Not a forecast. The mechanism behind it.
PHM Charts · Q2 2026 · Compound EBITDA Read

How geopolitics is
landing in your sector.

Four sector reads of the Q1 2026 signal environment. Same framework, different outcomes. F&B, Chemicals, and AI Infrastructure — sector-aggregate, peer-distributed, scenario-tested. Use them in your boardroom this week.

6 slides · Free · Refreshed quarterly
PHM Chart Deck · Q1 2026
PDF · 1080×1080 square format · Drop into PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides
Download chart deck →
01 · The Q1 2026 reads

Four sectors. One signal environment.

Each chart reads how the Q1 2026 signal environment is landing on a sector's compound EBITDA against filed FY26 guidance. PHM Index above 100 means beating guidance; below means landing short. Same framework, applied faithfully to each sector's specific transmission paths.

Chart 05 · Q1 2026
European F&B
PHM Index
85.5

Moderate compression. Consumer-channel transmission dominant. Energy + retailer pressure + demand down-trading combine to land 230bps below filed FY26 guidance.

PHM
Predictive History Method · Chart Deck
Issue Q1 · 2026
Published 20 April 2026
Methodology v1.0 · Cannot-be-wrong standard
Chart 05 · Compound EBITDA Read · European Food & Beverage

The compound environment is landing European F&B sector at index 85 from 100 baseline · ~14% actual margin vs 16% guidance

State-of-market read: where the European F&B sector lands under the Q1 2026 signal environment. Baseline: filed FY2026 guidance (PHM-indexed to 100). Segments: signal transmission through each cost line. Closing: where the sector lands and how 19 listed constituents plus 6 private (hollow) distribute around that landing.

Scenario
Toggle to see what the sector looks like if Hormuz resolves
100 FY26 GUIDANCE 95 90 85 80 75 70 EXTERNAL SIGNAL INPUTS OPERATING MARKET RESPONSE RECOVERY COMPOUND READ 100 BASELINE FY2026 GUIDANCE ~16.0% MARGIN −6.4 −102 BPS 44% OF GAP −5.9 −95 BPS 41% OF GAP −3.1 −50 BPS · 22% −4.1 −65 BPS 28% OF GAP −5.0 −80 BPS 34% OF GAP +10.0 +160 BPS 41% PASS-THROUGH 85.5 AGGREGATE PHM MEDIAN · 84 TOP 10% · 91 UPPER QUARTER · 88 LOWER QUARTER · 81 BOTTOM 10% · 77 YOU · 85 DISTRIBUTION COMPOUND READ Q1 2026 · 19 LISTED + 6 PRIVATE ENERGY · P[0] TTF · BRENT · COLD CHAIN AG INPUTS · P[4] GRAIN · AMMONIA · DAIRY LOGISTICS · P[3] CAPE · FREIGHT · COLD RETAILER · P[1] PROMO DEPTH · EU CONC. DEMAND · P[5] DISCRETIONARY COMPRESS. RECOVERY PRICING PASS-THROUGH
PHM INDEX  ·  Values are PHM-indexed to 100 at FY2026 sector-aggregated filed guidance (illustrative baseline 16.0% EBITDA margin). Share of gap = each segment's contribution to net compression. Pass-through = recovery's offset ratio against gross compression. This chart is Step 1 of 3 — state-of-market visualisation. Steps 2 and 3 (diagnostic · bespoke business case) deepen the application to your organisation.
Your Position · Scenario-Dependent Positional Shift
SPS · v1.0
Estimate your company's position under each scenario. See your delta against sector median — and whether your position flips sign when scenarios change. A flip means your exposure profile differs structurally from sector-typical.
Current Q1 2026 · Your position
Without Hormuz · Your position
Delta vs median · current
+3.0
Delta vs median · without Hormuz
−3.0
SIGN FLIP Shift · 6 pts
Your position flips sign between scenarios · from above-median to below-median. +3 current, −3 without Hormuz. This means your non-Hormuz exposures are above sector-typical. Your current cushion is temporary — it comes from Hormuz hitting your peers harder than it hits you. If Hormuz resolves, your structural exposures become the main pressure and your relative position gets worse, even as absolute margin recovers.
Sector lands at
85.5 index
Where the sector lands on a 100 baseline. Full range 79–95, most likely 83–92. In margin terms: ~13.7% vs 16.0% guidance.
25 constituents spread
77–91 bottom/top 10%
How 19 listed + 6 private European F&B companies distribute around the aggregate. Middle half: 81–88. Median: 84. Private tier shown as hollow markers — methodology acknowledges industry-estimated cost structures vs filing-verified listed data. Industry reference — not competitor comparison.
Hormuz share
~9.5 pts · 65%
Roughly two-thirds of total compression is Hormuz-attributable. Your own position may shift between scenarios — see panel above.
Sources · Traceability
01IEA Strait of Hormuz Factsheet · February 2026
06McKinsey CFO Pulse · April 2026
02BIS Quarterly Review · March 2023
07PHM Signal Watch · Ras Laffan ammonia
03Jordà-Schularick-Taylor 2017 · Macrofinancial history
08PHM Waterfall Methodology · European F&B · v1.0
04IMF WEO · April 2026 · global inflation 4.4%
09PHM Positional Reference Methodology · SPS v1.0
05OECD Economic Outlook · Euro Area revision
Distribution 77 – 91 25 constituents · IQR 81–88
Driver Consumer 67% of gross compression
vs guidance −230 bps ~13.7% margin vs 16.0%
See more business case diagnostics →
Chart 06 · Q1 2026
US F&B
PHM Index
93.0

