ALB
Albemarle Corporation Materials - Specialty Chemicals Investor Relations →
Albemarle Corporation (ALB) closed at $180.38 as of 2026-05-15, trading 24.6% above its 200-week moving average of $144.78. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 40.5% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 56, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.3x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (1.25 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 1633 weeks of data, ALB has crossed below its 200-week moving average 23 times. On average, these episodes lasted 17 weeks. Historically, investors who bought ALB at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +24.4%.
With a market cap of $21.3 billion, ALB is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 3.4%. Return on equity stands at -1.8%. The stock trades at 2.8x book value.
ALB is a Dividend Aristocrat, having increased its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years. The current yield is 90.00%.
Over the past 31.4 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in ALB would have grown to $4549, compared to $2710 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 12.9% vs 11.1% for the index — confirming ALB as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been volatile over the past several years, making the quality of earnings harder to assess.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: ALB vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After ALB Crosses Below the Line?
Across 23 historical episodes, buying ALB when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +23.8% after 12 months (median +12.0%), compared to +11.1% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 70% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +56.2% vs +23.1% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment ALB crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Bean Score Experimental
The Bean Score measures how far a stock's free cash flow yield has deviated from its own quarterly baseline, normalized by the stock's historical behavior. Between earnings dates, FCF is constant — so the score is purely a function of stock price. The levels below show at what prices ALB would reach each dislocation threshold.
Dislocation Price Levels
Prices where ALB's Bean Score would hit each σ threshold. Valid until next earnings report (last report: 2025-12-31).
| Level | σ | Price | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Value | +2σ | $139.57 | Unusually cheap — potential buy zone |
| Value | +1σ | $151.06 | Cheap vs. own history |
| Fair Value | +0σ | $164.61 | Historical mean behavior |
| Expensive | -1σ | $180.83 | Expensive vs. own history |
| Deep Expensive | -2σ | $200.59 | Unusually expensive — potential trim zone |
Signal Accuracy Collecting Data
The Bean Score system is accumulating weekly data to validate signal accuracy. After 13+ weeks of history, this section will display win rates and average returns for each σ threshold crossing — answering the question: "When this score says cheap or expensive, does the price subsequently move in the expected direction?"
Theoretical framework — not backtested or forward-tested. The Bean Score uses trailing twelve-month free cash flow yield as a dislocation identifier. It measures whether the market has pushed a stock's yield unusually far from its own baseline behavior. These levels are reference points for identifying potential swing trade opportunities, not buy/sell signals. FCF values update quarterly with earnings; between reports, all movement is price-driven.
Historical Touches
ALB has crossed below its 200-week MA 23 times with an average 1-year return of +24.4% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | May 1995 | 15 | 13.7% | +43.0% | +4448.9% |
| Jul 1996 | Aug 1996 | 3 | 4.0% | +43.0% | +3694.6% |
| Aug 1996 | Sep 1996 | 3 | 1.9% | +54.7% | +3606.3% |
| Oct 1996 | Oct 1996 | 1 | 3.9% | +63.8% | +3678.5% |
| Aug 1998 | Sep 1998 | 7 | 8.0% | -0.7% | +3046.8% |
| Oct 1998 | Nov 1998 | 1 | 0.4% | -3.2% | +2928.0% |
| Nov 1998 | Dec 1998 | 4 | 10.0% | +3.6% | +2958.0% |
| Jul 1999 | Mar 2000 | 36 | 23.8% | +25.6% | +2801.4% |
| Sep 2000 | Sep 2000 | 1 | 2.1% | -7.7% | +2667.8% |
| Oct 2000 | Oct 2000 | 1 | 0.9% | +6.2% | +2624.4% |
| Oct 2000 | Nov 2000 | 1 | 0.3% | +5.2% | +2599.0% |
| Jul 2001 | Aug 2001 | 1 | 0.3% | +43.1% | +2506.8% |
| Sep 2001 | Oct 2001 | 5 | 12.9% | +53.8% | +2616.9% |
| Sep 2008 | Aug 2009 | 44 | 46.0% | +15.4% | +730.6% |
| Sep 2014 | Nov 2014 | 5 | 8.4% | -20.0% | +261.6% |
| Nov 2014 | Dec 2014 | 4 | 7.0% | -8.1% | +261.2% |
| Jan 2015 | Apr 2015 | 14 | 19.1% | -15.0% | +259.7% |
| Jun 2015 | Feb 2016 | 37 | 28.8% | +43.8% | +258.6% |
| Dec 2018 | Feb 2019 | 9 | 11.6% | -4.1% | +166.0% |
| Mar 2019 | Feb 2020 | 49 | 32.0% | +1.6% | +140.0% |
| Feb 2020 | Aug 2020 | 24 | 40.8% | +95.3% | +138.4% |
| Sep 2020 | Sep 2020 | 1 | 4.5% | +170.3% | +127.6% |
| Sep 2023 | Jan 2026 | 120 | 69.6% | -48.1% | +11.8% |
| Average | 17 | — | +24.4% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ALB below its 200-week moving average?
No. Albemarle Corporation (ALB) is currently 24.6% above its 200-week moving average of $144.78. It would need to fall to $144.78 to cross below the line.
What is ALB's 200-week moving average price?
Albemarle Corporation's 200-week moving average is $144.78 as of 2026-05-15. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when ALB drops below its 200-week moving average?
ALB has crossed below its 200-week moving average 23 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +24.4%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 17 weeks on average.
Is ALB a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about ALB as of 2026-05-15: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 56. Free cash flow yield is 3.4%. Return on equity is -1.8%. Price-to-book is 2.8x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does ALB compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 31.4 years, $100 invested in ALB would have grown to $4549, compared to $2710 for the S&P 500. That's 12.9% annualized vs 11.1% for the index. ALB has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Does ALB pay a dividend?
Yes. Albemarle Corporation currently pays a dividend yield of 90.00%. It is also a Dividend Aristocrat, meaning it has raised its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-05-15