Albemarle (ALB) ended the recent trading session at $194.18, demonstrating a +2.33% change from the preceding day's closing price. This move outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.41%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.83%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 0.91%.
Coming into today, shares of the specialty chemicals company had gained 31.24% in the past month. In that same time, the Basic Materials sector gained 9.68%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.38%.
The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of Albemarle in its forthcoming earnings report. The company is scheduled to release its earnings on February 11, 2026. The company is predicted to post an EPS of -$0.53, indicating a 51.38% growth compared to the equivalent quarter last year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $1.35 billion, up 9.26% from the year-ago period.
For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of -$1 per share and a revenue of $5.05 billion, signifying shifts of +57.26% and 0%, respectively, from the last year.
Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Albemarle. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the business and profitability.
Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, running from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), holds an admirable track record of superior performance, independently audited, with #1 stocks contributing an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 125.02% upward. Albemarle is currently a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Investors should also note Albemarle's current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 66.3. This represents a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 16.68.
It is also worth noting that ALB currently has a PEG ratio of 4.14. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Chemical - Diversified industry held an average PEG ratio of 3.28.
The Chemical - Diversified industry is part of the Basic Materials sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 218, which puts it in the bottom 12% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Albemarle Corporation (ALB): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
Zacks Investment Research
