Ascent Industries (ACNT) AI Stock Analysis

• Market Cap: $141.69M
• Dividend Yield: N/A
• Average Volume (3M): 104.93K
• Price to Earnings (P/E): 163.0
• Beta (1Y): -0.03
• Revenue Growth: -29.03%
• EPS Growth: N/A
• Country: US
• Employees: 451
• Sector: Basic Materials
• Sector Strength: 58
• Industry: Steel
• EPS (TTM): -0.20
• Shares Outstanding: 9,364,814
• 10 Day Avg. Volume: 68,581
• 30 Day Avg. Volume: 104,929
• PEG Ratio: 0.06
• Price to Book (P/B): 1.21
• Price to Sales (P/S): 0.64
• P/FCF Ratio: 8.83
• Enterprise Value/Market Cap: 0.56
• Enterprise Value/Revenue: 0.77
• Enterprise Value/Gross Profit: 3.51
• Enterprise Value/Ebitda: 31.40
• 1Y Price Target: N/A
• Price Target Upside: N/A
• Rating Consensus: N/A
• Number of Analyst Covering: 0
• EPS Forecast (FY): 0.83
• Revenue Forecast (FY): $214.00M

• Rating: 61 Neutral
• Price Target: $16.00 ▲(11.89% Upside)

Ascent Industries' stock score reflects a mixed outlook. The most significant factor is the challenging financial performance, with declining revenues and profitability pressures. However, strong technical indicators and positive earnings call insights provide some optimism. The high P/E ratio suggests overvaluation, which tempers the overall score.

Positive Factors

New Business Program

The new business program is anticipated to grow revenue by 15%, with margins exceeding current averages, indicating strong future revenue potential and enhanced profitability.

ERP System Implementation

The ERP system enhances operational efficiency, supporting cost management and scalability, which are crucial for sustaining long-term profitability and competitive advantage.

Strong Cash Position

A strong cash position with no debt provides financial flexibility for strategic investments and resilience against market fluctuations, supporting long-term growth.

Negative Factors

Revenue Decline

The year-over-year revenue decline indicates challenges in maintaining market share and competitiveness, which could impact long-term growth and profitability.

Increased SG&A Expenses

Rising SG&A expenses highlight cost management challenges, potentially affecting margins and profitability if not addressed effectively over time.

Negative Free Cash Flow Growth

Negative free cash flow growth suggests difficulties in sustaining cash reserves, which could limit the company's ability to invest in growth opportunities and manage financial obligations.

Ascent Industries Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Description

Ascent Industries (ACNT) is a diversified company operating primarily in the manufacturing and technology sectors. The company specializes in producing advanced materials and components for various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and electronics. With a focus on innovation and sustainability, Ascent Industries offers a range of products such as high-performance composites, precision-engineered parts, and smart technology solutions designed to enhance operational efficiency and product performance.

How the Company Makes Money

Ascent Industries generates revenue through multiple streams, primarily from the sale of its advanced materials and components to OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) across its target sectors. The company has established long-term contracts with key clients, which provide a stable income base. Additionally, Ascent Industries invests in research and development to create innovative products that meet emerging market demands, thus expanding its product portfolio and attracting new customers. The company also engages in strategic partnerships with technology firms to co-develop solutions, further enhancing its market presence and revenue potential. Other significant revenue sources may include licensing agreements and consulting services related to material science and engineering expertise.

Ascent Industries Financial Statement Overview

Summary

Ascent Industries faces challenges with declining revenues and profitability pressures. Despite improved leverage, operational inefficiencies impact profitability and cash flow. The company needs to enhance cost management and revenue growth to stabilize its financial position.

Income Statement

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

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

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.

Breakdown	TTM	Dec 2024	Dec 2023	Dec 2022	Dec 2021	Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue	103.75M	177.87M	193.18M	261.99M	334.71M	256.00M
Gross Profit	22.68M	22.11M	1.53M	43.29M	60.77M	22.65M
EBITDA	2.54M	2.78M	-29.17M	23.03M	37.33M	-19.26M
Net Income	879.00K	-13.60M	-26.63M	22.07M	20.25M	-27.27M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets	119.89M	147.25M	163.29M	269.04M	266.00M	206.98M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments	58.04M	16.11M	1.85M	1.44M	2.02M	236.00K
Total Debt	21.45M	33.27M	32.83M	102.88M	102.74M	94.19M
Total Liabilities	32.80M	53.70M	55.88M	134.78M	154.41M	126.69M
Stockholders Equity	87.09M	93.55M	107.41M	134.26M	111.59M	80.30M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow	6.34M	12.79M	20.19M	2.18M	17.56M	14.23M
Operating Cash Flow	8.04M	14.68M	23.08M	5.58M	19.05M	17.98M
Investing Cash Flow	50.83M	905.00K	50.50M	-4.97M	-32.66M	994.00K
Financing Cash Flow	-9.38M	-1.33M	-73.17M	-1.18M	15.39M	-19.36M

Ascent Industries Technical Analysis

• Technical Analysis Sentiment: Positive
• Last Price: 14.30
• 50DMA: Positive
• 100DMA: Positive
• 200DMA: Positive
• MACD: Negative
• RSI: Negative
• STOCH: 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 14.3 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 13.57, above the 50-day MA of 12.83, and above the 200-day MA of 12.59, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.58 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 74.59 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 63.06 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ACNT.

Ascent Industries Peers Comparison

Name	Overall Rating	Market Cap	P/E Ratio	ROE	Dividend Yield	Revenue Growth	EPS Growth
MSB	80 Outperform	$439.13M	4.73	413.24%	21.93%	303.10%	425.35%
FRD	62 Neutral	$148.46M	17.34	8.47%	0.86%	8.72%	43.14%
Sector *	61 Neutral	$10.43B	7.12	-0.05%	2.87%	2.86%	-36.73%
ACNT	61 Neutral	$141.69M	163.04	-3.84%	―	-29.03%	―
ZEUS	61 Neutral	$437.72M	33.29	2.40%	1.64%	-5.64%	-48.34%
HUDI	53 Neutral	$18.68M	-35.84	-0.69%	―	-20.24%	-119.83%

Ascent Industries Corporate Events

Ascent Industries Co. Reports Positive Earnings Call

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

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.

Ascent Industries Initiates Stock Buyback Plan

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.

Ascent Industries Highlights Financial Growth in Presentation

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.