Avient (NYSE:AVNT) Stock Breaks Above Fifty Day Moving Average - Here's Why

Key Points

• Avient shares rose above their 50-day moving average, trading as high as $42.46 versus the $41.61 average, signaling improved near-term momentum.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive: Avient has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $46.38, with recent target increases from Truist Financial and Wells Fargo.
• The company reported quarterly earnings and revenue above expectations, while increasing its quarterly dividend to $0.2825 per share, equivalent to a 2.7% annualized yield.

Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT - Get Free Report)'s stock price passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $41.61 and traded as high as $42.46. Avient shares last traded at $42.4250, with a volume of 657,614 shares traded.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Avient from $44.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Avient from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Barclays started coverage on Avient in a report on Monday, October 12th. They set an "equal weight" rating and a $44.00 target price on the stock. Zacks Research raised Avient from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Avient from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Friday, September 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $46.38.

Avient Price Performance

The firm's 50 day moving average price is $41.61 and its 200-day moving average price is $38.35. The firm has a market cap of $3.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.93 and a beta of 1.28.

Avient (NYSE:AVNT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.96 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.89 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $917.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $898.53 million. Avient's revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.80 earnings per share. Avient has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.100-3.250 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.800-0.800 EPS. Analysts expect that Avient Corporation will post 3.20 EPS for the current year.

Avient Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 7th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be paid a $0.2825 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. This is an increase from Avient's previous quarterly dividend of $0.2750. This represents a $1.13 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. Avient's payout ratio is presently 61.08%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of Avient during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $437,002,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in Avient by 4.0% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,973,887 shares of the company's stock valued at $180,546,000 after buying an additional 192,788 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in Avient by 2.7% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 3,012,847 shares of the company's stock valued at $111,355,000 after buying an additional 78,938 shares in the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC grew its position in Avient by 96.0% in the first quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 1,411,254 shares of the company's stock valued at $51,229,000 after acquiring an additional 691,316 shares during the period. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company bought a new stake in Avient in the second quarter valued at $45,933,000. Institutional investors own 95.48% of the company's stock.

Avient Company Profile

Avient Corporation NYSE: AVNT is a global provider of specialized and sustainable polymer materials. The company develops, formulates and manufactures engineered materials, colorants, additives and performance-enhancing solutions used to improve the appearance, durability, processing and functionality of plastic products.

Its offerings include specialty polymer formulations, thermoplastic compounds, color and additive concentrates, advanced composites, barrier technologies and recycled or bio-based material solutions.

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