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Side-by-side financial comparison of ASHLAND INC. (ASH) and KULICKE & SOFFA INDUSTRIES INC (KLIC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

ASHLAND INC. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($386.0M vs $199.6M, roughly 1.9× KULICKE & SOFFA INDUSTRIES INC). KULICKE & SOFFA INDUSTRIES INC runs the higher net margin — 8.4% vs -3.1%, a 11.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, KULICKE & SOFFA INDUSTRIES INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (20.2% vs -4.7%). ASHLAND INC. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($111.0M vs $-11.6M).

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.

Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc. is a leading global provider of semiconductor packaging and assembly equipment, materials, and process solutions. It serves semiconductor manufacturers across automotive electronics, consumer devices, industrial systems, and high-performance computing markets, with core offerings covering wire bonding and advanced packaging technologies.

ASH vs KLIC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ASH
ASH
1.9× larger
ASH
$386.0M
$199.6M
KLIC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
KLIC
KLIC
+24.9% gap
KLIC
20.2%
-4.7%
ASH
Higher net margin
KLIC
KLIC
11.5% more per $
KLIC
8.4%
-3.1%
ASH
More free cash flow
ASH
ASH
$122.6M more FCF
ASH
$111.0M
$-11.6M
KLIC

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Revenue
$386.0M
$199.6M
Net Profit
$-12.0M
$16.8M
Gross Margin
27.2%
49.6%
Operating Margin
-1.6%
8.9%
Net Margin
-3.1%
8.4%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
20.2%
Net Profit YoY
92.7%
-79.4%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.26
$0.32

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
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
$199.6M
Q4 25
$386.0M
Q3 25
$477.0M
Q2 25
$463.0M
Q1 25
$479.0M
Q4 24
$405.0M
Q3 24
$521.0M
Q2 24
$544.0M
Net Profit
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
$16.8M
Q4 25
$-12.0M
Q3 25
$31.0M
Q2 25
$-742.0M
Q1 25
$31.0M
Q4 24
$-165.0M
Q3 24
$17.0M
Q2 24
$6.0M
Gross Margin
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
49.6%
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%
Operating Margin
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
8.9%
Q4 25
-1.6%
Q3 25
12.8%
Q2 25
-152.9%
Q1 25
10.6%
Q4 24
-44.2%
Q3 24
6.1%
Q2 24
-11.2%
Net Margin
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
8.4%
Q4 25
-3.1%
Q3 25
6.5%
Q2 25
-160.3%
Q1 25
6.5%
Q4 24
-40.7%
Q3 24
3.3%
Q2 24
1.1%
EPS (diluted)
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
$0.32
Q4 25
$-0.26
Q3 25
$0.83
Q2 25
$-16.21
Q1 25
$0.65
Q4 24
$-3.50
Q3 24
$0.34
Q2 24
$0.12

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$304.0M
$481.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.4B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$825.0M
Total Assets
$4.5B
$1.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.74×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
$481.1M
Q4 25
$304.0M
Q3 25
$215.0M
Q2 25
$207.0M
Q1 25
$168.0M
Q4 24
$219.0M
Q3 24
$300.0M
Q2 24
$399.0M
Total Debt
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.4B
Q3 25
$1.4B
Q2 25
$1.4B
Q1 25
$1.3B
Q4 24
$1.3B
Q3 24
$1.3B
Q2 24
$1.3B
Stockholders' Equity
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
$825.0M
Q4 25
$1.9B
Q3 25
$1.9B
Q2 25
$1.9B
Q1 25
$2.6B
Q4 24
$2.6B
Q3 24
$2.9B
Q2 24
$3.0B
Total Assets
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
$1.1B
Q4 25
$4.5B
Q3 25
$4.6B
Q2 25
$4.6B
Q1 25
$5.2B
Q4 24
$5.2B
Q3 24
$5.6B
Q2 24
$5.7B
Debt / Equity
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.74×
Q3 25
0.73×
Q2 25
0.73×
Q1 25
0.52×
Q4 24
0.51×
Q3 24
0.47×
Q2 24
0.45×

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
KLIC
KLIC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$125.0M
$-8.9M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$111.0M
$-11.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
28.8%
-5.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.6%
1.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-0.53×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$200.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
$-8.9M
Q4 25
$125.0M
Q3 25
$40.0M
Q2 25
$115.0M
Q1 25
$9.0M
Q4 24
$-30.0M
Q3 24
$80.0M
Q2 24
$127.0M
Free Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
$-11.6M
Q4 25
$111.0M
Q3 25
$6.0M
Q2 25
$95.0M
Q1 25
$-12.0M
Q4 24
$-53.0M
Q3 24
$42.0M
Q2 24
$98.0M
FCF Margin
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
-5.8%
Q4 25
28.8%
Q3 25
1.3%
Q2 25
20.5%
Q1 25
-2.5%
Q4 24
-13.1%
Q3 24
8.1%
Q2 24
18.0%
Capex Intensity
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
1.3%
Q4 25
3.6%
Q3 25
7.1%
Q2 25
4.3%
Q1 25
4.4%
Q4 24
5.7%
Q3 24
7.3%
Q2 24
5.3%
Cash Conversion
ASH
ASH
KLIC
KLIC
Q1 26
-0.53×
Q4 25
Q3 25
1.29×
Q2 25
Q1 25
0.29×
Q4 24
Q3 24
4.71×
Q2 24
21.17×

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%

KLIC
KLIC

Ball Bonding Equipment Segment$110.3M55%
Aftermarket Products And Services APS Segment Post Cessation$45.1M23%
Wedge Bonding Equipment Segment$21.1M11%
Automotiveand Industrial$13.6M7%
All Others Segment$11.4M6%

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