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State of Alaska Department of Revenue increased its stake in Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT – Free Report) by 214.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 42,198 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 28,792 shares during the quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue’s holdings in Avient were worth $1,697,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in Avient during the 2nd quarter valued at about $437,002,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in shares of Avient by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,973,887 shares of the company’s stock worth $180,546,000 after buying an additional 192,788 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its stake in shares of Avient by 2.7% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 3,012,847 shares of the company’s stock worth $111,355,000 after acquiring an additional 78,938 shares during the period. Jennison Associates LLC lifted its stake in shares of Avient by 96.0% in the 1st quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 1,411,254 shares of the company’s stock worth $51,229,000 after acquiring an additional 691,316 shares during the period. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company acquired a new stake in shares of Avient in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $45,933,000. Institutional investors own 95.48% of the company’s stock.

Avient Price Performance Shares of Avient stock opened at $39.52 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $42.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $38.58. Avient Corporation has a 52 week low of $27.48 and a 52 week high of $46.64. The stock has a market cap of $3.62 billion, a PE ratio of 21.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.28.

Avient (NYSE:AVNT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.96 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.89 by $0.07. Avient had a net margin of 5.10% and a return on equity of 11.64%. The company had revenue of $917.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $898.53 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.80 EPS. Avient’s revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Avient has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.100-3.250 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.800-0.800 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Avient Corporation will post 3.20 EPS for the current fiscal year. Avient Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 7th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.2825 per share. This is a boost from Avient’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.2750. This represents a $1.13 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. Avient’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 59.46%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades AVNT has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Barclays initiated coverage on shares of Avient in a research note on Monday, October 12th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $44.00 price objective on the stock. Wall Street Zen cut Avient from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday. Zacks Research upgraded Avient from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Seaport Research Partners reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $54.00 price target on shares of Avient in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price target on Avient from $44.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $46.38.

View Our Latest Research Report on Avient

Avient Profile (Free Report)

Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT) is a global provider of specialized and sustainable polymer materials. The company develops, formulates and manufactures engineered materials, colorants, additives and performance-enhancing solutions used to improve the appearance, durability, processing and functionality of plastic products.

Its offerings include specialty polymer formulations, thermoplastic compounds, color and additive concentrates, advanced composites, barrier technologies and recycled or bio-based material solutions.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Avient Tesla’s Roadster Reveal Hints at 2 Much Bigger Moves The AI Sell-Off Continues—These 3 Stocks Keep Raising Guidance Anyway Mr. Wonderful’s Test for AI Data Center Stocks: Power, Permits, and Tenants Alcoa Beat Earnings, But Can It Escape the Aluminum Bears? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AVNT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT – Free Report).

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Investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Avient (AVNT - Free Report) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Basic Materials sector should help us answer this question.

Avient is one of 294 individual stocks in the Basic Materials sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #13 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different sector groups. The average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups is measured, and the sectors are listed from best to worst.

The Zacks Rank is a proven model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. Avient is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for AVNT's full-year earnings has moved 4% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

Based on the most recent data, AVNT has returned 24.8% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Basic Materials group have gained about 9.5% on average. This shows that Avient is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Another Basic Materials stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Innospec (IOSP - Free Report) . The stock has returned 26.2% year-to-date.

Over the past three months, Innospec's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 4%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Avient belongs to the Chemical - Diversified industry, a group that includes 32 individual stocks and currently sits at #183 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 13.1% so far this year, so AVNT is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns. Innospec is also part of the same industry.

Avient and Innospec could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT), an innovator of materials solutions, today announced that George T. Clark, CFA, has joined the company as Director of Investor Relations, effective October 12, 2026. Mr. Clark reports to Giuseppe (Joe) Di Salvo, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

George T. Clark, Director of Investor Relations, Avient Corporation Mr. Clark will be responsible for leading all investor relations activities and serve as the primary point of contact for Avient's investment community. He succeeds Mr. Di Salvo as the company's investor relations contact following Mr. Di Salvo's appointment as Chief Financial Officer.

Mr. Clark brings more than a decade of experience across buy-side investment management, sell-side equity research and corporate strategy. He most recently served as an Investment Analyst at American Century Investments on its Small Cap Value and Small Cap Dividend strategies. In that role, Mr. Clark was the lead analyst covering the specialty chemicals, auto, healthcare, and REIT sectors.

Previously, Mr. Clark served as Senior Analyst, Strategy and Corporate Development at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, where he evaluated and implemented strategic initiatives spanning new market entry, product development and M&A. He began his career in equity research at RBC Capital Markets.

Mr. Clark holds a Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a Bachelor of Science in Business, Finance, with a minor in Mathematics, from Miami University. He is a CFA charterholder.

About Avient

Our purpose at Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT) is to be an innovator of materials solutions to help our customers succeed, while enabling a sustainable world. Our local touch and customer engagement, combined with our global presence, allows us to serve customers with agility. We harness the collective strength of more than 9,000 employees worldwide to collaborate and build on each other's ideas. In doing so, we innovate solutions that help our customers overcome their challenges or capitalize on opportunities provided by the fast-changing world and secular trends. Our expanding portfolio of offerings includes colorants, advanced composites, functional additives, engineered materials, and Dyneema®, the world's strongest fiber™. By intersecting our broad portfolio of technologies with the product roadmaps of our customers, we help create differentiated and high-performance products that make the world better and more sustainable. Visit www.avient.com to learn more. 

SOURCE Avient Corporation

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.

While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

Based in Avon Lake, Avient (AVNT - Free Report) is in the Basic Materials sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of 20.97%. The maker of resins used in plastic pipe and other products is paying out a dividend of $0.28 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.91% compared to the Chemical - Diversified industry's yield of 1.58% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.41%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.10 is up 1.4% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Avient has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 6.00%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Avient's current payout ratio is 36%, meaning it paid out 36% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

AVNT is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $3.20 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 13.48%.

From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. But, not every company offers a quarterly payout.

For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers its shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. Income investors have to be mindful of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. That said, they can take comfort from the fact that AVNT is not only an attractive dividend play, but also represents a compelling investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

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What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

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Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

Investors can count on the Zacks Rank's success, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.86% average annual return since 1988, more than double the S&P 500's performance. But the model rates a large number of stocks, and there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

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Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

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Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Avient (AVNT - Free Report) Avient Corporation is a global specialty-materials company focused on color, additives, inks, engineered polymers, advanced composites and performance fibers, combining materials science, formulation expertise and manufacturing scale. Formed as PolyOne Corporation on Aug. 31, 2000, the company changed its name to Avient Corporation, effective June 30, 2020.

AVNT is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of B thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 11.81; value investors should take notice.

For fiscal 2026, one analyst revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.03 to $3.20 per share. AVNT boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.4%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, AVNT should be on investors' short list.

Avient Appoints Mike Frank as Chief Executive OfficerPR NewswireCLEVELAND, Oct. 9, 2026Richard H. Fearon Appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the BoardReaffirms

, /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT), an innovator of materials solutions, has declared a quarterly cash dividend of twenty-eight and a quarter cents ($0.2825) per share on the common stock outstanding, representing the sixteenth consecutive annual increase.

The $0.2825 per share will be paid on January 7, 2027, to stockholders of record on December 11, 2026. On an annualized basis, the dividend will increase from $1.10 to $1.13 per share on the common stock outstanding.

"We are pleased to increase our dividend for the sixteenth consecutive year," said Dr. Ashish Khandpur, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Avient Corporation. "Our consistent dividend growth reflects the strength of our business, our strong cash flow generation, and our commitment to returning value to shareholders through a disciplined and balanced capital allocation strategy."

