Avient (NYSE:AVNT) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results

Avient (NYSE:AVNT - Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The company reported $0.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.02, FiscalAI reports. Avient had a return on equity of 10.95% and a net margin of 2.51%.The firm had revenue of $847.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $846.35 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.76 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. Avient updated its Q2 2026 guidance to 0.890-0.890 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance to 2.930-3.170 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Avient's conference call:

• Q1 adjusted EPS of $0.83 came modestly ahead of expectations, adjusted EBITDA margin expanded ~20 bps, and the company is maintaining full‑year guidance (adjusted EBITDA $555–$585M, adjusted EPS $2.93–$3.17) while targeting >$200M of free cash flow.
• Packaging (≈23% of revenue) showed resilience with Q1 up low single digits and management expects mid‑ to high‑single‑digit growth in Q2, driven by share gains, new products and regional strength in EMEA and Asia.
• Management flagged significant raw‑material and freight inflation (hydrocarbons up ~20–60%, specialty inputs high‑single‑digits, freight ~+20%), a clear headwind even though they expect to remain net price positive and pass through increases.
• CFO transition announced — Jamie Beggs will depart June 1 and long‑tenured Avient finance executive Giuseppe Di Salvo will assume the CFO role, bringing ~15 years at the company and 25 years of financial experience.
• The company is prioritizing innovation in electronics and high‑performance computing as a growth vector, expecting the business to exceed $40M in sales in 2026 (≈$10M incremental in 2026) with continued pipeline expansion.

Avient Stock Down 3.5%

Shares of NYSE:AVNT traded down $1.32 on Thursday, hitting $36.52. 761,189 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 784,517. Avient has a 52 week low of $27.48 and a 52 week high of $44.85. The company has a quick ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $36.82 and a 200-day simple moving average of $34.66. The company has a market cap of $3.35 billion, a PE ratio of 41.04, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.31.

Avient Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 3rd. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th were paid a $0.275 dividend. This represents a $1.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 17th. Avient's dividend payout ratio is currently 123.60%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Avient

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. PharVision Advisers LLC bought a new position in shares of Avient during the third quarter valued at $240,000. United Services Automobile Association bought a new position in shares of Avient during the first quarter valued at $224,000. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV bought a new position in shares of Avient during the third quarter valued at $215,000. Bayesian Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Avient during the second quarter valued at $210,000. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Avient by 32.0% during the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 5,937 shares of the company's stock valued at $198,000 after acquiring an additional 1,440 shares in the last quarter. 95.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have weighed in on AVNT shares. Robert W. Baird set a $46.00 price objective on Avient in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Avient from $42.00 to $47.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Avient from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, February 21st. Oppenheimer upped their target price on Avient from $37.00 to $41.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $45.00 target price on Avient in a report on Friday, February 13th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $47.00.

Key Stories Impacting Avient

Here are the key news stories impacting Avient this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 adjusted EPS beat consensus and revenue slightly topped estimates; adjusted EPS $0.83 vs. $0.81 expected and revenue $847.4M vs. ~$846M, showing modest organic improvement. Avient Announces First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: GAAP EPS turned positive year-over-year (GAAP EPS $0.61 vs. $(0.22) a year ago), reflecting operating leverage and progress on cost controls. Avient Announces First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Q2 EPS guidance was set at $0.890 (company boxed guidance at a single point), slightly above the Street’s prior quarter estimate (~$0.88), which reduces short-term execution risk. Q1 Presentation / Guidance
• Neutral Sentiment: Full-year adjusted EPS guidance was reiterated at $2.93–$3.17 (unchanged), keeping FY outlook intact but not raising the bar; the range includes the Street’s consensus (~$3.06). Avient Announces First Quarter 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance profile and commentary left the market wanting more upside — the guidance midpoint (~$3.05) is roughly in line with, or slightly below, consensus, so investors may view the company as not accelerating growth. Avient (AVNT) Q1 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability remains thin (net margin ~2.5%) and valuation is elevated (reported P/E ~41), so a small miss or cautious guide can trigger outsized share moves. Avient Q1 Results and Metrics

Avient Company Profile

Avient Corporation NYSE: AVNT is a global provider of specialized and sustainable polymer materials, delivering color, additive and engineered solutions to a wide range of industries. The company's core offerings include masterbatches, colorant systems, compounds and resins designed to enhance performance, aesthetics and environmental sustainability. Avient serves markets such as packaging, automotive, consumer goods, healthcare, electronics, and agriculture, tailoring products to meet stringent regulatory and end-use requirements.

Formed through a corporate rebranding in 2020 following the divestiture of PolyOne's specialty businesses, Avient traces its heritage to a legacy of polymer innovation spanning decades.

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