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Side-by-side financial comparison of ASHLAND INC. (ASH) and ADVANCED DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, INC. (WMS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

ADVANCED DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, INC. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($693.4M vs $386.0M, roughly 1.8× ASHLAND INC.). ADVANCED DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, INC. runs the higher net margin — 13.5% vs -3.1%, a 16.6% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, ADVANCED DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, INC. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (0.4% vs -4.7%). ADVANCED DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, INC. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($183.6M vs $111.0M). Over the past eight quarters, ADVANCED DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, INC.'s revenue compounded faster (3.0% 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.

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) is an American company that designs, manufactures and markets polypropylene and polyethylene pipes, plastic leach field chambers and systems, septic tanks and accessories, storm retention/detention and septic chambers, polyvinyl chloride drainage structures, fittings, and water filters and water separators. It is the largest maker of high-density polyethylene pipe in the United States. It is headquartered in Hilliard, Ohio. In 2020, 93% of the company's s...

ASH vs WMS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WMS
WMS
1.8× larger
WMS
$693.4M
$386.0M
ASH
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WMS
WMS
+5.1% gap
WMS
0.4%
-4.7%
ASH
Higher net margin
WMS
WMS
16.6% more per $
WMS
13.5%
-3.1%
ASH
More free cash flow
WMS
WMS
$72.6M more FCF
WMS
$183.6M
$111.0M
ASH
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WMS
WMS
Annualised
WMS
3.0%
-18.1%
ASH

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Revenue
$386.0M
$693.4M
Net Profit
$-12.0M
$93.6M
Gross Margin
27.2%
37.4%
Operating Margin
-1.6%
19.7%
Net Margin
-3.1%
13.5%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
0.4%
Net Profit YoY
92.7%
15.3%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.26
$1.19

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
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
$386.0M
$693.4M
Q3 25
$477.0M
$850.4M
Q2 25
$463.0M
$829.9M
Q1 25
$479.0M
$615.8M
Q4 24
$405.0M
$690.5M
Q3 24
$521.0M
$782.6M
Q2 24
$544.0M
$815.3M
Q1 24
$575.0M
$653.8M
Net Profit
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
$-12.0M
$93.6M
Q3 25
$31.0M
$156.0M
Q2 25
$-742.0M
$143.9M
Q1 25
$31.0M
$77.2M
Q4 24
$-165.0M
$81.2M
Q3 24
$17.0M
$130.4M
Q2 24
$6.0M
$161.4M
Q1 24
$120.0M
$94.8M
Gross Margin
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
27.2%
37.4%
Q3 25
33.3%
40.0%
Q2 25
28.5%
39.8%
Q1 25
30.7%
36.7%
Q4 24
27.4%
35.0%
Q3 24
33.2%
37.6%
Q2 24
34.2%
40.8%
Q1 24
28.0%
38.5%
Operating Margin
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
-1.6%
19.7%
Q3 25
12.8%
26.3%
Q2 25
-152.9%
24.8%
Q1 25
10.6%
19.0%
Q4 24
-44.2%
18.4%
Q3 24
6.1%
23.9%
Q2 24
-11.2%
27.7%
Q1 24
3.7%
20.7%
Net Margin
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
-3.1%
13.5%
Q3 25
6.5%
18.3%
Q2 25
-160.3%
17.3%
Q1 25
6.5%
12.5%
Q4 24
-40.7%
11.8%
Q3 24
3.3%
16.7%
Q2 24
1.1%
19.8%
Q1 24
20.9%
14.5%
EPS (diluted)
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
$-0.26
$1.19
Q3 25
$0.83
$1.99
Q2 25
$-16.21
$1.84
Q1 25
$0.65
$0.99
Q4 24
$-3.50
$1.04
Q3 24
$0.34
$1.67
Q2 24
$0.12
$2.06
Q1 24
$2.39
$1.22

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$304.0M
$1.0B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.4B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$1.9B
Total Assets
$4.5B
$4.1B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.74×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
$304.0M
$1.0B
Q3 25
$215.0M
$812.9M
Q2 25
$207.0M
$638.3M
Q1 25
$168.0M
$463.3M
Q4 24
$219.0M
$488.9M
Q3 24
$300.0M
$613.0M
Q2 24
$399.0M
$541.6M
Q1 24
$439.0M
$490.2M
Total Debt
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
$1.4B
Q3 25
$1.4B
Q2 25
$1.4B
Q1 25
$1.3B
$1.3B
Q4 24
$1.3B
Q3 24
$1.3B
Q2 24
$1.3B
Q1 24
$1.3B
$1.3B
Stockholders' Equity
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
$1.9B
$1.9B
Q3 25
$1.9B
$1.8B
Q2 25
$1.9B
$1.7B
Q1 25
$2.6B
$1.5B
Q4 24
$2.6B
$1.5B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$1.4B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$1.3B
Q1 24
$3.1B
$1.2B
Total Assets
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
$4.5B
$4.1B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$4.1B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$3.9B
Q1 25
$5.2B
$3.7B
Q4 24
$5.2B
$3.6B
Q3 24
$5.6B
$3.5B
Q2 24
$5.7B
$3.4B
Q1 24
$5.9B
$3.3B
Debt / Equity
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
0.74×
Q3 25
0.73×
Q2 25
0.73×
Q1 25
0.52×
0.83×
Q4 24
0.51×
Q3 24
0.47×
Q2 24
0.45×
Q1 24
0.42×
1.11×

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
WMS
WMS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$125.0M
$269.3M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$111.0M
$183.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
28.8%
26.5%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.6%
12.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.88×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$200.0M
$577.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
$125.0M
$269.3M
Q3 25
$40.0M
$234.9M
Q2 25
$115.0M
$275.0M
Q1 25
$9.0M
$41.2M
Q4 24
$-30.0M
$189.9M
Q3 24
$80.0M
$166.9M
Q2 24
$127.0M
$183.4M
Q1 24
$54.0M
$17.7M
Free Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
$111.0M
$183.6M
Q3 25
$6.0M
$176.4M
Q2 25
$95.0M
$222.4M
Q1 25
$-12.0M
$-5.3M
Q4 24
$-53.0M
$135.7M
Q3 24
$42.0M
$112.4M
Q2 24
$98.0M
$125.7M
Q1 24
$20.0M
$-29.8M
FCF Margin
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
28.8%
26.5%
Q3 25
1.3%
20.7%
Q2 25
20.5%
26.8%
Q1 25
-2.5%
-0.9%
Q4 24
-13.1%
19.7%
Q3 24
8.1%
14.4%
Q2 24
18.0%
15.4%
Q1 24
3.5%
-4.6%
Capex Intensity
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
3.6%
12.4%
Q3 25
7.1%
6.9%
Q2 25
4.3%
6.3%
Q1 25
4.4%
7.6%
Q4 24
5.7%
7.9%
Q3 24
7.3%
7.0%
Q2 24
5.3%
7.1%
Q1 24
5.9%
7.3%
Cash Conversion
ASH
ASH
WMS
WMS
Q4 25
2.88×
Q3 25
1.29×
1.51×
Q2 25
1.91×
Q1 25
0.29×
0.53×
Q4 24
2.34×
Q3 24
4.71×
1.28×
Q2 24
21.17×
1.14×
Q1 24
0.45×
0.19×

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%

WMS
WMS

Reportable Segment Aggregation Before Other Operating Segment$557.3M80%
Other$85.5M12%
Pipe$35.5M5%
Allied Products And Other$15.0M2%

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