Latest news with #Albemarle
Associated Press
14 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Albemarle Publishes 2024 Sustainability Report, Updates Efforts to Reduce Carbon Footprint, Manage Freshwater Responsibly and Support Customers' Sustainability Goals
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a global leader in providing essential elements for mobility, energy, connectivity, and health, today published its 2024 Sustainability Report. Entitled Values-Led, Purpose-Driven, the report provides an update on Albemarle's achievements in line with the company's sustainability goals. 'As a values-led organization, sustainability is foundational to how we choose to operate,' said Albemarle Chairman and CEO Kent Masters. 'The initiatives outlined in this report speak to our commitment to creating a more resilient world. We remain dedicated to minimizing our environmental footprint, creating responsible and reliable products for our customers, and engaging with our communities to foster positive outcomes.' Report Highlights Reducing our carbon footprint Practicing responsible freshwater management Supporting our customers' sustainability goals Promoting the resilience of our communities To read Albemarle's 2024 Sustainability Report, visit the company's website at The report was developed with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards and recommendations outlined by the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). About Albemarle Albemarle Corp. (NYSE: ALB) leads the world in transforming essential resources into critical ingredients for mobility, energy, connectivity and health. We partner to pioneer new ways to move, power, connect and protect with people and planet in mind. A reliable and high-quality global supply of lithium and bromine allows us to deliver advanced solutions for our customers. Learn more about how the people of Albemarle are enabling a more resilient world at LinkedIn and on X (formerly known as Twitter) @AlbemarleCorp. Albemarle regularly posts information to including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, non-GAAP reconciliations, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings and other information regarding the company, its businesses and the markets it serves. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The 2024 Sustainability Report and our sustainability webpage contain statements relating to Albemarle's operations, growth strategies and sustainability plans that are based on our current expectations, anticipations and beliefs regarding the future, which constitute 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, which are based on assumptions that we have made as of the date hereof and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, often contain words such as 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'design,' 'target,' 'project,' 'commit,' 'aim,' 'intend,' 'may,' 'outlook,' 'scenario,' 'should,' 'would,' and 'will.' Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the company's control and are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. The reader should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. Unless legally required, Albemarle undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Standards of measurement and performance made in reference to our environmental, social, governance and other sustainability plans and goals may be based on protocols, processes and assumptions that continue to evolve and are subject to change in the future, including due to the impact of future regulations. Factors that could cause Albemarle's actual results to differ materially from the outlook expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement include: changes in economic and business conditions; financial and operating performance of customers; fluctuations in lithium market prices; production volume shortfalls; increased competition; changes in product demand; availability and cost of raw materials and energy; technological change and development; changes in laws and government regulation; regulatory actions, proceedings, claims or litigation; cyber-security breaches, terrorist attacks, industrial accidents or natural disasters; political unrest; acquisition and divestiture transactions; timing and success of projects; performance of Albemarle's partners in joint ventures and other projects; and the other factors detailed from time to time in the reports Albemarle files with the SEC, including those described under 'Risk Factors' in Albemarle's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are filed with the SEC and available on the investor section of Albemarle's website ( and on the SEC's website at Media Contact: Peter Smolowitz, +1 (980) 308-6310, [email protected] Investor Relations Contact: +1 (980) 299-5700, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Albemarle Corporation
Axios
a day ago
- Business
- Axios
7 Charlotte companies make 2025 Fortune 500 list
Seven corporations in the Charlotte region have landed on the 2025 Fortune 500 list, which ranks the country's largest companies by revenue. The city has one fewer than last year since chemical manufacturer Albemarle fell off the list. Why it matters: Fortune 500 companies tend to be major employers who bolster the local economy. Zoom out: North Carolina has 11 total companies on the 2025 Fortune 500 list, one fewer than last year. South Carolina has none. 17. Bank of America (up 1 spot) 52. Lowe's (down 3) 119. Honeywell (down 5) 140. Nucor (down 16) 144. Duke Energy (up 4) 168. Truist Financial (down 36) 304. Sonic Automotive (down 8) Between the lines: LPL Financial, which is "dual-headquartered" in Fort Mill, S.C., and San Diego, ranked No. 340 on the Fortune 500 list. The Triangle landed three companies on this year's list: First Citizens BancShares, IQVIA and Advance Auto Parts. Burlington-based Labcorp also made the Fortune 500 list. Zoom in: Albemarle has grappled over the last year with falling lithium prices, and it in turn took measures to lower its prices, CBJ reported. The company's overall revenue fell as a result.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Trending Stock Albemarle Corporation (ALB) a Buy Now?
