Nuveen LLC Makes New Investment in Avient Corporation $AVNT

Key Points

• Nuveen LLC has made a significant investment of $50.47 million in Avient Corporation by acquiring 1,358,208 shares, representing approximately 1.48% of the company's stock.
• Analysts have mixed views on Avient, with some lowering their price targets; Robert W. Baird reduced it from $43.00 to $37.00, while Wells Fargo increased theirs from $39.00 to $42.00, indicating a generally cautious outlook.
• Avient recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.27 per share, which translates to an annualized yield of 3.0% and reflects a payout ratio of 84.38%.

Nuveen LLC purchased a new position in Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 1,358,208 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $50,471,000. Nuveen LLC owned approximately 1.48% of Avient as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Diversified Trust Co boosted its holdings in Avient by 2.5% in the first quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 14,007 shares of the company's stock worth $520,000 after acquiring an additional 336 shares in the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Avient by 1.8% in the first quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 23,571 shares of the company's stock worth $876,000 after acquiring an additional 416 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its holdings in Avient by 20.1% in the first quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,645 shares of the company's stock worth $98,000 after acquiring an additional 443 shares in the last quarter. Intrust Bank NA boosted its holdings in Avient by 5.2% in the first quarter. Intrust Bank NA now owns 9,162 shares of the company's stock worth $340,000 after acquiring an additional 456 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in Avient by 57.5% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,422 shares of the company's stock worth $53,000 after acquiring an additional 519 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 95.48% of the company's stock.

Avient Stock Performance

Shares of AVNT traded up $0.17 on Tuesday, reaching $35.93. 74,264 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 682,458. The company has a current ratio of 2.03, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. The stock has a market cap of $3.29 billion, a PE ratio of 28.07, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 1.38. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $33.91 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $36.28. Avient Corporation has a 52-week low of $27.86 and a 52-week high of $54.68.

Avient (NYSE:AVNT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 1st. The company reported $0.80 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.78 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $866.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $852.98 million. Avient had a return on equity of 10.57% and a net margin of 3.65%.Avient's revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.76 earnings per share. Avient has set its Q3 2025 guidance at 0.700-0.700 EPS. FY 2025 guidance at 2.770-2.870 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Avient Corporation will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Avient Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 8th. Investors of record on Friday, September 12th will be given a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 12th. Avient's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 84.38%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on Avient from $43.00 to $37.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 4th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Avient from $39.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Avient from $51.00 to $41.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $45.60.

Avient Profile

Avient Corporation operates as a formulator of material solutions in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, and Asia. It operates in two segments, Color, Additives and Inks; and Specialty Engineered Materials. The Color, Additives and Inks segment offers custom color and additive concentrates in solid and liquid form for thermoplastics, dispersions for thermosets, and specialty inks; custom-formulated liquid system, such as polyester, vinyl, natural rubber and latex, polyurethane, and silicone; and proprietary inks.