Up to date on April twenty sixth, 2024 by Bob Ciura
Annually, we evaluation the entire Dividend Aristocrats. Attaining membership to this group is tough: corporations have to be of a sure measurement, belong to the S&P 500 Index, and (most significantly) have not less than 25 consecutive years of dividend development.
There are simply 68 Dividend Aristocrats, proving the exclusivity of the record.
You’ll be able to obtain an Excel spreadsheet of all 68 Dividend Aristocrats, together with vital monetary metrics reminiscent of P/E ratios and dividend yields, by clicking the hyperlink beneath:
Disclaimer: Positive Dividend is just not affiliated with S&P World in any manner. S&P World owns and maintains The Dividend Aristocrats Index. The data on this article and downloadable spreadsheet is predicated on Positive Dividend’s personal evaluation, abstract, and evaluation of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) and different sources, and is supposed to assist particular person buyers higher perceive this ETF and the index upon which it’s primarily based. Not one of the data on this article or spreadsheet is official knowledge from S&P World. Seek the advice of S&P World for official data.
Albemarle Company (ALB) joined this unique record in 2020. The corporate is reaping sturdy development from continued demand for lithium. It’s poised to proceed rising for a few years, as demand for lithium is just set to rise within the years forward.
This text will evaluation the funding prospects of Albemarle.
Enterprise Overview
Albemarle is the biggest producer of lithium and second-largest producer of bromine on the earth. The 2 merchandise account for practically two-thirds of annual gross sales. Albemarle produces lithium from its salt brine deposits within the U.S. and Chile.
The corporate has two joint ventures in Australia that additionally produce lithium. Albemarle’s Chile property supply a really low-cost supply of lithium. The corporate operates in practically 100 nations.
Starting January 1st, 2023, the corporate reorganized into the next segments: Power Storage, Specialties, and Ketjen.
Albemarle produces annual gross sales approaching $10 billion.
Supply: Investor Presentation
On February 14th, 2024, Albemarle introduced fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 outcomes. For the quarter, income declined 9.9% to $2.36 billion, however beat estimates by $180 million. Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.85 in contrast very unfavorably to $9.60 within the prior 12 months, however was $0.74 above expectations.
For the 12 months, income grew 31% to a brand new document $9.6 billion whereas adjusted earnings-per-share of $22.25 in comparison with $22.84 in 2022. Outcomes have been as soon as once more negatively impacted by decrease costs for lithium. For the quarter, income for Power Storage decreased 15.4% to $1.68 billion. Quantity development of 35% was offset by decrease costs.
Revenues for Specialties have been decrease by 16.1% to $339.6 million as volumes decreased 2% and realized costs declined 15%. Ketjen gross sales of $260.7 million have been a forty five% enchancment from the prior 12 months as quantity enhance 37% and pricing added 7%.
Albemarle offered an outlook for 2024 as nicely, with the corporate anticipating income in a spread of $5.5 billion to $6.2 billion. The decline in income can be on account of decrease costs for lithium.
Development Prospects
A serious purpose that outcomes are anticipated to be nicely above prior numbers is that Albemarle stands to learn from the elevated gross sales of electrical autos, as the corporate’s lithium is used to offer the batteries.
Lithium is predicted to be a development section over the following 5 years on account of rising demand for a variety of purposes, together with electrical autos and client electronics.
Supply: Investor Presentation
Power storage is predicted to spike within the coming years as extra customers buy electrical autos. Electrical autos are projected to account for 22.0% of all new automotive gross sales by 2025, up from simply 4.6% in 2020. Battery measurement can be anticipated to develop.
With this development will come a major enhance in demand for lithium.
We imagine that the corporate can develop earnings-per-share at a charge of seven.5% yearly for the following 5 years on account of its management positions within the areas of lithium and bromine.
Aggressive Benefits & Recession Efficiency
Regardless of being amongst world leaders in a number of companies, Albemarle isn’t content material to relaxation on its earlier success. The corporate has been lively in buying companies that strengthen its market share.
Albemarle is just not a recession-proof firm. Listed beneath are the corporate’s earnings-per-share throughout and after the final recession:
- 2007 earnings-per-share of $2.41
- 2008 earnings-per-share of $2.40 (0.4% lower)
- 2009 earnings-per-share of $1.94 (19% enhance)
- 2010 earnings-per-share of $3.51 (45% enhance)
The specialty chemical enterprise is closely reliant on demand from clients. Decrease demand leads to decrease pricing, which negatively impacts Albemarle’s efficiency. It’s probably that the corporate would face an identical sort of slowdown throughout the subsequent recession.
That stated, the corporate has sturdy aggressive benefits. A key aggressive benefit is that it ranks as the biggest producer of lithium on the earth. The steel is utilized in batteries for electrical vehicles, prescription drugs, airplanes, mining, and different purposes.
Albemarle can be a prime producer of Bromine, which is used within the electronics, building, and automotive industries. The corporate possesses a measurement and scale that others can not match.
Buyers inquisitive about investing in Albemarle ought to perceive that possession of the inventory comes with dangers as a result of unstable nature of its trade.
Valuation & Anticipated Returns
Utilizing our anticipated earnings-per-share of $5.55 for the 12 months, ALB shares have a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.1. During the last decade, Albemarle has traded with a mean price-to-earnings ratio of 23.
We have now lowered our a number of goal to 18x earnings, to account for the volatility of lithium costs. If the inventory have been to commerce with this goal by 2029, then valuation can be a 3.0% tailwind to annual returns over this time interval.
As well as, the dividend yield of 1.4% will add to shareholder returns. The dividend payout could be very well-covered, because the projected payout ratio for the 12 months is simply 29%.
The corporate has been profitable at prudently managing its dividend, given the character of its enterprise. Albemarle has raised its dividend for 28 consecutive years.
EPS development can be one other driver of returns. We count on 7.5% annual EPS development for ALB within the subsequent 5 years.
Subsequently, we venture that Albemarle will present a complete annual return of 5.9% over the following 5 years, stemming from 7.5% earnings development, a beginning yield of 1.4%, and a 3% annual decline from a contracting valuation a number of.
Last Ideas
Reaching Dividend Aristocrat standing isn’t any small feat. Albemarle is the dominant participant within the lithium trade, and has taken steps to additional enhance its aggressive place.
The corporate advantages from low-cost mines and its management place in a number of classes.
Albemarle is much from recession-proof and has skilled some earnings declines over the past decade, however this makes the corporate’s dividend development observe document much more spectacular.
Whereas the corporate can expertise volatility, we charge shares of Albemarle as a maintain.
Moreover, the next Positive Dividend databases include probably the most dependable dividend growers in our funding universe:
If you happen to’re in search of shares with distinctive dividend traits, think about the next Positive Dividend databases:
The main home inventory market indices are one other stable useful resource for locating funding concepts. Positive Dividend compiles the next inventory market databases and updates them month-to-month:
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