4 Undervalued Chemicals Stocks for Friday, May 22

By Jenna Brashear
May 22, 2026
Diamond graphic indicating best value stocks in their industry
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Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 4 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Chemicals industry. Those looking for value stocks to add to their portfolio may want to use this list as a starting point for further investment research.

Why Focus on Undervalued Chemicals Stocks?

Value investors seek to buy stocks at a discount to their intrinsic value. Long-term returns show that such strategies are advantageous. Value stocks, as a group, tend to outperform growth stocks over extended periods of time. Typically, value investors perform financial analysis of numerous metrics, don’t follow the herd and are long-term investors.

AAII’s A+ Investor Value Grade is derived from a stock’s Value Score. The Value Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of the price-to-sales ratio, price-earnings ratio, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, shareholder yield, price-to-book-value ratio and price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. The score is variable, meaning it can consider all six ratios or, should any of the six ratios not be valid, the remaining ratios that are valid. To be assigned a Value Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) ratio and corresponding ranking for at least two of the six valuation ratios.

What Goes Into AAII’s Value Grade?

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data as well as the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movement. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors with that task.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A–F grades for more than just value. It is possible for a stock to appear cheap based on one valuation metric but appear expensive on another. It is also possible for one valuation ratio to be associated with outperforming stocks during certain periods of time but not others. Some stocks may even have null values for certain metrics like the price-earnings ratio or the price-to-book ratio but not others. An example of this would be a company with losses instead of profits or a negative book value because of heavy borrowing. Negative earnings or book value result in non-meaningful ratios that are left blank or null.

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4 Undervalued Chemicals Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 4 undervalued stocks in the Chemicals industry for Thursday, May 28, 2026. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Chemicals industry median.

Company Ticker Price/Sales Price/Earnings EV/EBITDA Shareholder Yield Price/Book Value Price/Free Cash Flow Value Grade
Alto Ingredients, Inc. ALTO 0.43 14.6 4.9 (1.3%) 1.65 13.6 B
LSB Industries, Inc. LXU 1.44 20.4 6.7 (0.3%) 1.70 13.8 B
Mativ Holdings, Inc. MATV 0.25 6.6 11.5 3.7% 1.06 5.3 A
Minerals Technologies Inc. MTX 1.16 15.1 7.7 3.4% 1.41 23.5 B

The Value Grade is assigned based on how each stock’s composite valuation compares to all other stocks.

The process for assigning grades starts with each variable for a given stock. The percentile rankings for all valid ratios that a stock has are calculated. So, for instance, a stock could have a price-to-book ranking in the 43rd percentile, a price-earnings ranking in the 67th percentile, a price-to-sales ranking in the 23rd percentile, etc. Then, those rankings are averaged for each stock. (A minimum of two valid variables are required, though all six will be used if available.)

Once the average of the individual variables is calculated, that average is ranked against all stocks. Put another way, each stock’s composite valuation is compared to all other stocks. These ranks are then sorted into quintiles from the cheapest 20% (a grade of A) to the most expensive 20% (a grade of F).

As always, we recommend that you conduct proper due diligence and research before investing in any security. We also suggest that investors utilize numerous grades, not just value, when it comes to deciding whether a company is a good fit for their allocation needs.

Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score ALTO Industry Median
Price/Sales 16 0.43 1.17
Price/Earnings 36 14.6 25.5
EV/EBITDA 10 4.9 10.9
Shareholder Yield 57 (1.3%) 2.1%
Price/Book Value 43 1.65 1.60
Price/Free Cash Flow 36 13.6 25.6

