We recently published a list of 8 Most Profitable Lithium Stocks to Invest In. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) stands against other most profitable lithium stocks to invest in.
The lithium market has proven to be a crucial driver as the world moves toward clean energy. Lithium is an essential component for rechargeable batteries, powering electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy storage systems, and electronics. Due to technological improvements in batteries and a commitment to carbon reduction, demand for lithium has escalated over the last decade. Fortune Business Insights valued the global lithium market at $22.19 billion in 2023, which is projected to reach $134.02 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 22.1%. Despite this promising long-term scope, the lithium industry has faced significant volatility due to supply and demand imbalance and price fluctuations.
Reuters reported that, despite strong demand, lithium prices dropped 86% in the last two years from their peak in November 2022, primarily due to global oversupply that forced many mining operations to pause. Furthermore, the restart of a Chinese lithium carbonate refinery after a five-month pause could further weaken the case for any price recovery in the near future. As a result of this resumption, the oversupply issue could get worse and therefore, shares of big lithium companies in Asia and Australia have seen a decline.
However, analysts predict market stabilization by 2025 as supply and demand rebalance. With China leading the EV market and implementing vigorous policies, excess supply should be absorbed, potentially reversing price drops in the past two years. In addition, EV battery demand continues to grow, with global consumption reaching over 750 GWh in 2023, 40% higher than in 2022. The IEA posted that the U.S. and European EV markets had the fastest growth, each exceeding 40% year-over-year. As transportation electrification accelerates, so does the demand for lithium, establishing its crucial role in the battery metals industry. However, the industry faces production and sustainability challenges even as lithium demand surges. According to McKinsey & Company, battery producers struggle to secure raw materials, scale production, and meet sustainability targets, making supply chain resilience critical.
Meanwhile, lithium extraction raises environmental concerns, including water depletion and toxic waste, drawing increased attention from environmentalists and regulators. Companies are exploring technologies like Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE), offering better recovery rates and reduced environmental impact. Simultaneously, alternative battery chemistries like lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and sodium-ion batteries could diversify the market. However, these alternatives are still in early development and are not likely to replace lithium metal in the near future.
Looking forward, the lithium industry is poised to undergo a structural change. After years of oversupply, Fastmarkets projects a tighter market in 2025. By 2026, the market might face a deficit, with oversupply dropping from 154,000 metric tons in 2024 to just 10,000 metric tons, driven by continued EV adoption and battery storage demand. Through these short-term uncertainties, long-term fundamentals remain strong as analysts predict sustained lithium consumption growth and increased investments in mining and refining. With companies navigating these hurdles, lithium’s role remains essential to the global energy transition and investors seeking green energy resources.
Methodology
To compile our list of the Most Profitable Lithium Stocks to Invest In, we first identified companies with significant operations in the lithium sector. We then ranked these companies based on their latest trailing twelve-month net income, while ensuring that they had a strong market capitalization at the time of writing. Additionally, we analyzed hedge fund sentiment for these stocks, as high hedge fund interest often signals strong financial positioning and growth potential. The hedge fund data was derived from Insider Monkey’s database of Q4 2024.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
A laboratory technician pouring a specialty blend of industrial chemicals into a beaker.
Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM)
Last Year’s Net Income: -$404.36 million
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 10
Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) is a global supplier of lithium, iodine, and specialty plant nutrients, playing a critical role in the battery supply chain. It is the world’s biggest lithium producer, with its main production facilities located in the Atacama Desert in the Tarapacá and Antofagasta regions.
For Q1 2024, Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) reported revenues of around $1.1 billion. However, its bottom line took a serious hit from a one-time $1.1 billion charge due to the lithium mining tax in Chile. Despite this, the company showed robust volume growth across all segments, with lithium sales jumping nearly 30% year-over-year. In Chile, SQM boosted its lithium carbonate production capacity to 210,000 metric tons. These steps paved the way for a profit rebound in the second half of the year.
By Q4 ended December 31, 2024, SQM had bounced back, posting record sales of over 58,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent. This helped push annual lithium sales to about 205,000 metric tons. Full-year revenue topped $4.5 billion, with gross profits of $1.3 billion, displaying a strong recovery for the company. While lithium prices fell throughout 2024, they stabilized in the fourth quarter resulting in improved margins for the company.
Looking ahead, Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM) is setting itself up for long-term success through its strategic lithium expansion in Chile and Australia. Lithium demand is also expected to grow by 17% in 2025, indicating strong future demand. Moreover, the company plans to invest $750 million in lithium expansion and another $350 million in caliche operations to keep growth on track.
Moreover, the stock has increased 24.26% year-to-date, reflecting growing investor confidence. As lithium demand rises, SQM’s strong production capacity and ongoing investments make it a smart pick for investors eyeing profitable lithium stocks.
Overall, SQM ranks 8th on our list of most profitable lithium stocks to invest in. While we acknowledge the potential of SQM, our conviction lies in the belief that certain AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than SQM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
