Press Releases August 19, 2026 03:19 AM

SQM Reports Earnings for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2026

SQM reports record revenues and net income driven by unprecedented lithium sales volumes and strong prices in H1 2026

By Leila Farooq
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SQM

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) reported a significant increase in revenues and net income for the six months ended June 30, 2026, fueled by record lithium sales volumes exceeding 84 thousand metric tons of LCE and strong pricing trends across lithium, iodine, and specialty plant nutrition segments. The company more than doubled its revenues compared to the previous year and saw net income surge by over 350%, reinforcing confidence in growing global lithium demand.

SQM Reports Earnings for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2026
SQM
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Key Points

  • Total revenues doubled to US$4.23 billion in H1 2026 from US$2.08 billion a year prior.
  • Net income soared 353.5% to US$1.02 billion or US$3.59/share, driven by record lithium sales volumes.
  • Strong pricing environment for lithium and iodine spurred remarkable gross profit margins, reaching 48.2% of revenues.
  • Global lithium demand outlook for 2026 increased to over 2.1 million metric tons, validating growth prospects in the battery and EV sectors.
Highlights
  • SQM reported total revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2026 of US$4,228.5 million compared to total revenues of US$2,079.3 million for the same period last year.
  • Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2026 of US$1,024.7 million or US$3.59 per share, compared to US$225.9 million or US$0.79 per share for the same period last year.
  • In lithium: record-high quarterly sales volumes surpassing 84 thousand metric tons of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE).
  • In Iodine: record-high sales price and record quarterly revenue.
  • In Specialty Plant Nutrition: strong sales volumes and solid sales price.
  • During the first half of 2026, SQM and its subsidiaries accrued over US$1.6 billion in payments to the Chilean State.i
 SQM will hold a conference call to discuss these results on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 12:00pm EDT (12:00pm Chile time).Participant Call link: https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI3e9715a0ab7b4208a6ae898954f0797bWebcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/s7toz78m 

SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. (SQM) (NYSE: SQM; Santiago Stock Exchange: SQM-B, SQM-A) reported today net income for the six months ended June 30, 2026, of US$1,024.7 million or US$3.59 per share, an increase of 353.5% compared to US$225.9 million or US$0.79 per share reported for the same period last year.

Gross profit(1) reached US$2,038.6 million (48.2% of revenues) for the six months ended June 30, 2026, 267.2% higher than US$555.2 million (26.7% of revenues) recorded for the six months ended June 30, 2025. Revenues totaled US$4,228.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, representing an increase of 103.4% compared to US$2,079.3 million reported for the six months ended June 30, 2025.

The Company also announced net income for the second quarter of 2026 of US$660.0 million or US$2.31 per share, an increase of 646.4% compared to US$88.4 million or US$0.31 per share for the second quarter of 2025. Gross profit for the second quarter of 2026 reached US$1,260.0 million, 398.1% higher than the US$253.0 million reported for the second quarter of 2025. Revenues totaled US$2,468.4 million for the second quarter of 2025, an increase of 136.7% compared to US$1,042.7 million for the second quarter of 2025.

SQM’s Chief Executive Officer, Ricardo Ramos, stated, “I am pleased to announce SQM’s second-quarter results. As we close the first half of the year and look ahead to the remainder of 2026, I am encouraged by the solid performance we have delivered across our main business lines.”

He added, “In lithium, we achieved record quarterly sales volumes of over 84 thousand metric tons of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) from our lithium operations in Chile through Nova Andino Litioii and in Australia through Covalent Lithiumiii. As anticipated in our previous earnings report, prices increased during the second quarter, supported by stronger-than-expected market demand. We now expect global lithium demand to be over 2.1 million metric tons in 2026, further strengthening our confidence in the long-term fundamentals of the market.

To see full press release please visit: https://ir.sqm.com/

For media inquiries, contact:

Nova Andino Litio: Ignacia Lopez / [email protected]
International Lithium Division: Gonzalo Colazo / [email protected]
Iodine & Plant Nutrition Division: Carolina Guzman / [email protected]

i Includes accrued corporate income taxes and mining taxes (part of which has already been paid), and payments related to the Corfo contracts such as the lease payment (paid quarterly), and other accrued payments to local governments (paid annually) in connection with said contracts. This amount also includes the dividend accrued to be paid to Codelco.
ii Nova Andino Litio (or Novandino) is the joint company between SQM and Codelco.
iii Covalent Lithium is a joint venture between SQM and Wesfarmers Limited.


Risks

  • SQM's financial results are exposed to fluctuations in lithium and iodine market prices, which can be volatile.
  • Significant payments to the Chilean State and associated contracts may impact cash flow and operational costs.
  • Dependence on joint ventures and international operations, such as those with Codelco and Wesfarmers, introduces integration and regulatory risks.

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