SG Americas Securities LLC Acquires 95,073 Shares of Ashland Inc. $ASH

SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH) by 2,102.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 99,594 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 95,073 shares during the quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC’s holdings in Ashland were worth $4,772,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Ashland by 59.0% during the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 671 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 249 shares during the last quarter. Abound Wealth Management purchased a new position in Ashland during the second quarter valued at $40,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in Ashland by 93.5% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,155 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $58,000 after purchasing an additional 558 shares in the last quarter. Caldwell Trust Co bought a new stake in Ashland during the second quarter valued at about $62,000. Finally, Private Trust Co. NA increased its position in Ashland by 20.9% in the third quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 1,330 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $64,000 after buying an additional 230 shares in the last quarter. 93.95% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ASH has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Zacks Research downgraded Ashland from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Friday, October 24th. BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Ashland from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $61.00 to $71.00 in a report on Monday, December 15th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Ashland in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Mizuho lifted their target price on shares of Ashland from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Evercore ISI dropped their target price on shares of Ashland from $62.00 to $53.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $63.75.

More Ashland News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ashland this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: Kentucky artist painted a memorial mural in Ashland honoring a West Virginia National Guard member; the piece received local coverage and community attention. Kentucky artist memorializes WV Guard member with Ashland mural
• Neutral Sentiment: Video and feature coverage of the memorial mural honoring SPC Sarah Beckstrom ran on national platforms, amplifying local interest but not tied to corporate news. Ashland artist creates memorial mural honoring Spc. Sarah Beckstrom
• Neutral Sentiment: Local road closure in Ashland is scheduled to begin Jan. 12; this is a municipal traffic update with limited commercial impact. Road closure in Ashland begins Jan. 12
• Neutral Sentiment: Another local story covers the mural honoring SPC Sarah Beckstrom from a regional news angle; community recognition and memorialization. Slain WVNG member Sarah Berkstrom honored by Ashland, KY resident
• Neutral Sentiment: Local missing-person report (19-year-old woman) in Ashland; law-enforcement/community concern story without corporate implications. 19-year-old woman missing out of Ashland, police and family concerned
• Neutral Sentiment: Authorities investigating a swatting call that targeted Ashland/Boyd County schools; public-safety coverage with no expected impact on Ashland Inc.’s business. Officials investigate swatting call targeting Ashland, Boyd County schools
• Neutral Sentiment: Ashland Centennial Ice Rink will not open this season despite construction progress; a municipal project delay with local recreational impact only. Ashland Centennial Ice Rink will not open this season despite progress
• Neutral Sentiment: Regional weather forecast for Ashland County (fog and winter conditions) — standard local weather reporting. Ashland County weather forecast Thursday calls for fog this morning
• Neutral Sentiment: Opinion/feature piece reflecting on January snow and cold in Ashland — community interest content. Ashland Speaks: The snow and cold of January
• Neutral Sentiment: Ashland Community Health Foundation distributed winter clothes to elementary students — charitable/community support story. Ashland Community Health Foundation distributes winter clothes to elementary students

Ashland Price Performance

ASH stock opened at $62.32 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 1.51 and a current ratio of 2.85. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $55.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $53.09. Ashland Inc. has a one year low of $45.21 and a one year high of $73.31. The company has a market capitalization of $2.85 billion, a PE ratio of -3.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 0.43.

Ashland (NYSE:ASH) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, June 9th. The basic materials company reported $0.56 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $509.00 million during the quarter. Ashland had a negative net margin of 46.25% and a positive return on equity of 7.07%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Ashland Inc. will post 4.27 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ashland Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were given a dividend of $0.415 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 1st. This represents a $1.66 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. Ashland’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -9.05%.

About Ashland

Ashland Inc is a global specialty chemicals company that develops, manufactures and supplies a broad range of performance and process-critical additives, ingredients and technologies. Its portfolio spans performance additives for coatings, adhesives and sealants; specialty ingredients for personal care and pharmaceutical applications; and process aids used in water treatment and other industrial processes. Ashland aims to address customer challenges by delivering tailored solutions that improve product performance, processing efficiency and sustainability outcomes.

Founded in 1924 as the Ashland Oil & Refining Company, the firm gradually expanded into the specialty chemicals sector over the second half of the 20th century.