Light compression. Domestic insulation + stronger pricing power. Henry Hub energy and thinner Hormuz transmission keep the sector closer to filed guidance.

PHM
Predictive History Method · Chart Deck
Issue Q1 · 2026
Published 20 April 2026
Methodology v1.0 · Cannot-be-wrong standard
Chart 06 · Compound EBITDA Read · US Food & Beverage · Canada coming Q2 2026

The compound environment is landing US F&B sector at index 93 from 100 baseline · ~16.3% actual margin vs 17.5% guidance

State-of-market read: where the US F&B sector lands under the Q1 2026 signal environment. Baseline: filed FY2026 guidance (PHM-indexed to 100). Segments: signal transmission through each cost line. Closing: where the sector lands and how 24 listed constituents plus 7 private (hollow) distribute around that landing.

Scenario
Toggle to see what the US sector looks like if Hormuz resolves · smaller delta than European
100 FY26 GUIDANCE 95 90 85 80 75 70 EXTERNAL SIGNAL INPUTS OPERATING MARKET RESPONSE RECOVERY COMPOUND READ 100 BASELINE FY2026 GUIDANCE ~17.5% MARGIN −6.4 −102 BPS 44% OF GAP −5.9 −95 BPS 41% OF GAP −3.1 −50 BPS · 22% −4.1 −65 BPS 28% OF GAP −5.0 −80 BPS 34% OF GAP +10.0 +160 BPS 41% PASS-THROUGH 93.0 AGGREGATE PHM MEDIAN · 93 TOP 10% · 98 UPPER QUARTER · 95 LOWER QUARTER · 91 BOTTOM 10% · 87 YOU · 91 DISTRIBUTION COMPOUND READ Q1 2026 · 24 LISTED + 7 PRIVATE ENERGY · P[0] TTF · BRENT · COLD CHAIN AG INPUTS · P[4] GRAIN · AMMONIA · DAIRY LOGISTICS · P[3] CAPE · FREIGHT · COLD RETAILER · P[1] PROMO DEPTH · EU CONC. DEMAND · P[5] DISCRETIONARY COMPRESS. RECOVERY PRICING PASS-THROUGH
PHM INDEX  ·  Values are PHM-indexed to 100 at FY2026 US sector-aggregated filed guidance (illustrative baseline 17.5% EBITDA margin, revenue-weighted across 24 listed constituents). Share of gap = each segment's contribution to net compression. Pass-through = recovery's offset ratio against gross compression. This chart is Step 1 of 3 — state-of-market visualisation. Steps 2 and 3 (diagnostic · bespoke business case) deepen the application to your organisation.
Your Position · Scenario-Dependent Positional Shift
SPS · v1.0
Estimate your company's position under each scenario. See your delta against sector median — and whether your position flips sign when scenarios change. A flip means your exposure profile differs structurally from sector-typical.
Current Q1 2026 · Your position
Without Hormuz · Your position
Delta vs median · current
−2.0
Delta vs median · without Hormuz
+1.0
SIGN FLIP Shift · 3 pts
