SQM reports Q1 EPS 80c, consensus 73c

SQM’s CEO, Ricardo Ramos, stated, “We are pleased with the positive year-on-year growth in sales volumes across all of our major businesses. During the first quarter of 2024, we delivered record-high quarterly sales volumes in the iodine business, almost 9% higher when compared to the same period last year. Sales volumes in our specialty nutrition and potassium business lines were approximately 20% higher year-on-year, while lithium sales volumes were over 30% higher during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. This growth was offset by lower year-on-year realized average sales prices in these business lines as a result of lower market prices during the first quarter of 2024.”