About Avient

Our purpose at Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT) is to be an innovator of materials solutions that help our customers succeed, while enabling a sustainable world. Our local touch and customer engagement, combined with our global presence, allows us to serve customers with agility. We harness the collective strength of 9,000 employees worldwide to collaborate and build on each other's ideas. In doing so, we innovate solutions that help our customers overcome their challenges or capitalize on opportunities provided by the fast-changing world and secular trends. Our expanding portfolio of offerings includes colorants, advanced composites, functional additives, engineered materials, and Dyneema®, the world's strongest fiber™. By intersecting our broad portfolio of technologies with the product roadmaps of our customers, we help create differentiated and high-performance products that make the world better and more sustainable. Visit www.avient.com to learn more. 

SOURCE Avient Corporation

Key Takeaways Avient launches Nymax FR REC grades with 42-77% post-industrial recycled content for electrical uses.The materials offer UL 94 V-0 performance and non-halogenated, non-PFAS formulations for OEMs.New grades help OEMs and component manufacturers address fire-safety requirements alongside circularity goals. Avient Corporation (AVNT - Free Report) declared the launch of Nymax FR REC flame-retardant recycled polyamide grades, addressing the growing demand for more sustainable materials amid the company’s accelerating electrification and circularity initiatives. The new grades combine non-halogenated fire safety performance with 42-77% post-industrial recycled content, helping manufacturers achieve uncompromising fire safety along with aggressive sustainability targets.

Avient, which is among the prominent mid-cap chemical companies along with Innospec Inc. (IOSP - Free Report) , Quaker Chemical Corporation (KWR - Free Report) and Cabot Corporation (CBT - Free Report) , will showcase the Nymax FR REC portfolio at the upcoming Fakuma international trade fair in Germany. The launch will mainly target residential and institutional power distribution systems.

As increasing bans on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) emerge, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are eager to lower the product’s carbon footprint. The system can be used widely across various applications, including switchgear, busway and connectors, appliances, BESS, and EV charging infrastructure.

The new materials deliver UL 94 V-0 performance at 0.8 millimeters and a 960°C glow-wire flammability index, supporting compliance with global electrical safety standards. The formulations also offer comparative tracking index values of up to 600 V and use non-halogenated, non-PFAS formulations, aligning with regulatory requirements.

The portfolio includes PA6 and PA66 resins with 15-40% glass-fiber loading, along with unfilled options. By incorporating recycled feedstock while maintaining flame-retardant performance, Avient aims to help OEMs and component manufacturers address fire-safety requirements alongside circularity goals.

Avient, in August, raised its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to $3.10-$3.25 per share from the previous range of $2.93-$3.17. The revised range implies adjusted earnings growth of 10-15% over 2025. Management cited year-to-date performance and visibility into third-quarter demand in raising its expectations. The company also increased its full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance to $575-$603 million. Avient expects to repay $100-$150 million of debt during 2026, including the $50 million repaid in the second quarter. Management remains focused on targeted investments in prioritized growth portfolios while pursuing continued earnings growth and balance-sheet improvement.

Another industry leader, Innospec, expects its Performance Chemicals segment to benefit from ongoing plant repairs, process improvements, upgrades and additional top-line and margin opportunities. For Oilfield Services, Innospec expects its DRA expansion and opportunities in completions and production to support further sequential gains. Fuel Specialties, meanwhile, is expected to continue advancing opportunities across its established and newer end markets. IOSP continues to pursue opportunities across traditional fuel, renewable fuel and non-fuel applications. 

Quaker Chemical, on its second-quarter call, released its third-quarter guidance, reflecting expectations of stable demand, with end markets projected to remain flat to slightly positive through the rest of 2026. Continued share gains are expected to support volume growth despite macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. KWR expects the gross margin percentage in the third quarter to remain near second-quarter levels as it works through raw material cost inflation, inventory movements and the timing of price recovery actions. Management said pricing and cost initiatives should allow the company to exit 2026 within its target gross margin range. The company continues to expect meaningful revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth in 2026.

Cabot, for fiscal 2026, tightened its adjusted earnings guidance to $6.15-$6.45 per share from the previous range of $6-$6.5. The company expects its full-year fiscal 2026 operating tax rate to be in the range of 28-30%. It also reaffirmed its expectation of approximately $40 million of EBITDA from its battery materials product line for fiscal 2026. CBT is expanding global conductive additive capacity through targeted investments in the United States and China to support expected growth in global battery demand and broaden its participation with leading battery manufacturers.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT), an innovator of materials solutions, intends to release its third quarter 2026 earnings before the market opens on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.  The company will then host a webcast with a slide presentation at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

The webcast can be viewed live at avient.com/investors, or by clicking on the webcast link here. Conference call participants in the question and answer session should pre-register using the link at avient.com/investors, or here, to receive the dial-in number and personal PIN.  This information is required to access the conference call.  The question and answer session will follow the company's presentation and prepared remarks.

A recording of the webcast and the slide presentation will be available at avient.com/investors/events-presentations immediately following the conference call and will be accessible for one year.

About Avient

Our purpose at Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT) is to be an innovator of materials solutions that help our customers succeed, while enabling a sustainable world.  Our local touch and customer engagement, combined with our global presence, allows us to serve customers with agility.  We harness the collective strength of more than 9,000 employees worldwide to collaborate and build on each other's ideas.  In doing so, we innovate solutions that help our customers overcome their challenges or capitalize on opportunities provided by the fast-changing world and secular trends.  Our expanding portfolio of offerings includes colorants, advanced composites, functional additives, engineered materials, and Dyneema®, the world's strongest fiber™.  By intersecting our broad portfolio of technologies with the product roadmaps of our customers, we help create differentiated and high-performance products that make the world better and more sustainable.  Visit www.avient.com to learn more. 

To access Avient's news library online, please visit www.avient.com/news

SOURCE Avient Corporation

Here are two stocks with buy rank and strong value characteristics for investors to consider today, September 30th:  

Industrial Logistics Properties Trust (ILPT - Free Report) : This company, which is focused on the ownership and leasing of industrial and logistics properties primarily in the United States, carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 2.2% over the last 60 days.

Industrial Logistics Properties Trust has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 5.24 compared with 13.20 for the industry. The company possesses a Value Score of A.

Avient (AVNT - Free Report) : This global specialty-materials company, which is focused on color, additives, inks, engineered polymers, advanced composites and performance fibers, combining materials science, formulation expertise and manufacturing scale, carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 3.9% over the last 60 days.

Avient has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 12.74 compared with 13.90 for the industry. The company possesses a Value Score of B.

See the full list of top ranked stocks here.

Learn more about the Value score and how it is calculated here.

An updated edition of the August 10, 2026 article.

3D Printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), is emerging as a transformative force in modern manufacturing as it offers a faster, more flexible and cost-efficient way to produce complex products. By converting digital designs into physical objects layer by layer, additive manufacturing enables greater customization, cuts down material waste and can shorten production timelines compared with conventional manufacturing methods.

Since emerging in the 1980s, the technology has evolved well beyond its early use as a prototyping tool. Today, 3D printing is being adopted for production applications across aerospace, defense, healthcare, automotive, industrial and consumer markets. Companies are increasingly using additive manufacturing to produce lightweight components, customized medical devices, tooling, replacement parts and other geometrically complex products. Companies like Xometry (XMTR - Free Report) , Proto Labs (PRLB - Free Report) and Stratasys (SSYS - Free Report) remain key players in this space.

Additive manufacturing enables production of complex structures that were costly, once difficult or even considered impossible to produce. It enables localized production, thus shortening supply chains and lowering transportation costs. On-demand manufacturing reduces the need for large inventories, which is especially useful for industries with seasonal demand or urgent replacement-part needs. Companies are thus increasingly adopting 3D printing driven by its cost advantages and sustainability benefits. 