Your position flips sign between scenarios · from below-median to above-median. −2.0 current, +1.0 without Hormuz. This means your structural Hormuz exposure is above US sector-typical. Your current weaker position is Hormuz-driven — your Hormuz exposure is above peers. If Hormuz resolves, your lower non-Hormuz exposure shows through and your relative position improves.
Sector lands at
93.0 index
Where the US sector lands on a 100 baseline. Full range 88–97, most likely 91–95. In margin terms: ~16.3% vs 17.5% guidance. Substantially lighter compression than European F&B (85.5).
31 constituents spread
87–98 bottom/top 10%
How 24 listed + 7 private US F&B companies distribute around the aggregate. Middle half: 91–95. Median: 93. Distribution tighter than European because US sector has lower compound exposure variance. Private tier shown as hollow markers. Industry reference — not competitor comparison.
Hormuz share · lighter
~2.5 pts · 30%
Hormuz attributable share of US compression is materially lighter than European (~65%) — US energy and agricultural inputs less Hormuz-correlated. See SPS panel above — sign flip still operates but with smaller magnitudes.
Sources · Traceability
01IEA Strait of Hormuz Factsheet · February 2026
06McKinsey CFO Pulse · April 2026 · US consumer tracking
02EIA Natural Gas Weekly / Henry Hub spot indices
07BLS Consumer Price Index · Real Earnings
03USDA WASDE · Q1 2026 · grain balance sheets
08IRI / Circana retail scanner · US grocery
04IMF WEO · April 2026 · global inflation 4.4%
09PHM Waterfall Methodology · US F&B · v1.0
05Federal Reserve Consumer Credit · Q1 2026
10PHM Positional Reference Methodology · SPS v1.0
Distribution 87 – 98 31 constituents · IQR 91–95
Driver Pricing Recovery segment +132 BPS
vs guidance −80 bps ~16.3% margin vs 17.5%
See more business case diagnostics →
Chart 07 · Q1 2026
European Chemicals
PHM Index
78.0

Severe compression. Feedstock-energy exposure structurally largest. Direct gas + Ras Laffan ammonia transmission to specialty inputs combines with auto/construction demand pressure.

PHM
Predictive History Method · Chart Deck
Issue Q1 · 2026
Published 20 April 2026
Methodology v1.0 · Cannot-be-wrong standard
Chart 07 · Compound EBITDA Read · European Chemicals · US Chemicals coming Q2 2026

The compound environment is landing European Chemicals sector at index 78 from 100 baseline · ~8.6% actual margin vs 11.0% guidance

State-of-market read: where the European Chemicals sector lands under the Q1 2026 signal environment. Baseline: filed FY2026 guidance (PHM-indexed to 100). Segments: signal transmission through feedstock, raw materials, logistics, downstream industrial demand, trade policy. Closing: where the sector lands and how 13 listed constituents plus 5 private (hollow) distribute around that landing.

