Why Is Ashland (ASH) Up 3.9% Since Last Earnings Report?

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Ashland (ASH). Shares have added about 3.9% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Ashland due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

It turns out, estimates review have trended downward during the past month.

The consensus estimate has shifted -11.41% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

Currently, Ashland has a poor Growth Score of F, however its Momentum Score is doing a bit better with a D. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. It's no surprise Ashland has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months.

Performance of an Industry Player

Ashland belongs to the Zacks Chemical - Specialty industry. Another stock from the same industry, Ecolab (ECL), has gained 4.6% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended March 2025.

Ecolab reported revenues of $3.7 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -1.5%. EPS of $1.50 for the same period compares with $1.34 a year ago.

Ecolab is expected to post earnings of $1.90 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +13.1%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed 0%.

The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Ecolab. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of D.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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