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Investing in lithium stocks

A precious metal with increasing demand — what you should know before you invest.

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Kimberly Ellis

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Lithium has multiple applications from consumer to military. But investors should be wary of lithium’s delicate supply and demand levels before diving into this stock.

What is Lithium?

Lithium is a chemical element on the periodic table. This metal is soft and white, giving it the nickname “white petroleum.” While lithium has been traditionally used in ceramic and glass production, it’s now more popularly used in rechargeable batteries in smartphones, laptops and electric cars.
Lithium also strengthens other metals. For example, lithium alloys, such as aluminum-lithium, are used in bicycle frames and aircrafts. And in the pharmaceutical industry, lithium is used to balance neurotransmitters in the brain to treat bipolar disorder.
Chile, Australia and Argentina are the three largest lithium producers in the world, according to a 2020 US Geological Survey.

Trajectory of the lithium market

There are two main ways to invest in lithium: lithium producers and companies that rely on lithium as a raw material.
Companies that produce lithium can either mine hard rock or harvest lithium-brine deposits. Mining removes lithium from a mineral using a drill, while harvesting brine deposits extracts lithium that has dissolved in groundwater through evaporation. The brine technique takes approximately 18 months, which is slower than traditional mining.
On the other hand, companies that use lithium generally focus on lithium-ion batteries and devices. For example, electric vehicles rely on lithium as the basis for its green technology. So price fluctuations and changes in the lithium market can directly affect company stocks that use lithium as a raw material.

Why invest in lithium stocks?

The world is progressively more technology-driven. Rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have multiple applications — from consumer smartphones and laptops to military voice and data radios. Lithium plays an essential role across mobile technologies, with the demand for lithium-ion batteries set to triple by 2025, according to S&P Global.
And as the global market for electric vehicles grows, the annual lithium demand for batteries is expected to skyrocket. According to Global EV Outlook’s technology report from June 2020, the global electric vehicle stock is set to grow by 36% every year, totaling 245 million vehicles by 2030 — or 30 times more than in 2020.

Risks of investing in lithium

Although the demand for lithium is soaring, lithium stocks have been drowning in a surge of new lithium producers from Chile, Argentina and Australia. When supply grows faster than the demand, it can trigger a sharp price drop and cause stocks to become undervalued.
Lithium-ion batteries also require cobalt to produce. Unfortunately, two-thirds of the world’s cobalt is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, making its supply susceptible to political instability. And since global cobalt mine supplies are also at risk to disappear in 2020, there may not be enough cobalt to manufacture these batteries.
And it doesn’t help that there’s no benchmark price for lithium. So investors can only base the value of the industry on a handful of companies. You’re flying blind without a full sense of the global market, leaving investors and banks struggling to manage risk.

Lithium stocks

You can invest in lithium stocks by purchasing shares of a specialty chemical company that produces lithium or a business that uses lithium technology. See how the following stocks are performing, and view details like market capitalization, the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio and dividend yield.

What ETFs track the lithium category?

Some ETFs follow the full lithium cycle from mining through battery production, while others specialize in the battery industry.

  • Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF (LIT)
  • First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Smart Green Energy ETF (QCLN)
  • Amplify Advanced Battery Metals and Materials ETF (BATT)

Compare trading platforms

You’ll need a brokerage account to take the plunge with lithium stocks.

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Compare online trading platforms by fees, asset types and bonuses to find the best for your investment in lithium stocks.
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SoFi Active Invest
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INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees. Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org). There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth’s advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth’s current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. Probability of Member receiving $1,000 is a probability of 0.026%; If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Customer must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. Probability percentage is subject to decrease Robo Advisor: Automated investing is offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. 0.25% fee is based on your account value. The wrap program fee may cost more or less than purchasing brokerage, custodial, and record keeping services separately. Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here for the 1% Match terms and conditions.
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Webull
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Bottom line

We can find lithium products in our everyday lives. The increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries in mobile devices and electric vehicles keeps this stock on investors’ radars.
But to invest in lithium, you’ll need a brokerage account. Weigh a few trading platforms to find a brokerage firm that best fits your investing needs.

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Finder is not an advisor or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.

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Kimberly Ellis is a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in banking and financial literacy. After teaching in public and private schools, Kimberly zeroed in on personal financial education to help families and kids develop lifelong money skills. She hails from New York City, graduating summa cum laude from Queens College with a BA in elementary education and mathematics, as well as a New York State teaching certificate. She’s also an aspiring polyglot, always in a book and forever on the hunt for the perfect classic red lipstick. See full bio

Kimberly's expertise
Kimberly has written 58 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Kids' banking
  • Financial literacy for kids
  • K–12 education

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