Avient (NYSE:AVNT) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.01 EPS

Avient (NYSE:AVNT) posted its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $0.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.55 by $0.01, FiscalAI reports. Avient had a net margin of 3.49% and a return on equity of 10.75%. The business had revenue of $760.60 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $750.19 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.49 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Avient updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 0.810-0.810 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance to 2.930-3.170 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Avient’s conference call:

• Strong execution drove an 80 basis-point Adjusted EBITDA margin expansion in Q4 and a full-year record Adjusted EBITDA margin of 16.7%, with Adjusted EPS up ~6% for 2025 and +14% in Q4.
• Priority growth vectors—especially defense, healthcare, and telecom—delivered double‑digit growth in Q4, and the company commercialized innovations like GlideTech (non‑PFAS lubricious materials), non‑PFAS polymer processing aids, and a Dyneema process debottlenecking to unlock near‑term capacity.
• 2026 guidance targets continued improvement with Adjusted EBITDA of $555–$585M (+2–7% YoY), Adjusted EPS of $2.93–$3.17 (+4–12%), and expected free cash flow of $200–$220M, while CapEx is planned at ~$140M (including incremental defense investments).
• Color, Additives & Inks underperformed (CAI organic sales down ~2% for 2025; Q4 CAI organic -3%), with ongoing softness in consumer, industrial and building & construction markets that weighed on consolidated organic sales.
• Cash generation remains strong—$195M FCF in 2025 and $150M of debt paydown reduced net leverage to 2.6x; management says near‑term cash will prioritize further debt reduction (targeting <2.5x) before share buybacks or M&A.

Avient Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:AVNT traded up $0.77 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $41.64. 796,272 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 913,353. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $33.99 and its 200-day moving average price is $33.40. The firm has a market cap of $3.81 billion, a PE ratio of 33.83, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 1.44. Avient has a 52 week low of $27.48 and a 52 week high of $44.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 2.03 and a quick ratio of 1.47.

Key Stories Impacting Avient

Here are the key news stories impacting Avient this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 operating beat — Avient reported adjusted EPS of $0.56 vs. the $0.55 consensus and revenue of $760.6M vs. ~$750M est., showing modest organic growth and a year-over-year EPS improvement. Avient (AVNT) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Strong near-term guide — Avient set Q1 FY2026 EPS guidance at $0.81, above the prior consensus (~$0.65), which signals stronger expected first-quarter performance and likely drove positive investor reaction. Avient tops Q4 forecasts, sees continued earnings growth in 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Operational improvements and cash flow — Management highlighted adjusted EPS growth (2025 adjusted EPS $2.82, +6% y/y), margin expansion, $302M operating cash flow and $150M debt repayment, supporting balance-sheet improvement. Avient Announces Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results; Initiates Full-Year 2026 Financial Guidance
• Neutral Sentiment: Full-year guidance mixed — FY2026 adjusted EPS was guided to $2.93–$3.17 (company notes 4%–12% growth vs. 2025). The range brackets the consensus (~$3.04), leaving room for differing analyst interpretations. Avient (AVNT) Q4 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: GAAP results and modest topline growth — GAAP EPS declined (Q4 GAAP EPS $0.18 vs. $0.52 prior year) and full-year sales grew only ~1%, which could concern investors focused on headline GAAP performance and low organic revenue momentum. Avient Announces Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results; Initiates Full-Year 2026 Financial Guidance

Institutional Trading of Avient

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Millennium Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Avient by 440.4% during the 3rd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 1,337,188 shares of the company’s stock valued at $44,060,000 after buying an additional 1,089,744 shares in the last quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Avient by 147.1% during the fourth quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. now owns 799,621 shares of the company’s stock valued at $24,980,000 after acquiring an additional 476,016 shares during the period. Voloridge Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Avient by 962.3% in the third quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 379,113 shares of the company’s stock valued at $12,492,000 after acquiring an additional 343,424 shares in the last quarter. Scopus Asset Management L.P. bought a new position in shares of Avient in the second quarter worth about $8,908,000. Finally, Woodline Partners LP purchased a new stake in shares of Avient during the third quarter worth about $8,023,000. 95.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Oppenheimer raised their price target on Avient from $37.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. KeyCorp increased their target price on Avient from $48.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Avient in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Avient from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $43.50.

Avient Company Profile

Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT) is a global provider of specialized and sustainable polymer materials, delivering color, additive and engineered solutions to a wide range of industries. The company’s core offerings include masterbatches, colorant systems, compounds and resins designed to enhance performance, aesthetics and environmental sustainability. Avient serves markets such as packaging, automotive, consumer goods, healthcare, electronics, and agriculture, tailoring products to meet stringent regulatory and end-use requirements.

Formed through a corporate rebranding in 2020 following the divestiture of PolyOne’s specialty businesses, Avient traces its heritage to a legacy of polymer innovation spanning decades.