Charlotte, North Carolina-based Albemarle Corporation (ALB) provides energy storage solutions worldwide. Valued at a market cap of $24.8 billion, the company operates through three segments: Energy Storage, Specialties, and Ketjen, and offers lithium compounds, including lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, and lithium chloride, bromine and highly specialized lithium solutions, and more.
ALB shares have outperformed the broader market over the past year, grew 262.5% compared to the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) 31% surge. Moreover, in 2026, the stock has surged 48.5%, rallying the SPX’s 8.3% rise as well.
Focusing on its industry benchmark, the State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) has risen 23.6% over the past year, underperforming the stock. In 2026, XLB surged 15.2% and has also lagged behind the stock.
On May 7, ALB stock rose 3% following the release of its Q1 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue came in at $1.4 billion, surpassing Wall Street’s estimates. Moreover, its adjusted EPS amounted to $2.95, also coming in on top of the Street’s estimates.
For the current year, which ends in December, analysts expect ALB’s EPS to rise substantially to $9.22 on a diluted basis. The company surpassed the consensus estimate in three of the last four quarters, while missing it once.
Among the 24 analysts covering ALB stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on 10 “Strong Buy” ratings, two “Moderate Buys,” and 12 “Holds.”
The configuration has turned less bullish over the past month.
On May 11, Argus Research analyst Bill Selesky maintained a “Buy” rating for Albemarle and raised its price target from $124 to $230.
ALB’s mean price target of $208.09 is below the current market prices. Its Street-high target of $264 suggests a 25.7% upside potential from current price levels.
