Why Did the Lithium Stocks Double and Triple Yesterday?

Lithium is an element that has a lot of uses, not only in batteries. It is also used in the defense industry along with rare earth metals, which some have nicknamed "war metals." With the rumblings between Russia and Ukraine, investors were looking for stocks that may spike in the event of an all out war.

A couple low cap lithium stocks really did spike. Lithium Corporation (LTUM), went fron 6 cents a share last Friday to 12 cents at the close yesterday, trading as high as 16 cents. Lithium Exploration (LEXG) jumped from 6 cents to 19 cents, tripling over the weekend.

Although lithium is technically not a rare earth metals stock, many put it in that category. Lithium, the world's lightest metal, is one of the hottest metals in the investment field, primarily due to its connection to the lithium ion batteries. About 20% of the lithium production is used for batteries, another 20% or so for producing glass and ceramics, 17% for lubrications and greases, about 9% for pharmaceuticals, and the rest for air conditioning, aluminum production, construction, pool chemicals, and alloys.

Here are some interesting facts about lithium:

1. Lithium is used in used in more than 60% of mobile phones.

2. In the 1800's, lithium salts were used to treat gout.

3. Lithium is the leading treatment for treatment of bipolar disorder due to the counteraction of both depression and mania.

4. Communities whose water contained larger amounts of lithium had significantly lower suicide rates.

5. Metallic lithium and lithium hydrides are used as high energy additives to rocket propellants.

6. Major producers of lithium include Chile, Argentina, China, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Zimbabwe and the USA.

7. Lithium deuteride was the preferred fuel in early versions of the hydrogen bomb.

8. Lithium is used in red fireworks.

10. It was used in high temperature grease for aircraft engines in World War II.

WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has come up with a list of over 25 stocks involved in the rare earth metals and lithium industry, from the mining companies to the producers of lithium ion batteries. The stocks range from microcaps to large corporations that pay dividends.

For example Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM), also known as Chemical & Mining Co. of Chile Inc., is the largest lithium producer in the world. This New York Stock Exchange traded company, which has a market cap of almost $8 billion, has a forward PE of 20.3 and a yield of 3.9%.

FMC Corp. (FMC) has a division based in Argentina called FMC Lithium, which owns the Salar de Hombre Muerto mine, containing 850,000 tons of reserves at up to 70 meters of depth. FMC has a forward PE of 14.2, and pays a small yield of 0.8%.

Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (ABAT) is one of the few lithium ion battery manufacturers generating a profit. The company, which makes rechargeable polymer lithium-ion batteries, has a PE of 1.3.

Another alternative is to invest in the Exchange Traded Fund called Global X Lithium ETF (LIT), which is designed to track the Solactive Global Lithium Index. This ETF has a PE ratio of 18 and a small yield of 0.34%.

To see a list of over 25 rare earth and lithium companies which can be downloaded, sorted, changed, and added to, go to wallstreetnewsnetwork.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Top Lithium Battery Plays

Lithium is used in more than 60% of mobile phones. It is also the leading treatment for bipolar disorders due to the counteraction of both depression and mania. As a matter if fact, in areas where the water contained large amounts of lithium, there were significantly lower suicide rates. Lithium also has a lot of other uses including rocket propellants, red fireworks, and high temperature grease.

WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has just updated its list of over 20 stocks involved in the lithium industry, from the mining companies to the producers of lithium ion batteries. The stocks range from microcaps to large corporations that pay dividends.

As an example, FMC Corp. (FMC) has a division based in Argentina called FMC Lithium, which owns the Salar de Hombre Muerto mine, containing 850,000 tons of reserves at up to 70 meters of depth. FMC trades at 13.5 times forward earnings, and pays a small yield of 0.7%.

Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM), also known as Chemical & Mining Co. of Chile Inc., is the largest lithium producer in the world. This New York Stock Exchange traded company, which has a market cap of almost $13.9 billion, has a forward price to earnings ratio of 27 and a yield of 1.0%.

Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (ABAT) is one of the few battery manufacturers generating a profit. The company, which makes rechargeable polymer lithium-ion batteries, has a PE of 6.5.

Another alternative is to invest in the new Exchange Traded Fund called Global X Lithium ETF (LIT), which is designed to track the Solactive Global Lithium Index. This ETF is up 23.5% for the last three months.

To see a list of over 20 lithium companies which can be downloaded, sorted, and updated, go to WSNN.com.

Disclosure: Author did not own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com

Will Lithium Be Worth More than Gold?

Lithium, the world's lightest metal, is one of the hottest metals in the investment field, primarily due to its connection to the lithium ion batteries. About 20% of the lithium production is used for batteries, another 20% or so for producing glass and ceramics, 17% for lubrications and greases, about 9% for pharmaceuticals, and the rest for air conditioning, aluminum production, construction, pool chemicals, and alloys.

Here are some interesting facts about lithium:

1. Lithium is used in used in more than 60% of mobile phones.

2. In the 1800's, lithium salts were used to treat gout.

3. Lithium is the leading treatment for treatment of bipolar disorder due to the counteraction of both depression and mania.

4. Communities whose water contained larger amounts of lithium had significantly lower suicide rates.

5. Metallic lithium and lithium hydrides are used as high energy additives to rocket propellants.

6. Major producers of lithium include Chile, Argentina, China, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Zimbabwe and the USA.

7. Lithium deuteride was the preferred fuel in early versions of the hydrogen bomb.

8. Lithium is used in red fireworks.

10. It was used in high temperature grease for aircraft engines in World War II.

WallStreetNewsNetwork.com has come up with a list of over 20 stocks involved in the lithium industry, from the mining companies to the producers of lithium ion batteries. The stocks range from microcaps to large corporations that pay dividends.

