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Side-by-side financial comparison of ASHLAND INC. (ASH) and WATTS WATER TECHNOLOGIES INC (WTS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

WATTS WATER TECHNOLOGIES INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($625.1M vs $386.0M, roughly 1.6× ASHLAND INC.). WATTS WATER TECHNOLOGIES INC runs the higher net margin — 13.4% vs -3.1%, a 16.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, WATTS WATER TECHNOLOGIES INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (15.7% vs -4.7%). WATTS WATER TECHNOLOGIES INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($140.3M vs $111.0M). Over the past eight quarters, WATTS WATER TECHNOLOGIES INC's revenue compounded faster (4.6% 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.

AERCO International, Inc. is a manufacturer and supplier of commercial condensing boilers, high efficiency water heating equipment and energy recovery systems in the HVAC/plumbing industry across a variety of markets including education, lodging, government, office buildings, healthcare, industrial and multifamily housing. In 1949, AERCO introduced the industry's first semi-instantaneous, tankless steam-to-water water heater. In 1988, AERCO introduced the first condensing and fully modulating...

ASH vs WTS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WTS
WTS
1.6× larger
WTS
$625.1M
$386.0M
ASH
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WTS
WTS
+20.4% gap
WTS
15.7%
-4.7%
ASH
Higher net margin
WTS
WTS
16.5% more per $
WTS
13.4%
-3.1%
ASH
More free cash flow
WTS
WTS
$29.3M more FCF
WTS
$140.3M
$111.0M
ASH
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WTS
WTS
Annualised
WTS
4.6%
-18.1%
ASH

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Revenue
$386.0M
$625.1M
Net Profit
$-12.0M
$83.7M
Gross Margin
27.2%
49.5%
Operating Margin
-1.6%
18.2%
Net Margin
-3.1%
13.4%
Revenue YoY
-4.7%
15.7%
Net Profit YoY
92.7%
24.0%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.26
$2.50

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
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
$386.0M
$625.1M
Q3 25
$477.0M
$611.7M
Q2 25
$463.0M
$643.7M
Q1 25
$479.0M
$558.0M
Q4 24
$405.0M
$540.4M
Q3 24
$521.0M
$543.6M
Q2 24
$544.0M
$597.3M
Q1 24
$575.0M
$570.9M
Net Profit
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
$-12.0M
$83.7M
Q3 25
$31.0M
$82.2M
Q2 25
$-742.0M
$100.9M
Q1 25
$31.0M
$74.0M
Q4 24
$-165.0M
$67.5M
Q3 24
$17.0M
$69.1M
Q2 24
$6.0M
$82.0M
Q1 24
$120.0M
$72.6M
Gross Margin
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
27.2%
49.5%
Q3 25
33.3%
48.8%
Q2 25
28.5%
50.6%
Q1 25
30.7%
48.8%
Q4 24
27.4%
46.7%
Q3 24
33.2%
47.3%
Q2 24
34.2%
47.7%
Q1 24
28.0%
46.9%
Operating Margin
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
-1.6%
18.2%
Q3 25
12.8%
18.2%
Q2 25
-152.9%
21.0%
Q1 25
10.6%
15.7%
Q4 24
-44.2%
16.5%
Q3 24
6.1%
17.1%
Q2 24
-11.2%
18.7%
Q1 24
3.7%
16.9%
Net Margin
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
-3.1%
13.4%
Q3 25
6.5%
13.4%
Q2 25
-160.3%
15.7%
Q1 25
6.5%
13.3%
Q4 24
-40.7%
12.5%
Q3 24
3.3%
12.7%
Q2 24
1.1%
13.7%
Q1 24
20.9%
12.7%
EPS (diluted)
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
$-0.26
$2.50
Q3 25
$0.83
$2.45
Q2 25
$-16.21
$3.01
Q1 25
$0.65
$2.21
Q4 24
$-3.50
$2.02
Q3 24
$0.34
$2.06
Q2 24
$0.12
$2.44
Q1 24
$2.39
$2.17

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$304.0M
$405.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.4B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$2.0B
Total Assets
$4.5B
$2.9B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.74×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
$304.0M
$405.5M
Q3 25
$215.0M
$457.7M
Q2 25
$207.0M
$369.3M
Q1 25
$168.0M
$336.8M
Q4 24
$219.0M
$386.9M
Q3 24
$300.0M
$303.9M
Q2 24
$399.0M
$279.4M
Q1 24
$439.0M
$237.1M
Total Debt
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
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
Q1 24
$1.3B
Stockholders' Equity
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
$1.9B
$2.0B
Q3 25
$1.9B
$2.0B
Q2 25
$1.9B
$1.9B
Q1 25
$2.6B
$1.8B
Q4 24
$2.6B
$1.7B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$1.7B
Q2 24
$3.0B
$1.6B
Q1 24
$3.1B
$1.6B
Total Assets
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
$4.5B
$2.9B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$2.7B
Q2 25
$4.6B
$2.6B
Q1 25
$5.2B
$2.5B
Q4 24
$5.2B
$2.4B
Q3 24
$5.6B
$2.4B
Q2 24
$5.7B
$2.4B
Q1 24
$5.9B
$2.3B
Debt / Equity
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
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×
Q1 24
0.42×

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
WTS
WTS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$125.0M
$154.7M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$111.0M
$140.3M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
28.8%
22.4%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.6%
2.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.85×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$200.0M
$356.3M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
$125.0M
$154.7M
Q3 25
$40.0M
$122.4M
Q2 25
$115.0M
$69.7M
Q1 25
$9.0M
$55.2M
Q4 24
$-30.0M
$139.5M
Q3 24
$80.0M
$90.7M
Q2 24
$127.0M
$85.3M
Q1 24
$54.0M
$45.6M
Free Cash Flow
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
$111.0M
$140.3M
Q3 25
$6.0M
$110.9M
Q2 25
$95.0M
$59.5M
Q1 25
$-12.0M
$45.6M
Q4 24
$-53.0M
$127.5M
Q3 24
$42.0M
$84.3M
Q2 24
$98.0M
$78.5M
Q1 24
$20.0M
$35.5M
FCF Margin
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
28.8%
22.4%
Q3 25
1.3%
18.1%
Q2 25
20.5%
9.2%
Q1 25
-2.5%
8.2%
Q4 24
-13.1%
23.6%
Q3 24
8.1%
15.5%
Q2 24
18.0%
13.1%
Q1 24
3.5%
6.2%
Capex Intensity
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
3.6%
2.3%
Q3 25
7.1%
1.9%
Q2 25
4.3%
1.6%
Q1 25
4.4%
1.7%
Q4 24
5.7%
2.2%
Q3 24
7.3%
1.2%
Q2 24
5.3%
1.1%
Q1 24
5.9%
1.8%
Cash Conversion
ASH
ASH
WTS
WTS
Q4 25
1.85×
Q3 25
1.29×
1.49×
Q2 25
0.69×
Q1 25
0.29×
0.75×
Q4 24
2.07×
Q3 24
4.71×
1.31×
Q2 24
21.17×
1.04×
Q1 24
0.45×
0.63×

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%

WTS
WTS

Segment breakdown not available.

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