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Side-by-side financial comparison of ASHLAND INC. (ASH) and AvalonBay Communities (AVB). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

AvalonBay Communities is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($767.9M vs $386.0M, roughly 2.0× ASHLAND INC.). AvalonBay Communities runs the higher net margin — 9040.6% vs -3.1%, a 9043.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, AvalonBay Communities posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (3.7% vs -4.7%). AvalonBay Communities produced more free cash flow last quarter ($1.4B vs $111.0M). Over the past eight quarters, AvalonBay Communities's revenue compounded faster (3.8% CAGR vs -18.1%).

Ashland, Inc., is an American chemical company headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. The company began as an oil refinery in the city of Ashland, Kentucky, in 1924, before moving to Wilmington in 1994. The company has five wholly owned divisions, which include Chemical Intermediates and Solvents, composites, industrial specialties, personal and home care, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, and agriculture. Until 2017, the company was the primary manufacturer of Valvoline.

AvalonBay Communities, Inc. is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that invests in apartments.

ASH vs AVB — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AVB
AVB
2.0× larger
AVB
$767.9M
$386.0M
ASH
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AVB
AVB
+8.4% gap
AVB
3.7%
-4.7%
ASH
Higher net margin
AVB
AVB
9043.7% more per $
AVB
9040.6%
-3.1%
ASH
More free cash flow
AVB
AVB
$1.3B more FCF
AVB
$1.4B
$111.0M
ASH
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AVB
AVB
Annualised
AVB
3.8%
-18.1%
ASH

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Revenue
$386.0M
$767.9M
Net Profit
$-12.0M
$166.0M
Gross Margin
27.2%
Operating Margin
-1.6%
64.2%
Net Margin
-3.1%
9040.6%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
3.7%
Net Profit YoY
92.7%
-41.2%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.26
$1.18

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
$386.0M
$767.9M
Q3 25
$477.0M
$766.8M
Q2 25
$463.0M
$760.2M
Q1 25
$479.0M
$745.9M
Q4 24
$405.0M
$740.5M
Q3 24
$521.0M
$734.3M
Q2 24
$544.0M
$726.0M
Q1 24
$575.0M
$712.9M
Net Profit
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
$-12.0M
$166.0M
Q3 25
$31.0M
$381.3M
Q2 25
$-742.0M
$268.7M
Q1 25
$31.0M
$236.6M
Q4 24
$-165.0M
$282.1M
Q3 24
$17.0M
$372.5M
Q2 24
$6.0M
$253.9M
Q1 24
$120.0M
$173.4M
Gross Margin
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
27.2%
Q3 25
33.3%
Q2 25
28.5%
Q1 25
30.7%
Q4 24
27.4%
Q3 24
33.2%
Q2 24
34.2%
Q1 24
28.0%
Operating Margin
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
-1.6%
64.2%
Q3 25
12.8%
65.7%
Q2 25
-152.9%
67.6%
Q1 25
10.6%
68.5%
Q4 24
-44.2%
63.1%
Q3 24
6.1%
65.4%
Q2 24
-11.2%
66.6%
Q1 24
3.7%
67.2%
Net Margin
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
-3.1%
9040.6%
Q3 25
6.5%
49.7%
Q2 25
-160.3%
35.3%
Q1 25
6.5%
31.7%
Q4 24
-40.7%
38.1%
Q3 24
3.3%
50.7%
Q2 24
1.1%
35.0%
Q1 24
20.9%
24.3%
EPS (diluted)
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
$-0.26
$1.18
Q3 25
$0.83
$2.68
Q2 25
$-16.21
$1.88
Q1 25
$0.65
$1.66
Q4 24
$-3.50
$1.99
Q3 24
$0.34
$2.61
Q2 24
$0.12
$1.78
Q1 24
$2.39
$1.22

