JPMorgan Chase & Co. Has Lowered Expectations for Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) Stock Price

Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) had its price target dropped by stock analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $195.00 to $145.00 in a research report issued on Friday,MarketScreener reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the specialty chemicals company’s stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s price objective suggests a potential downside of 12.87% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other research firms also recently commented on ALB. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price objective on Albemarle from $158.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Albemarle from $156.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Albemarle from $145.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Truist Financial upgraded shares of Albemarle from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $125.00 to $205.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $210.00 price objective on shares of Albemarle and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Albemarle presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $162.72.

Albemarle Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ALB opened at $166.42 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.51, a current ratio of 2.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The company has a market cap of $19.61 billion, a P/E ratio of -28.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 1.44. The business’s 50 day moving average is $158.16 and its two-hundred day moving average is $115.33. Albemarle has a 12 month low of $49.43 and a 12 month high of $195.68.

Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The specialty chemicals company reported ($0.53) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.40) by ($0.13). Albemarle had a negative net margin of 10.74% and a positive return on equity of 0.41%. The business had revenue of $1.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.34 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned ($1.09) EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 15.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Albemarle will post -0.04 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Albemarle

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Albemarle during the 3rd quarter valued at about $138,723,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Albemarle in the 4th quarter valued at about $165,271,000. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Albemarle by 48.5% in the 2nd quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 2,870,110 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $179,870,000 after acquiring an additional 937,538 shares during the last quarter. Phoenix Financial Ltd. acquired a new stake in Albemarle during the fourth quarter worth about $130,415,000. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its position in Albemarle by 4,338.5% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 738,430 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $104,444,000 after acquiring an additional 721,793 shares during the period. 92.87% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Albemarle

Here are the key news stories impacting Albemarle this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Revenue beat and strong Energy Storage demand — Q4 revenue topped estimates with ~16% y/y growth driven by Energy Storage volumes and pricing, a primary reason bulls cite for upside in ALB. ALB Q4 Earnings Miss, Revenues Beat on Higher Volumes & Pricing
• Positive Sentiment: Raised FY‑2026 revenue guidance — management issued a FY‑26 revenue range (~$5.7B–$6.0B) above consensus, giving investors a forward revenue anchor amid lithium price swings. Is Albemarle Setting Up for a Lithium-Fueled Rebound?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upside moves — Morgan Stanley and Mizuho raised price targets (to $170 and $185 respectively), signaling some sell‑side conviction on medium-term fundamentals. Morgan Stanley raises price target on Albemarle Mizuho raises price target on Albemarle
• Positive Sentiment: U.S. production support and grants — company commentary and coverage highlight DOE support (Kings Mountain reactivation) and domestic production steps that improve supply‑chain optionality. Is Albemarle Setting Up for a Lithium-Fueled Rebound?
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call tone — management emphasized cash strength, disciplined capacity management and flexibility across cycles; those points reduce tail‑risk but leave near‑term volatility intact. Albemarle Earnings Call: Cash Strength Amid Lithium Cycles Albemarle Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Potential policy tailwinds — the House passed H.R.3617 (Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act), which could support domestic critical‑minerals investment over time. Congress Vote: The House has passed H.R.3617
• Negative Sentiment: EPS miss and wider loss — Albemarle reported a larger-than-expected Q4 loss (missed EPS estimates), a headline that keeps short-term sellers active. ALB Q4 Earnings Miss, Revenues Beat on Higher Volumes & Pricing
• Negative Sentiment: Not all analysts are bullish — JPMorgan cut its price target to $145 (neutral), a headline that can cap near‑term upside. JPMorgan adjusts price target on Albemarle to $145 from $195
• Negative Sentiment: Macro and lithium price volatility — broader market rate/volatility concerns and swings in lithium prices mean ALB can move sharply both ways; expect continued choppy trading. MarketBeat Week in Review

About Albemarle

Albemarle Corporation is a leading global specialty chemicals company primarily engaged in the production and distribution of lithium, bromine, and catalysts. Its lithium segment supplies key components used in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, portable electronics, and grid storage systems. The company’s bromine specialty products serve a wide range of industries, including oil and gas drilling fluids, fire safety solutions, and water treatment. In its catalysts division, Albemarle provides products for petroleum refining, chemical processing and emissions control.

Founded in 1994 as a spin-off from Ethyl Corporation, Albemarle has grown through strategic acquisitions and capacity expansions to become one of the world’s foremost chemical producers.