Albemarle (ALB) Exceeds Market Returns: Some Facts to Consider

Albemarle (ALB) closed at $79.49 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.26% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.08%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 0.92%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 1.41%.Heading into today, shares of the specialty chemicals company had lost 6.08% over the past month, lagging the Basic Materials sector's loss of 1.64% and outpacing the S&P 500's loss of 8.26% in that time.Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Albemarle in its upcoming earnings disclosure. In that report, analysts expect Albemarle to post earnings of -$0.37 per share. This would mark a year-over-year decline of 242.31%. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $1.2 billion, down 11.86% from the prior-year quarter.Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of -$0.04 per share and revenue of $5.13 billion. These totals would mark changes of +98.29% and -4.55%, respectively, from last year.Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Albemarle. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the company's business performance and profit potential.Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 110.19% lower. Currently, Albemarle is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).The Chemical - Diversified industry is part of the Basic Materials sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 206, putting it in the bottom 18% of all 250+ industries.The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 DaysJust released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +24.3% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Albemarle Corporation (ALB): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks