ALB vs. CLF: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ALB and CLF, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ALB’s market capitalization of 7.91 billion USD is substantially larger than CLF’s 4.36 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
With betas of 1.61 for ALB and 1.85 for CLF, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ALB | CLF |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Albemarle Corporation | Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Basic Materials | Basic Materials |
| Industry | Chemicals - Specialty | Steel |
| CEO | Jerry Kent Masters Jr. | C. Lourenco Goncalves |
| Price | 67.21 USD | 8.82 USD |
| Market Cap | 7.91 billion USD | 4.36 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.61 | 1.85 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | February 22, 1994 | November 5, 1987 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ALB and CLF by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ALB
-11.01%
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 34.45%
- Q3
- 15.78%
- Median
- 7.65%
- Q1
- 2.96%
- Min
- -12.04%
ALB has a negative Return on Equity of -11.01%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
CLF
-17.59%
Steel Industry
- Max
- 19.41%
- Q3
- 6.56%
- Median
- 1.54%
- Q1
- -3.03%
- Min
- -12.88%
CLF has a negative Return on Equity of -17.59%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
Return on Invested Capital
ALB
-8.62%
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 20.22%
- Q3
- 10.99%
- Median
- 5.25%
- Q1
- 3.06%
- Min
- -8.62%
ALB has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -8.62%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
CLF
-5.38%
Steel Industry
- Max
- 8.44%
- Q3
- 6.04%
- Median
- 2.41%
- Q1
- -2.16%
- Min
- -5.38%
CLF has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -5.38%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
Net Profit Margin
ALB
-22.39%
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 23.23%
- Q3
- 10.64%
- Median
- 5.14%
- Q1
- 0.64%
- Min
- -8.93%
ALB has a negative Net Profit Margin of -22.39%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
CLF
-6.35%
Steel Industry
- Max
- 6.80%
- Q3
- 4.40%
- Median
- 0.88%
- Q1
- -2.05%
- Min
- -10.37%
CLF has a negative Net Profit Margin of -6.35%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
Operating Profit Margin
ALB
-25.05%
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 26.42%
- Q3
- 15.81%
- Median
- 10.07%
- Q1
- 4.82%
- Min
- -7.44%
ALB has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -25.05%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
CLF
-6.75%
Steel Industry
- Max
- 17.40%
- Q3
- 7.61%
- Median
- 4.75%
- Q1
- -0.70%
- Min
- -10.86%
CLF has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -6.75%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ALB | CLF |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -11.01% | -17.59% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -6.71% | -5.67% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -8.62% | -5.38% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -22.39% | -6.35% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -25.05% | -6.75% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 3.53% | -3.26% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ALB
2.11
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 3.95
- Q3
- 2.60
- Median
- 2.04
- Q1
- 1.60
- Min
- 0.77
ALB’s Current Ratio of 2.11 aligns with the median group of the Chemicals - Specialty industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
CLF
2.13
Steel Industry
- Max
- 3.17
- Q3
- 3.03
- Median
- 2.58
- Q1
- 1.87
- Min
- 1.35
CLF’s Current Ratio of 2.13 aligns with the median group of the Steel industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ALB
0.36
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 1.65
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.73
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.01
Falling into the lower quartile for the Chemicals - Specialty industry, ALB’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.36 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
CLF
1.22
Steel Industry
- Max
- 0.48
- Q3
- 0.45
- Median
- 0.27
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.22, CLF operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Steel industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ALB
-9.99
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 13.69
- Q3
- 9.06
- Median
- 5.24
- Q1
- 1.68
- Min
- -3.09
ALB has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -9.99. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
CLF
-2.82
Steel Industry
- Max
- 28.82
- Q3
- 10.16
- Median
- 3.04
- Q1
- -2.82
- Min
- -8.78
CLF has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -2.82. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ALB | CLF |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 2.11 | 2.13 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.26 | 0.64 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.36 | 1.22 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.21 | 0.36 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -2.61 | -119.75 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -9.99 | -2.82 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ALB and CLF. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ALB
2.41%
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 9.19%
- Q3
- 2.44%
- Median
- 1.46%
- Q1
- 0.25%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALB’s Dividend Yield of 2.41% is consistent with its peers in the Chemicals - Specialty industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
CLF
0.00%
Steel Industry
- Max
- 16.89%
- Q3
- 3.75%
- Median
- 1.68%
- Q1
- 1.43%
- Min
- 0.00%
CLF currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ALB
-31.01%
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 163.70%
- Q3
- 57.04%
- Median
- 30.02%
- Q1
- 12.51%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALB has a negative Dividend Payout Ratio of -31.01%. This typically means the company paid a dividend despite reporting a net loss, a situation that may signal financial instability.
CLF
0.00%
Steel Industry
- Max
- 222.70%
- Q3
- 39.78%
- Median
- 32.33%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CLF has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ALB | CLF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.41% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | -31.01% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ALB
-6.93
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 56.68
- Q3
- 33.75
- Median
- 23.45
- Q1
- 16.09
- Min
- 7.50
ALB has a negative P/E Ratio of -6.93. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
CLF
-3.69
Steel Industry
- Max
- 24.65
- Q3
- 23.86
- Median
- 21.78
- Q1
- 15.59
- Min
- 7.61
CLF has a negative P/E Ratio of -3.69. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ALB
37.21
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 6.58
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.64
- Q1
- 0.96
- Min
- 0.16
ALB’s Forward PEG Ratio of 37.21 is exceptionally high for the Chemicals - Specialty industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.
CLF
0.12
Steel Industry
- Max
- 3.14
- Q3
- 2.43
- Median
- 0.99
- Q1
- 0.40
- Min
- 0.10
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Steel industry.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ALB
1.55
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 3.76
- Q3
- 2.31
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 0.89
- Min
- 0.16
ALB’s P/S Ratio of 1.55 aligns with the market consensus for the Chemicals - Specialty industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
CLF
0.23
Steel Industry
- Max
- 1.22
- Q3
- 0.82
- Median
- 0.47
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.19
In the lower quartile for the Steel industry, CLF’s P/S Ratio of 0.23 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ALB
0.79
Chemicals - Specialty Industry
- Max
- 6.73
- Q3
- 3.78
- Median
- 1.56
- Q1
- 1.27
- Min
- 0.35
ALB’s P/B Ratio of 0.79 is in the lower quartile for the Chemicals - Specialty industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
CLF
0.70
Steel Industry
- Max
- 2.37
- Q3
- 1.48
- Median
- 0.77
- Q1
- 0.59
- Min
- 0.38
CLF’s P/B Ratio of 0.70 is within the conventional range for the Steel industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ALB | CLF |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -6.93 | -3.69 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 37.21 | 0.12 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 1.55 | 0.23 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 0.79 | 0.70 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -56.65 | -4.14 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -12.35 | -189.00 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 1.97 | 0.64 |