ALB vs. VALE: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 24, 2025

Here’s a clear look at ALB and VALE, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

ALB is a standard domestic listing, while VALE trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

Symbol	ALB	VALE
Company Name	Albemarle Corporation	Vale S.A.
Country	United States	Brazil
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Chemicals	Metals & Mining
Market Capitalization	9.19 billion USD	42.07 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 22, 1994	March 21, 2002
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of ALB and VALE 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.

ALB vs. VALE: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	ALB	VALE
5-Day Price Return	-4.06%	-1.57%
13-Week Price Return	31.87%	-3.81%
26-Week Price Return	-1.43%	-3.48%
52-Week Price Return	-5.63%	-5.32%
Month-to-Date Return	15.14%	-0.41%
Year-to-Date Return	-9.25%	-2.40%
10-Day Avg. Volume	5.29M	23.58M
3-Month Avg. Volume	4.08M	21.26M
3-Month Volatility	60.63%	23.98%
Beta	1.69	0.93

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

ALB

-9.19%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 26.17%
Q3: 13.48%
Median: 8.13%
Q1: 2.52%
Min: -11.86%

ALB has a negative Return on Equity of -9.19%. 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.

VALE

13.93%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 31.09%
Q3: 16.14%
Median: 7.01%
Q1: 1.15%
Min: -19.85%

VALE’s Return on Equity of 13.93% is on par with the norm for the Metals & Mining industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

ALB

-18.61%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 21.80%
Q3: 9.57%
Median: 4.44%
Q1: 1.14%
Min: -11.30%

ALB has a negative Net Profit Margin of -18.61%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.

VALE

13.81%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 40.97%
Q3: 17.87%
Median: 7.03%
Q1: 1.82%
Min: -20.01%

VALE’s Net Profit Margin of 13.81% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Metals & Mining industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

ALB

-20.78%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 27.33%
Q3: 13.97%
Median: 8.08%
Q1: 4.46%
Min: -8.10%

ALB has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -20.78%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.

VALE

20.82%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 59.48%
Q3: 26.06%
Median: 10.50%
Q1: 2.89%
Min: -21.46%

VALE’s Operating Profit Margin of 20.82% is around the midpoint for the Metals & Mining industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	ALB	VALE
Return on Equity (TTM)	-9.19%	13.93%
Return on Assets (TTM)	-5.44%	5.93%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	-18.61%	13.81%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	-20.78%	20.82%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	7.76%	34.24%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

ALB

2.31

Chemicals Industry

Max: 3.38
Q3: 2.23
Median: 1.73
Q1: 1.39
Min: 0.55

ALB’s Current Ratio of 2.31 is in the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.

VALE

1.22

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 4.81
Q3: 2.86
Median: 1.94
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.13

VALE’s Current Ratio of 1.22 falls into the lower quartile for the Metals & Mining industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

ALB

0.35

Chemicals Industry

Max: 1.65
Q3: 0.94
Median: 0.65
Q1: 0.41
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Chemicals industry, ALB’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.35 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

VALE

0.45

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 1.11
Q3: 0.52
Median: 0.29
Q1: 0.12
Min: 0.00

VALE’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.45 is typical for the Metals & Mining industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

ALB

-6.46

Chemicals Industry

Max: 56.43
Q3: 26.33
Median: 9.38
Q1: 3.10
Min: -9.39

ALB has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -6.46. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.

VALE

2.82

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 65.47
Q3: 29.91
Median: 5.88
Q1: 0.91
Min: -26.49

VALE’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.82 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Metals & Mining industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	ALB	VALE
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.31	1.22
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.47	0.81
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.35	0.45
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	-6.46	2.82

Growth

Revenue Growth

ALB vs. VALE: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

ALB vs. VALE: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

ALB

3.88%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 6.56%
Q3: 4.04%
Median: 2.47%
Q1: 1.45%
Min: 0.00%

ALB’s Dividend Yield of 3.88% is consistent with its peers in the Chemicals industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

VALE

8.93%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 9.36%
Q3: 3.78%
Median: 1.41%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 8.93%, VALE offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Metals & Mining industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

ALB

192.00%

Chemicals Industry

Max: 181.25%
Q3: 95.01%
Median: 53.52%
Q1: 26.59%
Min: 0.00%

At 192.00%, ALB’s Dividend Payout Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical range for the Chemicals industry. While this provides a significant return to shareholders, it may limit funds for reinvestment and could be difficult to sustain.

VALE

94.22%

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 138.08%
Q3: 63.28%
Median: 38.78%
Q1: 12.84%
Min: 0.00%

VALE’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 94.22% is in the upper quartile for the Metals & Mining industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	ALB	VALE
Dividend Yield (TTM)	3.88%	8.93%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	192.00%	94.22%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

ALB

Chemicals Industry

Max: 42.94
Q3: 29.77
Median: 20.37
Q1: 14.27
Min: 6.19

P/E Ratio data for ALB is currently unavailable.

VALE

7.85

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 57.44
Q3: 32.87
Median: 18.04
Q1: 9.84
Min: 0.00

In the lower quartile for the Metals & Mining industry, VALE’s P/E Ratio of 7.85 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

ALB

1.84

Chemicals Industry

Max: 4.36
Q3: 2.23
Median: 1.01
Q1: 0.55
Min: 0.16

ALB’s P/S Ratio of 1.84 aligns with the market consensus for the Chemicals industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

VALE

1.08

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 6.52
Q3: 3.19
Median: 1.97
Q1: 0.59
Min: 0.14

VALE’s P/S Ratio of 1.08 aligns with the market consensus for the Metals & Mining industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

ALB

0.72

Chemicals Industry

Max: 4.92
Q3: 2.56
Median: 1.54
Q1: 0.97
Min: 0.30

ALB’s P/B Ratio of 0.72 is in the lower quartile for the Chemicals 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.

VALE

1.12

Metals & Mining Industry

Max: 3.92
Q3: 2.15
Median: 1.40
Q1: 0.84
Min: 0.25

VALE’s P/B Ratio of 1.12 is within the conventional range for the Metals & Mining 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.

ALB vs. VALE: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Chemicals and Metals & Mining industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	ALB	VALE
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	--	7.85
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	1.84	1.08
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	0.72	1.12
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	25.35	20.23