SQM’s (NYSE:SQM) web revenue in 2021 was thrice increased than in 2020, with the corporate hitting US$585.5 million, up from US$164.5 million reported the earlier yr.
Lithium revenues elevated by greater than 144 p.c for the prime producer of the commodity, coming in at US$936.1 million in 2021 in comparison with US$383.4 million in 2020.
“We imagine international lithium demand grew roughly 55 p.c throughout 2021 when in comparison with 2020, primarily pushed by new demand for electrical autos,” CEO Ricardo Ramos stated in a press release. “Throughout 2021, market costs for lithium additionally grew as provide couldn’t sustain with the sturdy demand development.”
The miner is anticipating its lithium carbonate manufacturing capability to succeed in 180,000 metric tonnes (MT) within the coming months, with lithium hydroxide capability hitting 30,000 MT. The corporate additionally introduced on Wednesday (March 2) that it’s going to start engaged on a US$250 million capability enlargement plan in Chile that may permit it to succeed in output of 210,000 MT of lithium carbonate and 40,000 MT of lithium hydroxide subsequent yr.
“Demand retains on rising strongly, and we imagine that the whole demand will attain 1 million MT earlier than beforehand anticipated. Our present estimates for 2022 demand development are over 30 p.c,” Ramos advised market watchers. “We don’t imagine that provide will probably be adequate to fulfill this development, finally placing stress on market costs, reaching ranges by no means seen earlier than.”
SQM has set its lithium gross sales goal at 140,000 MT in 2022, with solely 20 p.c of gross sales anticipated to be in fastened contract costs. In consequence, the corporate is anticipating to see increased costs through the first half of 2022.
The key producer’s main lithium enterprise is within the Salar de Atacama in Chile, the place its lithium brine operations are positioned. SQM can be creating the Australia-based Mount Holland lithium undertaking, often known as one of many world’s largest hard-rock mining deposits, in a three way partnership with Wesfarmers (ASX:WES,OTC Pink:WFAFF).
Final week, SQM’s rival Albemarle printed its income outlook for 2022, lacking some analysts’ expectations regardless of present favorable lithium market situations.
US-based Livent (NYSE:LTHM) additionally posted earnings final week, saying it’s on monitor to ship a beforehand introduced capability enlargement. The lithium producer outlined one other enlargement program to be accomplished by 2025, sending its shares up following the information.
Most lithium firms have seen their momentum enhance previously yr, with lithium shares within the US, Canada and Australia all seeing year-to-date positive factors.
On Wednesday, shares of SQM closed at US$65.86, up 2.75 p.c from inventory’s closing worth the day before today.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Priscila Barrera, presently maintain no direct funding curiosity in any firm talked about on this article.
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