ASH

BuyPremium Grower

Ashland Inc. · Basic Materials · United States · $3.3B cap · $43.4M/day traded

$72.99 -0.8% · close 23 Oct · scored 24 Oct

Premium Grower: Strong business with the market behind it, priced at a premium.

79
StockRank
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Quality
52
Value
44
Momentum
79

As of 24 Oct 2026, MoatMap's StockRank for Ashland Inc. (ASH) is 79/100, ranked against 24,000+ stocks in 35 markets (Quality 52, Value 44, Momentum 79, each scored against its sector).

Does StockRank work? Each month we publish how every decile did, whichever way it went. See the record →

P/E (TTM)
46.8x
peers 20.1x
ROE
4.0%
peers 1.6%
D/E
0.8x
peers 0.3x
Dividend %
2.3%
trailing yield

ABOUT ASHLAND INC.

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Ashland Inc. is a global specialty chemicals company focused on providing differentiated products that enhance performance in diverse end markets, including personal care, pharmaceuticals, construction, and food & beverage. The company leverages its expertise in cellulose ethers and other specialty polymers to develop customized solutions, positioning itself as a critical supplier for innovative formulations. Ashland's competitive moat lies in its deep application knowledge and R&D capabilities for high-value additives.

FINANCIAL SUMMARY (USD)

Year2022202320242025CAGRTTM2026E2027EFwd CAGR
Revenue2.4B2.2B2.1B1.8B-8.6%1.8B1.9B1.9B2.9%
EPS17.173.493.60-18.23-54.2%1.56———
Shares54.0M51.0M47.0M46.0M-14.8%45.8M———
Debt1.4B1.5B1.5B1.5B2.5%1.5B———
Equity3.2B3.1B2.9B1.9B-16.1%————
Op CF-213.0M243.0M411.0M94.0M-37.8%291.0M———
Inv CF1.6B-109.0M-51.0M-3.0M—————
Fin CF-896.0M-371.0M-479.0M-179.0M—————
Loading 1Y...
PRICE (1Y) · USD+4.8%
67.969.370.772.273.614 Sep5 Oct23 Oct
SMA 50SMA 200

Price checkIn an uptrendExperimental

Above its 200-day average and 6% below its 52-week high.

SwingsAverage

Calmer than 56% of stocks we rank over the past year (38% a year).

How this is worked out

StockRank judges the business. The price check reads only the chart: it is the price side of the Momentum score, in words.

The rules: Still falling is a new 52-week low in the last two weeks, at least 25% below the high. Finding a floor is no new low since. Turning up is 20 or more trading days without a new low, at least 10% off it, and back above a rising 50-day average. In an uptrend is above the 200-day average and within 15% of the high.

In 2,112 US drawdowns since 2001, buying while the price was still falling was followed by a further 20% drop 42% of the time. Waiting for a turn like this one cut that to 33%, at about 7% higher prices and with no better returns. Part of that cut is simply not buying: 13% of falls never turned, and waiting kept those out. Among turns that were bought, 38% still fell another 20%, and 33% of turns were followed by a new low within six months. The benefit was largest in crashes such as 2008 and 2020.

What it measures: day-to-day price moves over the past year, as a yearly figure, ranked against every stock we cover. Very calm under 20% a year, Calm 20 to 30%, Average 30 to 40%, Bumpy 40 to 55%, Very bumpy above that.

What we found: across about 13,500 stocks in 34 markets (2002 to 2025), past swings were a good guide to the next year's, and bumpier stocks fell further. How much further changed too much between eras to put a number on it.

Calm is not safe: a calm stock can still slide steadily.

Rules fixed before any data was fetched. Describes the chart, not a recommendation.

