Albemarle Corporation (ALB) vs Builders FirstSource, Inc. (BLDR)
BLDR leads on 8 of 14 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Albemarle Corporation and Builders FirstSource, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 9, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
ALB
Albemarle Corporation
$128.42Basic Materials
BLDR
Builders FirstSource, Inc.
$74.54Basic Materials
Total return — ALB vs BLDR
growth of $100 · last 21yALB +626.9%BLDR +380.6%ALB compounded faster
ALB BLDR
ALB vs BLDR: by the numbers
- •ALB is the larger company ($15.15B vs $8.02B market cap).
- •BLDR is profitable (1.97% net margin) while ALB runs a net loss (-4.24%).
- •ALB grew revenue faster over the past five years (11.29% vs 6.25% CAGR).
- •ALB pays a dividend (1.25% yield) while BLDR does not currently pay one.
Which is better, ALB or BLDR?
Metric tally: ALB 6 · BLDR 8It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthALB(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityBLDR(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ALB | BLDR |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | — | 28.43 |
| Forward P/E | 10.32● | 17.36 |
| P/S ratio | 2.79 | 0.55● |
| P/B ratio | 1.56● | 2.04 |
| PEG ratio | — | 3.66 |
| EV / EBITDA | 16.81 | 10.99● |
| FCF yield | 3.76% | 10.57%● |
Profitability
| Metric | ALB | BLDR |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 18.53% | 29.89%● |
| Operating margin | 5.55%● | 4.18% |
| Net margin | -4.24% | 1.97%● |
| ROE | -2.36% | 7.28%● |
| ROIC | 0.64% | 6.82%● |
Dividends
| Metric | ALB | BLDR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.25% | — |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ALB | BLDR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 11.29%● | 6.25% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.95%● | 7.77% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 92.70%● | 39.91% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -3.94% | 12.19%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ALB or BLDR?
- It depends on your goal. growth: ALB (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: BLDR (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, BLDR leads 8 to 6.
- Which has grown faster, ALB or BLDR?
- Over the past five years, ALB grew revenue faster — ALB at a 11.29% CAGR versus BLDR at 6.25%.
- Does ALB or BLDR pay a bigger dividend?
- ALB pays a dividend (1.25% yield) while BLDR does not currently pay one.
- Is ALB or BLDR more profitable?
- BLDR runs the higher net margin — ALB at -4.24% versus BLDR at 1.97%.
- Which has been the better investment, ALB or BLDR?
- Over the past 10-year, BLDR delivered the higher annualized total return — ALB at 5.88% versus BLDR at 19.65%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Albemarle P/E ratioBuilders FirstSource P/E ratioAlbemarle dividend yieldBuilders FirstSource dividend yieldAlbemarle ROEBuilders FirstSource ROEAlbemarle operating marginBuilders FirstSource operating marginAlbemarle revenue growthBuilders FirstSource revenue growthAlbemarle free cash flowBuilders FirstSource free cash flow
Albemarle & Builders FirstSource appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified July 9, 2026.