Wells Fargo has taken a cautious stance on Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) by lowering its price target from $95.00 to $90.00 while retaining an "Overweight" rating. This decision comes amid concerns over the company's ability to maintain robust growth, especially as tariff challenges loom on the horizon.
The bank's downgrade is underpinned by several factors, namely uncertainties in Ashland's growth trajectory. Issues such as customer de-stocking and a lack of clarity in underlying customer demand have raised red flags. Additionally, the possibility of new tariffs being introduced in 2025 is expected to impact broader economic growth, which could, in turn, affect Ashland's performance. These factors collectively influenced Wells Fargo's price target adjustment.
Despite these adjustments, Wells Fargo still sees Ashland's stock as fairly valued, keeping an Equal Weight rating, indicating a neutral outlook. Investors are keeping a close eye on how these growth and tariff-related challenges will play out and potentially impact Ashland's financial health moving forward, according to reports from sources like TipRanks.