Avient (NYSE:AVNT) Shares Gap Down – Here’s Why

Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) shares gapped down before the market opened on Friday. The stock had previously closed at $40.98, but opened at $37.72. Avient shares last traded at $38.0020, with a volume of 315,131 shares.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AVNT has been the topic of several research reports. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Avient from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Seaport Research Partners reissued a “buy” rating and set a $54.00 price objective on shares of Avient in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Avient from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Friday, September 18th. Zacks Research raised Avient from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 29th. Finally, Truist Financial lifted their price target on Avient from $44.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $46.71.

Avient Stock Performance

The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $42.34 and a 200-day simple moving average of $38.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.90 and a quick ratio of 1.35. The company has a market cap of $3.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.19, a PEG ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.28.

Avient (NYSE:AVNT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.89 by $0.07. Avient had a net margin of 5.10% and a return on equity of 11.64%. The business had revenue of $917.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $898.53 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.80 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Avient has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.100-3.250 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.800-0.800 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Avient Corporation will post 3.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Avient Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 7th. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.2825 per share. This represents a $1.13 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 11th. This is an increase from Avient’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.2750. Avient’s payout ratio is currently 61.08%.

Institutional Trading of Avient

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Allworth Financial LP lifted its stake in shares of Avient by 18.1% during the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,798 shares of the company’s stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its holdings in Avient by 3.0% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 11,748 shares of the company’s stock valued at $426,000 after buying an additional 346 shares during the period. State of Michigan Retirement System grew its holdings in Avient by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 22,024 shares of the company’s stock valued at $799,000 after buying an additional 400 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Avient by 51.9% during the first quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,241 shares of the company’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 424 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund raised its holdings in Avient by 2.7% in the first quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 18,790 shares of the company’s stock valued at $682,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 95.48% of the company’s stock.

Avient Company Profile

Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT) is a global materials company that develops and manufactures specialized polymer products and solutions. Its portfolio includes engineered materials, specialty formulations, colorants, additives, inks, and other technologies designed to improve the performance, appearance, sustainability, and processing of plastics and other materials.

The company serves customers across a range of industries, including packaging, transportation, healthcare, consumer products, electronics, building and construction, and energy.