Shares of Celanese Corporation (CE) tumbled 13.54% in after-hours trading on Monday following the release of its second-quarter earnings report and disappointing third-quarter guidance. The chemical and specialty materials company's stock movement reflects investors' concerns about its near-term outlook amid challenging market conditions.

While Celanese's Q2 results exceeded analysts' expectations, with adjusted earnings per share of $1.44 surpassing the consensus estimate of $1.40, the company's forward-looking statements have raised alarms. Celanese projected third-quarter adjusted earnings per share in the range of $1.10 to $1.40, significantly below the analysts' forecast of $1.73, indicating potential headwinds in the coming months.

The company cited a softening demand environment across most key end-markets for the second half of the year as a primary concern. Celanese anticipates that slowing demand will partially offset the benefits expected from their cost reduction actions in the third quarter. CEO Scott Richardson commented, "We are pleased that the deliberate actions we took drove earnings results for us this quarter. However, the demand environment does not seem to be improving." This outlook suggests that despite the company's efforts to streamline operations, external market factors are likely to pressure profitability in the near term, leading to the sharp sell-off in after-hours trading.