3D printing is gaining traction across healthcare, aerospace, automotive and consumer goods. Adoption is also being supported by advances in materials, software, Artificial Intelligence, simulation and automation. In aerospace, the technology is used to produce lightweight yet durable aircraft and spacecraft components. The automotive industry relies on 3D printing for prototyping, tooling and customized parts. In healthcare, it enables the production of patient-specific medical devices and prosthetics, and ongoing progress in tissue and organ printing could significantly influence the future of modern medicine.
More recently, the convergence of additive manufacturing with AI, digital twins and advanced simulation is helping manufacturers improve design optimization, predict potential print failures and accelerate the transition from prototypes to qualified production parts.

North America remains the leading market, accounting for more than 35% of global share due to strong research investments, supportive government policies and advanced manufacturing capabilities. Asia-Pacific countries, particularly China and India, are rapidly expanding adoption to strengthen their industrial competitiveness.

We believe 3D Printing presents compelling growth opportunities for investors, supported by an expanding addressable market and a strong innovation pipeline.

Our 3D Printing Screen makes it easy to identify high-potential stocks in this space. Currently, stocks like ATI Inc. (ATI - Free Report) , NVIDIA (NVDA - Free Report) , Avient (AVNT - Free Report) , Proto Labs and Synopsys (SNPS - Free Report) look lucrative.

Ready to uncover more transformative thematic investment ideas? Explore 40 cutting-edge investment themes with Zacks Thematic Investing Screens and discover your next big opportunity.

5 Must-Have 3D Printing Stocks for Your PortfolioATI provides capabilities across the additive supply chain, from metal powder and material science to the finished part. ATI Additive Manufacturing is one of the select providers with expertise in both Electron Beam Melting and Powder Bed Fusion, designed for highly demanding and precision-critical performance environments. ATI Additive Manufacturing has been at the forefront of aerospace additive manufacturing since 2014.

Given its extensive powder metals offering, ATI Additive can quickly respond to customers' needs for their additive part demands. Leveraging ATI’s metallurgical leadership, it can also develop new alloys for additive manufacturing on request or address industry challenges. The company continues to increase its production capacity for advanced metallic powders for use in next-generation aerospace products, including additive manufacturing applications.

ATI commissioned its 132,000-square-foot Additive Manufacturing Products facility in Margate, FL, in February 2025. The facility combines design, large-format metal printing, heat treating, machining and inspection under one roof and can produce parts up to 1.5 meters in height. From design to finished product, the company created a one-stop solution center to address challenges in high-performance markets like aerospace, defense and space. ATI currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

NVIDIA has an important role in the 3D-printing ecosystem through its AI, accelerated computing, simulation and computer graphics technologies. NVIDIA provides technologies that can improve several stages of the additive manufacturing workflow, including design, simulation, optimization and automation. Its contributions to 3D printing have become more pronounced in recent years, particularly through collaborations and technological advancements.

A notable example is NVDA’s partnership with HP Inc. (HP)’s HPQ 3D Printing division, with the latter using NVIDIA’s AI tool, Modulus, to boost efficiency and accuracy in manufacturing. HP has developed Virtual Foundry Graphnet, which helps streamline production by accurately predicting how metal powders will behave during the 3D Printing process, assisting manufacturers in optimizing the process, reducing errors and defects, and improving part quality.

NVIDIA has also backed startups that are pushing boundaries in 3D Printing. Freeform, a company founded by former SpaceX engineers, secured funding from NVIDIA's venture arm, NVentures, in October 2024. By utilizing NVIDIA's accelerated computing platform, Freeform is building the world's first AI-native, autonomous metal 3D printing factory.

NVDA has developed a generative AI tool called Magic3D, which can create high-quality 3D textured mesh models from text prompts. Another innovation, LATTE3D (Large-scale Amortized Text-To-Enhanced3D Synthesis), is a text-to-3D generator that creates 3D models in less than a second, leveraging the power of NVIDIA’s RTX A6000 GPU.  NVIDIA’s Omniverse platform and PhysX engine enable real-time simulation of materials and structures, which are useful for testing a 3D print before actually printing it. NVDA’s NeRFs (Neural Radiance Fields) is an AI model that reconstructs 3D models from 2D photos. This is useful for reverse engineering objects for 3D printing, turning real-world items into printable models, and converting video or image data into detailed 3D meshes. NVDA currently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. 

Proto Labs is widely recognized as the world’s fastest digital manufacturing platform for rapid prototypes and on-demand production parts. Since its inception, it has manufactured more than 700 million parts, catering to more than 300,000 customers. Originally focused on prototypes and simpler components, Protolabs has expanded into complex parts and full-scale production. 

Strategic acquisitions have strengthened its capabilities, including FineLine in 2014 to introduce 3D printing, Alphaform in October 2015 to expand 3D printing services in Europe and RAPID in 2017 to add sheet-metal manufacturing. Through the acquisition of 3D Hubs, Inc., which was rebranded to Protolabs Network in 2021, it provides customers access to a global network of premium manufacturing partners.

In February 2026, the company launched ProDesk, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled manufacturing platform to accelerate projects from prototyping to production. It features AI-driven manufacturability analysis across injection molding, CNC machining and 3D printing services for instant feedback on parts before they enter production. The platform also allows users to customize quotes based on materials, finishes, secondary operations and lead-time requirements. 

Proto Labs is also positioning itself to capitalize on the expected surge in growth in the global drone market, driven by rising aerospace and defense spending and expanding commercial applications. In July 2026, the company announced a partnership with HP Additive to expand Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing for lightweight drone components. The company is also fulfilling on-demand manufacturing that is tailored to support robotics applications, which is another rapidly growing market. PRLB currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Avient is exposed to 3D printing primarily through its specialty polymer materials, design capabilities and rapid-prototyping services. The company uses this technology for concepts, prototypes and prototype tooling, along with its design resources. It helps customers evaluate multiple design iterations and optimize manufacturing processes, while improving product performance and aesthetics. The company is also developing materials that enable customers to use 3D printing for higher-performance prototypes and production parts.

Avient's position in specialty polymer formulations, additives and colorants gives it an opportunity to participate in the materials side of additive manufacturing. The company has also highlighted 3D-printing applications involving high-performance materials, particularly where manufacturers require specialized thermal, mechanical or chemical properties. Its aerospace and rail business, for example, offers 3D-printing capabilities using high-temperature resin systems for low-volume and prototype applications. Avient currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.

Synopsys has become increasingly relevant to the additive manufacturing theme following its acquisition of Ansys in July 2025. The deal combined leaders in silicon design, IP, and simulation and analysis to enable customers to rapidly innovate AI-powered products. Ansys Additive Suite is a powerful collection of tools from Ansys, Inc. dedicated to additive manufacturing simulation. Ansys Additive Suite provides an end-to-end solution for additive manufacturing processes. It covers every stage, from material characterization and design optimization to process simulation and validation.

It ensures high accuracy and reliability in predicting material behavior and thermal stresses during the printing process. The suite helps mitigate defects and optimize structures, reducing costs and enhancing product performance. Synopsys currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. 

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.

While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.

Based in Avon Lake, Avient (AVNT - Free Report) is in the Basic Materials sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of 30.54%. The maker of resins used in plastic pipe and other products is paying out a dividend of $0.28 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.7% compared to the Chemical - Diversified industry's yield of 1.62% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.43%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.10 is up 1.4% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Avient has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 6.00%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Avient's current payout ratio is 36%, meaning it paid out 36% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, AVNT expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $3.20 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 13.48%.

Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide a quarterly payout.

Big, established firms that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options, but it's fairly uncommon to see high-growth businesses or tech start-ups offer their stockholders a dividend. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. That said, they can take comfort from the fact that AVNT is not only an attractive dividend play, but is also a compelling investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al bought a new stake in shares of Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 24,473 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $905,000.