Scenario
Toggle to see what the sector looks like if Hormuz resolves
100 FY26 GUIDANCE 95 90 85 80 75 70 EXTERNAL COST INPUTS OPERATING MARKET & POLICY RECOVERY COMPOUND READ 100 BASELINE FY2026 GUIDANCE ~11.0% MARGIN −9.5 −175 BPS 41% OF GAP −6.5 −120 BPS 28% OF GAP −3.1 −55 BPS · 13% −6.0 −110 BPS 26% OF GAP −4.3 −80 BPS 19% OF GAP +12.1 +220 BPS 51% PASS-THROUGH 78.0 AGGREGATE PHM MEDIAN · 77 TOP 10% · 85 UPPER QUARTER · 81 LOWER QUARTER · 75 BOTTOM 10% · 73 YOU · 77 DISTRIBUTION COMPOUND READ Q1 2026 · 13 LISTED + 5 PRIVATE FEEDSTOCK · P[0] TTF · NAPHTHA · HH RAW MATERIALS · P[4] SULPHUR · AMMONIA · SPECIALTY LOGISTICS · P[3] TANKER · CBAM · RAIL DEMAND · P[5] AUTO · CONSTRUCTION · PACKAGING TRADE POLICY · P[7] TARIFFS · CBAM · EXPORT CTRL REPRICING CONTRACT PASS-THROUGH
PHM INDEX  ·  Values are PHM-indexed to 100 at FY2026 European Chemicals sector-aggregated filed guidance (illustrative baseline 11.0% EBITDA margin). Share of gap = each segment's contribution to net compression. Pass-through = recovery's offset ratio against gross compression. This chart is Step 1 of 3 — state-of-market visualisation. Steps 2 and 3 (diagnostic · bespoke business case) deepen the application to your organisation.
Your Position · Scenario-Dependent Positional Shift
SPS · v1.0
Estimate your company's position under each scenario. See your delta against sector median — and whether your position flips sign when scenarios change. A flip means your exposure profile differs structurally from sector-typical.
Current Q1 2026 · Your position
Without Hormuz · Your position
Delta vs median · current
+3.0
Delta vs median · without Hormuz
−3.0
SIGN FLIP Shift · 6 pts
Your position flips sign between scenarios · from above-median to below-median. +3 current, −3 without Hormuz. This means your non-Hormuz exposures are above sector-typical. Your current cushion is temporary — it comes from Hormuz hitting your peers harder than it hits you. If Hormuz resolves, your structural exposures become the main pressure and your relative position gets worse, even as absolute margin recovers.
Sector lands at
78.0 index
Where the European Chemicals sector lands on a 100 baseline. In margin terms: ~8.6% vs 11.0% guidance. Substantially heavier compression than European F&B (85.5).
18 constituents spread
73–85 bottom/top 10%
How 13 listed + 5 private European chemicals companies distribute around the aggregate. Middle half: 75–81. Median: 77. Wider distribution than F&B reflects greater constituent variance in feedstock-mix and downstream-customer exposure. Industry reference — not competitor comparison.
Hormuz share
~14 pts · 60%
Hormuz contribution larger absolute and proportional than European F&B — chemicals' direct feedstock-gas exposure plus Ras Laffan ammonia transmission to specialty inputs. Toggle scenarios above to see the magnitude of Hormuz dependency.
Sources · Traceability
01IEA Strait of Hormuz Factsheet · February 2026
06ACEA European auto production data · Q1 2026
02ICIS daily petrochemical index · Q1 2026
07Euroconstruct European construction output
03Platts European petrochemical assessments
08EU Commission CBAM compliance cost data
04Eurostat industrial production statistics
09PHM Waterfall Methodology · European Chemicals · v1.0
05PHM Signal Watch · Ras Laffan ammonia transmission
10PHM Positional Reference Methodology · SPS v1.0
Distribution 73 – 85 18 constituents · IQR 75–81
Driver Feedstock −9.5 / −175 BPS dominant
vs guidance −220 bps ~8.6% margin vs 11.0%
See more business case diagnostics →
Chart 08 · Q1 2026
AI Infrastructure
PHM Index
112

Net expansion. Demand cycle drives 600bps positive transmission. Only sector landing above filed guidance. Hormuz-independent — compression segments structural rather than geopolitical.

PHM
Predictive History Method · Chart Deck
Issue Q1 · 2026
Published 20 April 2026
Methodology v1.0 · Cannot-be-wrong standard
Chart 08 · Compound EBITDA Read · AI Infrastructure · Global · Regional sub-reads coming v303.1+

The signal environment is landing AI Infrastructure sector at index 112 from 100 baseline · ~33.5% margin vs 30.0% guidance

State-of-market read: where AI Infrastructure lands under the Q1 2026 signal environment. Baseline: filed FY2026 guidance (PHM-indexed to 100). Segments: signal transmission through silicon supply, power, capital cost, trade policy, currency, demand cycle, pricing realisation. Closing: 20 listed AI infrastructure constituents distribute around that landing.