Albemarle (ALB) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term. Over the past month, shares of this specialty chemicals company have returned -3.1%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +6.4% change. During this period, the Zacks Chemical - Diversified industry, which Albemarle falls in, has gained 0.2%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future direction? While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making. Here at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock. We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. Albemarle is expected to post a loss of $0.71 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -1,875%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -383.7%. The consensus earnings estimate of -$1.54 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +34.2%. This estimate has changed -45% over the last 30 days. For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $1.05 indicates a change of +167.9% from what Albemarle is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -39.3%. Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, Albemarle is rated Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate: Even though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial. For Albemarle, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $1.2 billion indicates a year-over-year change of -16%. For the current and next fiscal years, $4.82 billion and $5.29 billion estimates indicate -10.3% and +9.7% changes, respectively. Albemarle reported revenues of $1.08 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -20.9%. EPS of -$0.18 for the same period compares with $0.26 a year ago. Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.17 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -8.07%. The EPS surprise was +70.97%. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed EPS estimates just once. The company topped consensus revenue estimates just once over this period. No investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock's valuation. Whether a stock's current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance. Comparing the current value of a company's valuation multiples, such as its price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), to its own historical values helps ascertain whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, whereas comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of how reasonable its stock price is. As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued. Albemarle is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade. The facts discussed here and much other information on might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Albemarle. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Albemarle Corporation (ALB) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Albemarle (ALB) Down 3.1% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Rebound?
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Albemarle (ALB). Shares have lost about 3.1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Albemarle due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. It turns out, fresh estimates have trended downward during the past month. The consensus estimate has shifted -383.7% due to these changes. Currently, Albemarle has an average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Albemarle has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Albemarle belongs to the Zacks Chemical - Diversified industry. Another stock from the same industry, Eastman Chemical (EMN), has gained 6.9% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended March 2025. Eastman Chemical reported revenues of $2.29 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -0.9%. EPS of $1.91 for the same period compares with $1.61 a year ago. For the current quarter, Eastman Chemical is expected to post earnings of $1.80 per share, indicating a change of -16.3% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.1% over the last 30 days. The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for Eastman Chemical. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of C. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Albemarle Corporation (ALB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
A school district singled out by Trump says it teaches ‘whole truth history'
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - "Remember, your listeners are from Mars," teacher Susan Greenwood told one of her fifth graders at Brownsville Elementary one day earlier this year. "They know nothing about slavery, they know nothing about the Civil War." Greenwood was circulating the classroom, giving pointed feedback on students' writing for an assignment in her Virginia Studies class. The goal was to develop arguments to answer the core question in this unit on the Civil War: Was violence justified to resist slavery? The students had been tasked with writing a position statement, three pieces of evidence for it and a conclusion - and then turning those arguments into a podcast. Not just any evidence would do: They sifted through original documents - an 1837 flier for a meeting of abolitionists, testimonies of enslaved people, a transcript of abolitionist John Brown's address to a court after his attack on Harper's Ferry. The class is part of a curriculum that Virginia's Albemarle County school district developed after a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, the county seat. That August 2017 tragedy helped spur district educators to consider new ways of teaching social studies that require students to think critically and understand key events from a range of perspectives, including those whose voices are often omitted from standard accounts. In early 2019, the district adopted an anti-racism policy that required a top-to-bottom review of district practices. Two years later, it unveiled a social studies curriculum designed to expand what's covered, including how those harmed by unjust laws and policies fought back and often built thriving communities. Nationally, the backlash to anti-racist policies and lesson plans like Albemarle's has been fierce in recent years. Since 2020, Republican lawmakers have tried to restrict discussion of racism, gender and more in K-12 schools, and at least 18 states passed laws forbidding schools from teaching critical race theory, an academic theory that has become a conservative catch-all for discussions about systemic racism and inequality. In Virginia, Republican Glenn Youngkin rode to victory in the 2021 gubernatorial race as part of that movement, and he signed an executive order forbidding the state's education department from promoting the teaching of "inherently divisive" ideas. Albemarle has twice been a focus of that backlash. In 2021, several parents sued over a curriculum piloted by one school they said was ideological. Local and state courts found in the district's favor, but the case appears to have put the district on the Trump administration's radar. In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order