AL

Albemarle Corporation stock research

Mar 31, 2024

FY2024 Q1

Albemarle (ALB) Gross Margin — Quarter Ended Mar 31, 2024

Revenue and gross profit were both lower compared to the immediately preceding quarter and the same quarter one year earlier. Gross margin improved from the prior quarter but weakened substantially from the year-ago period, driven by a cost of revenue that declined less than revenue.

Gross margin takeaway

Quarter ended Mar 31, 2024 · FY2024 Q1

Revenue and gross profit were both lower compared to the immediately preceding quarter and the same quarter one year earlier. Gross margin improved from the prior quarter but weakened substantially from the year-ago period, driven by a cost of revenue that declined less than revenue.

  • The strongest observable margin driver is the relationship between revenue and cost of revenue: revenue fell sharply while cost of revenue declined more slowly, compressing gross profit.
  • Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, gross margin improved from negative to positive territory. Compared to the same quarter one year earlier, gross margin weakened significantly as gross profit fell far more than revenue.

Gross margin snapshot

The selected quarter's reported revenue, gross profit, direct costs, and margin comparisons.

Gross margin

2.9%

Gross profit

$38.9M

Revenue

$1.4B

Cost of revenue

$1.3B

Quarter-over-quarter change

+32.7 pts

Year-over-year change

-46.6 pts

Quarterly gross margin trend

A four-quarter view of the revenue and direct-cost bridge behind gross margin.

PeriodRevenueGross profitCost of revenueGross margin
Jun 30, 2023$2.4B$558.5M$1.8B23.6%
Sep 30, 2023$2.3B$54.9M$2.3B2.4%
Dec 31, 2023$2.4B-$704.1M$3.1B-29.9%
Mar 31, 2024$1.4B$38.9M$1.3B2.9%

Quarterly comparisons

Compare the selected margin with the preceding quarter and the same fiscal quarter one year earlier.

Previous-quarter change

Dec 31, 2023

+32.7 pts

Year-over-year change

Mar 31, 2023

-46.6 pts

What the margin says

Filing-constrained interpretation of margin direction, comparisons, and what to monitor next.

The strongest observable margin driver is the relationship between revenue and cost of revenue: revenue fell sharply while cost of revenue declined more slowly, compressing gross profit.

Compared to the immediately preceding quarter, gross margin improved from negative to positive territory. Compared to the same quarter one year earlier, gross margin weakened significantly as gross profit fell far more than revenue.

Monitor the trajectory of cost of revenue relative to revenue, as its slower decline is the primary factor compressing gross margin.