Here's What Key Metrics Tell Us About Ashland (ASH) Q1 Earnings

Core Insights - Ashland reported revenue of $405 million for the quarter ended December 2024, a decrease of 14.4% year-over-year, and EPS of $0.28, down from $0.45 in the same quarter last year [1] - The revenue fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $433.23 million, resulting in a surprise of -6.52%, while the EPS exceeded the consensus estimate of $0.20 by 40% [1] Revenue Performance - Revenue from Intermediates was $33 million, slightly below the estimated $34.30 million, showing no change from the previous year [4] - Revenue from Specialty Additives was $115 million, slightly below the estimated $115.26 million, reflecting a decline of 5.7% year-over-year [4] - Revenue from Personal Care reached $134 million, slightly above the estimated $133.90 million, marking an increase of 3.9% compared to the previous year [4] - Revenue from Life Sciences was $134 million, significantly below the estimated $160.78 million, representing a year-over-year decline of 33% [4] Adjusted EBITDA Performance - Adjusted EBITDA for Life Sciences was $28 million, below the estimated $37.61 million [4] - Adjusted EBITDA for Intermediates was $6 million, slightly below the estimated $6.63 million [4] - Adjusted EBITDA for Specialty Additives was $13 million, exceeding the estimated $7.58 million [4] - Adjusted EBITDA for Personal Care was $30 million, surpassing the average estimate of $22.97 million [4] Stock Performance - Ashland's shares returned +0.3% over the past month, compared to a +0.8% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]