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Side-by-side financial comparison of ASHLAND INC. (ASH) and Principal Financial Group (PFG). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Principal Financial Group is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($750.8M vs $386.0M, roughly 1.9× ASHLAND INC.). Principal Financial Group runs the higher net margin — 0.3% vs -3.1%, a 3.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Principal Financial Group posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.0% vs -4.7%). Over the past eight quarters, ASHLAND INC.'s revenue compounded faster (-18.1% CAGR vs -58.3%).

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.

Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) is an American global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, United States.

ASH vs PFG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PFG
PFG
1.9× larger
PFG
$750.8M
$386.0M
ASH
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
PFG
PFG
+8.7% gap
PFG
4.0%
-4.7%
ASH
Higher net margin
PFG
PFG
3.4% more per $
PFG
0.3%
-3.1%
ASH
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ASH
ASH
Annualised
ASH
-18.1%
-58.3%
PFG

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Revenue
$386.0M
$750.8M
Net Profit
$-12.0M
$1.9M
Gross Margin
27.2%
Operating Margin
-1.6%
Net Margin
-3.1%
0.3%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
4.0%
Net Profit YoY
92.7%
783.0%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.26

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
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
$750.8M
Q4 25
$386.0M
$4.6B
Q3 25
$477.0M
$3.7B
Q2 25
$463.0M
$3.7B
Q1 25
$479.0M
$3.7B
Q4 24
$405.0M
$4.8B
Q3 24
$521.0M
$3.0B
Q2 24
$544.0M
$4.3B
Net Profit
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
$1.9M
Q4 25
$-12.0M
$517.0M
Q3 25
$31.0M
$213.8M
Q2 25
$-742.0M
$406.2M
Q1 25
$31.0M
$48.1M
Q4 24
$-165.0M
$905.4M
Q3 24
$17.0M
$-220.0M
Q2 24
$6.0M
$353.1M
Gross Margin
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
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
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
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
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
0.3%
Q4 25
-3.1%
11.3%
Q3 25
6.5%
5.8%
Q2 25
-160.3%
11.1%
Q1 25
6.5%
1.3%
Q4 24
-40.7%
19.1%
Q3 24
3.3%
-7.3%
Q2 24
1.1%
8.2%
EPS (diluted)
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-0.26
$2.30
Q3 25
$0.83
$0.95
Q2 25
$-16.21
$1.79
Q1 25
$0.65
$0.21
Q4 24
$-3.50
$3.92
Q3 24
$0.34
$-0.95
Q2 24
$0.12
$1.49

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

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

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$304.0M
$4.4B
Q3 25
$215.0M
$5.1B
Q2 25
$207.0M
$3.7B
Q1 25
$168.0M
$3.9B
Q4 24
$219.0M
$4.2B
Q3 24
$300.0M
$6.2B
Q2 24
$399.0M
$4.8B
Total Debt
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.4B
$3.9B
Q3 25
$1.4B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$1.4B
$3.9B
Q1 25
$1.3B
$4.3B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$4.0B
Q3 24
$1.3B
$3.9B
Q2 24
$1.3B
$3.9B
Stockholders' Equity
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.9B
$11.9B
Q3 25
$1.9B
$11.7B
Q2 25
$1.9B
$11.4B
Q1 25
$2.6B
$11.2B
Q4 24
$2.6B
$11.1B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$11.2B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$11.0B
Total Assets
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$4.5B
$341.4B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$334.5B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$323.1B
Q1 25
$5.2B
$313.0B
Q4 24
$5.2B
$313.7B
Q3 24
$5.6B
$322.9B
Q2 24
$5.7B
$308.8B
Debt / Equity
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.74×
0.33×
Q3 25
0.73×
0.34×
Q2 25
0.73×
0.34×
Q1 25
0.52×
0.39×
Q4 24
0.51×
0.36×
Q3 24
0.47×
0.35×
Q2 24
0.45×
0.36×

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
PFG
PFG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$125.0M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$111.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
28.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$200.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$125.0M
$1.7B
Q3 25
$40.0M
$1.0B
Q2 25
$115.0M
$811.9M
Q1 25
$9.0M
$977.3M
Q4 24
$-30.0M
$1.5B
Q3 24
$80.0M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$127.0M
$1.4B
Free Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
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
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
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
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
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
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
3.37×
Q3 25
1.29×
4.70×
Q2 25
2.00×
Q1 25
0.29×
20.32×
Q4 24
1.61×
Q3 24
4.71×
Q2 24
21.17×
4.05×

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%

PFG
PFG

Segment breakdown not available.

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