ASHLAND INC. (ASH) Stock Analysis — April 2026 Rating, Price, and Forecast
Company Overview — What Does ASHLAND INC. Do?
Ashland Global Holdings Inc. provides additives and specialty ingredients worldwide. It operates through Life Sciences; Personal Care & Household; Specialty Additives; and Intermediates and Solvents segments. The Life Sciences segment offers pharmaceutical solutions, including controlled release polymers, disintegrants, tablet coatings, thickeners, solubilizers, and tablet binders; nutrition solutions, such as thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and additives; and nutraceutical solutions comprising products for weight management, joint comfort, stomach and intestinal health, sports nutrition, and general wellness, as well as custom formulation, toll processing, and particle engineering solutions. The Personal Care & Household segment provides a range of nature-based, biodegradable, and performance ingredients; solutions for toothpastes, mouth washes and rinses, denture cleaning, and care for teeth; and household supplies nature-derived rheology ingredients, biodegradable surface wetting agents, performance encapsulates, and specialty polymers. The Specialty Additives segment offers rheology modifiers, foam control agents, surfactants and wetting agents, pH neutralizers, advanced ceramics used in catalytic converters, environmental filters, ingredients for the manufacturing of ceramic capacitors, plasma display panels and solar cells, ingredients for textile printing, thermoplastic metals, and alloys for welding. The Intermediates and Solvents segment produces 1,4 butanediol and related derivatives, including n-methylpyrrolidone. Ashland Global Holdings Inc. offers its products to customers in a range of consumer and industrial markets, such as architectural coatings, construction, energy, food and beverage, nutraceuticals, personal care, and pharmaceutical. The company was formerly known as Ashland Inc. and changed its name to Ashland Global Holdings Inc. in September 2016. Ashland Global Holdings Inc. was founded in 1924 and is based in Wilmington, Delaware. ASHLAND INC. (ASH) is classified as a mid-cap stock in the Consumer Staples sector, specifically within the Wholesale industry. The company is led by CEO Guillermo Novo and employs approximately 3,900 people. With a market capitalization of $2.5B, ASH is one of the notable companies in the Consumer Staples sector.
ASHLAND INC. (ASH) Stock Rating — Reduce (April 2026)
As of April 2026, ASHLAND INC. receives a Reduce rating with a composite score of 41.8/100 and 2 out of 5 stars from the Blank Capital Research quantitative model.ASH ranks #3,255 out of 4,446 stocks in our coverage universe. Within the Consumer Staples sector, ASHLAND INC. ranks #136 of 180 stocks, placing it in the lower half of its Consumer Staples peers. The rating is generated by a multi-factor model that weighs quality (30%), momentum (25%), value (15%), investment (10%), stability (10%), and short interest (10%).
ASH Stock Price and 52-Week Range
ASHLAND INC. (ASH) currently trades at $56.42. The stock gained $0.10 (0.2%) in the most recent trading session. The 52-week high for ASH is $65.64, which means the stock is currently trading -14.1% from its annual peak. The 52-week low is $45.21, putting the stock 24.8% above its annual trough. Recent trading volume was 721K shares, suggesting relatively thin trading activity.
Is ASH Overvalued or Undervalued? — Valuation Analysis
ASHLAND INC. (ASH) carries a value factor score of 37/100 in the Blank Capital model, signaling premium valuation that prices in significant future growth. The price-to-book ratio stands at 1.32x, versus the sector average of 1.74x. The price-to-sales ratio is 1.33x, compared to 0.35x for the average Consumer Staples stock.
At current multiples, ASHLAND INC. trades at a premium to most Consumer Staples peers. This elevated valuation may be justified if the company can sustain above-average growth rates and profitability, but it also creates downside risk if earnings disappoint expectations.
ASHLAND INC. Profitability — ROE, Margins, and Quality Score
ASHLAND INC. (ASH) earns a quality factor score of 34/100, signaling below-average profitability metrics relative to the broader market. The return on equity (ROE) is -38.2%, compared to the Consumer Staples sector average of 7.7%, which is below typical expectations for high-quality companies. Return on assets (ROA) comes in at -15.9% versus the sector average of 3.1%.
On a margin basis, ASHLAND INC. reports gross margins of 30.1%, compared to 26.2% for the sector. The operating margin is -38.8% (sector: 2.9%). Net profit margin stands at -39.0%, versus 1.6% for the average Consumer Staples stock. Revenue growth is running at -32.9% on a trailing basis, compared to 3.1% for the sector. Profitability is below benchmark levels, which may reflect industry headwinds, elevated reinvestment, or structural challenges.