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in AVNT. TD Private Client Wealth LLC lifted its stake in Avient by 342.3% in the fourth quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 942 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 729 shares during the last quarter. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in Avient during the third quarter valued at about $40,000. Quarry LP grew its holdings in Avient by 83.1% in the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,234 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 560 shares during the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Avient in the fourth quarter worth $43,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Avient by 51.9% in the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,241 shares of the company’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 424 shares during the last quarter. 95.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Avient Stock Performance AVNT stock opened at $41.46 on Monday. Avient Corporation has a twelve month low of $27.48 and a twelve month high of $46.64. The business’s fifty day moving average is $40.73 and its 200-day moving average is $37.89. The company has a quick ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The company has a market cap of $3.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.29.

Avient (NYSE:AVNT – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.89 by $0.07. Avient had a return on equity of 11.64% and a net margin of 5.10%.The company had revenue of $917.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $898.53 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.80 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Avient has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.100-3.250 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.800-0.800 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Avient Corporation will post 3.2 EPS for the current year. Avient Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 11th will be issued a dividend of $0.275 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $1.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.7%. Avient’s payout ratio is currently 59.46%.

Analyst Ratings Changes AVNT has been the topic of a number of research reports. Weiss Ratings cut Avient from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Friday, September 4th. UBS Group set a $44.00 target price on Avient in a report on Monday, June 8th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Avient from $44.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Avient from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, September 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Avient from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Avient presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $46.71.

Get Our Latest Analysis on AVNT

Avient Profile (Free Report)

Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT) is a global materials company that develops and manufactures specialized polymer products and solutions. Its offerings include engineered materials, polymer colorants and additives, composites, films, and other products designed to improve the performance, appearance, durability, and sustainability of manufactured goods.

The company serves customers across industries including transportation, healthcare, packaging, consumer goods, electronics, energy, and building and infrastructure.

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Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.

Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.

Based in Avon Lake, Avient (AVNT - Free Report) is in the Basic Materials sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of 36.4%. Currently paying a dividend of $0.28 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.58%. In comparison, the Chemical - Diversified industry's yield is 1.59%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.37%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.10 is up 1.4% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Avient has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 6.00%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Avient's current payout ratio is 36%, meaning it paid out 36% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, AVNT expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $3.20 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 13.48%.

From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. But, not every company offers a quarterly payout.

For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers its shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. Income investors have to be mindful of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, AVNT presents a compelling investment opportunity; it's not only an attractive dividend play, but the stock also boasts a strong Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 11,823,646 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $437,002,000. BlackRock Inc. owned 12.89% of Avient at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. TD Private Client Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Avient by 342.3% in the 4th quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 942 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 729 shares during the period. Danske Bank A S bought a new stake in shares of Avient during the third quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Quarry LP increased its position in shares of Avient by 83.1% during the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,234 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 560 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Avient by 51.9% in the first quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,241 shares of the company’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 424 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Torren Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Avient in the fourth quarter valued at $39,000. 95.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Avient Stock Performance Avient stock opened at $44.75 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $39.13 and a 200 day simple moving average of $37.72. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a quick ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. Avient Corporation has a 12-month low of $27.48 and a 12-month high of $46.64.

Avient (NYSE:AVNT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.96 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.89 by $0.07. Avient had a net margin of 5.10% and a return on equity of 11.64%. The firm had revenue of $917.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $898.53 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.80 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Avient has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.100-3.250 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.800-0.800 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Avient Corporation will post 3.2 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Avient Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be issued a $0.275 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. This represents a $1.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. Avient’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 59.46%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have issued reports on AVNT shares. UBS Group set a $44.00 price target on shares of Avient in a report on Monday, June 8th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Avient from $44.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Avient from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Friday. Robert W. Baird set a $43.00 target price on shares of Avient in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Avient from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Avient has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $46.71.

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About Avient (Free Report)

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.

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Investors interested in stocks from the Chemical - Diversified sector have probably already heard of Avient (AVNT) and Air Liquide (AIQUY). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now?

Key Takeaways Avient's Q2 adjusted EPS rose 20% to 96 cents as sales increased 5.8% to $917 million.Organic sales grew 4.3%, while adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 110 basis points to a record 18.3%.AVNT raised 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $3.10-$3.25 and EBITDA guidance to $575-$603 million. Avient Corporation (AVNT - Free Report) reported adjusted earnings of 96 cents per share for the second quarter of 2026, up 20% from 80 cents a year ago. The bottom line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 89 cents by 7.9%. Better-than-expected organic volume growth aided the outperformance.

Sales increased 5.8% year over year to $917 million and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $895.3 million by 2.4%. Organic sales rose 4.3%, while favorable foreign exchange contributed 1.5%. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 110 basis points to a record 18.3%.

Segment HighlightsColor, Additives and Inks sales increased 6.6% year over year to $574.2 million from $538.6 million. Segment EBITDA rose 10.5% to $124.5 million from $112.7 million. The segment’s EBITDA margin improved to approximately 21.7% from 20.9% in the year-ago quarter.

Specialty Engineered Materials generated sales of $343.9 million, up 4.3% from $329.7 million a year earlier. Segment EBITDA climbed 21.1% to $75.8 million from $62.6 million. EBITDA margin expanded to approximately 22% from 19%, indicating significant profitability improvement in the segment.

FinancialsAvient ended the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $425.6 million. Total debt was approximately $1.88 billion. For the first six months of 2026, net cash provided by operating activities was $59.3 million. Capital expenditures were $41.3 million. Management expects cash generation to support both growth investments and further balance-sheet improvement.

OutlookAvient raised its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance to $3.10-$3.25 per share from the previous range of $2.93-$3.17. The revised range implies adjusted earnings growth of 10-15% over 2025. Management cited year-to-date performance and visibility into third-quarter demand in raising its expectations.

The company also increased its full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance to $575-$603 million. AVNT expects to repay $100-$150 million of debt during 2026, including the $50 million repaid in the second quarter. Management remains focused on targeted investments in prioritized growth portfolios while pursuing continued earnings growth and balance-sheet improvement.

AVNT’s Price PerformanceShares of Avient have gained 25.5% in the past year against the 4.3% growth in the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

AVNT’s Zacks Rank & Other Chemicals ReleasesAVNT currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 

Ashland Inc.’s (ASH - Free Report) adjusted earnings were $1.02 per share for the fiscal third quarter, down around 2% from the year-ago quarter’s figure of $1.04. The bottom line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.03. For fiscal 2026, Ashland reaffirmed sales guidance of $1.835-$1.870 billion and adjusted EBITDA outlook of $385-$400 million. 

Huntsman Corporation (HUN - Free Report) posted break-even earnings per share on an adjusted basis for the second quarter compared with a loss of 20 cents in the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate of earnings was pegged at 6 cents per share. HUN expects to remain focused on additional price increases and cost-reduction initiatives to offset rising and volatile energy and crude oil-related costs, particularly in Europe. 

Olin Corporation’s (OLN - Free Report) second-quarter adjusted earnings were 7 cents per share, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. For the third quarter, Olin expects adjusted EBITDA in the range of $160 million to $200 million. OLN expects its Chemical businesses’ results to be comparable with second-quarter levels as lower operating rates at the Freeport vinyl chloride monomer facility and weaker ethylene dichloride pricing offset anticipated stronger caustic soda volumes.

Avient Stock: Manufacturing Play With Double-Digit UpsideAvient NYSE: AVNT reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of $0.96, which Chairman, President and CEO Ashish Khandpur said was $0.09 above expectations, as stronger-than-anticipated volume growth, pricing actions and productivity initiatives supported results.

Organic sales increased 4.3% from the prior-year quarter, while adjusted EBITDA rose by double digits. Adjusted EBITDA margin reached a record 18.3%, up 110 basis points year over year, and adjusted EPS increased 20% from the prior-year period. The company also generated sufficient cash flow to repay $50 million of debt during the quarter.

