SQM vs SLI vs RIO Stock Comparison

Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile, Standard Lithium and Rio Tinto Prices as of Oct 26, 2026 Peers: Industry group
SLI Standard Lithium Ltd.
$1.38 -25.4% 1M -67.3% 1Y
Market cap
$303.39M
P/E
–
Revenue (TTM)
$6.02M
Div. yield
–
Lithium Basic Materials
1 win
RIO Rio Tinto Plc
$83.71 -11.4% 1M +18.7% 1Y
Market cap
$138.86B
P/E
–
Revenue (TTM)
—
Div. yield
–
Iron Ore Basic Materials
3 wins

Head to Head

8 decided of 12

Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile leads on 4 of the 12 questions below (Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile 4, Rio Tinto 3, Standard Lithium 1). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionSQMSLIRIOLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $17.24B $303.39M $138.86B RIO
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 12.4x -6.4x — –
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 8.0x — 10.7x SQM
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +59.0% +575.1% — SLI
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 20.6% -791.4% — SQM
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital 22.8% — — –
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 0.2x — — –
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +25.0% -67.3% +18.7% SQM
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years +1.2%/yr -35.5%/yr +5.4%/yr RIO
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 47.0% 66.8% 30.7% RIO
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 70/100 59/100 — SQM

Percentile Scorecard

SQMSLIRIO

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

AxisSQMSLIRIO
Valuation 81 #31 of 162 34 #108 of 162 –
Growth 62 #56 of 147 67 #49 of 147 –
Profitability 81 #24 of 122 17 #102 of 122 –
Financial Health 32 #112 of 165 79 #35 of 165 22 #129 of 165
Shareholder Returns 92 #10 of 107 96 #5 of 107 98 #3 of 107
Overall 70 59 –
  • SQM ranked among 176 companies in Metals and Mining
  • SLI ranked among 176 companies in Metals and Mining
  • RIO ranked among 176 companies in Metals and Mining

Price Performance

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

Returns

PeriodSQMSLIRIOSPY
1 month -14.8%-25.4%-11.4% -0.8%
3 months -17.2%-35.5%-9.0% +3.5%
6 months -37.6%-64.9%-16.2% +7.0%
Year to date -17.2%-69.1%+4.6% +12.2%
1 year +25.0%-67.3%+18.7% +13.0%
3 years +11.5%-49.6%+31.3% +86.3%
3 years, per year +3.7%-20.4%+9.5% +23.1%
5 years +5.9%-88.8%+29.9% +68.6%
5 years, per year +1.2%-35.5%+5.4% +11.0%
10 years +94.6%—+144.7% +258.0%
10 years, per year +6.9%—+9.4% +13.6%

Risk

MeasureSQMSLIRIOSPY
Volatility, 1Y 47.0%66.8%30.7% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 43.9%72.7%32.1% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 0.962.151.27 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 0.53-1.010.61 1.02
Max drawdown, 5Y -73.5%-91.5%-39.0% -25.4%
From 52-week high -40.2%-75.6%-25.3% -1.8%
52-week high $95.31$5.65$112.04 $779.14
52-week low $44.36$1.38$67.89 $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.

MultipleSQMSLIRIO
P/E now vs peer median 11.7xmedian 12.8x -6.0xmedian 12.8x —median 12.8x
P/S now vs peer median 2.4xmedian 3.1x 54.9xmedian 3.1x —median 3.1x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 4.8xmedian 7.0x —median 7.0x —median 7.0x
P/FCF now vs peer median —median 15.2x -22.6xmedian 15.2x —median 15.2x
P/B now vs peer median 1.9xmedian 2.1x 0.9xmedian 2.1x 2.0xmedian 2.1x
PEG now vs peer median -0.75median 0.29 —median 0.29 —median 0.29

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 monthsSQMSLIRIO
Revenue $6.73B $6.02M –
Gross profit $2.83B – –
Operating income $3.11B -$22.81M –
Net income $1.39B -$47.66M –
Free cash flow – -$14.63M –
EPS (diluted) $4.86 $-0.23 –
Cash & equivalents $3.38B $137.30M $8.87B
Total debt $19.72B – $16.90B
Shares (diluted) 285.64M 206.37M 1.63B
Enterprise value $3.90B -$366.61M $99.36B

