Named by the company | 85% |
| Helm | Named by the company | 85% |
| Barentz International NV | Named by the company | 85% |
| IMCD | Named by the company | 85% |
Filing basis, confidence, active dates and source counts for Univar Solutions Inc's named competitors require a Commercial License.
Methodology: relationships are extracted from SEC filings (named-competitor disclosures) and corroborating sources. Named by the company = explicitly disclosed as a competitor; Inferred = derived from corroborating signals. Confidence reflects evidence strength.
Univar Solutions Inc's Productivity vs Peers Comparison
Revenue and income per employee, trailing 12 months, in $; market cap in millions of $| Company | Market Cap | Revenue / Employee | Income / Employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | 5,764 | 1,203,900 | 99,122 |
| Evi Industries Inc | 272 | 26,205,471 | 437,412 |
| PEERS TOTAL | 272 | 26,205,471 | 437,412 |
Univar Solutions Inc's Geographic Revenue Exposure vs Peers
Revenue by country/region as reported in each company's most recent filing. Disclosure granularity varies by filer (some report by country, others by broad region) and is shown as disclosed.| Company | Largest Market |
|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | EMEA 18.49 % |
Source: revenue geography as reported in each company's SEC filings (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API. Percentages are of that company's own total consolidated revenue for its most recent reported period.
Univar Solutions Inc's Profitability & Cost Structure
Trailing 12-month margins from SEC-filed financials. Operating margin is compared to the Chemical Manufacturing industry median; gross margin, EBITDA margin and capital intensity are compared to the live industry average (96 companies).| Metric | Company | Industry | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 23.72 % | 30.74 % (avg) | -7.0 pp |
| Operating Margin | 5.91 % | industry median | -3.2 pp |
| EBITDA Margin | 11.86 % | 3.22 % (avg) | +8.6 pp |
| Capital Intensity (Capex / Revenue) | 1.49 % | 7.98 % (avg) | -6.5 pp |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. SG&A and R&D as a share of revenue have limited coverage as this data is backfilled and appear only where reported. Higher capital intensity is not inherently negative; it reflects the industry's asset requirements.
Univar Solutions Inc's Valuation vs Competitive Position
Valuation multiples vs the Chemical Manufacturing industry average (96 companies, excluding loss-making/negative-equity outliers), alongside returns on capital for context on whether a premium or discount lines up with measurably stronger or weaker returns.| Metric | Company | Industry Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E | 15.7x | 27.8x | -12.1x |
| EV / EBITDA | 6.2x | 16.1x | -10.0x |
| P/B | 2.2x | 3.9x | -1.7x |
| Return on Equity | 34.36 % | industry aggregate | 23.12 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 7.76 % | 0.90 % (avg) | 6.86 % |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. A valuation premium or discount is not, by itself, a judgment of over- or under-valuation. Compare it against the return and growth context shown elsewhere on this page.
Univar Solutions Inc's Multi-Year Financial Trajectory
Fiscal-year revenue growth, operating margin, return on invested capital and P/E, as reported in SEC filings.| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth | 2.23 % | 4.59 % | 7.58 % | -11.00 % | 15.37 % | 20.34 % |
| Operating Margin | 4.29 % | 4.49 % | 2.02 % | 3.41 % | 5.07 % | 7.26 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 6.67 % | 7.29 % | 2.58 % | 4.14 % | 6.80 % | 10.24 % |
| P/E | 35.6x | 16.8x | - | 60.1x | 10.3x | 9.8x |
Source: CSIMarket API, fiscal-year figures. P/E is this company's own historical ratio at each fiscal year end and can swing sharply around an earnings trough: that is real, not a data error.
Univar Solutions Inc's Strategic Group Map
Every company in Univar Solutions Inc's industry and named-competitor list, plotted by trailing 12-month revenue growth and operating margin. Univar Solutions Inc is shown in red; its closest peers by combined growth, margin and ROIC (the Similar Growth & Profitability group above) are labeled.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Extreme outlier values (from near-zero-revenue companies) are excluded from the plotted cloud but never from the highlighted company or its labeled peers.
