ALB vs. PPG: Albemarle vs. PPG Industries Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG) are both classified in the Specialty Chemicals sub-industry within the broader Chemicals industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Profile Item	ALB	PPG
Name	Albemarle Corporation	PPG Industries, Inc.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Chemicals	Chemicals
GICS Sub-Industry	Specialty Chemicals	Specialty Chemicals
Market Capitalization	11.71 billion USD	27.03 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 22, 1994	March 17, 1980
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ALB

PPG

GSPC

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Metric	ALB	PPG
Total Return (1Y)	1.28%	33.84%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	-3.80%	1.70%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-17.74%	-2.93%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ALB

PPG

GSPC

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Metric	ALB	PPG
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	53.59%	31.28%
Beta (5Y)	1.32	0.97
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-83.90%	-43.55%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.40M	1.73M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ALB and PPG are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Metric	ALB	PPG
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	-0.06	0.95
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	-0.08	1.45

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 7.05% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 19.49% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

ALB

Materials industry group

7.05%

Max: 52.88%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
ALB: 7.05%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

PPG

Materials industry group

19.49%

Max: 52.88%
PPG: 19.49%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 11.08% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 9.41% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

ALB

Materials industry group

11.08%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
ALB: 11.08%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

PPG

Materials industry group

9.41%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
PPG: 9.41%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 11.74% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 14.66% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

ALB

Materials industry group

11.74%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
ALB: 11.74%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

PPG

Materials industry group

14.66%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
PPG: 14.66%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Metric	ALB	PPG
ROE (TTM)	7.05%	19.49%
ROA (TTM)	3.95%	6.22%
Net Margin (TTM)	11.08%	9.41%
Operating Margin (TTM)	11.74%	14.66%
Gross Margin (TTM)	26.17%	41.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

PPG Industries (PPG) at 0.19% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Albemarle (ALB) at -4.37% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: PPG Industries (PPG) reports EPS growth of 46.11%, ranked against its industry; Albemarle (ALB) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Metric	ALB	PPG
Revenue Growth (YoY)	-4.37%	0.19%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-11.10%	0.55%
EPS Growth (YoY)	--	46.11%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	--	17.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 2.34 and PPG Industries (PPG) at 1.58 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

ALB

Materials industry group

2.34

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
ALB: 2.34
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

PPG

Materials industry group

1.58

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
PPG: 1.58
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 0.18 and PPG Industries (PPG) at 0.87 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

ALB

Materials industry group

0.18

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
Median: 0.47
ALB: 0.18
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

PPG

Materials industry group

0.87

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
PPG: 0.87
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Metric	ALB	PPG
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.34	1.58
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.18	0.87
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.09	2.11

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

PPG Industries (PPG) at 2.33% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Albemarle (ALB) at 1.65% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, PPG the richer one.

ALB

Materials industry group

1.65%

Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
ALB: 1.65%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PPG

Materials industry group

2.33%

Max: 4.52%
PPG: 2.33%
Q3: 1.85%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 39.16% and PPG Industries (PPG) at 40.31% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

ALB

Materials industry group

39.16%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
ALB: 39.16%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

PPG

Materials industry group

40.31%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
PPG: 40.31%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Metric	ALB	PPG
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.65%	2.33%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	39.16%	40.31%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Albemarle (ALB) at 23.92 and PPG Industries (PPG) at 17.19 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ALB

Materials industry group

23.92

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
ALB: 23.92
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

PPG

Materials industry group

17.19

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
PPG: 17.19
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Albemarle (ALB) at 1.90 and PPG Industries (PPG) at 1.62 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ALB

Materials industry group

1.90

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
ALB: 1.90
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

PPG

Materials industry group

1.62

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
PPG: 1.62
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Albemarle (ALB) at 1.41 and PPG Industries (PPG) at 3.19 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

ALB

Materials industry group

1.41

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
ALB: 1.41
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

PPG

Materials industry group

3.19

Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
PPG: 3.19
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

Albemarle (ALB) vs. PPG Industries (PPG): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Albemarle (ALB) and PPG Industries (PPG)
Metric	ALB	PPG
P/E Ratio (TTM)	23.92	17.19
P/S Ratio (TTM)	1.90	1.62
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.41	3.19
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	10.67%	4.06%