Core Insights - Albemarle Corporation (ALB) is a leading global specialty chemicals company with a market cap of $10.7 billion, focusing on energy storage, advanced materials, and sustainable technologies [1] Financial Performance - ALB is expected to report an adjusted loss of $0.92 per share for fiscal Q3 2025, which is an improvement of 40.7% from the adjusted loss of $1.55 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For fiscal 2025, analysts forecast an adjusted loss of $1.59 per share, a 32.1% improvement from the adjusted loss of $2.34 per share in fiscal 2024 [3] - Adjusted EPS is anticipated to grow significantly by 140.9% year-over-year to $0.65 in fiscal 2026 [3] Stock Performance - ALB stock has declined by 5.5% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the S&P 500 Index's gain of 15.2% [4] - Despite a better-than-expected Q2 2025 adjusted EPS of $0.11 and revenue of $1.3 billion, shares fell by 1.5% the following day due to concerns over the lithium market [5] Market Conditions - Lithium prices have dropped more than 90% in the past two years, impacting margins and leading to job cuts and project cancellations, including a key U.S. refinery [5] - The company has lowered its annual capital expenditure guidance to between $650 million and $750 million [5] Analyst Ratings - The consensus view on ALB stock is cautious, with an overall "Hold" rating from 25 analysts; six suggest a "Strong Buy," two a "Moderate Buy," 15 a "Hold," and two "Strong Sells" [6] - The stock is currently trading above the average analyst price target of $91.17 [6]