Ashland (ASH) reports Q1 earnings: What key metrics have to say

Ashland (ASH) reported $386 million in revenue for the quarter ended December 2025, representing a year-over-year decline of 4.7%. EPS of $0.26 for the same period compares to $0.28 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of -5.47% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $408.33 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.23, the EPS surprise was +12.46%.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Ashland performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Revenue- Intermediates: $31 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $30.26 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -6.1%.
• Revenue- Life Sciences: $139 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $145.72 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +3.7%.
• Revenue- Personal care: $123 million versus $131.71 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -8.2% change.
• Revenue- Specialty Additives: $102 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $110.58 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -11.3%.
• Revenue- Intersegment sales: $-9 million versus $-10 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -18.2% change.
• Adjusted EBITDA- Life Science: $31 million compared to the $32.29 million average estimate based on three analysts.
• Adjusted EBITDA- Personal care: $26 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $26.78 million.
• Adjusted EBITDA- Specialty additives: $15 million compared to the $15.65 million average estimate based on three analysts.
• Adjusted EBITDA- Intermediates: $1 million versus $2.05 million estimated by three analysts on average.
• OPERATING INCOME- Unallocated and other: $-26 million compared to the $-17.25 million average estimate based on two analysts.