NL
NL Industries, Inc. Industrials - Security & Protection Services Investor Relations →
NL Industries, Inc. (NL) closed at $6.11 as of 2026-05-01, trading 8.2% above its 200-week moving average of $5.65. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 5.7% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 50, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 0.6x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (0.78 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 2358 weeks of data, NL has crossed below its 200-week moving average 42 times. On average, these episodes lasted 27 weeks. Historically, investors who bought NL at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +29.2%.
With a market cap of $299 million, NL is a small-cap stock. Free cash flow yield is currently negative, meaning the company is burning cash. Return on equity stands at -8.9%. The stock trades at 0.8x book value.
Over the past 33.3 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in NL would have grown to $934, compared to $2973 for the S&P 500. NL has returned 6.9% annualized vs 10.7% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -100% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($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: NL vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After NL Crosses Below the Line?
Across 37 historical episodes, buying NL when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +16.9% after 12 months (median +8.0%), compared to +15.8% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 62% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +30.4% vs +26.9% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment NL crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
NL has crossed below its 200-week MA 42 times with an average 1-year return of +29.2% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1981 | Jan 1986 | 244 | 67.4% | -36.6% | +189.2% |
| Feb 1986 | Mar 1986 | 4 | 6.8% | +139.0% | +646.8% |
| Apr 1986 | Jun 1986 | 9 | 11.5% | +189.5% | +664.8% |
| Apr 1990 | Feb 1994 | 200 | 69.0% | -16.8% | +173.2% |
| Feb 1994 | May 1994 | 13 | 24.9% | +46.9% | +425.2% |
| Aug 1996 | Aug 1996 | 1 | 0.9% | +34.4% | +332.9% |
| Oct 1996 | Dec 1996 | 6 | 17.9% | +99.2% | +400.0% |
| Mar 1997 | Apr 1997 | 5 | 10.7% | +68.3% | +302.5% |
| Oct 1998 | Oct 1998 | 1 | 2.3% | -26.7% | +197.8% |
| Nov 1998 | Nov 1999 | 51 | 34.2% | -1.1% | +196.4% |
| Mar 2000 | Apr 2000 | 1 | 3.5% | +33.8% | +208.7% |
| Apr 2001 | Apr 2001 | 4 | 24.4% | +11.7% | +157.4% |
| Jun 2001 | Aug 2001 | 7 | 10.4% | +20.9% | +169.4% |
| Sep 2001 | Dec 2001 | 13 | 17.2% | +3.9% | +158.7% |
| Jan 2002 | Mar 2002 | 8 | 10.0% | +46.9% | +155.8% |
| Jul 2002 | Jul 2002 | 1 | 0.5% | +53.2% | +153.8% |
| Sep 2002 | Sep 2002 | 1 | 0.8% | +38.7% | +153.2% |
| Dec 2003 | Dec 2003 | 1 | 26.6% | +314.9% | +186.6% |
| Mar 2006 | Apr 2006 | 5 | 17.5% | -3.0% | +24.0% |
| Jun 2006 | Oct 2008 | 125 | 29.2% | -0.1% | +22.2% |
| Nov 2008 | Nov 2008 | 1 | 4.4% | -33.0% | +11.1% |
| Feb 2009 | Mar 2009 | 6 | 27.7% | -28.4% | +10.9% |
| May 2009 | Aug 2010 | 65 | 36.2% | -25.2% | +16.4% |
| Aug 2010 | Sep 2010 | 5 | 7.7% | +75.5% | +33.4% |
| Oct 2012 | Nov 2012 | 4 | 1.8% | +14.9% | -4.9% |
| Apr 2013 | Apr 2013 | 1 | 0.1% | +1.3% | -8.8% |
| Jul 2013 | Jul 2013 | 1 | 0.9% | -4.1% | -10.9% |
| Aug 2013 | Aug 2013 | 1 | 0.9% | -15.1% | -11.7% |
| Sep 2013 | Sep 2013 | 2 | 1.6% | -17.5% | -12.1% |
| Dec 2013 | Dec 2013 | 3 | 9.0% | -18.5% | -11.7% |
| Jan 2014 | Feb 2014 | 3 | 6.3% | -34.4% | -16.3% |
| Feb 2014 | Dec 2016 | 146 | 77.3% | -30.0% | -17.7% |
| Jan 2017 | Apr 2017 | 10 | 21.8% | +101.6% | +49.1% |
| Sep 2018 | Mar 2021 | 128 | 62.6% | -36.2% | +42.2% |
| Aug 2023 | Dec 2023 | 18 | 15.1% | +40.4% | +48.1% |
| Jan 2024 | Mar 2024 | 9 | 7.9% | +64.9% | +44.8% |
| Jul 2024 | Jul 2024 | 1 | 0.1% | +27.0% | +27.0% |
| Jul 2024 | Aug 2024 | 1 | 0.9% | +8.4% | +26.8% |
| Jul 2025 | Aug 2025 | 1 | 5.1% | N/A | +17.0% |
| Oct 2025 | Oct 2025 | 1 | 0.1% | N/A | +9.7% |
| Nov 2025 | Jan 2026 | 8 | 5.2% | N/A | +15.3% |
| Mar 2026 | Mar 2026 | 1 | 2.6% | N/A | +10.7% |
| Average | 27 | — | +29.2% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NL below its 200-week moving average?
No. NL Industries, Inc. (NL) is currently 8.2% above its 200-week moving average of $5.65. It would need to fall to $5.65 to cross below the line.
What is NL's 200-week moving average price?
NL Industries, Inc.'s 200-week moving average is $5.65 as of 2026-05-01. 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 NL drops below its 200-week moving average?
NL has crossed below its 200-week moving average 42 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +29.2%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 27 weeks on average.
Is NL a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about NL as of 2026-05-01: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 50. Free cash flow is currently negative. Return on equity is -8.9%. Price-to-book is 0.8x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does NL compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.3 years, $100 invested in NL would have grown to $934, compared to $2973 for the S&P 500. That's 6.9% annualized vs 10.7% for the index. NL has underperformed the broader market over this period.
Does NL pay a dividend?
Yes. NL Industries, Inc. currently pays a dividend yield of 655.00%.
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 2026-05-01