Avient (NYSE:AVNT) Stock Jumps 4.1% – Time to Buy?

Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) was up 4.1% during trading on Monday. The company traded as high as $39.47 and last traded at $39.3460. 181,595 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 78% from the average daily volume of 815,841 shares. The stock had previously closed at $37.79.

Trending Headlines about Avient

Here are the key news stories impacting Avient this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Avient reported strong second-quarter performance, including 20% year-over-year adjusted EPS growth, revenue that exceeded consensus by approximately $20 million and a record 18.3% adjusted EBITDA margin. Management also raised its 2026 outlook, projecting adjusted EBITDA growth of 6% to 11% and setting a 10% floor for adjusted EPS growth. Avient Corporation: Strong Q2 Results Meet Abrupt CEO Change
• Positive Sentiment: The company appointed Mike Frank as chief executive officer and reaffirmed its financial guidance, providing some stability following the leadership change. Avient appoints Mike Frank as CEO and reaffirms guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Sell-side sentiment remains supportive: analysts collectively rate Avient “Moderate Buy,” while Zacks upgraded the stock to a Rank #2 (Buy) based on improving earnings prospects. Avient Stock Rated Moderate Buy by Sell-Side Analysts Avient Upgraded to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Barclays initiated coverage with an Equal Weight rating, suggesting the bank sees balanced risk and reward at current valuation rather than a clear catalyst for significant outperformance. Barclays initiates coverage of Avient at equal-weight
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary also highlights Avient’s dividend and long-term value characteristics, which may appeal to income and value investors but do not represent a new corporate catalyst. Why Avient is a Great Dividend Stock
• Negative Sentiment: The abrupt CEO change introduces execution and strategic-continuity risk, even though the company reaffirmed guidance and delivered strong results. Investors may therefore await evidence that the new leadership can sustain recent margin and earnings momentum.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have weighed in on AVNT. Barclays initiated coverage on Avient in a report on Monday. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $44.00 target price for the company. Zacks Research upgraded Avient from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 29th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Avient from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday, September 18th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Avient from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Avient from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, September 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Avient currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $46.38.

Avient Trading Up 1.5%

The firm has a market cap of $3.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.38, a PEG ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $42.43 and a 200-day moving average price of $38.49. The company has a current ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77.

Avient (NYSE:AVNT) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.96 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.89 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $917.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $898.53 million. Avient had a return on equity of 11.64% and a net margin of 5.10%. Avient’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.80 earnings per share. 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, research analysts expect that Avient Corporation will post 3.20 EPS for the current year.

Avient Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 11th will be given a $0.2825 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th. This represents a $1.13 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. This is a boost from Avient’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.2750. Avient’s payout ratio is currently 59.46%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Avient

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in shares of Avient by 48.6% during the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,877 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,000 after purchasing an additional 614 shares in the last quarter. Cim Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Avient by 7.4% during the second quarter. Cim Investment Management Inc. now owns 11,004 shares of the company’s stock worth $407,000 after buying an additional 760 shares in the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC grew its position in Avient by 48.5% during the second quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 27,111 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,002,000 after buying an additional 8,852 shares during the period. WINTON GROUP Ltd acquired a new stake in Avient during the second quarter valued at $706,000. Finally, Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC acquired a new stake in Avient during the second quarter valued at $96,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.48% of the company’s stock.

About Avient

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.