Alto Ingredients, Inc. produces, distributes, and markets specialty alcohols, renewable fuel, and essential ingredients in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Marketing and Distribution, Pekin Campus Production, and Western Production. It offers specialty alcohols used in mouthwash, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and cleaners for health, home, and beauty markets; grain neutral spirits used in alcoholic beverages and vinegar, as well as corn germ used in corn oils in the food and beverage markets; alcohols and other products for paint applications and fertilizers in the industrial and agriculture markets; and essential ingredients, including dried yeast, corn protein meal, corn protein feed, corn germ, distillers grains, and liquid feed for commercial animal feed and pet food applications, as well as yeast and gas liquid CO2 for human consumption. The company also provides fuel-grade ethanol used as transportation fuel additives and distillers corn oil used as a renewable diesel and biodiesel feedstock, as well as fuel-grade ethanol produced by third parties. In addition, it offers transportation, storage, and delivery services through third-party service providers. Further, the company operates alcohol production facilities. It sells ethanol to integrated oil companies and gasoline marketers; essential ingredient feed products to dairies and feedlots; and corn oil to poultry, renewable diesel, and biodiesel customers. The company was formerly known as Pacific Ethanol, Inc. and changed its name to Alto Ingredients, Inc. in January 2021. Alto Ingredients, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Pekin, Illinois.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Alto Ingredients, Inc. has a Value Score of 78, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s price-to-sales ratio at 0.43 compared to the industry median at 1.17, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 14.60 compared to the industry median at 25.45. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Alto Ingredients, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 4.9, when compared to the industry median of 10.9, the company may be considered undervalued in relation to its peers. Value investors could use the enterprise multiple to identify stocks that are considered overvalued or undervalued relative to their industry.

Shareholder yield is the sum of a stock’s dividend yield (paid over previous 12 months minus special dividends) and the percentage of net share buybacks over the previous 12 months. Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s shareholder yield is lower than its industry median ratio of 2.10%. Value investors may look for an attractive shareholder yield because it can be a powerful tool for identifying if the company has a good management team.

As one of the most common value metrics, the price-to-book ratio evaluates a company’s current market price relative to its book value. Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.60. This could make Alto Ingredients, Inc. less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Alto Ingredients, Inc.’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 25.60. This could make Alto Ingredients, Inc. more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that Alto Ingredients, Inc. is undervalued. The P/FCF ratio metric can also be viewed over a long-term time frame to see if the company's cash flow to share price value is generally improving or worsening.

LSB Industries, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score LXU Industry Median
Price/Sales 40 1.44 1.17
Price/Earnings 53 20.4 25.5
EV/EBITDA 17 6.7 10.9
Shareholder Yield 50 (0.3%) 2.1%
Price/Book Value 44 1.70 1.60
Price/Free Cash Flow 36 13.8 25.6

LSB Industries, Inc. manufactures, markets, and sells chemical products in the United States. The company offers ammonia and urea ammonia nitrate for agricultural applications. It also provides high purity and commercial grade ammonia, high purity ammonium nitrate, sulfuric acids, concentrated, blended and regular nitric acid, mixed nitrating acids, carbon dioxide, industrial grade ammonium nitrate, and ammonium nitrate for industrial applications. It sells its products to farmers, ranchers, fertilizer dealers, and distributors primarily in the ranch land and grain production markets, as well as industrial users of acids and explosive manufacturers. LSB Industries, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

LSB Industries, Inc. has a Value Score of 65, which is considered to be undervalued.

LSB Industries, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 20.4 compared to the industry median at 25.5. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes LSB Industries, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

LSB Industries, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make LSB Industries, Inc. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.60.

You can read more about LSB Industries, Inc.’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Mativ Holdings, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score MATV Industry Median
Price/Sales 10 0.25 1.17
Price/Earnings 7 6.6 25.5
EV/EBITDA 44 11.5 10.9
Shareholder Yield 21 3.7% 2.1%
Price/Book Value 25 1.06 1.60
Price/Free Cash Flow 11 5.3 25.6

Mativ Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells specialty materials in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Filtration & Advanced Materials and Sustainable & Adhesive Solutions. The Filtration & Advanced Materials manufactures and sells various engineered polymer, resin and fiber-based substrates, nets, films, adhesive tapes, and other nonwovens for transportation, water and air filtration, construction, healthcare, advertising and marketing, and consumer goods, as well as filtration media and components, advanced films, coating and converting solutions, and extruded mesh products. The Sustainable & Adhesive Solutions segment offers tapes, labels, and liners that includes substrates for tapes used in building and construction, infrastructure, DIY, athletic, and industrial applications; and substrates critical to protection and adhesive separation applications in the personal care, label, tape, industrial, graphic arts, composites, and medical categories, as well as performance labels and cable wrapping. This segment also provides paper and packaging products comprising premium printing and other specialty papers and packaging applications used for print collateral, advertising, direct mail, sustainable alternatives, product packaging, graphics, wallpaper, and education, as well as consumer office, stationery and craft papers to retailers, small business, personal use, and educational applications; and healthcare and other products, including wound care, consumer wellness, device fixation, medical packaging, as well as various other solutions and applications. The company was formerly known as Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. and changed its name to Mativ Holdings, Inc. in July 2022. Mativ Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 1995 and is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Mativ Holdings, Inc. has a Value Score of 95, which is considered to be undervalued.

