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Side-by-side financial comparison of ASHLAND INC. (ASH) and JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. (WLY). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($421.8M vs $386.0M, roughly 1.1× ASHLAND INC.). JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. runs the higher net margin — 10.6% vs -3.1%, a 13.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (-1.1% vs -4.7%). ASHLAND INC. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($111.0M vs $-4.6M). Over the past eight quarters, JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (-4.3% 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.

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., commonly known as Wiley, is an American multinational publishing company which focuses on academic publishing and instructional materials. The company was founded in 1807 and produces books, journals, and encyclopedias, in print and electronically, as well as online products and services, training materials, and educational materials for undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students.

ASH vs WLY — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WLY
WLY
1.1× larger
WLY
$421.8M
$386.0M
ASH
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WLY
WLY
+3.6% gap
WLY
-1.1%
-4.7%
ASH
Higher net margin
WLY
WLY
13.8% more per $
WLY
10.6%
-3.1%
ASH
More free cash flow
ASH
ASH
$115.6M more FCF
ASH
$111.0M
$-4.6M
WLY
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WLY
WLY
Annualised
WLY
-4.3%
-18.1%
ASH

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q2 FY2026

Metric
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Revenue
$386.0M
$421.8M
Net Profit
$-12.0M
$44.9M
Gross Margin
27.2%
75.2%
Operating Margin
-1.6%
17.3%
Net Margin
-3.1%
10.6%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
-1.1%
Net Profit YoY
92.7%
11.0%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.26
$0.84

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
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
$386.0M
$421.8M
Q3 25
$477.0M
$396.8M
Q2 25
$463.0M
$442.6M
Q1 25
$479.0M
$404.6M
Q4 24
$405.0M
$426.6M
Q3 24
$521.0M
$403.8M
Q2 24
$544.0M
$468.5M
Q1 24
$575.0M
$460.7M
Net Profit
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
$-12.0M
$44.9M
Q3 25
$31.0M
$11.7M
Q2 25
$-742.0M
$68.1M
Q1 25
$31.0M
$-23.0M
Q4 24
$-165.0M
$40.5M
Q3 24
$17.0M
$-1.4M
Q2 24
$6.0M
$25.3M
Q1 24
$120.0M
$-113.9M
Gross Margin
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
27.2%
75.2%
Q3 25
33.3%
72.5%
Q2 25
28.5%
74.9%
Q1 25
30.7%
74.2%
Q4 24
27.4%
74.9%
Q3 24
33.2%
73.0%
Q2 24
34.2%
73.7%
Q1 24
28.0%
68.8%
Operating Margin
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
-1.6%
17.3%
Q3 25
12.8%
7.8%
Q2 25
-152.9%
17.3%
Q1 25
10.6%
12.8%
Q4 24
-44.2%
15.0%
Q3 24
6.1%
7.2%
Q2 24
-11.2%
14.7%
Q1 24
3.7%
-10.1%
Net Margin
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
-3.1%
10.6%
Q3 25
6.5%
2.9%
Q2 25
-160.3%
15.4%
Q1 25
6.5%
-5.7%
Q4 24
-40.7%
9.5%
Q3 24
3.3%
-0.4%
Q2 24
1.1%
5.4%
Q1 24
20.9%
-24.7%
EPS (diluted)
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
$-0.26
$0.84
Q3 25
$0.83
$0.22
Q2 25
$-16.21
$1.25
Q1 25
$0.65
$-0.43
Q4 24
$-3.50
$0.74
Q3 24
$0.34
$-0.03
Q2 24
$0.12
$0.45
Q1 24
$2.39
$-2.08

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$304.0M
$67.4M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.4B
$871.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$740.2M
Total Assets
$4.5B
$2.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.74×
1.18×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
$304.0M
$67.4M
Q3 25
$215.0M
$81.8M
Q2 25
$207.0M
$85.9M
Q1 25
$168.0M
$104.5M
Q4 24
$219.0M
$75.5M
Q3 24
$300.0M
$82.5M
Q2 24
$399.0M
$83.2M
Q1 24
$439.0M
$93.1M
Total Debt
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
$1.4B
$871.7M
Q3 25
$1.4B
$828.3M
Q2 25
$1.4B
$799.4M
Q1 25
$1.3B
$887.2M
Q4 24
$1.3B
$961.0M
Q3 24
$1.3B
$918.6M
Q2 24
$1.3B
$774.6M
Q1 24
$1.3B
$906.8M
Stockholders' Equity
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
$1.9B
$740.2M
Q3 25
$1.9B
$733.1M
Q2 25
$1.9B
$752.2M
Q1 25
$2.6B
$685.2M
Q4 24
$2.6B
$755.3M
Q3 24
$2.9B
$713.7M
Q2 24
$3.0B
$739.7M
Q1 24
$3.1B
$748.3M
Total Assets
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
$4.5B
$2.5B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$2.5B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$2.7B
Q1 25
$5.2B
$2.6B
Q4 24
$5.2B
$2.6B
Q3 24
$5.6B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$5.7B
$2.7B
Q1 24
$5.9B
$2.7B
Debt / Equity
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
0.74×
1.18×
Q3 25
0.73×
1.13×
Q2 25
0.73×
1.06×
Q1 25
0.52×
1.29×
Q4 24
0.51×
1.27×
Q3 24
0.47×
1.29×
Q2 24
0.45×
1.05×
Q1 24
0.42×
1.21×

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
WLY
WLY
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$125.0M
$8.5M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$111.0M
$-4.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
28.8%
-1.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.6%
3.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.19×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$200.0M
$162.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
$125.0M
$8.5M
Q3 25
$40.0M
$-85.0M
Q2 25
$115.0M
$150.3M
Q1 25
$9.0M
$146.2M
Q4 24
$-30.0M
$-5.3M
Q3 24
$80.0M
$-88.7M
Q2 24
$127.0M
$183.3M
Q1 24
$54.0M
$107.8M
Free Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
$111.0M
$-4.6M
Q3 25
$6.0M
$-97.0M
Q2 25
$95.0M
$131.2M
Q1 25
$-12.0M
$132.9M
Q4 24
$-53.0M
$-19.8M
Q3 24
$42.0M
$-103.2M
Q2 24
$98.0M
$164.5M
Q1 24
$20.0M
$90.9M
FCF Margin
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
28.8%
-1.1%
Q3 25
1.3%
-24.4%
Q2 25
20.5%
29.6%
Q1 25
-2.5%
32.9%
Q4 24
-13.1%
-4.6%
Q3 24
8.1%
-25.6%
Q2 24
18.0%
35.1%
Q1 24
3.5%
19.7%
Capex Intensity
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
3.6%
3.1%
Q3 25
7.1%
3.0%
Q2 25
4.3%
4.3%
Q1 25
4.4%
3.3%
Q4 24
5.7%
3.4%
Q3 24
7.3%
3.6%
Q2 24
5.3%
4.0%
Q1 24
5.9%
3.7%
Cash Conversion
ASH
ASH
WLY
WLY
Q4 25
0.19×
Q3 25
1.29×
-7.27×
Q2 25
2.21×
Q1 25
0.29×
Q4 24
-0.13×
Q3 24
4.71×
Q2 24
21.17×
7.25×
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%

WLY
WLY

Research Publishing$241.4M57%
Academic Products$87.0M21%
Professional Products$56.2M13%
Research Solutions$37.1M9%

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