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AshlandASH -1.09%75 Degree of Operating Leverage is 84.93 as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus rates ASH with a GF Score™ of 75/100 and a GF Value™ of $68.64 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 9 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,556 Chemicals companies, Ashland ranks worse than 96.08% on this metric.
Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) measures the percentage change in EBIT for a unit change in Revenue.
Ashland's Degree of Operating Leverage for the quarter that ended in Jun. 2026 was 84.93. The higher Degree of Operating Leverage, the higher operating risk the company will take.
The industry rank for Ashland's Degree of Operating Leverage or its related term are showing as below:
ASH's Degree of Operating Leverage is ranked worse than 96.08% of 1556
companies
in the Chemicals industry
Industry Median: 1.32
vs ASH: 84.93
Ashland (NYSE:ASH) Degree of Operating Leverage Explanation
Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) is a leverage ratio that measures the sensitivity of a company’s operting income, also referred to as Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT), to fluctuations in its Revenue. DOL is a method used to quantify a company’s operating risk. This risk is related to the company's structure of variable costs and fixed costs. Since the fixed costs do not allow the company to adjust the operating costs, the operating risk rises with a higher fixed-to-variable costs proportion.
A high Degree of Operating Leverage indicates that the company’s fixed costs exceed its variable costs. By increasing the sales, the company can earn more profits. In addition, the company must be able to maintain relatively high sales to cover all fixed costs.
Be Aware
The use of operating leverage varies across different industries and business sectors, and the application of Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) should be adjusted accordingly.
Ashland Degree of Operating Leverage Related Terms
Ashland Degree of Operating Leverage Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Ashland's Degree of Operating Leverage can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
ASH vs FUL, WDFC, HWKN: Degree of Operating Leverage Comparison
For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Ashland's Degree of Operating Leverage, along with its competitors' market caps and Degree of Operating Leverage data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Ashland Degree of Operating Leverage vs Chemicals Industry
For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Ashland's Degree of Operating Leverage distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Ashland's Degree of Operating Leverage falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
** TTM data of EBIT and Revenue was used to calculate Degree of Operating Leverage.
*** Please be aware that the Degree of Operating Leverage calculations are based on company-level data using the primary share class. The calculated data provided is for demonstration purposes and may slightly differ from the results displayed in the title due to potential variations caused by currency exchange rate differences throughout the year.
What does a Degree of Operating Leverage of 84.93 mean?
Ashland (ASH) has a Degree of Operating Leverage of 84.93 as of Jun. 2026. Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) measures the percentage change in EBIT for a unit change in Revenue. View historical data for Ashland and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Ashland ranks #1495 out of 1556 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 96.1%.
Is Ashland's Degree of Operating Leverage too high?
Ashland's current Degree of Operating Leverage is 84.93. The Chemicals industry median Degree of Operating Leverage is 1.32. Ashland's value of 84.93 is 6334.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Ashland ranks #1495 out of 1556 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Ashland has a GF Score™ of 75/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ashland's Degree of Operating Leverage compare to FUL and WDFC?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Ashland ranks #1495 out of 1556 companies for Degree of Operating Leverage. This places Ashland in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Degree of Operating Leverage is 1.32. Ashland's value of 84.93 is 6334.1% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Degree of Operating Leverage for a Chemicals company?
The median Degree of Operating Leverage among Chemicals companies is 1.32, based on 1,556 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Degree of Operating Leverage significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Degree of Operating Leverage should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Ashland's current Degree of Operating Leverage of 84.93 is 6334.1% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Degree of Operating Leverage mean?
A high Degree of Operating Leverage can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) measures the percentage change in EBIT for a unit change in Revenue. View historical data for Ashland and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median Degree of Operating Leverage is 1.32 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Ashland's current Degree of Operating Leverage is 84.93. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Ashland stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ashland (ASH) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $68.64, compared to a current price of $74.58 — trading 8.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Degree of Operating Leverage is 84.93 and 6334.1% above the Chemicals industry median of 1.32. Ashland's overall GF Score™ is 75/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Degree of Operating Leverage calculated?
Degree of Operating Leverage is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Ashland (ASH), the current Degree of Operating Leverage is 84.93 as of Jun. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Ashland (ASH) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ashland stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $74.58 is trading 8.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $68.64.
GuruFocus considers Ashland to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for ASH:
Degree of Operating Leverage: 84.93
GF Value™: $68.64 vs. price of $74.58 (8.7% above fair value)
Industry Position: 6334.1% above the Chemicals median (#1495 of 1556)
No single metric tells the full story. See the ASH stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Ashland Inc. is a specialty materials company serving markets including pharmaceuticals, personal care, food and beverages, coatings, construction, energy, and electronics. It operates through four segments: Life Sciences, Personal Care, Specialty Additives, and Intermediates. Life Sciences contributes the highest revenue, offering functional additives for pharmaceutical and nutrition applications. Personal Care provides ingredients for skin, hair, oral care, and household products, while Specialty Additives supplies performance-enhancing additives for coatings and. Intermediates produce BDO and related derivatives used in polymers, electronics, agriculture, and pharmaceutical applications. The company generates sales across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and regions.
75GF Score
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