2 February 2021

Bloomberg highlights companies worth watching

We have extracted the most relevant to our industries from the Bloomberg Top 50 companies worth watching in 2021.

Man reading the business section of a newspaper
© Adeolu Eletu/Unsplash

The analysts at Bloomberg Intelligence, who regularly follow roughly 2,000 companies in fields including materials, energy, and technology have flagged a top 50 worth keeping an eye on this year.

The analysts considered factors including company size and growth opportunities, diversity of the Board, and planned developments,  as well as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and other economic forces.

Albemarle
As a leading supplier of lithium, Albemarle Corp. is flagged as benefitting from investment in electric vehicles, which will likely triple demand for the mineral by 2025. The company already controls about 30% of a market worth more than US$3 billion annually, and 2021 will see completion of expansion projects in Australia and Chile.

Bloomberg notes that Albemarle’s long-term contracts mean the company is on course to reap substantial benefits in 2022 and beyond.

It also has units making bromine and refinery catalysts that can fund further, higher-return, lithium projects.

ArcelorMittal
Steel-intensive wind turbines position ArcelorMittal SA well for the European Green Deal. The company has divested high-carbon-emitting assets in the USA and reduced debt.

Graphic Packaging
Graphic Packaging Holding Co. has profited from the move away from plastic packaging toward paperboard.

Henkel
Henkel AG has a dominant 25% market share in industrial adhesives. Bloomberg highlights the optimal position these adhesives have for recyclable packaging, more efficient batteries, and lighter vehicle and aircraft bodies.

LG Chem
The company is poised to become the top global battery producer. A deal to supply Tesla Inc.’s Model Y should offset effects of recent battery recalls, say the analysts.

Repsol
The Spanish oil company should benefit in 2021 from gradual recoveries in crude pricing and fuel demand. Having focused on sustainability and a goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050, Repsol has the industry’s most ambitious emissions targets.

Saint-Gobain
The company to watch for carbon-neutral buildings. Compagnie de Saint-Gobain has expertise in renovation, an area of focus for the European Green Deal.

Saint-Gobain has broad expertise and innovative products for interior and exterior work such as thermal windows and insulation. Energy efficiency improvements for windows boost the company’s long-term growth prospects, particularly for its flat-glass business, which makes up 14% of revenue.

Weichai Power
Tighter emissions standards should benefit Weichai Power Co., China’s top maker of electric drive systems for vehicles and machinery. The nation’s e-commerce growth, with accompanying warehouse expansions, support the company’s drive to control 40% of the heavy-truck engine market.