Close
$72.99
RSI (14)
71.6
52-Week Range-6.2% from high
Low $45.84High $77.80

SCORE BREAKDOWN

Quality
52
ROIC
4.5%47.5
ROE
4.0%47.6
GP/Assets
13.3%51.2
Op. Margin
11.5%65.2
FCF/Assets
4.5%70.9
Piotroski
665.8
Int. Cover
3.0x40.3
D/E Ratio
0.79x16.9
Current Ratio
3.05x67.1
Value
44
P/E (TTM)
46.8x17.3
EV/EBITDA
12.0x39.7
P/FCF
16.2x59.2
P/B
1.8x51.6
P/S
1.8x45.5
Div Yield
2.3%59.3
Momentum
79
52W High %
94%95.6
RS 6M
21%88.3
SMA 50/200
1.13x84.5
EPS Rev 4W
+0.5%77.2
EPS Rev 12W
+1.4%75.4
EPS Improve
+177%80.5
Q Growth
—N/A

FUNDAMENTALS

Market Cap
$3.3B
P/E (Forward)
16.9x
Gross Margin
33.4%

SECTOR PEERS

Closest peers in Basic Materials, ranked by industry match, size, and score similarity. Cross-listings of ASH are excluded.

TickerCompanyMkt CapStockRankSignal
ASHAshland Inc.(you)$3.3B79Buy
CBTCabot Corporation$3.8B82Strong Buy
AVNTAvient Corporation$3.8B84Strong Buy
KWRQuaker Chemical Corporation$2.7B69Buy
WDFCWD-40 Company$2.9B66Buy
NGVTIngevity Corporation$2.4B69Buy
AXTAAxalta Coating Systems Ltd.$7.3B80Buy
IOSPInnospec Inc.$2.4B89Strong Buy
FULH.B. Fuller Company$2.7B65Hold
BCPCBalchem Corporation$5.6B71Buy

Peer medians: ROE 1.6% · P/E 20.1x · Gross margin 27.2%

Company Deep Dive

Business segments breakdown, earnings transcript analysis, management credibility scoring, competitive landscape, and scenario modelling.

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Ashland Inc. (ASH): Stock Score Summary

Ashland Inc. (ASH) has a MoatMap StockRank of 79/100 based on Quality (52/100), Value (44/100), and Momentum (79/100) factor scores. The current signal is BUY.

Ashland Inc. is a global specialty chemicals company focused on providing differentiated products that enhance performance in diverse end markets, including personal care, pharmaceuticals, construction, and food & beverage. The company leverages its expertise in cellulose ethers and other specialty polymers to develop customized solutions, positioning itself as a critical supplier for innovative formulations. Ashland's competitive moat lies in its deep application knowledge and R&D capabilities for high-value additives.

Key Financial Metrics

Price$72.99
Market Cap$3.3B
P/E (TTM)46.79
P/E (Forward)16.90
Price/Book1.79
Return on Equity4.0%
Return on Invested Capital4.5%
Debt/Equity0.79x
Gross Margin33.4%
Operating Margin11.5%
Revenue Growth7.3%
Dividend Yield2.3%
Free Cash Flow$206M

Ashland Inc. operates in the Specialty Chemicals industry, part of the Basic Materials sector (United States).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ashland Inc.’s (ASH) StockRank?
MoatMap’s StockRank for Ashland Inc. (ASH) is 79/100, with a Buy signal. It is a composite of Quality (52), Value (44), and Momentum (79), each scored against its sector. The composite is then ranked across MoatMap’s universe of 24,000+ stocks.
Does Ashland Inc. have an economic moat?
Ashland Inc. (ASH) has a Quality factor score of 52/100. The Quality factor combines ROIC, Piotroski F-Score, and leverage: the financial fingerprints of a durable competitive advantage. A Quality score above 70 typically indicates a company with the characteristics of a moated business.
Is Ashland Inc. a buy, hold, or sell?
MoatMap’s current signal for Ashland Inc. (ASH) is Buy, based on a StockRank of 79/100. Signals are derived mechanically from the StockRank composite and should be one input among many; combine with your own thesis on management, competitive position, and valuation.
What sector is Ashland Inc. in?
Ashland Inc. (ASH) operates in the Basic Materials sector, specifically the Specialty Chemicals industry (United States).