Compare Albemarle Corp. (ALB) vs iShares Gold Trust (IAU) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Albemarle Corp. vs iShares Gold Trust — how do they compare? Albemarle Corp. trades at $128.54 (market cap $15.27B), while iShares Gold Trust trades at $83.35. The key difference: Albemarle Corp. pays a 1.27% dividend while iShares Gold Trust pays none, and iShares Gold Trust is trading nearer its 52-week high, Albemarle Corp. nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ALB | IAU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $15.27B | — |
Sector | Basic Materials | Commodities - Metals/Agriculture |
52-Week High | $215.62 | $101.57 |
52-Week Low | $72.58 | $62.49 |
Enterprise Value | $17.75B | — |
Dividend Yield | 1.27% | — |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Albemarle (ALB) trades at $128.29, down 2.23% today, with mixed technical signals showing bullish moving averages but overbought RSI levels. The company reported strong Q2 2026 results with EPS of $3.75 beating estimates by 17%, driven by improved lithium pricing and specialty chemicals performance. Despite recent profitability challenges with negative net income in 2025, cash flow generation remains healthy at $1.28B from operations.
Analyst consensus leans positive with 42% buy ratings and $184.50 price target representing 44% upside potential. Key risks include lithium price volatility and Q3 margin pressure, while catalysts include sustained demand for energy storage solutions and ongoing balance sheet improvements through debt reduction.
IAU, the iShares Gold Trust ETF, trades at $82.98 with a 0.57% daily gain amid bullish technical signals from moving averages. The ETF benefits from gold's recent momentum as spot gold reached two-month highs above $4,430/oz following cooling CPI data. While oscillators show bearish signals with RSI at overbought levels, institutional interest remains strong with Deane Retirement Strategies increasing its stake by 36.5% in the latest quarter.
Outlook remains positive as gold gains support from inflation dynamics, geopolitical tensions, and central bank buying. Key risks include potential Fed policy shifts and dollar strength. The 0.25% expense ratio makes IAU attractive for conservative investors seeking gold exposure with lower volatility compared to mining stocks.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
About Albemarle Corp.
Albemarle is the world's largest lithium producer. Our outlook for robust lithium demand is predicated upon increased demand for electric vehicle batteries. Albemarle produces lithium from its salt brine deposits in Chile and the U.S. and its hard rock joint venture mines in Australia. Albemarle is also a global leader in the production of bromine, used in flame retardants. The company is also a major producer of oil refining catalysts.
Read more on ALB →About iShares Gold Trust
IAU is a physically backed ETF that seeks to reflect the performance of the price of gold. It provides a convenient and liquid way for investors to include gold in their portfolios as a potential hedge.
Read more on IAU →
