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Ascent Industries Co. (ACNT)
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Ascent Industries (ACNT) AI Stock Analysis

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ACNT

Ascent Industries

(NASDAQ:ACNT)

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Neutral 54 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:54Neutral
Price Target:
$13.00
▲(8.70% Upside)
Ascent Industries' overall stock score reflects a challenging financial environment with declining revenues and profitability issues. Despite positive earnings call highlights, such as improved margins and a strong cash position, the high P/E ratio and operational inefficiencies weigh heavily on the score. Technical indicators suggest neutral momentum, adding little support to the stock's attractiveness.

Ascent Industries (ACNT) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Ascent Industries Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionAscent Industries (ACNT) is a diversified holding company that operates across multiple sectors including manufacturing, technology, and renewable energy. With a focus on innovation and sustainability, Ascent Industries develops and supplies a range of products and services designed to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact. The company's core offerings include advanced manufacturing solutions, smart technology systems, and clean energy products that cater to various industries such as automotive, aerospace, and construction.
How the Company Makes MoneyAscent Industries generates revenue through several key streams. Primarily, the company earns income from the sale of its manufacturing solutions, which includes customized equipment and production systems tailored to client specifications. Additionally, ACNT capitalizes on its technology division by offering software solutions and smart devices that enhance operational efficiency for businesses. The renewable energy sector contributes significantly to its earnings through the production and installation of solar panels and wind turbines. Moreover, Ascent Industries has established strategic partnerships with industry leaders that provide access to new markets and collaborative projects, further enhancing its revenue potential. Government contracts and grants for sustainable initiatives also serve as a vital source of funding, supporting the company's commitment to renewable energy and innovation.

Ascent Industries Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 04, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 10, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call was generally positive, with significant sequential growth in revenue and improvements in gross margin. The company successfully implemented a new ERP system and achieved a high rate of customer conversion. While there was a year-over-year revenue decline and increased SG&A expenses, the company's strong cash position and strategic focus suggest ongoing momentum.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Sequential Revenue Growth
Revenue grew 6% sequentially to $19.7 million, demonstrating strong quarter-over-quarter performance.
Gross Margin Improvement
Gross profit rose 20% to $5.8 million, lifting margins 400 basis points to 30%, showing significant improvement in profitability.
ERP System Implementation
The successful implementation of a new ERP system was completed on time and on budget, enhancing operational efficiency.
High Customer Conversion Rate
49% of the $25 million in new projects added in Q2 converted into customer commitments by the end of Q3, highlighting strong market validation.
Strong Cash Position
Ended the quarter with $58 million of cash, no debt, and $13.7 million of incremental availability under the revolver.
Negative Updates
Year-over-Year Revenue Decline
Revenue from continuing operations was down 6% versus the third quarter of last year, primarily due to a low single-digit percentage decline in volume.
Increased SG&A Expenses
SG&A expenses were $6.3 million compared to $5 million in the prior year period, partially due to residual divestiture and legacy segment activity.
Company Guidance
In the Q3 2025 earnings call, Ascent Industries reported a sequential 6% revenue increase to $19.7 million, with gross profit rising 20% to $5.8 million, resulting in a gross margin expansion of 400 basis points to 30%. The company also transitioned from a modest loss to a positive adjusted EBITDA margin of 7%, with a quarter-over-quarter improvement of over $1.7 million. Ascent's strategic focus on cost structure optimization and disciplined pricing contributed to these gains. The company added $18.2 million of selling projects to its pipeline and converted nearly 49% of its Q2 pipeline into customer commitments by the end of Q3. Ascent also maintained a strong balance sheet with $58 million in cash, no debt, and $13.7 million in available credit, emphasizing organic growth and strategic capital allocation.

Ascent Industries Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Ascent Industries is facing financial challenges with declining revenues and profitability pressures. Despite an improved debt-to-equity ratio, the company struggles with negative EBIT and ROE, indicating operational inefficiencies. Cash flow stability is also a concern, with negative free cash flow growth.
Income Statement
45
Neutral
Ascent Industries has faced significant revenue decline, with a TTM revenue drop of 18.3%. Despite a slight improvement in gross profit margin to 21.8%, the company struggles with profitability, evidenced by a negative EBIT margin of -3.2% and a low net profit margin of 0.8%. The steel industry is highly competitive, and these figures suggest challenges in maintaining cost efficiency and market share.
Balance Sheet
55
Neutral
The company's debt-to-equity ratio has improved to 0.24, indicating better leverage management. However, the return on equity remains negative at -3.5%, reflecting ongoing profitability issues. The equity ratio stands at 72.6%, suggesting a solid capital structure, but the negative ROE highlights the need for improved operational performance.
Cash Flow
50
Neutral
Operating cash flow has decreased, with a TTM operating cash flow to net income ratio of 0.64, indicating moderate cash generation relative to net income. Free cash flow growth is negative at -35.4%, pointing to challenges in sustaining cash reserves. The free cash flow to net income ratio of 0.80 suggests some efficiency in converting income to cash, but overall cash flow stability is a concern.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue103.75M177.87M193.18M261.99M334.71M256.00M
Gross Profit22.68M22.11M1.53M43.29M60.77M22.65M
EBITDA2.54M2.78M-29.17M23.03M37.33M-19.26M
Net Income879.00K-13.60M-26.63M22.07M20.25M-27.27M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets119.89M147.25M163.29M269.04M266.00M206.98M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments58.04M16.11M1.85M1.44M2.02M236.00K
Total Debt21.45M33.27M32.83M102.88M102.74M94.19M
Total Liabilities32.80M53.70M55.88M134.78M154.41M126.69M
Stockholders Equity87.09M93.55M107.41M134.26M111.59M80.30M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow6.34M12.79M20.19M2.18M17.56M14.23M
Operating Cash Flow8.04M14.68M23.08M5.58M19.05M17.98M
Investing Cash Flow50.83M905.00K50.50M-4.97M-32.66M994.00K
Financing Cash Flow-9.38M-1.33M-73.17M-1.18M15.39M-19.36M