Univar Solutions Inc's Competitive Forces (Porter's Five Forces)
Only the forces this data can support honestly are shown; the other three are marked as such rather than guessed.| Force | Assessment | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Barriers to Entry | Lower than typical for the industry | Capital intensity (capex / revenue) of 1.49 % vs industry average 7.98 % (see Profitability & Cost Structure above) |
| Supplier Power | Not covered on this page | See Univar Solutions Inc's dedicated suppliers page for concentration and dependency data |
| Buyer Power | Not covered on this page | See Univar Solutions Inc's dedicated customers page for concentration and dependency data |
| Threat of Substitutes | - | No systematic data source for cross-product substitution exists in this system; not estimated |
Note: this is a partial, data-grounded application of the framework, not a complete strategic assessment. Rivalry and barriers-to-entry readings are mechanical translations of the HHI and capital-intensity figures shown elsewhere on this page, not independent judgments.
Univar Solutions Inc's Industry Attractiveness & Competitive Strength
A CSIMarket composite, not a standard field: each axis is an equal-weighted average of three factors already shown elsewhere on this page (industry growth, industry profitability and rivalry for attractiveness; relative market share, profitability and growth vs industry for strength). Disclosed as a designed methodology, not a precision measurement.
Univar Solutions Inc falls in the Low attractiveness / High strength cell: Selective.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Each axis score is a simple 1(low)/2(medium)/3(high) average across its three inputs -- a transparent, disclosed simplification, not a validated academic scoring model.
Univar Solutions Inc's SWOT
Every point below is a fixed rule applied to a metric already shown elsewhere on this page (Market Structure, Profitability, Valuation, Run-Rate, Stock Performance, Quality Breadth) not an independent strategic assessment. A blank quadrant means no rule was met, not that none apply.Strengths
- Return on equity 23.1 points above the industry aggregate.
Weaknesses
- Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is decelerating (-5.0% annualized vs trailing 12 months).
Opportunities
- Trades at a lower P/E than the industry average (15.7x vs 27.8x) despite a higher return on invested capital -- a possible re-rating opportunity.
- A meaningful share of tracked competitors (100.00 %) show financial-distress signals, a possible opening to gain share.
Threats
- Tracked peer group's revenue run-rate is broadly decelerating (-15.6% annualized).
Methodology: mechanical, rule-based SWOT. Each bullet reuses a figure already sourced and cited elsewhere on this page; nothing here is generated narrative or independent analyst judgment.
Univar Solutions Inc's Financial Strength vs Peers Comparison
Quick ratio, working capital, debt to equity and asset turnover, trailing 12 months| Company | Quick Ratio | Working Capital | Debt / Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | 0.17 | 2.10 | 0.96 |
| Evi Industries Inc | 0.06 | 1.54 | 0.37 |
Quick ratio = cash / current liabilities; working capital ratio = current assets / current liabilities; asset turnover = revenue / total assets. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Univar Solutions Inc's Revenue and Income Growth vs Peers
Quarterly revenue and net income growth, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Revenue Y/Y | Income Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | Q2 2023 | -14.7 % | -45.4 % |
| Evi Industries Inc | Q2 2026 | +10.8 % | +31.0 % |
| PEERS TOTAL | -13.8 % | -45.0 % |
Growth is shown only where both periods are positive. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Univar Solutions Inc's Peers' Costs of Sales and Capital Expenditures
Context for revenue growth: peer costs and capex, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Costs Y/Y | Capex Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | Q2 2023 | -14.5 % | +2.2 % |
| Evi Industries Inc | Q2 2026 | +9.7 % | +10.9 % |
Univar Solutions Inc's Returns and Turnover vs Peers
ROA, ROI and ROE (trailing 12 months), receivables and inventory turnover| Company | ROA | ROI | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | 12.36% | 15.75% | 34.36% |
| Evi Industries Inc | 2.38% | 3.12% | 5.12% |
ROA = net income / total assets; ROI = net income / investments; ROE = net income / equity; turnover ratios use trailing 12 month revenue (receivables) and cost of sales (inventory).
Univar Solutions Inc's Valuation vs Peers
P/E, price to sales, PEG, price to cash flow and price to book| Company | P/E | Price / Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Univar Solutions Inc | 15.85 | 0.53 |
| Evi Industries Inc | 41.63 | 0.61 |
| PEERS AVERAGE | 6.71 | 0.54 |
P/E = price / diluted EPS (trailing 12 months); PEG = P/E divided by EPS growth; the average row divides the peers' combined market cap by their combined income, sales, cash flow and equity.