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Khandpur said the results reflected “successful execution, managing inflation, and navigating supply chain disruptions” in what he characterized as a dynamic and volatile operating environment. He cited market-share gains, new product introductions and pricing as contributors to organic growth, including volume growth in both operating segments.

Asia Leads Regional Growth Asia was a standout in the quarter, with organic sales rising 18% year over year, driven by electronics, high-performance computing and new functional-additives business. Both company segments posted double-digit organic growth in the region.

Chief Financial Officer Joe Di Salvo said the company generated 8% sequential organic revenue growth globally from the first quarter to the second quarter. Asia grew 20% sequentially, while the U.S. and Canada increased 7%. Europe and Latin America posted sequential organic growth of 3% and 12%, respectively.

While pricing contributed to the global performance, Di Salvo said growth in Asia and the U.S. and Canada exceeded the impact of pricing, which he said indicated improving underlying demand and continued share gains.

During the question-and-answer session, Khandpur said approximately one-quarter of the company’s 4.3% second-quarter organic growth came from volume and three-quarters came from price. He expects the contribution to shift toward volume through the year, with volume accounting for nearly 70% of growth by the fourth quarter and price contributing about 30%.

Khandpur said the company expects to remain net price positive in each quarter of 2026. He added that Avient does not expect a material reversal of the pricing it has implemented if raw-material costs decline, though pricing may factor into some customer negotiations.

Segment Margins Expand Color, Additives and Inks reported 5% organic sales growth and 9% adjusted EBITDA growth, excluding foreign-currency translation. Segment adjusted EBITDA totaled $125 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin rose 80 basis points to 21.7%.

Di Salvo attributed the segment’s margin performance to volume-driven revenue growth, favorable product mix, pricing execution and productivity efforts.

Specialty Engineered Materials posted 3% organic sales growth, supported by high-performance computing, electronics and infrastructure-related applications. The segment generated adjusted EBITDA of $76 million, up 20% from a year earlier, while margin expanded 310 basis points.

Di Salvo said approximately 100 basis points of Specialty Engineered Materials’ margin expansion reflected the absence of about $3 million in planned maintenance expense incurred in the second quarter of 2025. The remaining expansion was split between price-mix benefits and productivity gains. The company expects the segment’s margin to improve by about 100 basis points year over year in the second half.

End-Market Trends Remain Mixed Packaging, Avient’s largest end market at 23% of sales, grew at a double-digit rate in the second quarter. The company cited pricing, innovation and new business wins, including demand for non-PFAS polymer processing aids used in food, personal health and beauty packaging.

Khandpur said European rules expected or required in August 2026 related to food packaging are supporting demand for non-PFAS processing solutions. He also said multinational customers are seeking to reduce PFAS use even where regulations do not require it. The business remains small, at several million dollars this year, but Avient expects it to grow as customer qualification programs advance.

Consumer sales rose at a mid-single-digit rate, led by the U.S. and Asia. Building and construction delivered double-digit growth, aided by data-center and infrastructure investment as well as lightweight composite applications for residential markets. Defense activity improved during the quarter, and the company expects that business to grow at a mid- to high-single-digit rate for the year.

Healthcare was affected in the first half by customer inventory rebalancing in drug-delivery and remote-monitoring devices, though Avient expects growth to return in the second half, particularly in medical devices and equipment. Industrial returned to modest growth, led by Asia, while transportation remained weak amid lower vehicle production and softer marine demand.

Avient expects energy and telecom to grow at high-single-digit to double-digit rates in the third quarter, supported by high-performance computing, electronics and U.S. electrical-infrastructure projects.

Guidance Raised, Debt Reduction Continues The company raised its full-year 2026 outlook for adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EPS and free cash flow. Avient now expects:

Adjusted EBITDA of $575 million to $603 million; Adjusted EPS of $3.10 to $3.25 per share; Free cash flow of $210 million to $230 million; and Capital expenditures of $120 million to $130 million, reduced from a prior outlook of $140 million due primarily to project timing. For the third quarter, Avient forecast adjusted EPS of approximately $0.80 per share, representing 14% growth from the prior-year quarter. Di Salvo said the company has greater visibility into the third quarter than the fourth quarter, when year-end seasonality, holiday timing and potentially lower net price benefits could affect results.

Avient repaid $50 million in debt during the second quarter, bringing debt reduction over the trailing 12 months to $200 million. The company expects total 2026 debt repayment of $100 million to $150 million and forecasts year-end net leverage of 2.2 times to 2.4 times.

Khandpur said that approaching the company’s leverage target creates additional flexibility for capital deployment, including further debt reduction, share repurchases and acquisitions, though he said there was nothing imminent to model.

About Avient (NYSE:AVNT)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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Investors with an interest in Chemical - Diversified stocks have likely encountered both Avient (AVNT) and Air Liquide (AIQUY). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors?

Avient (AVNT - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.96 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.89 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.8 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +7.87%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this maker of resins used in plastic pipe and other products would post earnings of $0.81 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.83, delivering a surprise of +2.47%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.

Avient, which belongs to the Zacks Chemical - Diversified industry, posted revenues of $917 million for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.43%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $866.5 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Avient shares have added about 21.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 12.8%.

What's Next for Avient?While Avient has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Avient was favorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to outperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.75 on $853.18 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.08 on $3.4 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Chemical - Diversified is currently in the top 43% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

One other stock from the broader Zacks Basic Materials sector, Silvercorp (SVM - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 10.

This mineral miner is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.21 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +110%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 51.9% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.

Silvercorp's revenues are expected to be $138.7 million, up 70.5% from the year-ago quarter.

Investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has Avient (AVNT - Free Report) been one of those stocks this year? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Basic Materials peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Avient is one of 275 companies in the Basic Materials group. The Basic Materials group currently sits at #14 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.

The Zacks Rank is a successful stock-picking model that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions. The system highlights a number of different stocks that could be poised to outperform the broader market over the next one to three months. Avient is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for AVNT's full-year earnings has moved 0.9% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

According to our latest data, AVNT has moved about 21.4% on a year-to-date basis. Meanwhile, stocks in the Basic Materials group have gained about 14.5% on average. This means that Avient is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

One other Basic Materials stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Materion (MTRN - Free Report) . The stock is up 139% year-to-date.

The consensus estimate for Materion's current year EPS has increased 9.1% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, Avient is a member of the Chemical - Diversified industry, which includes 31 individual companies and currently sits at #105 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 17.7% so far this year, meaning that AVNT is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

On the other hand, Materion belongs to the Mining - Miscellaneous industry. This 86-stock industry is currently ranked #193. The industry has moved +22.1% year to date.

Going forward, investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should continue to pay close attention to Avient and Materion as they could maintain their solid performance.

Second quarter sales grew 5.8% to $917 million, driven by 4.3% organic sales growth and 1.5% favorable foreign exchange, with organic growth in both business segments Second quarter GAAP EPS of $0.70 compared to $0.57 in the prior year quarter Second quarter adjusted EPS grew 20% over the prior year to $0.96; exceeded adjusted EPS guidance of $0.89, primarily driven by better-than-expected organic volume growth Strong cash flow generation in the quarter supported $50 million of debt repayment; expect to repay a total of $100 to $150 million during the full year 2026 Increasing 2026 full year adjusted EPS guidance range to $3.10 to $3.25 from previous guidance of $2.93 to $3.17; updated full year adjusted EPS guidance range represents 10% to 15% growth over the prior year , /PRNewswire/ -- Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT), an innovator of materials solutions, today announced its second quarter results for 2026. Second quarter GAAP earnings per share (EPS) were $0.70 compared to $0.57 in the prior year quarter. 

The company noted that in the second quarter 2026, GAAP EPS includes special items of $0.09 and intangible amortization expense of $0.17 compared to special items of $0.07 and intangible amortization of $0.16 in the second quarter 2025 (see attachment 1).