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
MetricSQMSLIRIO
P/E 11.7x -6.0x –
P/FCF – -22.6x –
P/Operating cash flow – -22.6x –
P/S 2.4x 54.9x –
P/B 1.9x 0.9x 2.0x
P/Tangible book 1.9x 0.9x 2.2x
EV/EBITDA 4.8x – –
EV/EBIT 5.5x -6.2x –
EV/Revenue 2.5x 23.6x –
EV/FCF – -9.7x –
EV/Operating cash flow – -9.7x –
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) -0.75 – –

Growth

14 metrics
MetricSQMSLIRIO
Revenue growth (1Y) 59.0% 575.1% –
Revenue CAGR (3Y) -4.8% – –
Gross profit growth (1Y) 150.2% – –
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) -9.3% – –
Operating income growth (1Y) 134.4% -363.9% –
Operating income CAGR (3Y) -17.5% – –
Net income growth (1Y) 190.5% 69.6% –
Net income CAGR (3Y) -7.2% – –
EPS growth (1Y) 190.5% 72.6% –
EPS CAGR (3Y) -15.7% – –
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) – 12.4% –
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) – – –
Free cash flow growth (1Y) – 32.6% –
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) – – –

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricSQMSLIRIO
Gross margin 42.1% – –
EBITDA margin 52.7% – –
Operating margin 46.2% -378.8% –
Pretax margin 36.6% -867.8% –
Net margin 20.6% -791.4% –
FCF margin – -242.9% –
Operating cash flow margin – -242.6% –
Return on equity 16.4% -13.0% –
Return on assets 8.6% -12.1% –
Return on invested capital 22.8% – –
Return on capital employed 23.4% -5.9% –
Asset turnover 0.4x 0.0x –
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) – 0.3x –
Stock comp / revenue – 104.0% –

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricSQMSLIRIO
Debt / assets 31.3% – –
Debt / equity 0.6x – 0.3x
Net debt / EBITDA 0.2x – –
Debt / FCF – – –
Liabilities / assets 47.9% 7.1% –
Equity / assets 52.1% 92.9% –
Interest coverage 15.3x -950.4x –
Current ratio 2.6x 17.9x 1.4x
Quick ratio 1.8x 23.6x 1.0x
Cash ratio 1.5x 23.3x 0.6x
Altman Z-score – 6.96 –

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricSQMSLIRIO
Dividend yield 4.2% – 5.6%
Net buyback yield – 4.2% –
Shareholder yield 4.2% 4.2% 5.6%
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.

ConsensusSQMSLIRIO
Forward P/E 8.0xFY2026 – 10.7xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $7.12FY2026 – $7.84FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +245.6%FY2026 – +17.2%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after -2.5% – +9.1%
Revenue, next fiscal year $8.37BFY2026 – $67.58BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +82.7%FY2026 – +17.2%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +2.9% – -8.0%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersSQMSLIRIO
Held by institutions 13.4% 31.0% 7.9%
Institutions holding 316 137 968
Change in shares held, QoQ -3.0% +2.1% -1.1%
Institutions buying 166 60 504
Institutions selling 100 33 283
Buyers to sellers 1.66 1.82 1.78

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.

SQMSLIRIO
SQM 1.00 0.51 0.45
SLI 0.51 1.00 0.50
RIO 0.45 0.50 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, SQM, SLI and RIO?

Rio Tinto (RIO) is the largest by market capitalisation: Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) $17.24B, Standard Lithium (SLI) $303.39M, Rio Tinto (RIO) $138.86B.

Which company is growing faster?

Standard Lithium (SLI) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) +59.0%, Standard Lithium (SLI) +575.1%.

Which company is more profitable?

Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) has the highest net margin (Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) 20.6%, Standard Lithium (SLI) -791.4%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) returned the most: Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) +25.0%, Standard Lithium (SLI) -67.3%, Rio Tinto (RIO) +18.7%. Over five years, Rio Tinto (RIO) compounded fastest (Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) +1.2%/yr, Standard Lithium (SLI) -35.5%/yr, Rio Tinto (RIO) +5.4%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Rio Tinto (RIO) has been the steadiest (Chemical & Mining Co Of Chile (SQM) 47.0%, Standard Lithium (SLI) 66.8%, Rio Tinto (RIO) 30.7%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, SQM, SLI and RIO?

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 4. 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.