demanding that schools end "radical indoctrination" or lose federal funding. A fact sheet accompanying the order that circulated online named Albemarle County schools and referred to one of the families who filed the 2021 lawsuit. The order, along with a Department of Education letter demanding an end to race-conscious practices in schools and other actions, are part of a sweeping effort by the administration to redefine discrimination and reverse efforts to embrace historical perspectives beyond those of the white majority. Educators and historians worry those actions will lead to widespread self-censorship on the part of teachers who may fear blowback even about historical topics as fundamental as slavery and Jim Crow. "If students aren't allowed to grapple with the more complex moments in American history, they're going to have an incomplete view of the U.S. historical narrative," said Jessica Ellison, executive director at the National Council for History Education. Related: A lot goes on in classrooms from kindergarten to high school. Keep up with our free weekly newsletter on K-12 education. Albemarle County's rolling, forested hills in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains are dotted with the mostly well-off suburbs of Charlottesville, including occasional brick mansions and grand estates. About 75 percent of the district's students are white and 9 percent are Black, while the median household income, nearly $100,000, is above both the state and national average. The 2017 rally, after which Trump proclaimed there were "very fine people on both sides," prompted school board members, district officials and students to grapple with the district's challenges with both personal and institutional racism. In the 2019-20 school year, Black students represented just 4 percent of those identified as gifted, 4 percent of those earning a more rigorous advanced studies diploma and 21 percent of district suspensions, though they made up 11 percent of the student body. The district set up an anti-racism steering committee of administrators, school principals and others that got help from a team of students. It also partnered with staff of nearby Montpelier, James Madison's home, to win a grant that would fund a rewrite of the social studies curriculum. Starting in fall 2019, teachers from Albemarle and other districts participated in a year of professional learning about Charlottesville's past, including its history of racial discrimination and resistance. They met with local historians and experts on Black and Indigenous history, heard from a University of Virginia child psychology expert on race and identity development, toured Confederate monuments and more. Portions of the new curricula were introduced in Albemarle classrooms beginning in 2021. The district wanted to be transparent with parents and the community about what was coming, said social studies coordinator Neeley Minton. After units for elementary school were written in summer 2022, Minton presented them to a group representing parents, students, educators and community members called Forward Albemarle. Later she and others held presentations for district parent-teacher organization presidents, parents and community members. Principals presented unit content to parents at family nights. District officials refer to the curriculum's approach as "whole truth history." A unit on the American Revolution has students read both the Declaration of Independence and a letter from Seneca tribal chiefs describing how victory in the Revolutionary War let the American government seize their land. That emphasis on multiple perspectives builds on general requirements in Virginia's 2015 social studies standards. The state mandates, for example, that fifth graders learn about both the state's post-Civil War economic growth and its practice of racial segregation. (The latest update to those standards, which goes into effect this fall, was the subject of a years-long battle.) Even the youngest students are asked questions designed to make them think through all sides of historical and political debates. In a kindergarten unit on citizenship, the question is, "Does fairness mean everyone gets the same things?" Students look at primary sources to answer and think through those questions. Related: The college degree gap between Black and white Americans was always bad. It's getting worse At Journey Middle School one day in February, seventh graders were in the middle of a history unit on the Harlem Renaissance. The question here was, "How can art be used as a tool for resistance?" The students studied art that had been taped to the walls: images of the Great Migration, a Langston Hughes poem, a photo of sharecroppers in the field and more. They wrote short answers on worksheets about what they saw. Who's the artist? What's their work trying to show? The worksheets were a way to get them started on an essay. "When you tell a bunch of seventh graders to write an essay, they're just going to put their heads down, and say 'I can't,'" said teacher Valerie Lewis. Having them combine short answers into paragraphs and those into an essay builds their confidence, she said. Classes that focus not only on oppression but resistance and resilience force students to see those harmed in a new way, consistent with the anti-racism policy. "A lot of our approach is helping students see the assets of communities that have been historically marginalized," said Minton. "That's why we focus so much on agency, excellence, resistance to injustice." Related: How do we teach African American history in polarized times? Sarah Harris, 45, has three children in district schools, including a seventh grader. Her child's essay about the Harlem Renaissance led to a conversation at home about current art as resistance, including street art and political cartoons, she said by email. The unit took something from the past "and made it real and relevant for my 13-year-old," she said. That contrasts with her own experience as a student in the '90s, when social studies involved textbooks, worksheets and multiple-choice tests, she said. "We very rarely had to think critically about what we were learning." The Harlem Renaissance class also impressed Zoe Hamilton, one of Lewis' students. "The art has meaning. It's not just art for art. It has power," she said. Seventh grader Maddox Ewing remembered stories of enslaved people drawing escape routes in the braids of their hair, which they read in another unit. Seventh grader Finch Carlson said she likes that teachers make them give solid proof for their opinions. In a unit on New York City tenements, it wasn't enough to say she thought conditions were hard - she had to describe what was in original photos and testimonies to prove her answer. Lewis wants students to be listened to out in the world, not just in class. "I tell them, 'Especially when you're still young, if you provide your proof, people are more likely to take you seriously,'" she said. And Minton said the curriculum prepares students for membership in a multiracial