What Makes Avient Corp (AVNT) a Lucrative Investment?

Cullen Capital Management, LLC, operating under the name Schafer Cullen Capital Management, Inc. (SCCM), has released its “SCCM Small Cap Value Equity Strategy” third-quarter investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The US equity market continued the rally in the third quarter, with the Russell 2000 returning 12.4% and the Russell 2000 Value surging 12.6%. The Small Cap Value Equity strategy returned 14.4% (gross of fees) and 14.2% (net of fees) in the quarter. The small caps delivered strong results in the quarter, driven by Fed rate cuts, broad-based economic resilience, and renewed investor appetite for risk. In addition, you can check the fund’s top 5 holdings to determine its best picks for 2025.

In its third-quarter 2025 investor letter, SCCM Small Cap Value Equity Strategy highlighted stocks such as Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT). Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) is a formulator of material solutions that operates in Color, Additives and Inks; and Specialty Engineered Materials segments. The one-month return of Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) was 10.15%, and its shares lost 44.21% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On November 24, 2025, Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) stock closed at $29.29 per share, with a market capitalization of $2.682 billion.

SCCM Small Cap Value Equity Strategy stated the following regarding Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:

“Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) is a global provider of specialized polymer materials, colorants, composites, and additives serving key end markets such as packaging, healthcare, defense, and industrial manufacturing. The company has successfully transitioned from a commodity materials business to a higher-margin specialty formulator through strategic acquisitions and divestitures, focusing on sustainability and advanced material innovation. Execution remains strong, supported by cost discipline, productivity initiatives, and an increasing mix of recurring and value-added revenue streams. Exposure to resilient sectors like healthcare and defense provides stability, while demand recovery in packaging and industrial applications offers cyclical upside. Management continues to drive mix improvement, margin expansion, and deleveraging through operational excellence and targeted capital allocation. Avient is also investing in next-generation materials aligned with long-term trends in electrification, lightweighting, and circular manufacturing. With a stronger balance sheet, expanding free cash flow, and a structurally improved earnings profile, we believe Avient is well positioned to compound value and outperform traditional chemical peers over the coming cycle.”

Is Avient Corporation (AVNT) the Best Russell 2000 Stock to Buy According to Wall Street Analysts?

Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. According to our database, 30 hedge fund portfolios held Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) at the end of the second quarter, up from 28 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

In another article, we covered Avient Corporation (NYSE:AVNT) and shared the list of best specialty chemicals stocks to invest in. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q3 2025 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.