Albemarle Corporation (ALB)
Albemarle is a leading lithium producer supplying materials for electric-vehicle batteries.
ALB vs VMC: how the two businesses compare
- Bigger business: VMC, with $7.9B of yearly revenue, about 1.5× ALB's $5.1B.
- More profitable: VMC keeps 14 cents of each sales dollar as profit; ALB lost money over the year.
- More cash from each sale: ALB turns 25 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 23 cents at VMC.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
Vulcan Materials (VMC) is the larger business by reported revenue: $7.9B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 1.5× ALB's $5.1B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). ALB's net margin was -9.9% and VMC's 13.6%. The SEC classifies them differently (Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers; Mining & Quarrying of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels)); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry.
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Materials
- Different
- Separate classifications
- December 31
- Same calendar
- Mar 31, 2026
ALB vs VMC: quick comparison
| Company fact | ALB | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Albemarle Corporation | Vulcan Materials Company |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| SEC industry | Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers | Mining & Quarrying of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | December 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K/A · 2026-03-31 | 10-K · 2026-02-19 |
ALB vs VMC: audited financials
- Scale: VMC's $7.9B of revenue is about 1.5× ALB's $5.1B.
- Net margin: VMC kept 13.6% of revenue as net income versus -9.9% at ALB.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled ALB 24.9% of revenue; VMC 22.8% of revenue, or 1.68× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: both fiscal years end on 2025-12-31, so these annual figures cover the same months.
| Metric | ALB | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $5.1B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $7.9B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net income | −$511M2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $1.1B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $1.3B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $1.8B2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | −$5.762025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | $8.112025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | -9.9%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing | 13.6%2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · SEC filing |
ALB: FY ending 2025-12-31 · VMC: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where ALB and VMC overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Shared research theme: Economic trends.
- Same fiscal calendar: both fiscal years end December 31.
Differences
- Different SEC industries: ALB files as Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers; VMC as Mining & Quarrying of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels).
- Only ALB maps to Tariffs & trade.
- Scale: VMC reported about 1.5× the annual revenue of ALB.
- Profitability: net margin of -9.9% for ALB versus 13.6% for VMC.
- ALB reported a net loss of $511M in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
Vulcan Materials Company (VMC)
Vulcan Materials is the largest US producer of crushed stone, sand, and gravel used in construction.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves ALB
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for ALB. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K/A filed 2026-03-31.
What moves VMC
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for VMC. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-19.
The investment question
You now know VMC reports about 1.5× ALB's revenue, and VMC keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to economic trends, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. Both fiscal years end December 31, so annual reports line up, but check segment definitions before comparing growth or margins.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 5 matched transaction rows for ALB and 2 matched transaction rows for VMC. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
ALB primary filings
VMC primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
More comparisons involving ALB or VMC
ALB vs VMC FAQs
Are ALB and VMC direct competitors?
Not necessarily. Albemarle files as Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers and Vulcan Materials as Mining & Quarrying of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels). The pair is compared because both map to the Economic trends research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.
Is ALB or VMC the bigger company by revenue?
Vulcan Materials (VMC) is the larger business by reported revenue: $7.9B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 1.5× ALB's $5.1B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). ALB's net margin was -9.9% and VMC's 13.6%. The SEC classifies them differently (Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers; Mining & Quarrying of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels)); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, ALB or VMC?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this ALB vs VMC comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Albemarle Corporation and Vulcan Materials Company tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
ALB vs VMC compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
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