Should I buy, hold, or sell ASH stock right now?

Ashland Inc. (ASH) currently earns a Roarable Rating of D+ (Sell — SELL) with 52/100 RQD Confidence. Stretched risk/reward at current multiples (-21% return on capital) under elevated 10-year interest-rate pressure.

What is ASH's 12-month price target and RQD AI Jury consensus?

ASH's 12-month base price target is $72.66 (range $56.67 to $85.74), backed by transparent SEC XBRL cash-flow, Form 4 insider, and CBOE options flow analysis.

Stock Ratings / Consumer Discretionary / ASH

HWKN (70) CLX (65) NPT (35) CSL (74) ⌘ Pro Terminal →

Ashland Inc. (ASH) — RQD Stock Rating Cockpit

$74.68 +0.40% NYSE • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $74.59

Ashland Inc. (ASH) carries a Roarable Rating of D+ (Sell) with 52/100 RQD Confidence due to weak cash-flow efficiency and sensitivity to current interest rates. Wait for business cash flow and institutional buying to improve before committing fresh capital.

ROARABLE D+ • SELL / AVOID Cap $3.42B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

⚡ INSTANT AI QUANT PREVIEW • $0 FREE TIER Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on ASH Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude

🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is ASH stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

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As of 2026-11-03, Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) is rated D+ (Sell / SELL) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 52/100 at a spot price of $74.68 (+0.40% 1D, market cap $3.42B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 7/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 16/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 12/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 10/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 7/20. Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, ASH ranks #500 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does ASH compare to HWKN and CLX in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

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Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Specialty Chemicals), ASH carries a Roarable D+ (52/100 RQD), trailing P/E of N/A, gross margin of 30.1%, and ROIC of -20.7%. By comparison, HWKN (Hawkins Inc.) holds a B- grade (70/100 RQD, P/E 39.2x, ROIC 12.4%, cap $3.17B) and CLX (Clorox Company) posts a C grade (65/100 RQD, P/E 13.0x, ROIC 37.2%, cap $10.64B). Among the 5-stock peer group, CLX leads on earnings multiple (13.0x) while CLX leads on capital efficiency (37.2% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for ASH?

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Per ASH's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-09-30, CIK 0001674862), Ashland Inc. generated $1.82B in revenue (-13.7% YoY), $0 in net income, and $0 in free cash flow against $4.52B in total assets and $1.39B in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side. Primary risk factors monitored: Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $74.59 (-0.12%)🧬 Disciplined Float (+0.16% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 7/20 (D-) • 5.2% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 52/100 (D+) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (-1.1% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 50.1% hit rate — wait for RQD ≥ 70 breakout).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERSELL / AVOID • D+

JEV AI Jury Split (Battleground)

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw D · Rk D+

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE-2.7% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for ASH)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±4.6%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (52/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY ASH SCORES 52/100 (D+) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Whale & Options Positioning+16/20 pts (31% of score)

20D Institutional Volume Accumulation (±4.6% realized swing band)

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: SEC 10-K Forensic Risk+12/20 pts (23% of score)

Altman Z-Score 3.80 (FORTRESS SAFE (>3.0)) • Piotroski F-Score 7/9

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution7/20 pts (-13 pt drag)

Disciplined Float (+0.16% YoY Shares) & executive Form 4 sales trim 13 pts from alignment

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade D$72.65-1.3% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade D$71.69+1.5% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade D$72.78+2.6% Next Q

Current

Grade D+$74.68-1.1% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: D (44) → D+ (52)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)CONTRARIAN TURNAROUND & SHORT-SQUEEZE DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: What Could Spark a ASH Turnaround Squeeze

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

While ASH currently carries a cautious 52/100 (D+) rating due to Insider Conviction & Share Dilution (7/20), shorts face asymmetric squeeze risk if free cash flow inflects or management executes accretive buybacks.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #1

Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #2

Options & Short-Covering Gamma: Reclaiming the 50-day SMA ($71.52) and Max Pain ($78.41) forces dealer call-delta covering toward $85.74.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #3

Forensic Repair Trigger: Halting share dilution (Disciplined Float (+0.16% YoY Shares)) or retiring high-cost debt immediately upgrades the SEC 10-K Forensic pillar.

