Ashland’s (ASH) New 5.7% Backer: Endorsement Of Its Specialty Focus Or Just Opportunistic Timing?
Ashland recently saw its outlook re-rated after a major investment firm disclosed a 5.7% stake in the company, following a quarter in which earnings and sales declined due to portfolio optimization and divestitures of lower-margin products. This combination of portfolio reshaping and fresh institutional interest highlights a tension between short-term financial pressure and renewed confidence in Ashland’s longer-term specialty chemicals focus. We’ll now examine how the major investor’s 5.7%...