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Side-by-side financial comparison of ASHLAND INC. (ASH) and e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($489.5M vs $386.0M, roughly 1.3× ASHLAND INC.). e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 8.0% vs -3.1%, a 11.2% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (37.8% vs -4.7%). ASHLAND INC. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($111.0M vs $52.8M).

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.

e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. is an American cosmetics brand based in Oakland, California. It was founded by Joseph Shamah and Scott Vincent Borba in 2004. The company sells items include bath and skin-care products, mineral-based makeup, professional tools, eyeliners, lipstick, glosses, blushes, bronzers, brushes and mascara. Its products are sold in 18 countries and in several stores including Target, Kmart, Dollar General and Walmart. Over half the company's sales come from its website, which is als...

ASH vs ELF — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ELF
ELF
1.3× larger
ELF
$489.5M
$386.0M
ASH
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ELF
ELF
+42.5% gap
ELF
37.8%
-4.7%
ASH
Higher net margin
ELF
ELF
11.2% more per $
ELF
8.0%
-3.1%
ASH
More free cash flow
ASH
ASH
$58.2M more FCF
ASH
$111.0M
$52.8M
ELF

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Revenue
$386.0M
$489.5M
Net Profit
$-12.0M
$39.4M
Gross Margin
27.2%
71.0%
Operating Margin
-1.6%
13.8%
Net Margin
-3.1%
8.0%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
37.8%
Net Profit YoY
92.7%
128.1%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.26
$0.65

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
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$386.0M
$489.5M
Q3 25
$477.0M
$343.9M
Q2 25
$463.0M
$353.7M
Q1 25
$479.0M
Q4 24
$405.0M
Q3 24
$521.0M
Q2 24
$544.0M
Q1 24
$575.0M
Net Profit
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$-12.0M
$39.4M
Q3 25
$31.0M
$3.0M
Q2 25
$-742.0M
$33.3M
Q1 25
$31.0M
Q4 24
$-165.0M
Q3 24
$17.0M
Q2 24
$6.0M
Q1 24
$120.0M
Gross Margin
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
27.2%
71.0%
Q3 25
33.3%
69.4%
Q2 25
28.5%
69.1%
Q1 25
30.7%
Q4 24
27.4%
Q3 24
33.2%
Q2 24
34.2%
Q1 24
28.0%
Operating Margin
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
-1.6%
13.8%
Q3 25
12.8%
2.2%
Q2 25
-152.9%
13.8%
Q1 25
10.6%
Q4 24
-44.2%
Q3 24
6.1%
Q2 24
-11.2%
Q1 24
3.7%
Net Margin
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
-3.1%
8.0%
Q3 25
6.5%
0.9%
Q2 25
-160.3%
9.4%
Q1 25
6.5%
Q4 24
-40.7%
Q3 24
3.3%
Q2 24
1.1%
Q1 24
20.9%
EPS (diluted)
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$-0.26
$0.65
Q3 25
$0.83
$0.05
Q2 25
$-16.21
$0.58
Q1 25
$0.65
Q4 24
$-3.50
Q3 24
$0.34
Q2 24
$0.12
Q1 24
$2.39

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$304.0M
$196.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.4B
$816.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$1.2B
Total Assets
$4.5B
$2.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.74×
0.70×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$304.0M
$196.8M
Q3 25
$215.0M
$194.4M
Q2 25
$207.0M
$170.0M
Q1 25
$168.0M
Q4 24
$219.0M
Q3 24
$300.0M
Q2 24
$399.0M
Q1 24
$439.0M
Total Debt
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$1.4B
$816.7M
Q3 25
$1.4B
$831.6M
Q2 25
$1.4B
$256.7M
Q1 25
$1.3B
Q4 24
$1.3B
Q3 24
$1.3B
Q2 24
$1.3B
Q1 24
$1.3B
Stockholders' Equity
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$1.9B
$1.2B
Q3 25
$1.9B
$1.1B
Q2 25
$1.9B
$804.9M
Q1 25
$2.6B
Q4 24
$2.6B
Q3 24
$2.9B
Q2 24
$3.0B
Q1 24
$3.1B
Total Assets
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$4.5B
$2.3B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$5.2B
Q4 24
$5.2B
Q3 24
$5.6B
Q2 24
$5.7B
Q1 24
$5.9B
Debt / Equity
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
0.74×
0.70×
Q3 25
0.73×
0.73×
Q2 25
0.73×
0.32×
Q1 25
0.52×
Q4 24
0.51×
Q3 24
0.47×
Q2 24
0.45×
Q1 24
0.42×

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
ELF
ELF
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$125.0M
$59.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$111.0M
$52.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
28.8%
10.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.6%
1.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.51×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$200.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$125.0M
$59.4M
Q3 25
$40.0M
$23.4M
Q2 25
$115.0M
$27.2M
Q1 25
$9.0M
Q4 24
$-30.0M
Q3 24
$80.0M
Q2 24
$127.0M
Q1 24
$54.0M
Free Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
$111.0M
$52.8M
Q3 25
$6.0M
$16.6M
Q2 25
$95.0M
$20.1M
Q1 25
$-12.0M
Q4 24
$-53.0M
Q3 24
$42.0M
Q2 24
$98.0M
Q1 24
$20.0M
FCF Margin
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
28.8%
10.8%
Q3 25
1.3%
4.8%
Q2 25
20.5%
5.7%
Q1 25
-2.5%
Q4 24
-13.1%
Q3 24
8.1%
Q2 24
18.0%
Q1 24
3.5%
Capex Intensity
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
3.6%
1.4%
Q3 25
7.1%
2.0%
Q2 25
4.3%
2.0%
Q1 25
4.4%
Q4 24
5.7%
Q3 24
7.3%
Q2 24
5.3%
Q1 24
5.9%
Cash Conversion
ASH
ASH
ELF
ELF
Q4 25
1.51×
Q3 25
1.29×
7.82×
Q2 25
0.82×
Q1 25
0.29×
Q4 24
Q3 24
4.71×
Q2 24
21.17×
Q1 24
0.45×

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%

ELF
ELF

Segment breakdown not available.

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