The Short Answer
Axalta stock (AXTA) is currently classified as HALAL in the qualitative catalog, but the current filing-based quantitative result does not pass the examined debt/assets limit. Developing and manufacturing liquid and powder coatings for vehicles and industry is generally permissible.
Current quantitative Sharia screen
Based on 10-Q figures for the period ended 2026-03-31; calculated 2026-07-15.
3,147 / 7,558
608 / 7,558
1,869 / 7,558
- Financial
- Fails
- Overall
- Fails
Debt/assets is 41.64%, above the examined 33.333% limit; liquidity/assets is 8.04% and receivables-plus-cash/assets is 24.73%.
- Financial
- Fails
- Overall
- Fails
Debt/assets is 41.64%, above the examined MSCI 33.33% limit; liquidity and receivables-plus-cash remain below their limits.
- Financial
- Fails
- Overall
- Fails
Debt/assets is 41.64%, above the examined Malaysia limit; liquidity/assets is 8.04%. This is not an official classification.
- Financial
- Not calculated
- Overall
- Fails
A properly licensed and reproducible historical market-cap series is not stored; asset-based debt screening already fails.
Business-activity disclosure
Axalta manufactures liquid and powder coatings for automotive refinish, mobility and industrial markets. Coatings manufacturing is generally permissible, while customer end-use allocation remains qualitative.
Limitation: The filing does not provide a universal prohibited-revenue numerator across coating products and customer end uses.
Purification
A swap-related interest-income line is not a reproducible gross non-compliant-income numerator; no fixed scholar-approved purification percentage is asserted.
Inputs, assumptions and primary sources
- Amounts are USD millions from Axalta's March 31, 2026 Form 10-Q for the three months ended that date.
- Debt is the reported $3,147 million debt-and-capital-lease-obligations balance, including current maturities.
- Cash is $608 million and receivables are the reported $1,261 million net current receivables balance, including trade accounts and notes receivable.
- The filing presents interest income on swaps designated as net investment hedges, not a reproducible gross non-compliant-income numerator; no fixed purification percentage is asserted.
- Automotive refinish, mobility and industrial coatings are generally permissible, but no universal prohibited-revenue numerator is asserted.
This is a reproducible financial screen, not a fatwa. A failed total-assets screen can coexist with a pass under a market-cap methodology. ZakatInvest keeps the qualitative assessment separate so numerical thresholds do not erase material context.
The March 31, 2026 filing shows interest-bearing debt/assets of 41.64%, liquidity/assets of 8.04%, and receivables plus cash/assets of 24.73%. The debt screen fails; the filing does not provide a reproducible gross non-compliant-income numerator or universal prohibited-revenue numerator.
Sharia Screening Methodology
Islamic scholars use several criteria to screen stocks:
- Business activity screen: Is the company's primary business halal?
- Debt ratio: Total debt / market cap must be under 33%
- Interest income: Interest income / total revenue must be under 5%
- Haram revenue: Revenue from haram sources must be under 5%
- Receivables ratio: Total receivables / total assets must be under 49–70% (varies by board)
Axalta's Business Activity
Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. makes coatings. Its activity is:
- Refinish: Coatings for automotive body shops and repair
- Mobility: Coatings for light and commercial vehicle manufacturers
- Industrial: Powder and liquid coatings for general industry
Producing coatings is a permissible activity with no haram revenue line.
Why AXTA Is Halal
1. Permissible Core Business
Manufacturing coatings is a halal materials business that supplies the automotive and industrial supply chains. There is no gambling, alcohol, conventional banking, or other prohibited line at the heart of the business.
2. Debt Ratio Is the Item to Watch
The filing-based debt/assets ratio is 41.64%, above the examined asset-based limits. The leveraged balance sheet and future deleveraging should be monitored.
3. Interest on Cash to Purify
The filing does not provide a reproducible gross interest-income numerator, so no income ratio or fixed purification percentage is asserted. Re-screen the financial ratios periodically as the company continues to pay down debt.
Filing-Based Ratios (March 31, 2026)
Based on Axalta's latest Form 10-Q:
- Debt / Total Assets: 41.64% — above examined limits ⚠️
- Liquidity / Total Assets: 8.04% ✅
- Receivables + Cash / Total Assets: 24.73% ✅
- Gross Interest Income: Not separately disclosed — purification remains incomplete ⚠️
- Prohibited-Product Revenue: No universal numerator disclosed — qualitative review required ⚠️
Methodology Interpretation
The current filing-based asset screen fails on debt/assets under the examined FTSE, MSCI and Malaysia-style limits. Coatings manufacturing remains generally permissible, but customer end-use allocation and purification treatment require review.
- Core activity: Automotive refinish, mobility and industrial coatings
- Quantitative status: Debt fails; other known ratios pass
- Scholar review: Confirm income and customer end-use treatment
Bottom Line
Axalta (AXTA) has a generally permissible core activity, but the current filing-based result is not passing because reported debt/assets are 41.64%. Customer allocation and purification treatment also remain methodology-dependent.
For Muslim investors seeking materials exposure, compare AXTA with peers like Eastman Chemical (EMN) and LyondellBasell (LYB).
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