Ascent Industries Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price11.96
Price Trends
50DMA
12.37
Positive
100DMA
12.51
Positive
200DMA
12.40
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.11
Negative
RSI
66.16
Neutral
STOCH
77.49
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ACNT, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 11.96 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 12.27, below the 50-day MA of 12.37, and below the 200-day MA of 12.40, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.11 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 66.16 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 77.49 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ACNT.

Ascent Industries Risk Analysis

Ascent Industries disclosed 22 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Ascent Industries reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Ascent Industries Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
80
Outperform
$439.13M4.73413.24%20.14%303.10%425.35%
65
Neutral
$389.12M29.592.40%1.71%-5.64%-48.34%
64
Neutral
$148.46M17.348.47%0.77%8.72%43.14%
61
Neutral
$10.43B7.12-0.05%2.87%2.86%-36.73%
54
Neutral
$118.84M136.75-3.84%-29.03%
53
Neutral
$18.68M-35.84-0.69%-20.24%-119.83%
* Basic Materials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ACNT
Ascent Industries
13.09
3.67
38.96%
FRD
Friedman Industries
20.67
6.16
42.45%
ZEUS
Olympic Steel
33.84
-6.07
-15.21%
MSB
Mesabi Shs
34.60
14.15
69.19%
HUDI
Huadi International Group
1.25
-0.70
-35.90%
HLP
Hongli Group, Inc.
1.69
0.44
35.20%

Ascent Industries Corporate Events

Ascent Industries Co. Reports Positive Earnings Call
Nov 6, 2025

Ascent Industries Co. recently held its earnings call, revealing a generally positive sentiment. The company showcased significant sequential growth in revenue and improvements in gross margin. Despite a year-over-year revenue decline and increased SG&A expenses, Ascent’s strong cash position and strategic focus suggest ongoing momentum.

Ascent Industries Co. Reports Strong Q3 2025 Earnings
Nov 5, 2025

Ascent Industries Co. is a specialty chemicals company that focuses on developing, producing, and distributing performance-driven chemical solutions. In its latest earnings report for the third quarter of 2025, Ascent Industries Co. announced its strongest earnings performance since 2022, with significant improvements in gross profit and EBITDA margins. The company reported a gross profit increase of 94.2% year-over-year, reaching $5.8 million, and an adjusted EBITDA of $1.4 million, marking a substantial turnaround from a loss in the previous year. Despite a slight decline in net sales, the company managed to reduce its net loss significantly, showcasing effective cost management and strategic sourcing. Looking ahead, Ascent Industries Co. remains optimistic about its growth trajectory, driven by its Chemicals-as-a-Service model and a strong pipeline of opportunities, even amidst a challenging macroeconomic environment.

Stock BuybackRegulatory Filings and Compliance
Ascent Industries Initiates Stock Buyback Plan
Neutral
Sep 19, 2025

On September 19, 2025, Ascent Industries Co. implemented a trading plan under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, allowing for the repurchase of up to 350,000 shares based on specific price targets. This plan, effective from September 20 to November 4, 2025, enables the company to buy back shares during periods when it might otherwise be restricted due to trading blackout periods or insider trading laws. The plan involves a broker who will execute the repurchases under specified terms, and the company may adopt subsequent plans to continue its stock repurchase program. Information on these repurchases will be disclosed in the company’s periodic reports filed with the SEC.

The most recent analyst rating on (ACNT) stock is a Hold with a $12.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Ascent Industries stock, see the ACNT Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Ascent Industries Highlights Financial Growth in Presentation
Positive
Aug 26, 2025

On August 26, 2025, Ascent Industries Co. presented an investor presentation that highlighted the use of Non-GAAP financial measures to provide a more comprehensive view of its operations. The company emphasized the value of these measures for investors in assessing shareholder value. The presentation also noted the impact of the new management team, led by CEO Bryan Kitchen and CFO Ryan Kavalauskas, who have significantly improved the company’s financial performance since early 2024, including a 125% increase in Adjusted EBITDA and a 1,349% increase in gross profit. This strategic leadership has been pivotal in transforming Ascent Industries into a more focused specialty chemical company.

The most recent analyst rating on (ACNT) stock is a Hold with a $13.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Ascent Industries stock, see the ACNT Stock Forecast page.

Ascent Industries’ Earnings Call: Transformation Amid Challenges
Aug 8, 2025

Ascent Industries Co. recently held its earnings call, reflecting a significant transformation and restructuring success. The company reported notable improvements in revenue, margin, and strategic initiatives. However, it also acknowledged challenges from macroeconomic headwinds and ongoing costs related to idle facilities, presenting a balanced view of progress and challenges.

Ascent Industries Co. Reports Q2 2025 Financial Results
Aug 7, 2025

Ascent Industries Co., a specialty chemicals platform, focuses on the development, production, and distribution of tailored, performance-driven chemical solutions.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Nov 06, 2025