Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) is among the 9 Undervalued Chemical Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Avient Corporation (AVNT) Target Boosted to $46 at Baird Following Strong Execution Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) is one of the best chemical stocks on our list. TheFly reported on February 13 that Baird raised its price target on AVNT to $46 from $34 and maintained a Neutral rating on the stock. The update came after the company’s recent results, which showed continued strong execution across its ...

Core Insights - Avient (AVNT) has been experiencing significant operating momentum recently, which aligns with modest overall valuations and expectations [1] Group 1: Company Performance - The strong performance of Avient is not surprising given the modest expectations surrounding its valuations [1] Group 2: Investment Opportunities - The service "Value in Corporate Events" offers insights into major corporate events such as earnings reports, M&A, and IPOs, aiming to identify actionable investment opportunities [2]

United States Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, DC 20549 FORM 10-K ☑ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to . Commission file number 1-16091 Avient Corporation Ohio 34-1730488 (State or other jurisdiction (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) of incorporation or organization) 33587 Wa ...

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Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved an 80 basis points expansion in Adjusted EBITDA margin and a 14% growth in Adjusted EPS for Q4 2025, with full-year record high margins of 16.7% [4][5] - Adjusted EBITDA for 2025 was $545 million, reflecting a 3.5% year-over-year growth, while Adjusted EPS grew by 6% due to lower interest expenses and favorable foreign currencies [5][10] - Free cash flow generation was strong at $195 million, allowing for a $150 million reduction in outstanding debt, resulting in a net leverage ratio of 2.6x [5][10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Organic sales in the Color, Additives and Inks (CAI) segment declined by 3% in Q4, while Specialty Engineered Materials (SEM) organic sales increased by 3%, driven by strong growth in defense, healthcare, and telecommunications [14][15] - For the full year 2025, CAI organic sales declined by 2%, while SEM organic sales grew by 2%, supported by defense and healthcare demand [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S.-Canada market saw a 1% decline in sales in Q4, an improvement from a 5% decline in the previous quarter, with positive growth in packaging [15] - EMEA experienced a 2% decline in organic sales, while Asia grew by 3%, driven by strength in packaging and telecommunications [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on innovation and creating differentiated products, particularly in markets with secular trends, to drive growth and profitability [6][9] - The strategy emphasizes organic growth complemented by targeted M&A, with a focus on profitability and margin expansion [9][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism for 2026, anticipating improvements in consumer, industrial, and building construction markets, supported by favorable government policies and easing interest rates [11][19] - The macro environment is expected to remain volatile, influenced by trade policies and geopolitical factors, but there is a belief that demand will improve in relevant markets [11][19] Other Important Information - The company has filed over 50 patents in the last two years, indicating a strong focus on innovation [29] - The company plans to invest in capacity expansion to support anticipated growth in defense-related businesses [8][20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are there signs of improvement in consumer, industrial, transportation, and construction markets? - Management noted some positive signs in packaging and consumer markets, with expectations for modest growth in the first half of the year [23][25] Question: How much growth is expected from innovation initiatives in 2026? - Management highlighted that growth vectors have shown high single-digit growth, indicating that innovation is beginning to take hold [29] Question: What is the outlook for the transportation market? - The transportation market was down 1% for the year, with expectations for flat to low single-digit growth in the coming year [32][34] Question: What are the plans for debt paydown versus buybacks? - The focus will remain on paying down debt in the near term, with potential for buybacks once the debt situation improves [40][41] Question: What is the outlook for pricing in CAI and specialty segments for 2026? - Pricing is expected to continue driving margin expansion, with a focus on value pricing and monitoring raw material costs [76][77]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved an 80 basis points expansion in Adjusted EBITDA margin and a 14% growth in Adjusted EPS for Q4 2025, with full-year record high margins of 16.7% [4][5] - Organic sales in Q4 were down slightly by 0.8%, but grew 1.9% as reported due to favorable foreign exchange impacts [4][5] - Adjusted EBITDA for 2025 finished at $545 million, reflecting a 3.5% year-over-year growth [5][10] - Free cash flow generation was strong at $195 million, allowing for a $150 million reduction in outstanding debt, resulting in a net leverage ratio of 2.6x [5][10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Color, Additives and Inks (CAI) segment saw a 3% decline in organic sales in Q4, while Specialty Engineered Materials (SEM) organic sales increased by 3% [14][15] - CAI's EBITDA margins declined by 10 basis points, while SEM's EBITDA margins expanded by 80 basis points due to favorable mix and productivity [15][17] - For the full year 2025, CAI organic sales declined by 2%, while SEM organic sales grew by 2% [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - US-Canada sales declined by 1% in Q4, an improvement from a 5% decline in the previous quarter, driven by positive growth in packaging [15] - EMEA organic sales declined by 2%, while Asia grew by 3%, driven by strength in packaging and telecommunications [16] - Latin America sales declined by 5%, primarily due to softer consumer demand [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on innovation and creating differentiated products, particularly in markets supported by secular trends [6][8] - The strategy emphasizes organic growth complemented by targeted M&A to enhance capabilities [9] - The company plans to deploy