Ashland reports third quarter fiscal 2025 results and narrows full-year outlook range

Core Insights - Ashland Inc. reported third-quarter fiscal year 2025 results, with sales of $463 million, a 15% decrease from $544 million in the prior year, primarily due to Portfolio Optimization initiatives [2][4][22] - The company narrowed its full-year fiscal 2025 outlook, expecting sales between $1.825 billion and $1.850 billion and Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $400 million to $410 million [22][18] Financial Performance - Net loss totaled $742 million, down from net income of $6 million in the prior year, largely due to a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $706 million [3][4] - Adjusted EBITDA was $113 million, a 19% decrease from $139 million in the prior year, with Portfolio Optimization contributing to a 9% decline [5][4] - Cash flows from operating activities were $114 million, a decrease from $128 million in the prior-year quarter [6][4] Segment Performance - Life Sciences segment sales were $162 million, down 17% year-over-year, primarily due to Portfolio Optimization initiatives [8][9] - Personal Care sales totaled $147 million, a 16% decrease compared to the prior year, impacted by customer-specific softness in biofunctional actives [10][11] - Specialty Additives sales were $131 million, down 13% from the prior year, with a notable decline in coatings sales in China [13][14] Strategic Initiatives - The company is focusing on cost savings and operational discipline to support strong margins amid mixed demand trends [2][18] - Ashland is implementing a $30 million restructuring program expected to generate approximately $7.5 million in savings in the fourth quarter [21][18] - The company is also advancing a $60 million manufacturing network optimization initiative to enhance operational efficiency [21][18] Market Outlook - The macroeconomic environment remains stable but subdued, with mixed demand trends across segments [18][22] - The company is seeing resilience in pharma, stability in Personal Care, and early signs of recovery in specific areas [23][18] - Ashland is benefiting from favorable foreign currency movements and stable raw material costs, which are expected to support margin performance [20][18]