Albemarle CorpCiti upgrades Albemarle to Buy, citing underappreciated growth opportunities and keeping $225 price target.

Citi upgraded Albemarle shares to Buy from High Risk, citing underappreciated growth opportunities in the lithium market despite recent spot price weakness. The bank kept its $225 price target on the stock. Citi analysts expressed skepticism that the market will flip to a meaningful glut given current demand tailwinds, and see Albemarle as a primary beneficiary of structural lithium demand due to its high-quality assets and conversion network. The bank projects battery energy storage system output to grow approximately 35% year-over-year to 950 gigawatt-hours this year and another 37% to around 1,300 gigawatt-hours in 2027, driven by renewable energy mandates and rising data center investments. Citi's commodities team expects lithium prices to continue rising with zero-to-three-month price targets of carbonate at approximately $40,000 per ton and hydroxide at approximately $32,000 per ton, supported by a projected 2026 deficit of approximately 4%.
Albemarle CorpCiti upgrades Albemarle to Buy, citing underappreciated growth opportunities and keeping $225 price target.