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Side-by-side financial comparison of Albemarle Corporation (ALB) and Quanex Building Products CORP (NX). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Albemarle Corporation is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.4B vs $495.3M, roughly 2.9× Quanex Building Products CORP). Albemarle Corporation runs the higher net margin — -29.0% vs -55.7%, a 26.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Quanex Building Products CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (76.7% vs 15.9%). Albemarle Corporation produced more free cash flow last quarter ($233.1M vs $46.2M). Over the past eight quarters, Quanex Building Products CORP's revenue compounded faster (29.5% 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...

Quanex Building Products Corporation is a leading manufacturer of engineered building components and materials. Its core offerings include insulating glass spacers, window and door systems, and cabinet furniture components, serving residential and commercial construction markets across North America and Europe, with a focus on energy-efficient, sustainable building solutions.

ALB vs NX — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ALB
ALB
2.9× larger
ALB
$1.4B
$495.3M
NX
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
NX
NX
+60.7% gap
NX
76.7%
15.9%
ALB
Higher net margin
ALB
ALB
26.7% more per $
ALB
-29.0%
-55.7%
NX
More free cash flow
ALB
ALB
$186.9M more FCF
ALB
$233.1M
$46.2M
NX
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
NX
NX
Annualised
NX
29.5%
2.4%
ALB

Income Statement — Q4 2025 vs Q3 2025

Metric
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Revenue
$1.4B
$495.3M
Net Profit
$-414.2M
$-276.0M
Gross Margin
13.9%
27.9%
Operating Margin
-15.2%
-54.7%
Net Margin
-29.0%
-55.7%
Revenue YoY
15.9%
76.7%
Net Profit YoY
-650.1%
-1188.8%
EPS (diluted)
$-3.88
$-6.04

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
NX
NX
Q4 25
$1.4B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$495.3M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$452.5M
Q1 25
$1.1B
$400.0M
Q4 24
$1.2B
$492.2M
Q3 24
$1.4B
$280.3M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$266.2M
Q1 24
$1.4B
$239.2M
Net Profit
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
$-414.2M
Q3 25
$-160.7M
$-276.0M
Q2 25
$22.9M
$20.5M
Q1 25
$41.3M
$-14.9M
Q4 24
$75.3M
$-13.9M
Q3 24
$-1.1B
$25.4M
Q2 24
$-188.2M
$15.4M
Q1 24
$2.4M
$6.2M
Gross Margin
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
13.9%
Q3 25
9.0%
27.9%
Q2 25
14.8%
29.0%
Q1 25
14.5%
23.1%
Q4 24
11.2%
Q3 24
-7.7%
25.3%
Q2 24
-0.7%
24.9%
Q1 24
2.9%
21.5%
Operating Margin
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
-15.2%
Q3 25
-16.6%
-54.7%
Q2 25
3.6%
9.0%
Q1 25
1.8%
-1.7%
Q4 24
0.4%
0.6%
Q3 24
-81.9%
8.4%
Q2 24
-34.4%
7.8%
Q1 24
-13.2%
3.3%
Net Margin
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
-29.0%
Q3 25
-12.3%
-55.7%
Q2 25
1.7%
4.5%
Q1 25
3.8%
-3.7%
Q4 24
6.1%
-2.8%
Q3 24
-78.9%
9.0%
Q2 24
-13.2%
5.8%
Q1 24
0.2%
2.6%
EPS (diluted)
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
$-3.88
Q3 25
$-1.72
$-6.04
Q2 25
$-0.16
$0.44
Q1 25
$0.00
$-0.32
Q4 24
$0.29
$-0.52
Q3 24
$-9.45
$0.77
Q2 24
$-1.96
$0.46
Q1 24
$-0.08
$0.19

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$66.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$3.2B
$695.6M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$9.5B
$717.4M
Total Assets
$16.4B
$2.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.33×
0.97×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
Q3 25
$1.9B
$66.3M
Q2 25
$1.8B
$62.6M
Q1 25
$1.5B
$50.0M
Q4 24
$1.2B
$97.7M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$94.0M
Q2 24
$1.8B
$56.1M
Q1 24
$2.1B
$44.4M
Total Debt
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
$3.2B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$695.6M
Q2 25
$3.6B
$746.4M
Q1 25
$3.5B
$725.2M
Q4 24
$3.5B
$737.2M
Q3 24
$3.6B
$51.4M
Q2 24
$3.5B
$51.5M
Q1 24
$3.5B
$61.6M
Stockholders' Equity
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
$9.5B
Q3 25
$10.0B
$717.4M
Q2 25
$10.2B
$1.0B
Q1 25
$10.0B
$972.1M
Q4 24
$10.0B
$1.0B
Q3 24
$10.2B
$594.1M
Q2 24
$11.2B
$566.1M
Q1 24
$11.5B
$555.0M
Total Assets
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
$16.4B
Q3 25
$17.1B
$2.0B
Q2 25
$17.3B
$2.3B
Q1 25
$17.0B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$16.6B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$17.5B
$872.5M
Q2 24
$18.4B
$837.2M
Q1 24
$19.0B
$813.4M
Debt / Equity
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
0.33×
Q3 25
0.36×
0.97×
Q2 25
0.35×
0.75×
Q1 25
0.35×
0.75×
Q4 24
0.35×
0.73×
Q3 24
0.35×
0.09×
Q2 24
0.31×
0.09×
Q1 24
0.31×
0.11×

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
NX
NX
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$388.5M
$60.7M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$233.1M
$46.2M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
16.3%
9.3%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
10.9%
2.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$692.5M
$27.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
$388.5M
Q3 25
$355.6M
$60.7M
Q2 25
$-7.2M
$28.5M
Q1 25
$545.4M
$-12.5M
Q4 24
$674.0K
$5.5M
Q3 24
$240.5M
$46.4M
Q2 24
$362.9M
$33.1M
Q1 24
$98.0M
$3.9M
Free Cash Flow
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
$233.1M
Q3 25
$223.4M
$46.2M
Q2 25
$-126.8M
$13.6M
Q1 25
$362.8M
$-24.1M
Q4 24
$-355.1M
$-8.2M
Q3 24
$-62.6M
$40.1M
Q2 24
$-84.7M
$25.5M
Q1 24
$-481.4M
$-5.7M
FCF Margin
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
16.3%
Q3 25
17.1%
9.3%
Q2 25
-9.5%
3.0%
Q1 25
33.7%
-6.0%
Q4 24
-28.8%
-1.7%
Q3 24
-4.6%
14.3%
Q2 24
-5.9%
9.6%
Q1 24
-35.4%
-2.4%
Capex Intensity
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
10.9%
Q3 25
10.1%
2.9%
Q2 25
9.0%
3.3%
Q1 25
17.0%
2.9%
Q4 24
28.9%
2.8%
Q3 24
22.4%
2.2%
Q2 24
31.3%
2.9%
Q1 24
42.6%
4.0%
Cash Conversion
ALB
ALB
NX
NX
Q4 25
Q3 25
Q2 25
-0.31×
1.39×
Q1 25
13.19×
Q4 24
0.01×
Q3 24
1.83×
Q2 24
2.15×
Q1 24
40.01×
0.62×

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%

NX
NX

Window And Door Hardware$150.3M30%
Screens$76.8M16%
Window Profiles$68.2M14%
Spacers$54.7M11%
Wood Solutions$53.4M11%
Seals And Gaskets$29.9M6%
Access Solutions$27.4M6%
Mixing Solution$21.5M4%
Solar$5.3M1%
Product Type Other$3.3M1%

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