ASH Debt, Balance Sheet, and Financial Health
ASHLAND INC. has a debt-to-equity ratio of 74.0%, compared to the Consumer Staples sector average of 72.0%. Leverage is within a manageable range for the industry, though investors should monitor debt trends over time. The current ratio is 3.15x, indicating strong short-term liquidity. Total debt on the balance sheet is $1.39B.
ASH has a beta of 1.17, meaning it is roughly in line with the broader market in terms of price volatility. The stability factor score for ASHLAND INC. is 59/100, reflecting average volatility within the normal range for its sector.
ASHLAND INC. Revenue and Earnings History — Quarterly Trend
In TTM 2026, ASHLAND INC. reported revenue of $1.87B and earnings per share (EPS) of $-0.26. Net income for the quarter was $-717M. Gross margin was 30.1%. Operating income came in at $-724M.
In Q1 2026, ASHLAND INC. reported revenue of $386M and earnings per share (EPS) of $-0.26. Net income for the quarter was $-12M. Gross margin was 27.2%. Operating income came in at $-6M.
In FY 2025, ASHLAND INC. reported revenue of $1.82B and earnings per share (EPS) of $-18.23. Net income for the quarter was $-845M. Gross margin was 30.1%. Revenue grew -13.7% year-over-year compared to FY 2024. Operating income came in at $-775M.
In Q3 2025, ASHLAND INC. reported revenue of $463M and earnings per share (EPS) of $-16.21. Net income for the quarter was $-742M. Gross margin was 28.5%. Revenue grew -14.9% year-over-year compared to Q3 2024. Operating income came in at $-708M.
Over the past 8 quarters, ASHLAND INC. has demonstrated a growth trajectory, with revenue expanding from $575M to $1.87B. Investors analyzing ASH stock should weigh these quarterly trends alongside the valuation and quality metrics discussed above.
ASH Dividend Yield and Income Analysis
ASHLAND INC. (ASH) does not currently pay a dividend. This is common among smaller companies in the Wholesale industry that prefer to reinvest cash flows into business expansion rather than returning capital to shareholders. Income-focused investors looking for Consumer Staples dividend stocks may want to explore other Consumer Staples stocks or use the stock screener to filter by dividend yield.
ASH Momentum and Technical Analysis Profile
ASHLAND INC. (ASH) has a momentum factor score of 44/100, reflecting neutral trend characteristics. The stock is neither significantly outperforming nor underperforming the broader market on a momentum basis. The investment factor score is 38/100, which measures capital allocation efficiency and asset growth patterns. The short interest score of 54/100 reflects moderate short selling activity.
ASH vs Competitors — Consumer Staples Sector Ranking and Peer Comparison
Within the Consumer Staples sector, ASHLAND INC. (ASH) ranks #136 out of 180 stocks based on the Blank Capital composite score. This places ASH in the lower half of all Consumer Staples stocks in our coverage universe. Key competitors and sector peers include Ituran Location & Control Ltd. (ITRN) with a score of 60.3/100, DARLING INGREDIENTS INC. (DAR) with a score of 52.9/100, Bunge Global SA (BG) with a score of 53.0/100, SANFILIPPO JOHN B & SON INC (JBSS) with a score of 54.1/100, and Archer-Daniels-Midland Co (ADM) with a score of 52.2/100.
Comparing ASH against the S&P 500 benchmark is also instructive for understanding relative performance. Investors can view the full ASH vs S&P 500 (SPY) comparison to assess how ASHLAND INC. stacks up against the broader market across all factor dimensions.
ASH Next Earnings Date
No upcoming earnings date has been announced for ASHLAND INC. (ASH) at this time. Check the earnings calendar for the latest scheduling updates across all stocks in our coverage universe.
Should You Buy ASH? — Investment Thesis Summary
The quantitative profile for ASHLAND INC. suggests caution. The quality score of 34/100 flags below-average profitability. The value score of 37/100 indicates premium valuation.
In summary, ASHLAND INC. (ASH) earns a Reduce rating with a composite score of 41.8/100 as of April 2026. The rating is derived from the Blank Capital Research methodology, which combines six factor dimensions into a single quantitative ranking. Investors should consider these quantitative signals alongside their own fundamental research, risk tolerance, and investment time horizon before making buy or sell decisions on ASH stock.
Related Resources for ASH Investors
Explore more research and tools: ASH vs S&P 500 comparison, top Consumer Staples stocks, stock screener, our methodology, quality factor explained, value factor explained, momentum factor explained. Compare ASH head-to-head with peers: ASH vs ITRN, ASH vs DAR, ASH vs BG.