Albemarle Corporation (ALB)

Materials · $11.7B market cap · SEC CIK 0000915913

Next reports on Feb 9, 2027, after the close, with analysts expecting $1.68 in earnings per share.

52-week range $89.77 to $221.00. 57% below its 52-week high and 6% above its low.

The case for ALB

• Revenue up 24.4% on the year.
• Trades at 1.18× book value, close to what the balance sheet says it owns.
• Has compounded revenue at 10.4% a year over five years.
• Current assets cover the near-term bills 2.3 times over.
• Pays a modest 1.2% dividend.
• Free-cash-flow yield of 5.9% is higher than 92% of Materials companies.

The case against

• Near the bottom of its 52-week range, 57% below the high. Falling prices usually have a reason; find it first.
• Return on equity of only 7%.
• Stability is weak (33/100): beta 1.42, 2.4 years of cash flow to clear its debt, a 59% swing over the year.

What the score is made of

Each factor is half a curve over reported figures and half a rank among the other Materials companies (momentum is judged against fixed thresholds only), and the five are blended by weight. The score is where that blend places it in the S&P 500. It describes the last filing and the current price. It is not a forecast.

• Each factor except momentum is half fixed thresholds, half rank among the 26 Materials companies.

The financials

The financials, five years deep

Pulled from Albemarle Corporation's XBRL filings on SEC EDGAR. Italic rows are worked out from the others.

What Albemarle Corporation says it does

Albemarle Corporation was incorporated in Virginia in 1993. Our principal executive offices are located at 4250 Congress Street, Suite 900, Charlotte, North Carolina 28209. Unless the context otherwise indicates, the terms “Albemarle,” “we,” “us,” “our” or “the Company” mean Albemarle Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries. Albemarle is a world leader in transforming essential resources into critical ingredients for mobility, energy, connectivity, and health. Our purpose is to enable a more resilient world. We partner to pioneer new ways to move, power, connect, and protect. The end markets we serve include grid storage, automotive, aerospace, conventional energy, electronics, construction, agriculture and food, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. We believe that our world-class resources with reliable and consistent supply, our leading process chemistry, high-impact innovation, customer centricity and focus on people and…

Risk factors ALB lists in its 10-K

• Albemarle Corporation and Subsidiaries
• Our substantial international operations subject us to risks of doing business in foreign countries, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations
• Because we conduct substantial operations in China, risks associated with regulatory activity and political and social events in China could negatively affect our business and operating results
• Competition within our industry may place downward pressure on the prices and margins of our products and may adversely affect our businesses and results of operations
• Our research and development efforts may not succeed in addressing changes in our customers’ needs, and our competitors may develop more effective or successful products
• The development of non-lithium battery technologies could adversely affect us
• We are subject to risks related to brine extraction limits, particularly with respect to our early warning plan at our facilities in Chile
• Downturns in our customers’ industries, which may be cyclical or affected by changes in governing administrations, could adversely affect our sales and profitability
• The results of the Refining Solutions business are subject to fluctuation because of irregularities in the demand for our HPC catalysts and certain of our agrichemicals
• Regulation, or the threat of regulation, of some of our products could have an adverse effect on our sales and profitability
• We could be subject to damages based on claims brought against us by our customers or lose customers as a result of the failure of our products to meet certain quality specifications
• Our business could be adversely affected by environmental, health and safety laws and regulations
• Certain of our operations could be adversely affected by local communities and/or other stakeholders
• We could be adversely affected by violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar foreign anti-corruption laws, and in the past have paid fines in order to resolve self-reported potential violations of such laws
• Our inability to protect our intellectual property rights, or being accused of infringing on intellectual property rights of third parties,
• Our inability to develop lithium or bromine reserves that are economically viable could have a material adverse effect on our future profitability
• Demand and market prices for lithium will greatly affect the value of our investment in our lithium resources and conversion facilities, and our revenues and profitability generally
• If we are unable to retain key personnel or attract new skilled personnel, it could have an adverse effect on our business
• Some of our employees are unionized, represented by works councils or are employed subject to local laws that are less favorable to employers than the laws of the U.S
• Our required capital expenditures can be complex, may experience delays or other difficulties, and the costs may exceed our estimates
• Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial health and our ability to execute our business strategy, and we will need a significant amount of cash to service our indebtedness
• Changes in credit ratings issued by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations could adversely affect our cost of financing, the market price of our securities and our debt service obligations
• Write-offs or impairment of our goodwill, intangible assets or long-lived assets can result in significant charges to earnings
• Our business could suffer if we are not successful in executing our strategy and initiatives in connection with our comprehensive review of our cost and operating structure
• We are exposed to fluctuations in currency exchange rates, which may adversely affect our operating results and net income
• Significant or prolonged periods of higher interest rates may have an adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows
• Inflationary trends in the price of our input costs, such as raw materials, transportation and energy, could adversely affect our business and financial results
• Changes in, or the interpretation of, tax legislation or rates throughout the world could materially impact our results
• Future events may impact our deferred tax asset position and U.S. deferred federal income taxes on undistributed earnings of international affiliates that are considered to be indefinitely reinvested
• Our business and financial results may be adversely affected by various legal and regulatory proceedings
• Although our pension plans currently meet minimum funding requirements, events could occur that would require us to make significant contributions to the plans and reduce the cash available for our business
• We may discontinue or divest all or part of a particular business or plant as we periodically assess our business structure. Any such discontinuations or divestitures may introduce significant risks and uncertainties
• We may not be able to consummate future acquisitions or integrate acquisitions into our business, which could result in unanticipated expenses and losses
• Our business and operations could suffer in the event of cybersecurity breaches, information technology system failures, or network disruptions
• Integration of AI technologies into our operations may introduce new risks, require significant additional investment, and materially impact our competitive position if unsuccessful
• The occurrence or threat of extraordinary events, including domestic and international terrorist attacks, may disrupt our operations and increase costs
• National or international disputes, political instability, terrorism war or armed hostilities, could impact our results of operations
• Natural disasters or other unanticipated catastrophes could impact our operations and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows
• Our insurance may not fully cover all potential exposures
• We may be exposed to certain physical, transitional, regulatory and financial risks related to climate change
• Failure to meet sustainability expectations or standards or achieve our sustainability goals could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, or stock price

Filings

Other Materials companies