ALB vs. MLM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
UpdatedHere’s a clear look at ALB and MLM, comparing key factors like performance, valuation metrics, dividends, and financial strength. It’s built for investors or anyone curious to see how these two stocks match up.
Company Overview
MLM stands out with 33.76 billion USD in market value—about 5.08× ALB’s market cap of 6.64 billion USD.
ALB’s beta of 1.71 points to much larger expected swings compared to MLM’s calmer 0.89, suggesting both higher upside and downside potential.
| Symbol | ALB | MLM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Albemarle Corporation | Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Basic Materials | Basic Materials |
| Industry | Chemicals - Specialty | Construction Materials |
| CEO | Mr. Jerry Kent Masters Jr. | Mr. C. Howard Nye J.D. |
| Price | 56.44 USD | 560.04 USD |
| Market Cap | 6.64 billion USD | 33.76 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.71 | 0.89 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | February 22, 1994 | February 17, 1994 |
| ADR | No | No |
Performance Comparison
This chart compares the performance of ALB and MLM over the past year by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each (starting one year ago).
Hover over the lines to see the investment’s value and total return (%) at specific dates.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Valuation Metrics Comparison
The section examines key financial ratios to assess the valuation of ALB and MLM based on earnings, cash flow, sales, and book value. Pay attention to the following notable points where extreme values stand out.
- ALB posts a negative P/E of -5.82, reflecting last year’s net loss, while MLM at 31.96 signals healthy earnings.
- ALB has a negative Price-to-Free Cash Flow ratio of -47.57, signaling it consumed more cash than it produced over the last year—an important liquidity warning. In contrast, MLM (P/FCF 54.72) indicates positive free cash flow generation.
| Symbol | ALB | MLM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -5.82 | 31.96 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 31.25 | 2.10 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 1.30 | 5.09 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 0.66 | 3.76 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -47.57 | 54.72 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -10.79 | 19.85 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 1.72 | 5.95 |
| EV-to-Free Cash Flow (TTM) | -62.77 | 63.97 |
Dividend Comparison
ALB’s dividend yield of 2.86% is about 415% higher than MLM’s 0.56%, underscoring its stronger focus on returning cash to shareholders.
| Symbol | ALB | MLM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.86% | 0.56% |
Financial Strength Metrics Comparison
This section dives into the financial resilience of ALB and MLM, spotlighting key metrics like liquidity, leverage, and debt coverage. Check out the standout observations below where notable differences or extremes pop up.
- With negative EBIT (-9.99), ALB cannot cover its interest payments. MLM, with an interest coverage of 8.05, meets its interest obligations.
| Symbol | ALB | MLM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 2.11 | 2.25 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.26 | 0.99 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.36 | 0.64 |
| Debt-to-Assets Ratio (TTM) | 0.21 | 0.33 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -9.99 | 8.05 |