Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) posted first-quarter adjusted earnings on Thursday that came in ahead of analyst expectations, while revenue was largely in line with Wall Street forecasts.
Shares of the specialty materials company showed little movement in after-hours trading following the earnings release.
Earnings improve as margins expand
Avient reported adjusted earnings of $0.83 per share, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $0.81.
Quarterly revenue totaled $847 million, slightly below the consensus forecast of $847.36 million.
Sales increased 3% year-over-year from $826.6 million in the prior-year quarter, including a favorable 5% impact from foreign exchange movements.
Adjusted earnings per share rose 9% from $0.76 a year earlier.
The company said productivity initiatives and disciplined expense management helped drive profitability improvements, with adjusted EBITDA margin expanding by 20 basis points to 17.7%.
Company maintains full-year guidance
Avient reaffirmed its full-year adjusted earnings per share guidance range of $2.93 to $3.17.
The midpoint of $3.05 is slightly below the analyst consensus estimate of $3.06.
“Once again our teams successfully navigated a complex and ever-changing environment with agility to deliver these results,” said Dr. Ashish Khandpur, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.
The company also maintained its full-year adjusted EBITDA outlook of $555 million to $585 million.
Second-quarter outlook points to continued growth
For the second quarter, Avient expects adjusted earnings per share of approximately $0.89, representing projected growth of 11% compared with the same quarter last year.
Jamie Beggs, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, said the company’s expectations for the first half of the year have improved slightly relative to the start of 2026, although visibility for the second half remains more uncertain.
Segment performance remains steady
During the quarter, the Color, Additives and Inks segment generated revenue of $528.1 million.
Meanwhile, the Specialty Engineered Materials business contributed $320.2 million in sales.
More about Avient
Avient develops specialized polymer and material solutions used across industries including healthcare, consumer goods, packaging, transportation, and electronics. The company focuses on colorants, additives, engineered materials, and sustainable material technologies designed to improve product performance and manufacturing efficiency.