ALB vs XLK Stock Comparison
Compare ALB and XLK across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between ALB and XLK?
XLK leads the current stock comparison as State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Albemarle Corporation vs State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF
XLK leads
XLK leads by 18 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Quality, and the lead has widened from 3 points over 30 sessions.
Stable: 3 of 4 evidence groups support XLK, its lead is widening, and its signal state is cleanly positive.
Albemarle Corporation
State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors XLK over ALB, 59 versus 41 as of Sep 11, 2026. XLK's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and quality, while ALB holds the stronger value profile. XLK also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor XLK today, and the comparison is rated Stable on stability: the lead has swung materially session to session. XLK lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 3 to 18 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Albemarle Corporation and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare ALB and XLK against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum27 vs 65XLK +38
- Quality40 vs 74XLK +34
- Value51 vs 36ALB +15
- Risk Resilience49 vs 62XLK +13
3 of 4 evidence groups favor XLK. XLK’s edge is concentrated in momentum and quality; ALB keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum -3
New signals
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
Largest factor move: Momentum -5
No new signals fired.
XLK's lead was unchanged in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — ALB and XLK both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and quality.
ALB (Albemarle Corporation): the counter-case, on value, valuation — but at materially higher volatility, 48.4% against 20.6%.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
XLKXLK on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
EvenGrowth figures are not covered for both names.
Value
ALBALB on the peer-relative Value factor, by 15 points.
Momentum
XLKXLK on the Momentum factor, by 38 points.
Lower downside
XLKXLK on Risk Resilience, by 13 points.
Analyst upside
EvenAnalyst targets are level or not covered for both names.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | ALB | XLK | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +88% | — | Level |
| Target dispersion | +46.6% | — | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | — | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 8 | — | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor XLK. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | XLK | 41 vs 59 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | ALB | Value 51 vs 36 |
| Technicals | XLK | Price vs 50-day -7.9% vs 2.7%; vs 200-day -22% vs 15% |
| Risk Resilience | XLK | Risk Resilience 49 vs 62 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of ALB and XLK and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion rests on a wide gap and broad agreement. It is unlikely to turn on a single session.
- The AIQ gap is wide at 18 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The lead has swung materially session to session. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on XLK.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10XLK lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 3 to 18 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- XLK +18
- 41 vs 59
- 7 sessions ago
- XLK +13
- 43 vs 56
- 30 sessions ago
- XLK +3
- 56 vs 59
- 90 sessions ago
- XLK +3
- 40 vs 43
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (22.80%)
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
4 bullish / 0 bearish
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (13.41%)
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
ALB is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved down over the latest session (price -3.76%, AIQ -1 points).
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +1.32%, AIQ -1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1ALB closes the Momentum gap — currently 38 points behind, the largest single contributor to XLK's edge.
- 2ALB's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3XLK's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
Split| Metric | ALB | XLK |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 22% | — |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 58.3% | — |
| Gross margin | 23.9% | — |
| Operating margin | 11.9% | — |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 2.3% | — |
| Debt to equity | 0.19 | — |
Performance
XLK leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | ALB | XLK |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -11.4% | 0.9% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -4.9% | -1.9% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -17.1% | 4.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -27.3% | 31.9% |
| Year to date | -13.7% | 28.7% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 48.9% | 39.9% |
Technicals
XLK has the stronger structure| Metric | ALB | XLK |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 38.1 | 54.1 |
| ADX (14) | 20.1 | 10.4 |
| Price vs 50-day | -7.9% | 2.7% |
| Price vs 200-day | -22% | 15% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 48.4% | 20.6% |
Risk
XLK is the more resilient| Metric | ALB | XLK |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.45 | 1.75 |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.12 | 1.25 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.87 | 1.94 |
| Max drawdown | -47.5% | -16.1% |
| Current drawdown | -43.4% | -6.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 57.6% | 26.4% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -5.8% | -2.6% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, ALB or XLK?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, XLK is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 59 against ALB's 41. The edge comes from momentum and quality. ALB is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is ALB or XLK the better buy right now?
XLK carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Stable — 3 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. A Stable rating means the gap is wide and the evidence is broad, so the conclusion is unlikely to turn on a single session.
Why does the AIQ Score favor XLK over ALB?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. XLK leads Momentum by 38 points; XLK leads Quality by 34 points; ALB leads Value by 15 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, ALB or XLK?
Analyst price targets imply +88% upside for ALB and not covered for XLK. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, ALB or XLK?
ALB is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. ALB on the peer-relative Value factor, by 15 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, ALB or XLK?
Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, ALB or XLK?
XLK on the Momentum factor, by 38 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, ALB or XLK?
XLK is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. XLK on Risk Resilience, by 13 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is ALB more profitable than XLK?
Margin data is not comparable for both names in the current snapshot.
Is XLK's lead over ALB getting stronger or weaker?
XLK lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 3 to 18 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the ALB vs XLK verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: ALB closes the Momentum gap — currently 38 points behind, the largest single contributor to XLK's edge; ALB's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; XLK's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about ALB and XLK?
ALB: 1 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. XLK: 4 bullish / 0 bearish. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on ALB is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On XLK it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.