Second quarter 2026 adjusted EPS was $0.96 compared to $0.80 in the prior year quarter, reflecting 20% growth in adjusted EPS over the prior year.

"Our teams delivered another quarter of strong execution, generating organic growth and adjusted EBITDA margin expansion in each of our two business segments. By remaining close to our customers, proactively managing inflation and supply chain disruptions, we delivered profitable growth across the portfolio," said Dr. Ashish Khandpur, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Avient Corporation. 

"Organic sales growth was driven by a combination of market share gains, new product innovation, and pricing actions.  Our performance reflects the team's execution of our strategy to intersect Avient's capabilities with high growth secular trends while driving productivity improvements to enable both top-line growth and margin expansion.  As a result, organic sales grew 4.3% and adjusted EBITDA margins expanded by 110 basis points to a record high 18.3%." added Dr. Khandpur.

2026 Outlook

"Our teams once again demonstrated strong operational discipline to manage a volatile business environment while executing our strategy to drive long-term value creation. Supported by our year-to-date results and visibility into third quarter demand, we are increasing our full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance to $575 to $603 million and adjusted EPS guidance to $3.10 to $3.25, representing 10% to 15% adjusted EPS growth for the year," said Joe Di Salvo, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

"Strong cash generation continues to support both investment in growth and balance sheet improvement. We expect to repay a total of $100 to $150 million of debt during 2026, including $50 million repaid during the second quarter," said Mr. Di Salvo. 

Dr. Khandpur added, "Our strategy continues to produce strong financial results, delivering earnings growth in both 2024 and 2025 and positioning us to deliver double-digit adjusted EPS growth in 2026. As we look ahead, we remain focused on balancing strong near-term execution and financial performance with targeted investments in our prioritized growth portfolios, while continuing to serve our customers with innovation, quality, and reliability that underpin long-term value creation."

Webcast Details

Avient will provide additional details on its 2026 second quarter and its 2026 full year outlook during its webcast scheduled for 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on August 6, 2026.

The webcast can be viewed live at avient.com/investors, or by clicking on the webcast link here. Conference call participants in the question and answer session should pre-register using the link at avient.com/investors, or here, to receive the dial-in number and personal PIN.  This information is required to access the conference call.  The question-and-answer session will follow the company's presentation and prepared remarks.

A recording of the webcast and the slide presentation will be available at avient.com/investors/events-presentations immediately following the conference call and will be accessible for one year.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company uses both GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) and non-GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP financial measures include organic performance (which excludes the impact of foreign exchange), adjusted EPS, adjusted operating income, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margins, free cash flow and adjusted free cash flow. Avient's chief operating decision maker uses these financial measures to monitor and evaluate the ongoing performance of the Company and each business segment and to allocate resources.

The Company does not provide reconciliations of forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures, such as adjusted EPS, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow, to the most comparable GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis because the Company is unable to provide a meaningful or accurate calculation or estimation of reconciling items, and the information is not available without unreasonable effort. This is due to the inherent difficulty of forecasting the timing and amount of certain items, such as, but not limited to, environmental remediation costs and associated recoveries, mark-to-market adjustments on pension and other post-retirement obligations, acquisition-related charges, and other non-routine costs. Each of such adjustments has not yet occurred, are out of the Company's control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted. For the same reasons, the Company is unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information.

To access Avient's news library online, please visit www.avient.com/news.

About Avient

Our purpose at Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT) is to be an innovator of materials solutions that help our customers succeed, while enabling a sustainable world.  Our local touch and customer engagement, combined with our global presence, allows us to serve customers with agility.  We harness the collective strength of more than 9,000 employees worldwide to collaborate and build on each other's ideas.  In doing so, we innovate solutions that help our customers overcome their challenges or capitalize on opportunities provided by the fast-changing world and secular trends. Our expanding portfolio of offerings includes colorants, advanced composites, functional additives, engineered materials, and Dyneema®, the world's strongest fiber™.  By intersecting our broad portfolio of technologies with the product roadmaps of our customers, we help create differentiated and high-performance products that make the world better and more sustainable. Visit www.avient.com to learn more.

Forward-looking Statements

In this press release, statements that are not reported financial results or other historical information are "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 a number of business risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. They use words such as "will," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial condition, performance and/or sales. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the global credit markets that could adversely impact the availability of credit already arranged and the availability and cost of credit in the future; the effect on foreign operations of currency fluctuations, tariffs and other political, economic and regulatory risks; disruptions or inefficiencies in our supply chain, logistics, or operations; changes in laws and regulations in jurisdictions where we conduct business, including with respect to plastics and climate change; changes to foreign trade policy, including new or increased tariffs and changing import/export regulation; fluctuations in raw material prices, quality and supply, and in energy prices and supply; demand for our products and services; production outages or material costs associated with scheduled or unscheduled maintenance programs; unanticipated developments that could occur with respect to contingencies such as litigation and environmental matters; our ability to pay regular quarterly cash dividends and the amounts and timing of any future dividends; information systems failures, cybersecurity breaches and cyberattacks; our ability to service our indebtedness and restrictions on our current and future operations due to our indebtedness; amounts for cash and non-cash charges related to restructuring plans that may differ from original estimates, including because of timing changes associated with the underlying actions; and other factors affecting our business beyond our control, including without limitation, changes in the general economy, changes in interest rates, changes in the rate of inflation, geopolitical conflicts and any recessionary conditions. The above list of factors is not exhaustive.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in our reports on Form 10-Q, 8-K and 10-K that we provide to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Attachment 1

 Avient Corporation
Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income and Earnings Per Share (Unaudited)
(In millions, except per share data)

Senior management uses comparisons of adjusted net income attributable to Avient common shareholders and diluted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) attributable to Avient common shareholders, excluding special items, to assess performance and facilitate comparability of results. Further, as a result of Avient's strategic shift towards an innovator of materials solutions, it has completed several acquisitions and divestitures which have resulted in a significant amount of intangible asset amortization. Management excludes intangible asset amortization from adjusted EPS as it believes excluding acquired intangible asset amortization is a useful measure of current period earnings per share. Senior management believes these measures are useful to investors because they allow for comparison to Avient's performance in prior periods without the effect of items that, by their nature, tend to obscure Avient's operating results due to the potential variability across periods based on timing, frequency and magnitude. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation from, or solely as alternatives to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Below is a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. See Attachment 3 for a definition and summary of special items.

Three Months Ended June 30,

2026

2025

Reconciliation to Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

$

EPS(1) 

$

EPS(1) 

Net income attributable to Avient common shareholders

$     64.8

$     0.70

$     52.6

$     0.57

Special items, after-tax (Attachment 3)

8.2

0.09

5.7

0.07

Amortization expense, after-tax

15.3

0.17

15.2

0.16

Adjusted net income / EPS

$     88.3

$     0.96

$     73.5

$     0.80

(1) Per share amounts may not recalculate from figures presented herein due to rounding

Six Months Ended June 30,

2026

2025

Reconciliation to Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

$

EPS(1) 

$

EPS(1) 

Net income attributable to Avient common shareholders

$    120.5

$     1.31

$     32.4

$     0.35

Special items, after-tax (Attachment 3)

13.7

0.15

81.4

0.89

Amortization expense, after-tax

30.8

0.33

29.7

0.32

Adjusted net income / EPS

$    165.0

$     1.79

$    143.5

$     1.56

(1) Per share amounts may not recalculate from figures presented herein due to rounding

Year Ended

December 31, 2025

Reconciliation to Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

$

EPS(1) 

Net income attributable to Avient common shareholders

$         81.9

$         0.89

Special items, after-tax

116.4

1.27

Amortization expense, after-tax

60.7

0.66

Adjusted net income / EPS

$       259.0

$         2.82

(1) Per share amounts may not recalculate from figures presented herein due to rounding

