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Side-by-side financial comparison of Albemarle Corporation (ALB) and Noble Corp plc (NE). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Albemarle Corporation is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.4B vs $764.4M, roughly 1.9× Noble Corp plc). Noble Corp plc runs the higher net margin — 11.3% vs -29.0%, a 40.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Albemarle Corporation posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (15.9% vs -17.6%). Albemarle Corporation produced more free cash flow last quarter ($233.1M vs $35.4M). Over the past eight quarters, Noble Corp plc's revenue compounded faster (9.5% CAGR vs 2.4%).

Albemarle Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets engineered specialty chemicals worldwide. It operates through three segments: Lithium, Bromine, and Catalysts. The Lithium segment offers lithium compounds, including lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, lithium chloride, and lithium specialties; and reagents, such as butyllithium and lithium aluminum hydride for use in lithium batteries for consumer electronics and electric vehicles, high performance greases, thermoplastic elastomers...

Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. The company operates approximately 700+ retail stores across the United States.

ALB vs NE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ALB
ALB
1.9× larger
ALB
$1.4B
$764.4M
NE
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ALB
ALB
+33.5% gap
ALB
15.9%
-17.6%
NE
Higher net margin
NE
NE
40.3% more per $
NE
11.3%
-29.0%
ALB
More free cash flow
ALB
ALB
$197.7M more FCF
ALB
$233.1M
$35.4M
NE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NE
NE
Annualised
NE
9.5%
2.4%
ALB

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Revenue
$1.4B
$764.4M
Net Profit
$-414.2M
$86.6M
Gross Margin
13.9%
Operating Margin
-15.2%
5.6%
Net Margin
-29.0%
11.3%
Revenue YoY
15.9%
-17.6%
Net Profit YoY
-650.1%
-10.4%
EPS (diluted)
$-3.88
$0.54

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
$1.4B
$764.4M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$798.0M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$848.7M
Q1 25
$1.1B
$874.5M
Q4 24
$1.2B
$927.3M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$800.5M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$692.8M
Q1 24
$1.4B
$637.1M
Net Profit
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
$-414.2M
$86.6M
Q3 25
$-160.7M
$-21.1M
Q2 25
$22.9M
$42.9M
Q1 25
$41.3M
$108.3M
Q4 24
$75.3M
$96.6M
Q3 24
$-1.1B
$61.2M
Q2 24
$-188.2M
$195.0M
Q1 24
$2.4M
$95.5M
Gross Margin
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
13.9%
Q3 25
9.0%
Q2 25
14.8%
Q1 25
14.5%
Q4 24
11.2%
Q3 24
-7.7%
Q2 24
-0.7%
Q1 24
2.9%
Operating Margin
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
-15.2%
5.6%
Q3 25
-16.6%
6.3%
Q2 25
3.6%
15.9%
Q1 25
1.8%
21.4%
Q4 24
0.4%
18.4%
Q3 24
-81.9%
14.4%
Q2 24
-34.4%
30.3%
Q1 24
-13.2%
16.9%
Net Margin
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
-29.0%
11.3%
Q3 25
-12.3%
-2.6%
Q2 25
1.7%
5.1%
Q1 25
3.8%
12.4%
Q4 24
6.1%
10.4%
Q3 24
-78.9%
7.6%
Q2 24
-13.2%
28.1%
Q1 24
0.2%
15.0%
EPS (diluted)
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
$-3.88
$0.54
Q3 25
$-1.72
$-0.13
Q2 25
$-0.16
$0.27
Q1 25
$0.00
$0.67
Q4 24
$0.29
$0.56
Q3 24
$-9.45
$0.40
Q2 24
$-1.96
$1.34
Q1 24
$-0.08
$0.66

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$471.4M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$3.2B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$9.5B
$4.5B
Total Assets
$16.4B
$7.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.33×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
$471.4M
Q3 25
$1.9B
$477.9M
Q2 25
$1.8B
$338.2M
Q1 25
$1.5B
$303.8M
Q4 24
$1.2B
$247.3M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$391.9M
Q2 24
$1.8B
$162.9M
Q1 24
$2.1B
$212.5M
Total Debt
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
$3.2B
Q3 25
$3.6B
Q2 25
$3.6B
Q1 25
$3.5B
Q4 24
$3.5B
Q3 24
$3.6B
Q2 24
$3.5B
Q1 24
$3.5B
Stockholders' Equity
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
$9.5B
$4.5B
Q3 25
$10.0B
$4.5B
Q2 25
$10.2B
$4.6B
Q1 25
$10.0B
$4.7B
Q4 24
$10.0B
$4.7B
Q3 24
$10.2B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$11.2B
$4.0B
Q1 24
$11.5B
$3.9B
Total Assets
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
$16.4B
$7.5B
Q3 25
$17.1B
$7.6B
Q2 25
$17.3B
$7.7B
Q1 25
$17.0B
$7.9B
Q4 24
$16.6B
$8.0B
Q3 24
$17.5B
$8.0B
Q2 24
$18.4B
$5.6B
Q1 24
$19.0B
$5.4B
Debt / Equity
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
0.33×
Q3 25
0.36×
Q2 25
0.35×
Q1 25
0.35×
Q4 24
0.35×
Q3 24
0.35×
Q2 24
0.31×
Q1 24
0.31×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$388.5M
$187.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$233.1M
$35.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
16.3%
4.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
10.9%
19.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.16×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$692.5M
$432.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
$388.5M
$187.1M
Q3 25
$355.6M
$277.1M
Q2 25
$-7.2M
$216.4M
Q1 25
$545.4M
$271.1M
Q4 24
$674.0K
$136.2M
Q3 24
$240.5M
$283.8M
Q2 24
$362.9M
$106.8M
Q1 24
$98.0M
$128.7M
Free Cash Flow
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
$233.1M
$35.4M
Q3 25
$223.4M
$139.5M
Q2 25
$-126.8M
$99.8M
Q1 25
$362.8M
$157.5M
Q4 24
$-355.1M
$-4.4M
Q3 24
$-62.6M
$156.8M
Q2 24
$-84.7M
$-34.3M
Q1 24
$-481.4M
$-37.9M
FCF Margin
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
16.3%
4.6%
Q3 25
17.1%
17.5%
Q2 25
-9.5%
11.8%
Q1 25
33.7%
18.0%
Q4 24
-28.8%
-0.5%
Q3 24
-4.6%
19.6%
Q2 24
-5.9%
-4.9%
Q1 24
-35.4%
-6.0%
Capex Intensity
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
10.9%
19.9%
Q3 25
10.1%
17.3%
Q2 25
9.0%
13.7%
Q1 25
17.0%
13.0%
Q4 24
28.9%
15.2%
Q3 24
22.4%
15.9%
Q2 24
31.3%
20.4%
Q1 24
42.6%
26.2%
Cash Conversion
ALB
ALB
NE
NE
Q4 25
2.16×
Q3 25
Q2 25
-0.31×
5.05×
Q1 25
13.19×
2.50×
Q4 24
0.01×
1.41×
Q3 24
4.64×
Q2 24
0.55×
Q1 24
40.01×
1.35×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ALB
ALB

Energy Storage$759.1M53%
Specialties$348.9M24%
Ketjen$320.1M22%

NE
NE

Floaters$559.8M73%
Jackups$145.5M19%
Service Other$59.1M8%

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