incremental capital over the next two years to expand capacity in defense-related businesses [8][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism for 2026, expecting improvements in consumer, industrial, and building construction markets [11][19] - The macro environment is anticipated to remain volatile, influenced by trade policies and geopolitical factors [11][19] - The company expects Adjusted EBITDA for 2026 to be in the range of $555 million to $585 million, reflecting a 2%-7% year-over-year increase [19][20] Other Important Information - The company has filed over 50 patents in the last two years, indicating a strong focus on innovation [29] - The company is prioritizing debt reduction over share buybacks in the near term [40] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are there signs of improvement in consumer and industrial markets? - Management noted some positive signs in packaging and consumer markets, with expectations for modest growth in Q1 [23][25] Question: How much growth is expected from innovation initiatives in 2026? - Management highlighted that growth vectors grew high single digits in 2025, indicating a strong focus on innovation [29] Question: What is the outlook for the transportation market? - Transportation was down 1% for the year, with expectations for flat to low single-digit growth in the future [32][34] Question: What is the strategy regarding M&A? - The company plans to focus on organic growth and internal capabilities before considering acquisitions [35][36] Question: What are the expectations for pricing in CAI and specialty for 2026? - Management expects continued price mix dynamics to support margin expansion in 2026 [76][77]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved an 80 basis points expansion in Adjusted EBITDA margin and a 14% growth in Adjusted EPS for Q4 2025, with full-year Adjusted EBITDA finishing at $545 million, reflecting a 3.5% year-over-year growth [4][5][10] - Adjusted EBITDA margins reached a record high of 16.7% for the full year 2025, with a 50 basis points expansion compared to 2024 [5][10] - Free cash flow generation was strong at $195 million, allowing for a $150 million reduction in outstanding debt, resulting in a net leverage ratio of 2.6x [5][10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Organic sales in the Color, Additives and Inks (CAI) segment declined by 3% in Q4, while Specialty Engineered Materials (SEM) organic sales increased by 3%, driven by strong growth in defense, healthcare, and telecommunications [14][15] - For the full year 2025, CAI organic sales declined by 2%, while SEM organic sales grew by 2%, reflecting varied performance across different end markets [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S.-Canada market saw a 1% decline in sales for Q4, an improvement from a 5% decline in the previous quarter, with positive growth in packaging [15] - EMEA experienced a slight improvement with a 2% decline in organic sales, while Asia grew by 3%, driven by strength in packaging and telecommunications [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on innovation to create differentiated products, particularly in markets with secular trends, such as non-PFAS materials for medical applications [6][7] - The strategy emphasizes organic growth complemented by targeted M&A, with a focus on profitability and margin expansion [9][10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism for 2026, anticipating improved market demand, particularly in the CAI business, which faced a -2% organic growth in 2025 [11][12] - The company plans to continue driving productivity and margin expansion, even in the face of macroeconomic uncertainties [12][19] Other Important Information - The company has filed over 50 patents in the last two years, indicating a strong focus on innovation [28] - Full-year guidance for 2026 includes Adjusted EBITDA of $555 million to $585 million and Adjusted EPS of $2.93 to $3.17, reflecting a year-over-year increase [18][20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are there signs of improvement in consumer, industrial, and construction markets? - Management noted some positive trends in packaging and consumer markets, with expectations for modest growth in Q1 [22][24] Question: What growth is expected from innovation initiatives in 2026? - Management highlighted that growth vectors have shown high single-digit growth, indicating a strong potential for future growth driven by innovation [26][29] Question: What is the outlook for the transportation market? - Transportation was down 1% for the year, with expectations for flat to low single-digit growth in the coming year [32][34] Question: What is the strategy regarding debt paydown versus buybacks? - The focus will remain on debt reduction in the near term, with potential for buybacks once the debt situation improves [39][41] Question: Can you provide insights on regional growth expectations for 2026? - Management indicated that Europe may see similar levels of performance as 2025, while Asia is expected to continue growing due to strong demand in packaging and telecommunications [90][92]

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分组1 - Avient reported quarterly earnings of $0.56 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.55 per share, and up from $0.49 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +1.80% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $760.6 million for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.64%, and an increase from $746.5 million year-over-year [2] - Avient's stock has increased by approximately 28.3% since the beginning of the year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.4% [3] 分组2 - The earnings outlook for Avient is crucial for investors, as it includes current consensus earnings expectations for upcoming quarters and any recent changes to these expectations [4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the next quarter is $0.81 on revenues of $832.53 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $3.03 on revenues of $3.33 billion [7] - The Zacks Industry Rank indicates that the Chemical - Diversified sector is currently in the bottom 14% of over 250 Zacks industries, which may impact Avient's stock performance [8]

Disclaimer Forward-looking statements Certain statements contained in or incorporated by reference into this presentation constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. They are based on management's expectations that involve business risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause actual results to differ mate ...