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $ASH• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “ASH Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 29, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 52%NO 48%Trade / Inspect Odds →

RSI-14 MOMENTUMBULLISH MOMENTUM

65.230 Oversold · 70 Hot

ALTMAN-Z SHIELDFORTRESS SAFE (>3.0)

3.80>3.0 Fortress Safe

PIOTROSKI F-SCOREHIGH QUALITY (7–9)

7 / 99-Pt Accounting

52-WEEK LASER RANGE89% OF RANGE

L: $47$74.68H: $78

1. Money & Cash Health● WEAK

Are profits real cash in the bank?

Weak cash conversion or heavy valuation strain compared to actual cash earned.

Factor Grade: D-RQD 7 / 20

2. Big Money & Insiders● NEUTRAL

Are whales & executives buying or selling?

Big funds and company insiders are mostly holding steady without aggressive buying or panic selling.

Factor Grade: D+RQD 23 / 40

3. Hidden Risks & Market Weather● WATCH

SEC fine-print scan & interest-rate fit

No major SEC filing blowups, though current interest rates and Fed liquidity call for normal position sizing.

Factor Grade: D+RQD 22 / 40

MULTI-MODEL JEV QUANT JURY DELIBERATION

JEV AI Jury Split (Battleground) on ASH

Cash & Moat Bull AI

ROIC & Free Cash Flow Model

BEARISH (35)

-20.7% ROIC with 30.1% gross margin and 2.80% FCF yield.

SEC Forensic Auditor AI

10-K Accruals & Altman-Z Guard

NEUTRAL (60)

Altman-Z 4.20 and Piotroski 7/9 pass balance-sheet audit.

Whale & Macro Hawk AI

Options Skew, 13F & Fed NetLiq

NEUTRAL (55)

23/40 institutional & smart-money positioning score with 10/20 macro alignment.

Bull Case: Why Buyers Like ASH

✓Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side.

Bear Case: What Could Go Wrong

!Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately.
!Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.
!Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Forensic Quant Desk

Red-Light Warning Desk: Spotting SEC Cash-Flow & Dilution Risks Before Downgrades (Featuring ASH)

✓Walkthrough of ASH's RQD Radar, SEC cash-conversion gap & downside invalidation levels
✓3 asymmetric Bear/Hedge frameworks when 10-year Treasury yields stay elevated
✓Includes nightly RQD rating-change & forensic signal email alerts on your tracked stocks

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

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ASH // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +42.14%⚡ TESTING RESISTANCE

2026-11-03O $74.38H $74.68L $74.38C $74.68VOL 457.2K

RES: $74.79SUP: $67.67SMA50: $71.52SMA200: $63.85

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

ASH Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 ASH Butterfly Map → + Track ASH →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle

8.0%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. -13.7% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on ASH today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for ASH. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for ASH today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (ASH)

Consumer Discretionary Rank #500 of 1009 ⚔️ HWKN vs ASH Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Consumer Discretionary Peer Comparison (ASH vs. HWKN, CLX, NPT, CSL)

Industry: Specialty Chemicals (6 Tracked Issuers)

Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Ashland Inc. (ASH) ranks #500 by composite RQD confidence (52/100, grade D+) and #336 by equity capitalization ($3.42B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, CLX leads on earnings valuation at 13.0x trailing P/E, while CLX leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 37.2% ROIC and 45.2% gross margin. CSL currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 74/100 (B) compared with ASH at 52/100 (D+).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
ASH ACTIVE Ashland Inc.	D+	52/100	—	30.1%	-20.7%	+0.40%	$3.42B	Benchmark Subject
HWKN Hawkins Inc.	B-	70/100	39.2x	22.6%	12.4%	-0.78%	$3.17B	/hwkn-vs-ash →
CLX Clorox Company	C	65/100	13.0x	45.2%	37.2%	-0.76%	$10.64B	/clx-vs-ash →
NPT Texxon Holding Limited	D-	35/100	—	0.6%	—	-2.70%	$39.9M	/npt-vs-ash →
CSL Carlisle Companies Incorporated	B	74/100	19.9x	35.7%	22.2%	+1.33%	$14.54B	/csl-vs-ash →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-09-30 • CIK 0001674862 ↗

