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Side-by-side financial comparison of ASHLAND INC. (ASH) and VIRTUS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, INC. (VRTS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

ASHLAND INC. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($386.0M vs $208.0M, roughly 1.9× VIRTUS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, INC.). VIRTUS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, INC. runs the higher net margin — 16.3% vs -3.1%, a 19.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ASHLAND INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-4.7% vs -10.9%). ASHLAND INC. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($111.0M vs $-74.1M). Over the past eight quarters, VIRTUS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (-3.2% 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.

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. is an American company which operates as a multi-manager asset management business, comprising a number of individual affiliated managers, each having its own investment process and brand, and the services of unaffiliated sub advisers.

ASH vs VRTS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ASH
ASH
1.9× larger
ASH
$386.0M
$208.0M
VRTS
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ASH
ASH
+6.2% gap
ASH
-4.7%
-10.9%
VRTS
Higher net margin
VRTS
VRTS
19.4% more per $
VRTS
16.3%
-3.1%
ASH
More free cash flow
ASH
ASH
$185.1M more FCF
ASH
$111.0M
$-74.1M
VRTS
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
VRTS
VRTS
Annualised
VRTS
-3.2%
-18.1%
ASH

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Revenue
$386.0M
$208.0M
Net Profit
$-12.0M
$33.9M
Gross Margin
27.2%
Operating Margin
-1.6%
19.1%
Net Margin
-3.1%
16.3%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
-10.9%
Net Profit YoY
92.7%
-14.2%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.26
$5.15

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
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
$386.0M
$208.0M
Q3 25
$477.0M
$216.4M
Q2 25
$463.0M
$210.5M
Q1 25
$479.0M
$217.9M
Q4 24
$405.0M
$233.5M
Q3 24
$521.0M
$227.0M
Q2 24
$544.0M
$224.4M
Q1 24
$575.0M
$222.0M
Net Profit
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
$-12.0M
$33.9M
Q3 25
$31.0M
$31.3M
Q2 25
$-742.0M
$42.7M
Q1 25
$31.0M
$28.1M
Q4 24
$-165.0M
$39.5M
Q3 24
$17.0M
$49.1M
Q2 24
$6.0M
$26.0M
Q1 24
$120.0M
$37.9M
Gross Margin
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
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
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
-1.6%
19.1%
Q3 25
12.8%
21.7%
Q2 25
-152.9%
21.5%
Q1 25
10.6%
16.8%
Q4 24
-44.2%
21.7%
Q3 24
6.1%
24.3%
Q2 24
-11.2%
19.7%
Q1 24
3.7%
14.5%
Net Margin
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
-3.1%
16.3%
Q3 25
6.5%
14.5%
Q2 25
-160.3%
20.3%
Q1 25
6.5%
12.9%
Q4 24
-40.7%
16.9%
Q3 24
3.3%
21.6%
Q2 24
1.1%
11.6%
Q1 24
20.9%
17.1%
EPS (diluted)
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
$-0.26
$5.15
Q3 25
$0.83
$4.65
Q2 25
$-16.21
$6.12
Q1 25
$0.65
$4.05
Q4 24
$-3.50
$4.65
Q3 24
$0.34
$5.71
Q2 24
$0.12
$2.43
Q1 24
$2.39
$4.10

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$304.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.4B
$390.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$934.0M
Total Assets
$4.5B
$4.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.74×
0.42×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
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
Q1 24
$439.0M
Total Debt
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
$1.4B
$390.0M
Q3 25
$1.4B
$390.6M
Q2 25
$1.4B
$231.3M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$231.7M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$232.1M
Q3 24
$1.3B
$237.5M
Q2 24
$1.3B
$247.6M
Q1 24
$1.3B
$253.0M
Stockholders' Equity
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
$1.9B
$934.0M
Q3 25
$1.9B
$918.7M
Q2 25
$1.9B
$896.4M
Q1 25
$2.6B
$893.7M
Q4 24
$2.6B
$897.5M
Q3 24
$2.9B
$889.0M
Q2 24
$3.0B
$868.7M
Q1 24
$3.1B
$871.7M
Total Assets
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
$4.5B
$4.3B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$3.9B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$5.2B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$5.2B
$4.0B
Q3 24
$5.6B
$3.6B
Q2 24
$5.7B
$3.6B
Q1 24
$5.9B
$3.5B
Debt / Equity
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
0.74×
0.42×
Q3 25
0.73×
0.43×
Q2 25
0.73×
0.26×
Q1 25
0.52×
0.26×
Q4 24
0.51×
0.26×
Q3 24
0.47×
0.27×
Q2 24
0.45×
0.29×
Q1 24
0.42×
0.29×

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
VRTS
VRTS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$125.0M
$-67.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$111.0M
$-74.1M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
28.8%
-35.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.6%
3.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-1.99×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$200.0M
$100.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
$125.0M
$-67.2M
Q3 25
$40.0M
$108.3M
Q2 25
$115.0M
$75.8M
Q1 25
$9.0M
$-3.8M
Q4 24
$-30.0M
$1.8M
Q3 24
$80.0M
$69.1M
Q2 24
$127.0M
$70.0M
Q1 24
$54.0M
$-34.5M
Free Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
$111.0M
$-74.1M
Q3 25
$6.0M
$106.9M
Q2 25
$95.0M
$74.2M
Q1 25
$-12.0M
$-6.8M
Q4 24
$-53.0M
$-3.8M
Q3 24
$42.0M
$68.7M
Q2 24
$98.0M
$68.6M
Q1 24
$20.0M
$-36.5M
FCF Margin
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
28.8%
-35.6%
Q3 25
1.3%
49.4%
Q2 25
20.5%
35.2%
Q1 25
-2.5%
-3.1%
Q4 24
-13.1%
-1.6%
Q3 24
8.1%
30.3%
Q2 24
18.0%
30.6%
Q1 24
3.5%
-16.4%
Capex Intensity
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
3.6%
3.3%
Q3 25
7.1%
0.7%
Q2 25
4.3%
0.7%
Q1 25
4.4%
1.4%
Q4 24
5.7%
2.4%
Q3 24
7.3%
0.2%
Q2 24
5.3%
0.6%
Q1 24
5.9%
0.9%
Cash Conversion
ASH
ASH
VRTS
VRTS
Q4 25
-1.99×
Q3 25
1.29×
3.45×
Q2 25
1.77×
Q1 25
0.29×
-0.13×
Q4 24
0.04×
Q3 24
4.71×
1.41×
Q2 24
21.17×
2.69×
Q1 24
0.45×
-0.91×

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%

VRTS
VRTS

Open End Funds$68.9M33%
Retail Separate Accounts$51.3M25%
Institutional Accounts$39.6M19%
Administration And Shareholder Service Fees$18.4M9%
Closed End Funds$15.9M8%
Distribution And Service Fees$12.3M6%

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