Scenario
Toggle to see what the sector looks like if Hormuz resolves
130 120 110 100 FY26 GUIDANCE 90 80 70 SUPPLY CONSTRAINTS CAPITAL POLICY & CURRENCY DEMAND (POSITIVE) COMPOUND READ 100 BASELINE FY2026 GUIDANCE ~30.0% MARGIN −2.5 −75 BPS · 23% −2.0 −60 BPS · 18% −1.5 −45 BPS · 14% −3.0 −90 BPS · 27% −2.0 −60 BPS · 18% +20.0 +600 BPS EXPANSION DRIVER +3.0 +90 BPS 112 AGGREGATE PHM MEDIAN · 110 TOP 10% · 125 UPPER QUARTER · 115 LOWER QUARTER · 107 BOTTOM 10% · 102 YOU · 110 DISTRIBUTION COMPOUND READ Q1 2026 · 20 LISTED · GLOBAL SILICON P[4] · TSMC · HBM POWER P[0] · GRID · NUCLEAR CAPITAL P[6] · RATES · CAPEX TRADE POLICY P[7] · EXPORT CTRL FX P[2] · DXY · RMB DEMAND P[5] · AI ADOPTION PRICING REALISATION
PHM INDEX  ·  Values are PHM-indexed to 100 at FY2026 AI Infrastructure sector-aggregated filed guidance (illustrative baseline 30.0% operating margin, revenue-weighted across 20 listed constituents). Same framework as F&B and Chemicals · different outcome. The signal environment produces different outcomes for different sectors. This chart is Step 1 of 3 — state-of-market visualisation.
Your Position · Scenario-Dependent Positional Shift
SPS · v1.0
Estimate your company's position under each scenario. See your delta against sector median — and whether your position flips sign when scenarios change. A flip means your exposure profile differs structurally from sector-typical.
Current Q1 2026 · Your position
Without Hormuz · Your position
Delta vs median · current
+3.0
Delta vs median · without Hormuz
−3.0
SIGN FLIP Shift · 6 pts
Your position flips sign between scenarios · from above-median to below-median. +3 current, −3 without Hormuz. This means your non-Hormuz exposures are above sector-typical. Your current cushion is temporary — it comes from Hormuz hitting your peers harder than it hits you. If Hormuz resolves, your structural exposures become the main pressure and your relative position gets worse, even as absolute margin recovers.
Sector lands at
112 index · expansion
AI Infrastructure landing 12 points above baseline. In margin terms: ~33.5% vs 30.0% guidance. Same signal environment that compresses F&B and Chemicals produces expansion here.
20 constituents spread
102–125 bottom/top 10%
How 20 listed AI infrastructure constituents distribute. Middle half: 107–115. Median: 110. Wider distribution than F&B or Chemicals — semiconductor pure-plays with pricing power dramatically outperform integrators with thinner margins. Industry reference — not competitor comparison.
Demand transmission
+20 pts · 87% gross
AI demand cycle producing revenue growth substantially exceeding embedded guidance. Enterprise AI capex commitments running 200-300% of FY2025 levels. Toggle scenarios to see compound exposure separated from demand transmission.
Sources · Traceability
01Hyperscaler quarterly earnings · MSFT, GOOG, AMZN, META, ORCL
06Federal Reserve / ECB rate data · Q1 2026
02NVIDIA, AMD, Broadcom, Marvell quarterly results
07US BIS export administration · entity list updates
03TSMC capacity disclosures · ASML order book
08Gartner enterprise IT spending · Q1 2026
04SIA / WSTS semiconductor industry data
09IDC AI infrastructure market tracking
05EIA / Lawrence Berkeley DC energy reports
10PHM Waterfall Methodology · AI Infrastructure · v1.0
Distribution 102 – 125 20 constituents · IQR 107–115
Driver Demand +20.0 / +600 BPS dominant
vs guidance +350 bps ~33.5% margin vs 30.0%
See more business case diagnostics →
02 · How to read a chart

Five reading moves. Most of the value.

Each chart carries the same visual grammar. Once you learn to read one, you can read any of them. Five moves produce most of the value.