democracy. Since introducing the anti-racism policy, the district has had some limited success in reducing gaps in outcomes by race. For example, by 2023, the share of Black students in gifted classes had grown slightly, to 5 percent, and those earning the advanced studies diploma had increased to 7 percent. But suspensions for Black students climbed to 36 percent of the total out-of-school suspensions that year. The district continues to debate and refine the curriculum. Seventh grade history teacher Dingani Mthethwa said he wished the core question in the Harlem Renaissance unit was more open-ended. "We're asking how art can be used as a tool of resistance, but art can also be used as a form of oppression," he said, citing post-World War I art that depicted caricatures of Black people. Minton said by email that among much else the current version of the question gives students an opening to make reasoned arguments about how Black artists resisted oppression. A now-abandoned school curriculum is what ensnared the district in Trump's executive order. In December 2021, five sets of parents sued over an "advisory curriculum" piloted by one middle school that was meant to ease students' integration into secondary-school life, in part by helping them learn more about their identities and those of other students. It included materials the parents said indoctrinated their children and made them uncomfortable. For example, two slides talked about the idea of white privilege and defined anti-racism, which the families said promulgated "racial tropes" and caused one student, who is multiracial, to view his racial identity negatively. In June 2022, a county circuit court dismissed the lawsuit, concluding in part that under the parents' theory, the district would need to create individual education plans for every student and ensure that no student be made to feel uncomfortable. A higher court upheld that decision. The district took control of writing a new curriculum, rolling out the new version at an August 2022 school board meeting, and inviting parents to review it. No one objected at that or several subsequent board meetings, and there's no evidence there have been complaints since. The Hechinger Report contacted four of the five sets of parents who sued, but none responded to requests for comment. The fact sheet that circulated that referenced Trump's order charged that Albemarle's anti-racism policy is "based on critical race theory." The order called for three federal agencies to develop a plan by the end of April to eliminate federal funding for "illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination" in schools. (The White House did not return a request for comment regarding the fact sheet.) Then, on April 3, the Education Department sent letters to state and district leaders nationwide threatening to withhold federal funding to school districts unless they sign a certificate stating that they comply with the administration's interpretation of civil rights laws, including that diversity, equity and inclusion activities are illegal. Minton said by email that "there is no explicit teaching of critical race theory" in the district. But she said it's important to define the term: a theoretical framework asserting that racism is more than just individual prejudice but rather is "baked into" larger systems and laws. Albemarle students learn about state laws once requiring Black Americans to take literacy tests and pay poll taxes, for example, which suppressed their ability to vote. "It would be very difficult to dispute that racism against Black Americans was part of the legal system at that time," Minton said. District counsel Josiah Black said the district hasn't heard anything more from the administration and that officials weren't surprised to be named. "I don't think anyone was shocked," he said. "We're in a place, Charlottesville, that for whatever reason, garners a lot of media attention." He declined to comment on whether the administration might try to cut district funding and how the district might respond. District communications officer Helen Dunn, in an email, said any funding loss would be "a big blow." Albemarle County schools did sign the certificate demanded by the Education Department, Dunn said in an email. "We have been and will continue to be compliant with Title VI," she wrote, referring to the section of 1964 civil rights legislation that prevents discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin. It's unclear pulling federal funds would survive a court challenge: Two Virginia Commonwealth University education professors noted in a Feb. 11 op-ed that the order conflicts with U.S. law that forbids federal control of local schools. The Albemarle district said it won't back down from its anti-racism policy or approach to social studies. "We're not changing what we're doing," said Dunn. Black said the school board "doesn't have a lot of appetite" for making changes to the policy. "We feel good about the steps that we've taken to protect kids and to foster an inclusive environment here," he said. But elsewhere, school administrators and teachers unsure of what's allowed may avoid teaching certain topics. "There's this fear that parents will take it to a school board or to the news," said Ellison of the National Council for History Education, noting that a third grade teacher recently told her she skipped a unit on Frederick Douglass because of a parent's complaint. Back in Greenwood's classroom, her fifth graders were getting ready for their podcasts. As they finished their worksheets, she had them go to the hall to rehearse. "My opinion is that violent actions were not justified because at the end, everyone involved got killed," said one student, citing John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry and a revolt by enslaved people led by Nat Turner that resulted in execution or exile for everyone involved. By contrast, the student pointed to Henry Brown, an enslaved man who in 1849 shipped himself in a crate from North Carolina to Philadelphia and freedom. "I feel like if you resist and you get caught and killed, it's not as effective as if you don't and you stay alive," the fifth grader said. Greenwood estimated that about a third of students came down in favor of the idea that violence was justified, 10 percent thought that it wasn't and the rest said that both were needed. "A 10-year-old's world is this big," said Greenwood, making a small square with her hands. "This is teaching students different perspectives. These were real people with hopes and dreams." Javeria Salman contributed reporting to this story. Contact editor Caroline Preston at 212-870-8965, on Signal at CarolineP.83 or at preston@ A local version of this story was published by Charlottesville Tomorrow, a central Virginia nonprofit news organization. This story about social studies curriculum was produced byThe Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter. The post A school district singled out by Trump says it teaches 'whole truth history' appeared first on The Hechinger Report.
