SQM

Zacks identifies two Basic Materials stocks with positive Earnings Surprise Prediction (ESP) metrics that could beat quarterly earnings expectations. Air Products and Chemicals (APD) holds a #2 Buy rating with a +0.79% ESP ahead of its November 5, 2026 earnings release.

SQM carries a #3 Hold rating with a +16.15% ESP before reporting on November 17, 2026. Both stocks show potential for positive earnings surprises based on recent analyst revisions.

Albemarle Corporation paid down $1.3 billion in debt in March 2026, reducing annual interest expenses by $60 million. The company ended Q2 with $1.88 billion in long-term debt and a net debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 0.5x, with $3.2 billion in liquidity and no major debt maturities until late 2028. The deleveraging efforts are expected to improve financial flexibility and reduce interest costs to $120-$140 million for 2026.