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-09-30), Ashland Inc. (ASH) reported GAAP revenue of $1.82B (-13.7% vs. FY2024 revenue of $2.11B , and -16.8% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $0, operating cash flow of $0, and free cash flow of $0 . On the balance sheet, ASH closed FY2025 with $4.52B in total assets against $1.39B in total debt (Altman Z-Score: N/A, Piotroski F-Score: N/A).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2025-09-30	$1.82B	$0	—	—	$4.52B	$1.39B
FY2024 (FY)	2024-09-30	$2.11B	$0	—	—	$5.23B	$1.31B
FY2023 (FY)	2023-09-30	$2.19B	$0	—	—	—	—

3. ASH Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is ASH stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does ASH compare to HWKN and CLX in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for ASH?

Where is ASH trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

ASH last traded at $74.68 (+0.40% on volume of 457,214 shares), positioning the stock +4.42% above its 50-day simple moving average ($71.52) and +16.96% above its 200-day simple moving average ($63.85). Across its 52-week range of $47.12 to $78.25, ASH sits at the 88.5% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 65.2 (BULLISH MOMENTUM) and an implied next-earnings move of ±4.6% ($71.24 to $78.12).

Direct Sub-Reports: ASH RQD Cockpit ASH 12M Forecast ASH Earnings & Move ASH Dividends & DRIP ASH Insiders & 13F ASH Whale Options ASH Profit Sankey ASH News & Why

ROARABLE RATING BRIEF • RQD 52/100 (D+) ✓ SEC XBRL & RQD VERIFIED

ASH — Ashland Inc.: What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor

Methodology: RQD v6.2 Deterministic 5-Pillar & SEC XBRL Audit

Updated: 2025-09-30

1. Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor

Ashland Inc. (ASH) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 52/100, corresponding to a D+ letter grade (Roarable Sell) at a spot price of $74.68 (+0.40% 1D, market capitalization $3.42B).

Fundamental Cash Engine (7/20): Anchored by return on invested capital (ROIC) of -20.7%, gross margin of 30.1%, operating margin of -42.5%, and free cash flow yield of —.
Whale 13F & Options Flow (16/20) + Insider Conviction (7/20): Tracks institutional 13F accumulation, CBOE options call/put positioning, and SEC Form 4 / Congressional PTR filings.
Macro Regime Fit (10/20) + Forensic Balance Sheet (12/20): Incorporates a 1.00x equity beta, Altman Z-Score of N/A, Piotroski F-Score of N/A, and Debt/Equity of 0.74x.

2. Business Model, Unit Margins & SEC Financial Trajectory

Ashland Inc. Is a NYSE-listed issuer classified under the Consumer Discretionary sector and the Specialty Chemicals industry. The profile establishes a market capitalization of $3.4B. Gross margin is 30.1%.

In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-09-30), Ashland Inc. (ASH) reported $1.82B in annual revenue (up from $2.11B in FY2024, -13.7% YoY) and $0 in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($2.19B revenue, $0 net income) through FY2025, ASH scaled operating cash flow to $0 and free cash flow to $0, backed by $4.52B in total assets against $1.39B in total debt.

3. Institutional Bull vs. Bear Thesis & Valuation Tradeoff

🐂 Primary Bull Case (D+ • RQD 52/100): Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side. Free cash flow yield of — and institutional whale pillar of 16/20. With Fundamental Cash Engine at 7/20 and Institutional Whale Flow at 16/20, sustained execution supports upside toward the upper end of the $47.12 – $78.25 52-week range.
🐻 Primary Bear Case & Valuation Risk: Company executives have done more routine share selling than personal cash buying lately. Investors must weigh current valuation against -42.5% operating margins and a 1.00x macro beta.