Move 1
Closing aggregate
The black column on the right tells you where the sector lands against filed guidance. Above 100 = beating. Below = landing short.
Move 2
Segment scan
Each coloured bar is a transmission path. Height tells you how much that path contributes to the closing position.
Move 3
Distribution band
The IQR band on the right shows how constituents distribute around the aggregate. Wide = high variance. Narrow = uniform impact.
Move 4
Scenario decomposition
Where charts show alternate scenarios, the delta tells you how much of the read is driven by the named geopolitical signal.
Move 5
Sector comparison
Read across sectors to see how the same signal environment lands differently — same framework, different outcomes.
03 · What the charts are for

Drop into your work this week.

The chart deck is a presentation-ready PDF. Use it however helps your team. PHM stays credited as source. No login, no form, no friction.

Strategy offsite
Open with the sector chart most relevant to your business. Spend the first 20 minutes calibrating your team against the sector aggregate — where you sit on the distribution, what the dominant transmission paths are.
Board pre-read
Include the relevant sector chart as the macro context page in your quarterly board pack. The PHM Index value gives the board a single anchor for "where is the sector landing right now" before you walk through your specific results.
Steering committee
Use the scenario-decomposition reading move to ground a discussion of "what's structural vs cyclical" in current results. The chart already separates the signal environment for you.
Investor update
For investor-facing communication, the sector chart frames where you sit on the peer distribution — useful when explaining outperformance, or contextualising compression as sector-typical.
Analyst commentary
For sell-side analysts and investment professionals, the deck is reference material — sector orientation that grounds your own filing-anchored work in the broader signal environment.
Free · No login required
Get the chart deck
6 slides · 1080×1080 PDF · Q1 2026 · Refreshed quarterly
Download →
04 · How the work is built

Documented patterns. Verified quarterly.

PHM draws on documented elasticity patterns from comparable historical periods, institutional signal sources (IEA, ICIS, Platts, Eurostat, hyperscaler earnings, central banks), and compound-environment precedents going back 50+ years. The framework is stable. The signal environment updates quarterly, or faster when signals warrant.

A chart that was right in March may be stale by July — that's geopolitics, and it's why the refresh discipline matters. Each quarterly refresh tightens segment values, refines constituent lists, and updates elasticity figures as new transmission patterns are documented.

What the charts aren't. Not investment advice. Not company-specific forecasts. Not an audit of filed guidance. They're sector-aggregate signal environment reads through PHM's framework at state-of-market register. Company-specific work lives in the bespoke engagement.

05 · How you want to engage

Four ways to work with PHM, depending on where you are.

The chart deck is the orientation layer. Each option below builds on it differently, depending on what your team needs next.

Try · This page

Use the chart deck

Download for presentation use — boardrooms, steering committees, investor updates, analyst reference. Refreshed quarterly. PHM stays credited as source.

What you get: Four sector waterfalls (F&B, Chemicals, AI Infrastructure) as a 6-slide presentation-ready PDF.

Download deck →
Learn · Apply the method

Run the Rationale Workbook

The workbook walks your team through the 4 Ps against your own operating context. 90 minutes. Run it on your own — produces four artefacts specific to your business.

What you get: Structured workbook + four artefacts your team uses immediately.

Visit the method page →
Engage · €999 · Bespoke case

Get your P4 priorities sequenced

Bespoke business case scoped to your situation, built from your workbook intake. Includes 90-day signal-environment refresh and one follow-up review session.

What you get: Sequenced action document the CFO can take to the board.

Begin the engagement →
Bespoke · When the question is specific

Apply PHM to a strategic question

For questions that warrant deeper work: M&A target evaluation, regional expansion under shifting signal regimes, capex prioritisation, ongoing quarterly intelligence.

What you get: Scoped engagement starting at €15K. Proposal within 48 hours of first conversation.

Discuss bespoke work →

Use the charts. Apply the method when ready.

The chart deck is free. Use it in your work this week. When your team is ready to apply the method to your specific business, the Rationale Workbook walks you through. When you need P4 sequenced for action, the €999 bespoke business case takes your workbook artefacts as the intake.

For sector coverage requests or refresh notifications, write to signal@predictivehistorymethod.com.

Q1 2026
Chart deck refreshed quarterly. Q2 2026 release scheduled for July. Sign up for refresh notifications at predictivehistorymethod.com/signal-watch.
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