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$304.0M
$187.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.4B
$9.3B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$11.6B
Total Assets
$4.5B
$22.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.74×
0.80×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
$304.0M
$187.2M
Q3 25
$215.0M
$123.3M
Q2 25
$207.0M
$102.8M
Q1 25
$168.0M
$53.3M
Q4 24
$219.0M
$108.6M
Q3 24
$300.0M
$552.4M
Q2 24
$399.0M
$545.8M
Q1 24
$439.0M
$287.9M
Total Debt
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
$1.4B
$9.3B
Q3 25
$1.4B
$8.7B
Q2 25
$1.4B
$8.7B
Q1 25
$1.3B
$8.3B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$8.1B
Q3 24
$1.3B
$8.4B
Q2 24
$1.3B
$8.4B
Q1 24
$1.3B
$8.0B
Stockholders' Equity
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
$1.9B
$11.6B
Q3 25
$1.9B
$11.9B
Q2 25
$1.9B
$11.9B
Q1 25
$2.6B
$11.9B
Q4 24
$2.6B
$11.9B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$11.9B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$11.7B
Q1 24
$3.1B
$11.7B
Total Assets
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
$4.5B
$22.2B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$21.9B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$21.8B
Q1 25
$5.2B
$21.2B
Q4 24
$5.2B
$21.0B
Q3 24
$5.6B
$21.3B
Q2 24
$5.7B
$21.0B
Q1 24
$5.9B
$20.6B
Debt / Equity
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
0.74×
0.80×
Q3 25
0.73×
0.73×
Q2 25
0.73×
0.72×
Q1 25
0.52×
0.70×
Q4 24
0.51×
0.68×
Q3 24
0.47×
0.70×
Q2 24
0.45×
0.71×
Q1 24
0.42×
0.68×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$125.0M
$1.7B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$111.0M
$1.4B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
28.8%
183.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.6%
34.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
10.07×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$200.0M
$2.5B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
$125.0M
$1.7B
Q3 25
$40.0M
$477.0M
Q2 25
$115.0M
$377.8M
Q1 25
$9.0M
$415.9M
Q4 24
$-30.0M
$1.6B
Q3 24
$80.0M
$486.2M
Q2 24
$127.0M
$380.0M
Q1 24
$54.0M
$412.9M
Free Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
$111.0M
$1.4B
Q3 25
$6.0M
$402.2M
Q2 25
$95.0M
$317.1M
Q1 25
$-12.0M
$367.5M
Q4 24
$-53.0M
$1.4B
Q3 24
$42.0M
$434.2M
Q2 24
$98.0M
$333.0M
Q1 24
$20.0M
$375.4M
FCF Margin
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
28.8%
183.5%
Q3 25
1.3%
52.5%
Q2 25
20.5%
41.7%
Q1 25
-2.5%
49.3%
Q4 24
-13.1%
191.0%
Q3 24
8.1%
59.1%
Q2 24
18.0%
45.9%
Q1 24
3.5%
52.7%
Capex Intensity
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
3.6%
34.1%
Q3 25
7.1%
9.8%
Q2 25
4.3%
8.0%
Q1 25
4.4%
6.5%
Q4 24
5.7%
26.1%
Q3 24
7.3%
7.1%
Q2 24
5.3%
6.5%
Q1 24
5.9%
5.3%
Cash Conversion
ASH
ASH
AVB
AVB
Q4 25
10.07×
Q3 25
1.29×
1.25×
Q2 25
1.41×
Q1 25
0.29×
1.76×
Q4 24
5.70×
Q3 24
4.71×
1.31×
Q2 24
21.17×
1.50×
Q1 24
0.45×
2.38×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ASH
ASH

Personal Care And Household$123.0M32%
Other$120.0M31%
Specialty Additives$36.0M9%
Intermediates And Solvents$31.0M8%
Personal Care$30.0M8%
Life Sciences$27.0M7%
Intermediates$19.0M5%

AVB
AVB

Segment breakdown not available.

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