Avantor, Aviva, Booz Allen Added to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) List
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 24 2025
0mins
Should l Buy AVTR?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
- Earnings Downgrade: Avantor, Inc. (AVTR) has seen its current year earnings estimate revised downward by 5.3% over the past 60 days, indicating a weakening market confidence that could pressure its stock price.
- Insurance Sector Challenges: Aviva plc (AVVIY) experienced an 8.6% downward revision in its current year earnings estimate over the last 60 days, reflecting pressures in the insurance and financial services industry that may impact its market performance.
- Technology Company Outlook Dim: Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (BAH) faced a 10.1% downward revision in its current year earnings estimate over the past 60 days, highlighting uncertainties in the tech sector that could raise investor concerns about future growth.
- Market Signal: The inclusion of these three companies in the Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) list indicates a general pessimism among analysts regarding their future performance, which may affect investor confidence and market liquidity.
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Analyst Views on AVTR
Wall Street analysts forecast AVTR stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
4 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 8.310
Low
8.00
Averages
11.67
High
16.00
Current: 8.310
Low
8.00
Averages
11.67
High
16.00
About AVTR
Avantor, Inc. is a life science tools company and global provider of mission-critical products and services to the life sciences and advanced technology industries. The Company’s segments include Laboratory Solutions and Bioscience Production. Within its segments, it sells materials and consumables, equipment and instrumentation and services and specialty procurement to customers in the biopharma and healthcare, education and government and advanced technologies and applied materials industries. Materials and consumables include ultra-high purity chemicals and reagents, lab products and supplies, highly specialized formulated silicone materials, customized excipients, and others. Equipment and instrumentation include filtration systems, virus inactivation systems, incubators, analytical instruments, and others. Services and specialty procurement include onsite lab and production, equipment, procurement and sourcing and biopharmaceutical material scale-up and development services.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Avantor Q1 2026 Earnings Call Insights
- Financial Performance Exceeds Expectations: Avantor reported $1.581 billion in revenue for Q1 2026, down 4% year-over-year, yet improved execution in Bioscience and Medtech segments led to results surpassing expectations, with management reaffirming full-year guidance, indicating confidence in future growth.
- VWR Business Challenges: VWR Distribution and Services generated $1.15 billion in revenue for Q1, a 5% decline from the previous year; despite improvements in e-commerce traffic and conversion rates, the segment faces market pressures, with gradual growth expected in the second half of 2026.
- BMP Segment Performance: BMP revenue reached $431 million in Q1, down 2% year-over-year, but a book-to-bill ratio exceeding 1.1 indicates future growth potential; management anticipates Q2 will mark the low point for BMP growth amid increased competitive pressures.
- Leadership Changes and Strategic Adjustments: The company is refreshing its leadership team, with approximately 25% of management updated, the CFO set to depart next month, and the addition of a new Chief Digital Officer and Chief Transformation Officer aimed at accelerating the revival plan and enhancing operational efficiency.
See More
AVANTOR STOCK RISES 3.7% FOLLOWING STRONG Q1 EARNINGS REPORT
- Stock Performance: Avantor's shares increased by 3.7% following the announcement of their Q1 earnings report.
- Earnings Report: The rise in stock price was attributed to the company beating earnings expectations for the first quarter.
See More
Avantor Reports Strong Q1 Results Exceeding Expectations
- Flat Sales Performance: In Q1 2026, Avantor reported net sales of $1.5814 billion, unchanged from Q1 2025, with a positive foreign currency impact of 4.1%, yet organic sales declined by 4.1%, indicating increased competitive pressure in the market.
- Net Income Decline: The company's net income fell from $64.5 million in Q1 2025 to $43.3 million, with a net income margin of 2.7%; adjusted net income was $114 million, reflecting a 26.6% year-over-year decrease, highlighting challenges in cost control and market conditions.
- Adjusted EBITDA Performance: Adjusted EBITDA stood at $219.4 million, with an EBITDA margin of 13.9%, down from 17.0% in the previous year, yet still demonstrating the company's ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency.
