Albemarle Corporation (ALB) vs International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF)
IFF leads on 10 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Albemarle Corporation and International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 26, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
ALB
Albemarle Corporation
$141.05Basic Materials
IFF
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
$75.08Basic Materials
Total return — ALB vs IFF
growth of $100 · last 30yALB +1235.7%IFF +56.4%ALB compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
ALB IFF
ALB vs IFF: by the numbers
- •IFF is the larger company ($19.17B vs $16.63B market cap).
- •IFF is profitable (7.90% net margin) while ALB runs a net loss (-4.24%).
- •IFF grew revenue faster over the past five years (11.71% vs 11.29% CAGR).
- •IFF pays the higher dividend yield (2.13% vs 1.15%).
Which is better, ALB or IFF?
Metric tally: ALB 5 · IFF 10It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthIFF(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeIFF(higher dividend yield)
QualityIFF(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ALB | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | — | 22.96 |
| Forward P/E | 11.26● | 16.92 |
| P/S ratio | 3.04 | 1.79● |
| P/B ratio | 1.70 | 1.37● |
| PEG ratio | — | 0.18 |
| EV / EBITDA | 23.45 | 12.31● |
| FCF yield | 3.45%● | 2.06% |
Profitability
| Metric | ALB | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 18.53% | 36.35%● |
| Operating margin | 5.55% | 7.56%● |
| Net margin | -4.24% | 7.90%● |
| ROE | -2.36% | 6.03%● |
| ROIC | 0.64% | 3.19%● |
Dividends
| Metric | ALB | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.15% | 2.13%● |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ALB | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 11.29% | 11.71%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.95%● | -25.13% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 92.70%● | -13.45% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -2.13%● | -10.44% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ALB or IFF?
- It depends on your goal. growth: IFF (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: IFF (higher dividend yield); quality: IFF (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, IFF leads 10 to 5.
- Which has grown faster, ALB or IFF?
- Over the past five years, IFF grew revenue faster — ALB at a 11.29% CAGR versus IFF at 11.71%.
- Does ALB or IFF pay a bigger dividend?
- ALB yields 1.15% and IFF yields 2.13% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ALB or IFF more profitable?
- IFF runs the higher net margin — ALB at -4.24% versus IFF at 7.90%.
- Which has been the better investment, ALB or IFF?
- Over the past 10-year, ALB delivered the higher annualized total return — ALB at 7.40% versus IFF at -2.39%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Albemarle P/E ratioInternational Flavors & Fragrances P/E ratioAlbemarle dividend yieldInternational Flavors & Fragrances dividend yieldAlbemarle ROEInternational Flavors & Fragrances ROEAlbemarle operating marginInternational Flavors & Fragrances operating marginAlbemarle revenue growthInternational Flavors & Fragrances revenue growthAlbemarle free cash flowInternational Flavors & Fragrances free cash flow
Albemarle & International Flavors & Fragrances 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 June 26, 2026.