Dow Names Karen Carter CEO, Fitterling Executive Chair

appointed Karen S. Carter as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026, succeeding Jim Fitterling, who will transition to Executive Chair and remain on the board until at least the 2027 annual meeting, consolidating operational leadership and board representation. Carter, currently Chief Operating Officer, brings extensive experience from Dow's largest business segment and prior HR roles, also joining the board as a non-independent director.

At the April 9, 2026 annual meeting, shareholders re-elected all 12 director nominees, approved executive compensation, ratified Deloitte & Touche as auditor, and backed an amendment to increase shares under the 2019 stock incentive plan. The board declared a quarterly dividend of 35 cents per share, marking Dow's 459th consecutive payout, signaling stable governance and continued capital returns.

While one analyst rates DOW stock a "Buy" with a $47.00 price target, TipRanks' AI Analyst, Spark, assigns a "Neutral" score, citing weak financial performance, including losses and deeply negative free cash flow, partially offset by a supportive balance sheet and strong technical momentum. Spark also notes the earnings call provided modest support due to liquidity and a defined EBITDA improvement program, but this was tempered by a dividend cut, large one-time restructuring costs, and execution risk from the delayed Path to Zero plan.

Dow, a global materials science company, generated approximately $40 billion in sales in 2025.