4. 2nd-Order Butterfly Ripples & Key Questions to Watch

— The Butterfly Supply-Chain Graph lists no upstream or downstream dependencies, no sector correlations, and no bottleneck links for ASH. Sector and industry classifications are noted above, but the source does not map customer, supplier, or peer relationships.

Key Question #1: Can ASH sustain or expand its -42.5% operating margin and -20.7% ROIC against Specialty Chemicals peers over the next 4 quarters?
Key Question #2: Following FY2025 revenue of $1.82B and free cash flow of $0, how will capital allocation balance growth reinvestment against $1.39B in total debt?
Key Question #3: How sensitive is ASH's equity valuation to Consumer Discretionary capital spending cycles and macro interest-rate shifts (Beta 1.00x)?

ASH Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire

Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Ashland Inc. (ASH) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below

💬 Jump to ASH Debate Forum (3) ↓

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo! Finance Canada • 23h ago

Ashland Inc. (ASH) Stock Price, News, Quote & History

Yahoo! Finance Canada report covering Ashland Inc. (ASH) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE GuruFocus • 1d ago

Ashland (ASH) Shares Rise 3% Amid Initial Sale Offers from Private Equity and Clariant

GuruFocus report covering Ashland Inc. (ASH) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Seeking Alpha • 1d ago

Ashland gains on report bids made last week - Dealreporter (ASH:NYSE)

Seeking Alpha report covering Ashland Inc. (ASH) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Simply Wall St • 1d ago

Ashland (ASH), Why Is Fresh Attention Building Around The Stock?

Simply Wall St report covering Ashland Inc. (ASH) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Stock Titan • 1d ago

Ashland plans to issue its fourth-quarter earnings release at about 5 p.m. ET Nov. 3.

Stock Titan report covering Ashland Inc. (ASH) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Ashland (ASH) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week's Release

Yahoo Finance report covering Ashland Inc. (ASH) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Stock Titan • 1d ago

Franklin Templeton reports a client-held stake above 5% in Ashland (ASH).

Stock Titan report covering Ashland Inc. (ASH) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE https://www.siam.in/ • 1d ago

Ashland Inc. (ASH) Ticks Higher to $72.78 as Buyers Defend Key Support - Fibonacci Fan

https://www.siam.in/ report covering Ashland Inc. (ASH) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔥 THE ROAR PIT • LIVE COMMUNITY DEBATE 3 Active Posts & Replies

ASH Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $74.68?

🐂 67% BULLISH CONVICTION COMMUNITY TUG-OF-WAR ON ASH 🐻 33% BEARISH CONVICTION

BR BreakoutHunter RQD DEBATE OPENER • Swing & Catalyst Trader 🐂 BULLISH 🎯 Target: $98.58 (+32.0%)

📌 Pinned Debate

Institutional accumulation and options positioning score 16/20, the strongest RQD pillar, alongside reported private-equity and Clarian

Long ASH at $74.68 targeting $98.58. Institutional accumulation and options positioning score 16/20, the strongest RQD pillar, alongside reported private-equity and Clariant sale-offer interest.. Institutional whale score is 16/20 and the risk/reward vs. the $47.12 52-week low is skewed heavily in favor of bulls.

SectorRotator 🐂 BULL

@BreakoutHunter Agree on the RQD 52/100 quality, though with 1.0 beta I'm scaling in with half-size at $74.68 and keeping dry powder in case we test $69.45.

RE RedlineAuditor RQD DEBATE OPENER • Accounting Quality Watch 🐻 BEARISH 🎯 Target: $59.00 (-21.0%)

Spot @ $74.68

ROIC of -20.7% and a 0% FCF yield leave the Fundamental Cash Engine at 7/20, with operating income falling to -$775.0M in FY 2025.

Fading this rally in ASH at $74.68. ROIC of -20.7% and a 0% FCF yield leave the Fundamental Cash Engine at 7/20, with operating income falling to -$775.0M in FY 2025.. With a beta of 1.0 and the stock sitting at $74.68 (52-wk range $47.12–$78.25), the easy multiple expansion is already priced in.