Mativ Holdings, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 6.6 compared to the industry median at 25.5. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Mativ Holdings, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Mativ Holdings, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Mativ Holdings, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.60.

You can read more about Mativ Holdings, Inc.’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Minerals Technologies Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score MTX Industry Median
Price/Sales 35 1.16 1.17
Price/Earnings 37 15.1 25.5
EV/EBITDA 22 7.7 10.9
Shareholder Yield 23 3.4% 2.1%
Price/Book Value 37 1.41 1.60
Price/Free Cash Flow 59 23.5 25.6

Minerals Technologies Inc. develops, produces, and markets various mineral, mineral-based products and services. The company operates through two segments, Consumer & Specialties, and Engineered Solutions segments. The Consumer & Specialties segment offers household and personal care products, such as cat litter under the SIVO brand name, personal care, fabric care, edible oil and renewable fluid purification, animal health, and agricultural products; and specialty additives products, including precipitated calcium carbonate and ground calcium carbonate products that are used in the paper, paperboard, and fiber-based packaging industries, as well as automotive, construction, consumer markets, and packaging applications. The Engineered Solutions segment provides high-temperature technology products consisting of custom-blended mineral and non-mineral products for casting auto and heavy truck parts, agriculture and construction equipment, municipal, infrastructure and other industrial castings markets; and environmental and infrastructure products comprising geosynthetic clay lining systems, vapor intrusion mitigation products, sub surface waterproofing systems, green roofs, wastewater remediation, drinking water purification technologies, and drilling products. In addition, this segment offers gunnable monolithic refractory products and application systems; monolithic refractory materials and pre-cast refractory shapes; refractory shapes and linings; carbon composites and pyrolitic graphite under PYROID brand; and filtration and well testing services. It markets its products primarily through its direct sales force, as well as regional distributors. The company operates in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Minerals Technologies Inc. was incorporated in 1968 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Minerals Technologies Inc. has a Value Score of 73, which is considered to be undervalued.

Minerals Technologies Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 15.1 compared to the industry median at 25.5. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Minerals Technologies Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Minerals Technologies Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Minerals Technologies Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.60.

You can read more about Minerals Technologies Inc.’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

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Other Chemicals Stock Grades

Value is just one of the five Stock Grades included in our A+ Investor service. AAII members can see the top-graded stocks—those with grades of A or B for value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality—on the A+ Stock Grades Screener.

Also, if you want full access to all of AAII’s premium services, you can subscribe to one convenient bundled plan called AAII Platinum where you can try out A+ Investor, AAII Dividend Investing, the Stock Superstars Report, Growth Investing and VMQ Stocks. With the other premium services, you can dive deep into additional metrics, portfolios, commentary and information about Chemicals stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 4 Best Chemicals Stocks Is Right for You

Choosing which value stocks to invest in will ultimately depend on your individual goals and allocation; however, comparing similar value stocks in the same industry can help you analyze which might be better investments for you in the long run. So, let’s take a look at the Value Grade for all of our stocks.

  • Alto Ingredients, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • LSB Industries, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Mativ Holdings, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
  • Minerals Technologies Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 4 undervalued stocks in the Chemicals industry as well as their overall grades, it’s time for you to conduct additional research to see if these could fit your portfolio needs based on your goals and risk tolerance. AAII can help you figure out both and identify which investments align with what works best for you.

We do so through a program of education that teaches you to invest for yourself and become an effective manager of your own wealth—no more relying on others for your financial independence. You can rely on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis that makes you a better investor.

A+ Investor adds to that qualitative teaching by giving you a powerful data suite that helps you whittle down investment decisions to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

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Additional Resources About Chemicals Stocks

Want to learn more about Chemicals stocks to see if they could be the right investment for you? Check out some additional resources and articles to help you on your financial journey.

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.



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