Albemarle Corporation (ALB)

The lithium market, a significant driver for Albemarle's stock, has experienced price declines due to oversupply and weaker demand. In the first half of 2025, the lithium carbonate market was projected to remain oversupplied. In Q1 2025, the U.S. bromine market saw mixed performance, with slight price declines in January. The global refinery catalyst market was estimated at USD 9.9 billion in 2025. In October 2024, Albemarle announced a transition from two core global business units to a fully integrated functional model.

Demand seasonality for Albemarle's products is influenced by the end markets they serve. The lithium market, particularly for EV batteries, shows seasonal trends with a winding down of demand at the end of the year. The bromine market experiences seasonal fluctuations, with the U.S. market affected by seasonal slowdowns. Demand for refinery catalysts can be influenced by seasonal product demand, with FCC units operating on maximum gasoline or distillate modes depending on the season.

Albemarle Corporation is an American specialty chemicals manufacturing company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It operates as a global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered, value-added products, primarily serving industries such as automotive/EV, energy storage, consumer electronics, construction, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, and crop protection. Albemarle's major products are segmented into Lithium and Polymer Solutions, Bromine and Derivatives, and Catalysts.

Albemarle has a significant global presence with offices and operations in 34 locations across six continents, serving customers in approximately 70 to 100 countries. Key operational areas include North America, South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia. In North America, the United States houses the headquarters, lithium resources, and bromine production facilities. South America includes lithium production from brine in Chile. Europe has production plants for flame retardant chemicals and catalyst production locations. Asia includes operations in China, South Korea and Japan. The Middle East has a regional sales office in Dubai and operations in Jordan. Australia has joint ventures for hard rock lithium mines.

Albemarle generally maintains a reputation as a global leader in specialty chemicals, particularly in lithium and bromine, with a focus on sustainability. The company published its 2024 Sustainability Report, highlighting achievements in reducing its carbon footprint and responsible freshwater management. In October 2024, the company announced a new operating structure to increase agility and drive cost efficiencies. As of June 4, 2025, Sustainalytics assessed Albemarle's ESG Risk Rating as "Medium" (20.11), with a "Moderate" highest controversy level related to operations and business ethics.

Albemarle Corporation's ownership is predominantly institutional. As of March 31, 2025, Albemarle has over 1,350 institutional owners holding a significant portion of its shares. The largest institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group Inc., Capital World Investors, BlackRock, Inc., State Street Corp, Franklin Resources Inc and Capital Research Global Investors. Insiders own a smaller percentage of the company, with William M. Gottwald noted as the largest individual shareholder.