- 2026 Guidance Reaffirmed: Avantor reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 financial guidance, indicating management's confidence in future performance despite current challenges, and a commitment to improving execution and market share.
See More
Avantor Q1 Earnings Beat Expectations with Reaffirmed Guidance
- Earnings Beat: Avantor reported a Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $0.17, exceeding expectations by $0.01, indicating stable profitability despite flat year-over-year revenue, which still surpassed market expectations by $40 million.
- Revenue and Net Income: The company achieved revenue of $1.58 billion and net income of $43 million in Q1, reflecting effective cost management that bolstered overall financial health while maintaining revenue levels.
- Cash Flow Performance: Operating cash flow stood at $59 million with free cash flow at $25 million, demonstrating strong cash management that supports future investments and shareholder returns.
- 2026 Guidance Reaffirmed: Avantor reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 financial guidance, showcasing confidence in future growth and aiming to drive long-term expansion through ongoing strategic investments.
See More
Avantor Set to Announce Q1 Earnings on April 29
- Earnings Announcement Date: Avantor (AVTR) is scheduled to release its Q1 2023 earnings report on April 29 before market open, with a consensus EPS estimate of $0.16, reflecting a significant year-over-year decline of 30.4%, indicating pressure on profitability.
- Revenue Decline Forecast: The expected revenue for Q1 is $1.54 billion, down 2.5% year-over-year, suggesting weak sales growth in the current economic environment, which may impact investor confidence.
- Performance Revision Trends: Over the past three months, Avantor has seen no upward revisions to EPS estimates and 12 downward revisions, indicating a pessimistic outlook from analysts regarding the company's future profitability, which could exert downward pressure on the stock price.
- Historical Performance Review: Over the last two years, Avantor has only beaten EPS estimates 50% of the time and revenue estimates 25% of the time, which may lead investors to adopt a cautious stance ahead of the upcoming earnings report.
See More
Avantor Appoints New Executive to Drive Transformation
- Executive Appointment: Avantor announced that Ludovic Brellier will join as Executive Vice President of Bioscience & Medtech Products and Chief Transformation Officer on May 1, 2026, indicating the company's commitment to future growth and operational excellence.
- Transformation Leadership: Brellier will lead the Revival Management Office to drive transformation initiatives across the enterprise, leveraging his extensive experience in healthcare and strategic business transformation to enhance overall operational efficiency and market competitiveness.
- Industry Background: Previously, Brellier served as President of Cytiva's Hardware Solutions at Danaher, overseeing five business units responsible for innovation, manufacturing, and commercialization, highlighting his deep expertise in the biopharma sector that will add significant value to Avantor.
- Smooth Transition: Current BMP Executive Vice President Benoit Gourdier will remain with the company until the end of 2026 to ensure a smooth transition, reflecting the company's cautious approach to leadership changes and commitment to business continuity.
See More
Avantor Q1 2026 Earnings Call Insights
- Financial Performance Exceeds Expectations: Avantor reported $1.581 billion in revenue for Q1 2026, down 4% year-over-year, yet improved execution in Bioscience and Medtech segments led to results surpassing expectations, with management reaffirming full-year guidance, indicating confidence in future growth.
- VWR Business Challenges: VWR Distribution and Services generated $1.15 billion in revenue for Q1, a 5% decline from the previous year; despite improvements in e-commerce traffic and conversion rates, the segment faces market pressures, with gradual growth expected in the second half of 2026.
- BMP Segment Performance: BMP revenue reached $431 million in Q1, down 2% year-over-year, but a book-to-bill ratio exceeding 1.1 indicates future growth potential; management anticipates Q2 will mark the low point for BMP growth amid increased competitive pressures.
- Leadership Changes and Strategic Adjustments: The company is refreshing its leadership team, with approximately 25% of management updated, the CFO set to depart next month, and the addition of a new Chief Digital Officer and Chief Transformation Officer aimed at accelerating the revival plan and enhancing operational efficiency.
