Should You Buy Avantor Inc (AVTR) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.
Conclusion
Hold
Latest Price
11.050
1 Day change
-5.15%
52 Week Range
22.730
Analysis Updated At
2026/01/28
AVTR is not a good buy right now for a beginner long-term investor who wants to deploy capital immediately. The stock is in a clear downtrend (bearish moving averages + weakening MACD), fundamentals recently deteriorated sharply (2025/Q3 revenue down and a very large loss), and Wall Street sentiment has trended negative via multiple downgrades and lower price targets. While insider buying is a positive and the price is near support (could bounce), the overall risk/reward today does not justify a fresh long-term entry ahead of the next earnings (2026-02-11).
**Intellectia Proprietary Trading Signals**
- [AI Stock Picker](module://ai_stock_pick): No signal on given stock today.
- [SwingMax](module://swingmax): No signal on given stock today.
Technical Analysis
Trend is bearish. The moving average stack is negative (SMA_200 > SMA_20 > SMA_5), indicating persistent downside momentum over short, medium, and long horizons. MACD histogram is below zero (-0.0611) and negatively expanding, which supports continuation of the downtrend. RSI(6) is ~34.98 (not deeply oversold), suggesting weakness with only limited evidence of a durable reversal.
Key levels: current pre-market ~11.60 is sitting on/just below S1 (11.608). If 11.61 fails, next support is S2 (11.273). To regain a more constructive setup, AVTR would need to reclaim the pivot around 12.15, with resistance levels at ~12.69 and ~13.03.
Pattern-based probability (similar candlesticks): modestly negative bias (-0.93% next week, -5.22% next month), reinforcing the bearish technical posture.
Options Data
Bearish
Open Interest Put-Call Ratio
Bullish
Option Volume Put-Call Ratio
Sentiment read: Open interest put/call at 2.91 is strongly bearish/defensive positioning (more puts outstanding than calls), often consistent with hedging or longer-horizon caution. However, today’s option volume put/call at 0.29 shows call volume dominating in the session, implying some short-term dip-buying/speculation. Implied volatility is elevated (30D IV ~53.5; IV percentile ~73), meaning options are pricing larger moves and uncertainty. Overall: options positioning skews cautious despite some short-term call activity.
Technical Summary
Sell
10
Buy
6
Positive Catalysts
2026/01/28 09:29:35
Insider activity is a notable positive: insiders are buying, with buying amount up ~290.84% over the last month (often a confidence signal).
Potential upside catalyst: the next earnings event (QDEC 2025 earnings on 2026-02-11 pre-market) could re-rate the stock if results/guide show stabilization.
Sector backdrop: some analysts suggest life science tools headwinds may normalize into 2026, leaving room for upside if execution improves.
Neutral/Negative Catalysts
2026/01/28 09:29:35
No supportive news flow in the last week (no fresh positive catalysts).
Wall Street sentiment has deteriorated with repeated downgrades and lower targets, reflecting concern around execution, market share loss, and margin headwinds.
Technical setup remains weak (bearish MA stack and deteriorating MACD), increasing odds that support breaks.
Options open interest skew (put-heavy) points to continued investor defensiveness.
Earnings risk: with the next report on 2026-02-11, any disappointment could pressure the stock further.
Financial Performance
Latest reported quarter: 2025/Q3.
- Revenue: $1.6238B, down -5.28% YoY (contraction, not growth).
- Net income: -$711.8M, down -1331.49% YoY (major deterioration).
- EPS: -1.04, down -1400.00% YoY.
- Gross margin: 32.42%, down -1.52% YoY (margin pressure).
Bottom line: the most recent quarter shows weakening demand and significant profitability deterioration, which is not the profile of a clean long-term entry “right now.”
Growth
Profitability
Efficiency
Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends
Recent trend is negative: multiple firms downgraded AVTR and cut price targets from ~$14–$15 down to ~$12, with some more bearish views down to $9 and $8.
Key changes:
- 2026-01-07 TD Cowen: Hold, PT cut to $12 (from $14)
- 2026-01-05 Evercore ISI: downgraded to In Line, PT $12 (from $14)
- 2025-12-17 Jefferies: downgraded to Underperform, PT $9 (from $12)
- 2025-12-15 BofA: downgraded to Neutral, PT $13 (from $14)
- 2025-12-11 Nephron: downgraded to Sell, PT $8
- 2025-11-04 Raymond James: downgraded to Market Perform
- 2025-10-30 JPMorgan/Barclays: downgraded to Neutral/Equal Weight, PT $12
Wall Street pros: potential normalization in 2026 and room for upside if execution improves.
Wall Street cons: repeated misses/guide-downs, limited turnaround visibility, market share/margin headwinds, and lack of a clear near-term catalyst.
Wall Street analysts forecast AVTR stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AVTR is 12.3 USD with a low forecast of 8 USD and a high forecast of 17 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
13 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast AVTR stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AVTR is 12.3 USD with a low forecast of 8 USD and a high forecast of 17 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
2 Buy
9 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 11.650
Low
8
Averages
12.3
High
17
Current: 11.650
Low
8
Averages
12.3
High
17
TD Cowen
Hold
downgrade
$14 -> $12
AI Analysis
2026-01-07
Reason
TD Cowen
Price Target
$14 -> $12
AI Analysis
2026-01-07
downgrade
Hold
Reason
TD Cowen lowered the firm's price target on Avantor to $12 from $14 and keeps a Hold rating on the shares. The firm adjusted targets in the life science tools space as part of a Q4 outlook. While the bar is higher for the Q4 results following the recent share rallies, many companies "already soft guided" 2026, the analyst tells investors in a research note. TD believes this sets room for upside in 2026.
Evercore ISI
Outperform -> In Line
downgrade
$14 -> $12
2026-01-05
Reason
Evercore ISI
Price Target
$14 -> $12
2026-01-05
downgrade
Outperform -> In Line
Reason
Evercore ISI downgraded Avantor to In Line from Outperform with a price target of $12, down from $14.
Unlock Full Analyst Thesis， Get the complete breakdown of rating reason for AVTR
