Albemarle Corporation
ALB
announced estimated preliminary results for fourth-quarter 2020 ended Dec 31, 2020.
The company expects net sales for the quarter in the band of $870-$880 million, which suggests a decline of 11-12% year-over-year but above the earlier guidance. Net income is projected to be $77-$87 million, indicating a fall of 3-15% with earnings per share (EPS) of 73-81 cents.
Adjusted EPS is expected in the range of $1.11-$1.19. Projected adjusted EBITDA is in the range of $213-$223 million, which calls for a decline of 24-28% year-over-year but up from the prior guidance.
The company also expects full-year 2021 results to improve compared with 2020 levels, owing to the economic recovery following the pandemic. It anticipates the lithium business to witness lower pricing, offset by higher volumes. Higher lithium costs associated with project start-ups are expected to be partly offset by improved efficiency.
The Bromine performance is projected to improve on the back of higher volumes as well as savings initiatives expected to offset inflation. Although the company’s catalysts business is witnessing recovery from low levels in 2020, it is expected to be below pre-pandemic levels due to a slow recovery of refining capacity utilization and margins.
Moreover, capital expenditures are projected to be roughly flat year-over-year, but above the prior guidance. The upside can be attributed to accelerated Lithium growth and additional conversation capacity projects.
Albemarle is slated to release fourth-quarter results after the closing bell on Feb 17.
Shares of Albemarle have surged 87.2% in the past year compared with 21.1% rise of the
industry
.
Zacks Rank & Key Picks
Albemarle currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space are
Fortescue Metals Group Limited
FSUGY
,
BHP Group
BHP
and
Impala Platinum Holdings Limited
IMPUY
.
Fortescue has a projected earnings growth rate of 74.2% for the current fiscal. The company’s shares have surged around 124.2% in a year. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1(Strong Buy). You can see
the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
BHP has an expected earnings growth rate of 59.5% for the current fiscal. The company’s shares have gained around 28.6% in the past year. It currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1.
Impala has an expected earnings growth rate of 189.4% for the current fiscal. The company’s shares have rallied around 37.9% in the past year. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.
These Stocks Are Poised to Soar Past the Pandemic
The COVID-19 outbreak has shifted consumer behavior dramatically, and a handful of high-tech companies have stepped up to keep America running. Right now, investors in these companies have a shot at serious profits. For example, Zoom jumped 108.5% in less than 4 months while most other stocks were sinking.
Our research shows that 5 cutting-edge stocks could skyrocket from the exponential increase in demand for “stay at home” technologies. This could be one of the biggest buying opportunities of this decade, especially for those who get in early.
See the 5 high-tech stocks now>>
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
