Jan. 28 at 10:06 PM
$ASH Ashland reports Q1 EPS 28c, consensus 18c
Reports Q1 revenue
$405M, consensus
$427M. "Since announcing the sale agreement for our Avoca business, we are nearing the final stages of our portfolio optimization activities. The last stage will be to fully implement our
$30 million cost reduction plan to offset the stranded costs and gross profit loss from the sale of the nutraceutical business," said Guillermo Novo, CEO. "Ashland continues to demonstrate strategic progress and operating discipline amid softer market conditions, generally consistent with the first-quarter update shared at our strategy day event in December. Organic sales volumes declined by one percent, primarily due to lower demand in Europe and inventory control actions by our pharmaceutical customers.
This decline was mostly offset by improved sales volumes in Personal Care, Specialty Additives, and Intermediates. Pricing impacts moderated in the quarter, reflecting our team's disciplined approach to a stable raw material environment. Given the significant uncertainty surrounding trade policy under the incoming U.S. administration, we moved major annual maintenance turnarounds to the first quarter. This builds greater resilience to respond to potential trade and economic changes. While this action shifted planned expenses forward, it significantly enhanced our operational flexibility to navigate uncertain markets.
With our Portfolio Optimization behind us, our top priority is to advance our strategy through execution discipline, globalizing four high-quality business lines and advancing the commercialization of our new technology platforms. In the near term, our focus remains on delivering and accelerating cost savings and enhancing productivity initiatives."
