LAR vs SQM vs BLTH Stock Comparison

Lithium Argentina AG, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile and American Battery Materials Prices as of Oct 26, 2026 Peers: Industry group
LAR Lithium Argentina AG
$4.16 -24.8% 1M -7.1% 1Y
Market cap
$675.61M
P/E
–
Revenue (TTM)
$225.80M
Div. yield
–
Lithium Basic Materials
3 wins

Head to Head

10 decided of 12

Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile leads on 7 of the 12 questions below (Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile 7, Lithium Argentina AG 3). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionLARSQMBLTHLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $675.61M $16.27B $7.77M SQM
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only -12.5x 11.7x -0.8x –
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 18.9x 8.1x — SQM
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +371.3% +59.0% — LAR
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months -23.9% 20.6% — SQM
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 0.0% 22.8% — SQM
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA -3.4x 0.2x — LAR
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield — 4.25% — –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months -7.1% +25.0% -48.8% SQM
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years -17.1%/yr +1.2%/yr -46.8%/yr SQM
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 74.2% 47.0% 287.5% SQM
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 67/100 66/100 29/100 LAR

Percentile Scorecard

LARSQMBLTH

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisLARSQMBLTH
Valuation 72 #33 of 114 82 #21 of 114 25 #86 of 114
Growth 73 #28 of 102 54 #48 of 102 43 #59 of 102
Profitability 40 #49 of 81 73 #23 of 81 –
Financial Health 75 #31 of 120 32 #82 of 120 2 #118 of 120
Shareholder Returns 74 #20 of 73 92 #7 of 73 46 #40 of 73
Overall 67 66 29
  • LAR ranked among 128 companies in Metals and Mining
  • SQM ranked among 128 companies in Metals and Mining
  • BLTH ranked among 128 companies in Metals and Mining

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodLARSQMBLTHSPY
1 month -24.8%-14.8%-48.8% -0.8%
3 months -29.4%-17.2%-65.8% +3.5%
6 months -58.3%-37.6%-62.7% +7.0%
Year to date -25.4%-17.2%-65.8% +12.2%
1 year -7.1%+25.0%-48.8% +13.0%
3 years -28.4%+11.5%-88.6% +86.3%
3 years, per year -10.5%+3.7%-51.6% +23.1%
5 years -60.9%+5.9%-95.7% +68.6%
5 years, per year -17.1%+1.2%-46.8% +11.0%
10 years +255.6%+94.6%-97.7% +258.0%
10 years, per year +13.5%+6.9%-31.5% +13.6%

Risk

MeasureLARSQMBLTHSPY
Volatility, 1Y 74.2%47.0%287.5% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 72.6%43.9%395.5% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 2.590.961.54 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y -0.100.53-0.17 1.02
Max drawdown, 5Y -89.5%-73.5%-99.7% -25.4%
From 52-week high -64.7%-40.2%-70.7% -1.8%
52-week high $11.79$95.31$7.00 $779.14
52-week low $3.72$44.36$2.00 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleLARSQMBLTH
P/E now vs peer median -12.5xmedian 10.6x 11.7xmedian 10.6x -0.8xmedian 10.6x
P/S now vs peer median 3.0xmedian 3.1x 2.4xmedian 3.1x —median 3.1x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 3.5xmedian 5.9x 4.8xmedian 5.9x —median 5.9x
P/FCF now vs peer median -33.9xmedian 11.3x —median 11.3x -16.7xmedian 11.3x
P/B now vs peer median 0.8xmedian 2.3x 1.9xmedian 2.3x -0.6xmedian 2.3x
PEG now vs peer median 0.22median 0.17 -0.75median 0.17 0.01median 0.17

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsLARSQMBLTH
Revenue $225.80M $6.73B –
Gross profit $110.90M $2.83B –
Operating income $256.12M $3.11B -$1.75M
Net income -$18.74M $1.39B -$9.08M
Free cash flow -$19.96M – -$465.26K
R&D $4.53M – –
EPS (diluted) $-0.33 $4.86 $-2.41
Cash & equivalents $99.72M $3.38B $5.70K
Total debt -$925.15M $19.72B $30.23M
Shares (diluted) 162.17M 285.64M 3.76M
Enterprise value $286.25M $5.29B $7.72M

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricLARSQMBLTH
P/E -12.5x 11.7x -0.8x
P/FCF -33.9x – -16.7x
P/Operating cash flow -33.9x – -16.7x
P/S 3.0x 2.4x –
P/B 0.8x 1.9x -0.6x
P/Tangible book 0.8x 1.9x -0.6x
EV/EBITDA 3.5x 4.8x –
EV/EBIT 3.6x 5.5x -9.4x
EV/Revenue 1.5x 2.5x –
EV/FCF -17.2x – -35.3x
EV/Operating cash flow -17.2x – -35.3x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.22 -0.75 0.01

Growth

14 metrics
MetricLARSQMBLTH
Revenue growth (1Y) 371.3% 59.0% –
Revenue CAGR (3Y) – -4.8% –
Gross profit growth (1Y) 32,338% 150.2% –
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) – -9.3% –
Operating income growth (1Y) 213.4% 134.4% 15.9%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) – -17.5% 7.2%
Net income growth (1Y) 48.1% 190.5% -67.9%
Net income CAGR (3Y) -17.8% -7.2% -56.6%
EPS growth (1Y) 95.8% 190.5% -20.2%
EPS CAGR (3Y) -57.1% -15.7% -124.5%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 39.6% – 44.2%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 31.4% – 37.3%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 43.8% – 44.2%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 31.2% – 37.3%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricLARSQMBLTH
Gross margin 49.1% 42.1% –
EBITDA margin 43.1% 52.7% –
Operating margin 113.4% 46.2% –
Pretax margin -12.2% 36.6% –
Net margin -23.9% 20.6% –
FCF margin -8.8% – –
Operating cash flow margin -8.8% – –
Return on equity 1.6% 16.4% –
Return on assets 1.2% 8.6% -2,719%
Return on invested capital 0.0% 22.8% –
Return on capital employed 6.9% 23.4% –
Asset turnover 0.2x 0.4x –
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 1.1x – 0.1x
Stock comp / revenue 6.9% – –

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricLARSQMBLTH
Debt / assets -14.7% 31.3% 2,773%
Debt / equity -0.2x 0.6x -0.7x
Net debt / EBITDA -3.4x 0.2x –
Debt / FCF 8.5x – -18.6x
Liabilities / assets 27.2% 47.9% 4,076%
Equity / assets 72.8% 52.1% -3,976%
Interest coverage 161.6x 15.3x -2.0x
Current ratio -2.0x 2.6x 0.0x
Quick ratio -0.7x 1.8x 0.0x
Cash ratio -0.7x 1.5x 0.0x
Altman Z-score 1.63 – –

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricLARSQMBLTH
Dividend yield – 4.2% –
Net buyback yield -0.2% – -1.1%
Shareholder yield -0.2% 4.2% -1.1%
Payout ratio (earnings) – – –
Payout ratio (FCF) – – –
Dividend growth (1Y) – – –
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – – –

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusLARSQMBLTH
Forward P/E 18.9xFY2026 8.1xFY2026 –
EPS, next fiscal year $0.22FY2026 $7.03FY2026 –
EPS growth, next FY – +241.3%FY2026 –
EPS growth, the year after +27.3% -2.4% –
Revenue, next fiscal year $0.00FY2026 $8.31BFY2026 –
Revenue growth, next FY – +81.4%FY2026 –
Revenue growth, the year after – +3.0% –

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersLARSQMBLTH
Held by institutions 33.9% 13.4% –
Institutions holding 164 316 –
Change in shares held, QoQ +0.6% -3.0% –
Institutions buying 75 166 –
Institutions selling 48 100 –
Buyers to sellers 1.56 1.66 –

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

LARSQMBLTH
LAR 1.00 0.64 0.03
SQM 0.64 1.00 0.03
BLTH 0.03 0.03 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, LAR, SQM and BLTH?

Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) is the largest by market capitalisation: Lithium Argentina AG (LAR) $675.61M, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) $16.27B, American Battery Materials (BLTH) $7.77M.

Which company is growing faster?

Lithium Argentina AG (LAR) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Lithium Argentina AG (LAR) +371.3%, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) +59.0%.

Which company is more profitable?

Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) has the highest net margin (Lithium Argentina AG (LAR) -23.9%, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) 20.6%). On return on invested capital, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) leads (Lithium Argentina AG (LAR) 0.0%, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) 22.8%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) returned the most: Lithium Argentina AG (LAR) -7.1%, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) +25.0%, American Battery Materials (BLTH) -48.8%. Over five years, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) compounded fastest (Lithium Argentina AG (LAR) -17.1%/yr, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) +1.2%/yr, American Battery Materials (BLTH) -46.8%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Only one of these companies pays a dividend: Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) 4.25%. Lithium Argentina AG (LAR) and American Battery Materials (BLTH) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) has been the steadiest (Lithium Argentina AG (LAR) 74.2%, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) 47.0%, American Battery Materials (BLTH) 287.5%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, LAR, SQM and BLTH?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) leads on 7. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.