State of Alaska Department of Revenue Sells 36,262 Shares of Ashland Inc. $ASH

Key Points

• State of Alaska Department of Revenue sold 36,262 shares of Ashland, cutting its stake by 84.4% to 6,689 shares valued at about $391,000.
• Ashland beat EPS estimates ($0.26 vs. $0.23) but saw revenue down 4.7% year‑over‑year and a negative net margin (-38.26%)negative P/E (-3.80) and a market cap of ~$2.63 billion.
• Institutional investors own about 93.95% of Ashland, and analysts have a consensus “Hold” rating with a consensus target price of $66.11 amid mixed recent price‑target changes.

State of Alaska Department of Revenue lessened its holdings in Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH - Free Report) by 84.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,689 shares of the basic materials company's stock after selling 36,262 shares during the quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue's holdings in Ashland were worth $391,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Rothschild Investment LLC lifted its holdings in Ashland by 3,673.3% in the third quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC now owns 566 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 551 shares during the period. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in Ashland by 59.0% during the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 671 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 249 shares during the period. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in shares of Ashland during the 3rd quarter valued at $38,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Ashland during the 3rd quarter valued at $53,000. Finally, State of Wyoming acquired a new position in shares of Ashland in the 3rd quarter valued at $57,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.95% of the company's stock.

Key Ashland News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ashland this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: Ashland, OR city officials asked residents to conserve water ahead of summer, signaling local supply concerns but no direct link to Ashland Inc.’s business. Ashland city council asks residents to conserve water
• Neutral Sentiment: Ashland University’s graduate programs received U.S. News recognition — positive for the university’s profile but unrelated to the chemical company’s operations. Ashland University's graduate programs recognized by U.S. News
• Neutral Sentiment: Several reports of gunfire-damaged vehicles and related police investigations in places named Ashland (multiple local outlets). These are local public-safety stories with no clear impact on Ashland Inc.’s business. Investigation underway after gunfire damages vehicle at apartment complex in Ashland, police say
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional local coverage of a car hit by four bullets and related SWAT searches — community safety coverage, not company-specific. Four bullets hit car in Ashland, launching police investigation
• Neutral Sentiment: Ashland Independent Film Festival announced its 25th‑anniversary lineup — cultural/local event coverage with no material relevance to ASH. Ashland film festival marks 25 years with an eclectic lineup
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of alleged misconduct by employees in various Ashland school districts (charges, firings, resignations) — important locally but unrelated to Ashland Inc.’s corporate performance. Ashland Schools employee charged after allegedly slapping 8-year-old
• Neutral Sentiment: City of Ashland advising residents to limit water use over the summer (additional local notice of conservation measures). No direct tie to Ashland Inc.’s product demand is indicated. City of Ashland to request residents limit water use over the summer
• Neutral Sentiment: Community fundraising events (fish fry to raise funds for student meal debt) — local community news. Community fish fry in Ashland will raise funds for student meal debt
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional local reporting frames a shooting incident as “isolated” in one Ashland community — public-safety context only. 'Isolated incident.' Ashland MA Police say car absorbed four gunshots

Ashland Price Performance

ASH opened at $57.45 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $2.63 billion, a P/E ratio of -3.80, a P/E/G ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.45. Ashland Inc. has a 12 month low of $46.29 and a 12 month high of $65.64. The company has a quick ratio of 1.61, a current ratio of 3.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $56.30 and a 200 day simple moving average of $56.28.

Ashland (NYSE:ASH - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, February 2nd. The basic materials company reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.23 by $0.03. Ashland had a positive return on equity of 7.58% and a negative net margin of 38.26%.The firm had revenue of $386.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $401.42 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.28 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Ashland Inc. will post 3.78 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on ASH shares. Argus reduced their price target on Ashland from $70.00 to $56.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Morgan Stanley set a $63.00 target price on Ashland in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Zacks Research upgraded Ashland from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Evercore set a $62.00 target price on Ashland in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Ashland from $77.00 to $70.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $66.11.

About Ashland

Ashland Inc is a global specialty chemicals company that develops, manufactures and supplies a broad range of performance and process-critical additives, ingredients and technologies. Its portfolio spans performance additives for coatings, adhesives and sealants; specialty ingredients for personal care and pharmaceutical applications; and process aids used in water treatment and other industrial processes. Ashland aims to address customer challenges by delivering tailored solutions that improve product performance, processing efficiency and sustainability outcomes.

Founded in 1924 as the Ashland Oil & Refining Company, the firm gradually expanded into the specialty chemicals sector over the second half of the 20th century.

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