See More
AVANTOR STOCK RISES 3.7% FOLLOWING STRONG Q1 EARNINGS REPORT
- Stock Performance: Avantor's shares increased by 3.7% following the announcement of their Q1 earnings report.
- Earnings Report: The rise in stock price was attributed to the company beating earnings expectations for the first quarter.
See More
Avantor Reports Strong Q1 Results Exceeding Expectations
- Flat Sales Performance: In Q1 2026, Avantor reported net sales of $1.5814 billion, unchanged from Q1 2025, with a positive foreign currency impact of 4.1%, yet organic sales declined by 4.1%, indicating increased competitive pressure in the market.
- Net Income Decline: The company's net income fell from $64.5 million in Q1 2025 to $43.3 million, with a net income margin of 2.7%; adjusted net income was $114 million, reflecting a 26.6% year-over-year decrease, highlighting challenges in cost control and market conditions.
- Adjusted EBITDA Performance: Adjusted EBITDA stood at $219.4 million, with an EBITDA margin of 13.9%, down from 17.0% in the previous year, yet still demonstrating the company's ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency.
- 2026 Guidance Reaffirmed: Avantor reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 financial guidance, indicating management's confidence in future performance despite current challenges, and a commitment to improving execution and market share.
See More
Avantor Q1 Earnings Beat Expectations with Reaffirmed Guidance
- Earnings Beat: Avantor reported a Q1 non-GAAP EPS of $0.17, exceeding expectations by $0.01, indicating stable profitability despite flat year-over-year revenue, which still surpassed market expectations by $40 million.
- Revenue and Net Income: The company achieved revenue of $1.58 billion and net income of $43 million in Q1, reflecting effective cost management that bolstered overall financial health while maintaining revenue levels.
- Cash Flow Performance: Operating cash flow stood at $59 million with free cash flow at $25 million, demonstrating strong cash management that supports future investments and shareholder returns.
- 2026 Guidance Reaffirmed: Avantor reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 financial guidance, showcasing confidence in future growth and aiming to drive long-term expansion through ongoing strategic investments.
See More
Avantor Set to Announce Q1 Earnings on April 29
- Earnings Announcement Date: Avantor (AVTR) is scheduled to release its Q1 2023 earnings report on April 29 before market open, with a consensus EPS estimate of $0.16, reflecting a significant year-over-year decline of 30.4%, indicating pressure on profitability.
- Revenue Decline Forecast: The expected revenue for Q1 is $1.54 billion, down 2.5% year-over-year, suggesting weak sales growth in the current economic environment, which may impact investor confidence.
- Performance Revision Trends: Over the past three months, Avantor has seen no upward revisions to EPS estimates and 12 downward revisions, indicating a pessimistic outlook from analysts regarding the company's future profitability, which could exert downward pressure on the stock price.
- Historical Performance Review: Over the last two years, Avantor has only beaten EPS estimates 50% of the time and revenue estimates 25% of the time, which may lead investors to adopt a cautious stance ahead of the upcoming earnings report.
See More
Avantor Appoints New Executive to Drive Transformation
- Executive Appointment: Avantor announced that Ludovic Brellier will join as Executive Vice President of Bioscience & Medtech Products and Chief Transformation Officer on May 1, 2026, indicating the company's commitment to future growth and operational excellence.
- Transformation Leadership: Brellier will lead the Revival Management Office to drive transformation initiatives across the enterprise, leveraging his extensive experience in healthcare and strategic business transformation to enhance overall operational efficiency and market competitiveness.
- Industry Background: Previously, Brellier served as President of Cytiva's Hardware Solutions at Danaher, overseeing five business units responsible for innovation, manufacturing, and commercialization, highlighting his deep expertise in the biopharma sector that will add significant value to Avantor.
- Smooth Transition: Current BMP Executive Vice President Benoit Gourdier will remain with the company until the end of 2026 to ensure a smooth transition, reflecting the company's cautious approach to leadership changes and commitment to business continuity.
See More