Attachment 2

Avient Corporation
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)
(In millions, except per share data) 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30,

2026

2025

2026

2025

Sales

$     917.0

$     866.5

$   1,764.4

$   1,693.1

Cost of sales

609.4

588.6

1,184.2

1,152.0

Gross margin

307.6

277.9

580.2

541.1

Selling and administrative expense

195.2

181.8

372.0

444.3

Operating income

112.4

96.1

208.2

96.8

Interest expense, net

(22.3)

(24.7)

(44.3)

(51.6)

Other expense, net

(1.0)

(0.5)

(2.5)

(0.9)

Income before income taxes

89.1

70.9

161.4

44.3

Income tax expense

(23.4)

(17.4)

(39.9)

(10.7)

Net income

$      65.7

$      53.5

$     121.5

$      33.6

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

(0.9)

(0.9)

(1.0)

(1.2)

Net income attributable to Avient common shareholders

$      64.8

$      52.6

$     120.5

$      32.4

Earnings per share attributable to Avient common shareholders - Basic:

$      0.71

$      0.57

$      1.31

$      0.35

Earnings per share attributable to Avient common shareholders - Diluted:

$      0.70

$      0.57

$      1.31

$      0.35

Cash dividends declared per share of common stock

$   0.2750

$   0.2700

$   0.5500

$   0.5400

Weighted-average shares used to compute earnings per common share:

Basic

91.7

91.5

91.7

91.5

Diluted

92.2

91.8

92.2

91.8

Attachment 3

Avient Corporation

Summary of Special Items (Unaudited)

(In millions, except per share data)

Special items (1)

Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2026

2025

2026

2025

Cost of sales:

Restructuring costs, including accelerated depreciation

$      (1.6)

$      (2.6)

$      (4.8)

$      (6.7)

Environmental remediation costs

(4.7)

(1.8)

(8.6)

(6.7)

Reimbursement of previously incurred environmental costs

—

0.6

0.3

1.9

Impact on cost of sales

(6.3)

(3.8)

(13.1)

(11.5)

Selling and administrative expense:

Restructuring and employee separation costs

(0.7)

(2.7)

(1.5)

(7.8)

Legal and other

(2.3)

(0.5)

(3.6)

(0.9)

Cloud-based enterprise resource planning system impairment

—

—

—

(86.3)

Impact on selling and administrative expense

(3.0)

(3.2)

(5.1)

(95.0)

Impact on operating income

(9.3)

(7.0)

(18.2)

(106.5)

Interest expense, net - financing costs

—

(0.3)

—

(2.0)

Impact on income before income taxes

(9.3)

(7.3)

(18.2)

(108.5)

Income tax benefit on special items

1.8

1.6

3.8

27.1

Tax adjustments(2)

(0.7)

—

0.7

—

Impact of special items on net income

$      (8.2)

$      (5.7)

$     (13.7)

$     (81.4)

Diluted earnings per common share impact

$     (0.09)

$     (0.07)

$     (0.15)

$     (0.89)

Weighted average shares used to compute adjusted earnings per share:

Diluted

92.2

91.8

92.2

91.8

(1)

Special items include charges related to specific strategic initiatives or financial restructuring such as: consolidation of operations; debt extinguishment costs; costs incurred directly in relation to acquisitions or divestitures; employee separation costs resulting from personnel reduction programs, plant realignment costs, executive separation agreements; asset impairments; settlement gains or losses and mark-to-market adjustments associated with gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans; environmental remediation costs, fines, penalties and related insurance recoveries related to facilities no longer owned or closed in prior years; gains and losses on facility or property sales or disposals; results of litigation, fines or penalties, where such litigation (or action relating to the fines or penalties) arose prior to the commencement of the performance period; one-time, non-recurring items; and the effect of changes in accounting principles or other such laws or provisions affecting reported results.

(2)

Tax adjustments include the net tax impact from non-recurring income tax items and certain adjustments to uncertain tax position reserves and valuation allowances.

Attachment 4

Avient Corporation

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In millions)

(Unaudited)

June 30, 2026

December 31, 2025

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$                425.6

$                510.5

Accounts receivable, net

553.5

435.0

Inventories, net

443.0

367.2

Other current assets

111.3

88.2

Total current assets

1,533.4

1,400.9

Property, net

961.9

988.8

Goodwill

1,737.6

1,757.6

Intangible assets, net

1,420.8

1,492.4

Other non-current assets

351.1

385.9

Total assets

$             6,004.8

$             6,025.6

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Short-term and current portion of long-term debt

$                  0.5

$                  0.5

Accounts payable

474.7

410.0

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

331.7

435.8

Total current liabilities

806.9

846.3

Non-current liabilities:

Long-term debt

1,875.3

1,922.6

Deferred income taxes

278.1

285.7

Other non-current liabilities

594.5

584.7

Total non-current liabilities

2,747.9

2,793.0

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Avient shareholders' equity

2,436.9

2,374.2

Noncontrolling interest

13.1

12.1

Total equity

2,450.0

2,386.3

Total liabilities and equity

$             6,004.8

$             6,025.6

Attachment 5

Avient Corporation

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)

(In millions)

Six Months Ended

June 30,

2026

2025

Operating activities

Net income

$     121.5

$      33.6

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization

96.7

91.9

Cloud-based enterprise resource planning system impairment

—

71.6

Share-based compensation expense

4.1

4.6

Changes in assets and liabilities:

Increase in accounts receivable

(124.8)

(102.9)

Increase in inventories

(80.5)

(20.8)

Increase in accounts payable

69.0

1.4

(Decrease) increase in restructuring obligations

(11.1)

3.2

Decrease in incentive accruals

(2.3)

(40.6)

Environmental insurance recovery

—

34.0

Accrued expenses and other assets and liabilities, net

(13.3)

(14.3)

Net cash provided by operating activities

59.3

61.7

Investing activities

Capital expenditures

(41.3)

(39.5)

Net cash used in investing activities

(41.3)

(39.5)

Financing activities

Cash dividends paid

(50.4)

(49.4)

Payments on long-term borrowings

(50.0)

(50.2)

Other financing activities

(2.6)

(6.8)

Net cash used in financing activities

(103.0)

(106.4)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

0.1

14.2

Decrease in cash and cash equivalents

(84.9)

(70.0)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

510.5

544.5

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

425.6

474.5

Attachment 6

Avient Corporation

Business Segment Operations (Unaudited)

(In millions)

Operating income and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) at the segment level does not include: special items as defined in Attachment 3; corporate general and administration costs that are not allocated to segments; intersegment sales and profit eliminations; share-based compensation costs; and certain other items that are not included in the measure of segment profit and loss that is reported to and reviewed by the chief operating decision maker. These costs are included in Corporate.

Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30,

2026

2025

2026

2025

Sales:

   Color, Additives and Inks

$     574.2

$     538.6

$   1,102.3

$   1,058.3

   Specialty Engineered Materials

343.9

329.7

664.1

638.1

   Corporate

(1.1)

(1.8)

(2.0)

(3.3)

      Sales

$     917.0

$     866.5

$   1,764.4

$   1,693.1

Gross margin:

   Color, Additives and Inks

$     205.2

$     188.0

$     383.9

$     361.1

   Specialty Engineered Materials

109.3

93.8

209.9

191.6

   Corporate

(6.9)

(3.9)

(13.6)

(11.6)

      Gross margin

$     307.6

$     277.9

$     580.2

$     541.1

Selling and administrative expense:

   Color, Additives and Inks

$     103.4

$      97.7

$     200.7

$     192.2

   Specialty Engineered Materials

56.6

53.6

109.8

104.3

   Corporate

35.2

30.5

61.5

147.8

      Selling and administrative expense

$     195.2

$     181.8

$     372.0

$     444.3

Operating income:

   Color, Additives and Inks

$     101.8

$      90.3

$     183.2

$     168.9

   Specialty Engineered Materials

52.7

40.2

100.1

87.3

   Corporate

(42.1)

(34.4)

(75.1)

(159.4)

      Operating income

$     112.4

$      96.1

$     208.2

$      96.8

Depreciation & amortization:

Color, Additives and Inks

$      22.7

$      22.4

$      45.1

$      44.1

Specialty Engineered Materials

23.1

22.4

45.7

43.9

Corporate

2.8

1.8

5.9

3.9

Depreciation & amortization

$      48.6

$      46.6

$      96.7

$      91.9

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization
(EBITDA):

   Color, Additives and Inks

$     124.5

$     112.7

$     228.3

$     213.0

   Specialty Engineered Materials

75.8

62.6

145.8

131.2

   Corporate

(39.3)

(32.6)

(69.2)

(155.5)

Other expense, net

(1.0)

(0.5)

(2.5)

(0.9)

EBITDA

$     160.0

$     142.2

$     302.4

$     187.8

Special items, before tax

9.3

7.3

18.2

108.5

Interest expense included in special items

—

(0.3)

—

(2.0)

Depreciation & amortization included in special items

(1.1)

(0.3)

(2.5)

(0.7)

Adjusted EBITDA

$     168.2

$     148.9

$     318.1

$     293.6

Attachment 7

Avient Corporation

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited)

(In millions, except per share data)

Senior management uses operating income before special items to assess performance and allocate resources because senior management believes that this measure is most useful in understanding current profitability levels and how it may serve as a basis for future performance. In addition, operating income before the effect of special items is a component of Avient's annual incentive plans and is used in debt covenant computations. Senior management believes this measure is useful to investors because it allows for comparison to Avient's performance in prior periods without the effect of items that, by their nature, tend to obscure Avient's operating results due to the potential variability across periods based on timing, frequency and magnitude. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation from, or solely as alternatives to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Below is a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.  See Attachment 3 for a definition and summary of special items.

Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30,

Reconciliation to Condensed Consolidated Statements of
Income

2026

2025

2026

2025

Sales

$  917.0

$  866.5

$ 1,764.4

$ 1,693.1

Gross margin - GAAP

307.6

277.9

580.2

541.1

Special items in gross margin (Attachment 3)

6.3

3.8

13.1

11.5

Adjusted gross margin

$  313.9

$  281.7

$  593.3

$  552.6

Adjusted gross margin as a percent of sales

34.2 %

32.5 %

33.6 %

32.6 %

Operating income - GAAP

112.4

96.1

208.2

96.8

Special items in operating income (Attachment 3)

9.3

7.0

18.2

106.5

Adjusted operating income

$  121.7

$  103.1

$  226.4

$  203.3

Adjusted operating income as a percent of sales

13.3 %

11.9 %

12.8 %

12.0 %

Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30,

Reconciliation to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

2026

2025

2026

2025

Net income - GAAP

$    65.7

$    53.5

$  121.5

$    33.6

Income tax expense

23.4

17.4

39.9

10.7

Interest expense, net

22.3

24.7

44.3

51.6

Depreciation & amortization

48.6

46.6

96.7

91.9

EBITDA

$  160.0

$  142.2

$  302.4

$  187.8

Special items, before tax

9.3

7.3

18.2

108.5

Interest expense included in special items

—

(0.3)

—

(2.0)

Depreciation & amortization included in special items

(1.1)

(0.3)

(2.5)

(0.7)

Adjusted EBITDA 

$  168.2

$  148.9

$  318.1

$  293.6

Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of sales

18.3 %

17.2 %

18.0 %

17.3 %

Attachment 7

Year Ended

December 31,

Reconciliation to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

2025

Net income – GAAP

$       83.6

Income tax expense

28.1

Interest expense, net

98.6

Depreciation & amortization

185.9

EBITDA

$     396.2

Special items, before tax

152.2

Interest expense included in special items

(2.0)

Depreciation & amortization included in special items

(1.8)

Adjusted EBITDA

$     544.6

Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of sales

16.7 %

SOURCE Avient Corporation

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.

Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.

Based in Avon Lake, Avient (AVNT - Free Report) is in the Basic Materials sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of 15.59%. Currently paying a dividend of $0.28 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 3.05%. In comparison, the Chemical - Diversified industry's yield is 1.66%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.35%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.10 is up 1.4% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Avient has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 6.00%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Avient's current payout ratio is 38%, meaning it paid out 38% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, AVNT expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $3.08 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 9.22%.

Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout.

Big, established firms that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options, but it's fairly uncommon to see high-growth businesses or tech start-ups offer their stockholders a dividend. Income investors have to be mindful of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, AVNT presents a compelling investment opportunity; it's not only an attractive dividend play, but the stock also boasts a strong Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.

Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader market. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

Luckily, Zacks has developed its own Style Scores system in an effort to find stocks with specific traits. Value investors will be interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with both "A" grades in the Value category and high Zacks Ranks are among the strongest value stocks on the market right now.

One stock to keep an eye on is Avient (AVNT - Free Report) . AVNT is currently holding a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 11.51. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 13.24. AVNT's Forward P/E has been as high as 18.10 and as low as 9.82, with a median of 13.31, all within the past year.

We should also highlight that AVNT has a P/B ratio of 1.36. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks attractive against its industry's average P/B of 2.10. Over the past year, AVNT's P/B has been as high as 2.04 and as low as 1.14, with a median of 1.54.

Another great Chemical - Diversified stock you could consider is Chemours (CC - Free Report) , which is a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) stock with a Value Score of A.

Additionally, Chemours has a P/B ratio of 10.65 while its industry's price-to-book ratio sits at 2.10. For CC, this valuation metric has been as high as 10.98, as low as 2.42, with a median of 4.32 over the past year.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in Avient and Chemours's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that AVNT and CC is an impressive value stock right now.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Jul 18th, 2026

Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC reduced its holdings in Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT – Free Report) by 13.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,981,810 shares of the company’s stock after selling 450,427 shares during the quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC owned 3.25% of Avient worth $108,538,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Avient by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 10,218,398 shares of the company’s stock worth $319,223,000 after buying an additional 77,246 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of Avient by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 4,781,099 shares of the company’s stock valued at $149,363,000 after purchasing an additional 27,251 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Avient by 11.1% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 4,090,286 shares of the company’s stock valued at $127,781,000 after purchasing an additional 410,112 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Avient by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,283,321 shares of the company’s stock worth $71,341,000 after purchasing an additional 11,801 shares during the period. Finally, Channing Capital Management LLC raised its position in Avient by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Channing Capital Management LLC now owns 2,102,982 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,697,000 after purchasing an additional 7,161 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.48% of the company’s stock.

Avient Stock Performance Shares of AVNT opened at $36.96 on Friday. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $35.91 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $36.54. The company has a quick ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. Avient Corporation has a 52 week low of $27.48 and a 52 week high of $44.85. The stock has a market cap of $3.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.49, a PEG ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.27.

Avient (NYSE:AVNT – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $0.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.81 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $847.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $846.35 million. Avient had a return on equity of 11.11% and a net margin of 4.81%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.76 EPS. Avient has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.890-0.890 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.930-3.170 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Avient Corporation will post 3.08 EPS for the current year.

Avient Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Friday, September 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.275 per share. This represents a $1.10 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 11th. Avient’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 63.95%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of research firms have issued reports on AVNT. Robert W. Baird set a $43.00 price objective on shares of Avient in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Avient in a research report on Wednesday, May 13th. Truist Financial initiated coverage on Avient in a report on Monday, June 8th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $44.00 price objective for the company. Finally, UBS Group set a $44.00 price objective on Avient in a research report on Monday, June 8th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $45.71.

Read Our Latest Research Report on Avient

Avient Company Profile (Free Report)

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.

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