Chilean Lithium Producer SQM Reports US$660 Million Second-Quarter Profit
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Chilean lithium producer SQM reported a second-quarter 2026 profit of US$660.0 million, representing a 646.4% increase compared to the same period in 2025. The company achieved record sales of 84,100 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent, with total quarterly revenue reaching US$2,468.4 million. This financial performance was driven by a rebound in lithium prices alongside the record sales volumes from operations in the Salar de Atacama and Australia. The company’s first-half net income surpassed US$1 billion, a 353.5% jump from the previous year.
Consequences
The significant increase in production volume and the rebound in market pricing for lithium have resulted in a strengthened fiscal position for the company. Given that production costs at brine operations do not rise in direct proportion to product price, the company's profitability benefited from the simultaneous increase in both sales volume and unit pricing.
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