For example Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM), also known as Chemical & Mining Co. of Chile Inc., is the largest lithium producer in the world. This New York Stock Exchange traded company, which has a market cap of almost $10 billion, has a forward PE of 23.6 and a yield of 1.0%.

FMC Corp. (FMC) has a division based in Argentina called FMC Lithium, which owns the Salar de Hombre Muerto mine, containing 850,000 tons of reserves at up to 70 meters of depth. FMC has a forward PE of 11.5, and pays a small yield of 0.8%.

Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (ABAT) is one of the few battery manufacturers generating a profit. The company, which makes rechargeable polymer lithium-ion batteries, has a PE of 9.0.

Another alternative is to invest in the new Exchange Traded Fund called Global X Lithium ETF (LIT), which is designed to track the Solactive Global Lithium Index. This ETF just started trading a few days ago.

To see a list of over 20 lithium companies which can be downloaded, sorted, changed, and added to, go to WSNN.com.

Author does not own any of the above.

By Stockerblog.com

Electric Car Stocks

The alternative fuel automobiles use electric motors for propulsion, instead of the internal combustion engine. All the major car companies have been jumping on the hybrid and electric car bandwagon, including Ford (F), General Motors, and Toyota (TM). But electric cars are not something new.

Electric automobiles were very common in Europe during the late 1800's. In 1897, the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company of Philadelphia produced a fleet of electric taxis for New York City. In France, in 1899, the 100 kilometers per hour speed barrier was broken by an electric car.

Electric cars are far less expensive than gasoline powered cars, many with a cost advantage of four to one. In addition, electric cars have the advantage of the regenerative braking systems, which recapture the kinetic energy of the vehicle that is used to recharge the batteries when brakes are applied. Plus, the cost to service an electric car is much lower.

Obviously, the key to the production of electric cars is the battery, and lithium ion batteries are currently the most widely used in electric cars.

The major automobile companies, including Honda (HMC), Toyota (TM), and Ford (F), are involved in electric car production of course, but it is still a small portion of their business. Tesla Motors Inc., one of the leading manufacturers of electric cars, is unfortunately currently unavailable to the general public. However, they have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission that they are planning an IPO (Initial Public Offering), but haven't announced a date of the offering at the time of this writing.

However, there is an indirect way of investing in Tesla. Investors can buy shares of Daimler AG (DAI), which owns a small portion, less than ten percent, of Tesla.

Here is a list of companies involved in the production of electric vehicle and lithium ion batteries.

Kandi Technologies, Corp (KNDI), which is based in Jinhua, China, has a strategic alliance with Tianneng Power International and China Potevio/CNOOC New Energy and Power, Ltd. to develop totally electric vehicles. The company also manufactures all-terrain vehicles, go-karts, golf carts, motorcycles, and mini-cars. This is a very low capitalization stock.

Magna International, Inc. (MGA) is an Ontario, Canada based company, which has a division, Magna E-Car Systems, that provides integration of components and systems, as well as the development and production of innovative complete-vehicle solutions, from engineering to turnkey systems, for all hybrid and electric vehicle programs around the world. Magna also manufactures other automotive systems, assemblies, modules, and products.

A123 Systems, Inc. (AONE), is a Watertown, Massachusetts based company, which makes and markets rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and battery systems. The company is involved in a joint venture with SAIC Motor Co. Ltd. to produce complete vehicle traction battery systems used in hybrid electric and pure electric passenger vehicles.

Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (ABAT) through its subsidiary, Heilongjiang ZhongQiang Power-Tech Co., Ltd., makes and sells rechargeable polymer lithium-ion batteries in China. The company is based in New York City.

Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. (ALTI), based in Reno, Nevada, develops and manufactures nano lithium titanate battery cells, batteries, and battery packs. This is a very low cap stock.

China BAK Battery, Inc. (CBAK) makes and sells various standard and customized lithium ion rechargeable batteries. The batteries are used in light electric vehicles, and hybrid electric vehicles, along with other products.

Chemical & Mining Co. of Chile Inc. [Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile] (SQM), based in Santiago, produces lithium carbonate for use in various applications, including batteries lithium hydroxide as a raw material in the battery industry, and lithium metal for use for the production of aluminum-lithium alloys and lithium primary batteries.

Ener1, Inc. (HEV), based in New York City, develops, makes and markets rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and battery systems. The company's lithium-ion batteries are used in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles, buses, and trucks.

Polypore International, Inc. (PPO) provides polypropylene and polyethylene monolayer and multilayer membrane separators for lithium batteries for the use in personal electronic devices, hybrid electric vehicles, and other electric vehicles.

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. (QTWW), based in Irvine, California, produces propulsion systems, energy storage technologies, and alternative fuel vehicles. The company's products include lithium-ion battery systems, electronic controls, hybrid electric drive and control systems, and hydrogen storage and metering systems. This is a very low cap stocks.

UQM Technologies Inc. (UQM), based in Frederick, Colorado, develops and makes permanent magnet electric motors and electronic controllers, generators, power electronic controllers, and related products for electric, hybrid electric, and fuel cell electric vehicles. The company products also include electric and hybrid electric propulsion systems, higher power engine generators, electric auxiliaries, vehicle auxiliary actuator motors, electric auxiliary motors, wind turbine power generators, solar panels, and stationary fuel cell power generators. This is a low cap stock.

Valence Technology Inc. (VLNC), based in Austin, Texas, makes and markets its U-Charge energy storage system, which is a suite of products based on proprietary lithium iron magnesium phosphate technology. This is a low cap stock.

ZAP (ZAAP.OB), which is based in Santa Rosa, California, develops electric vehicles and electric vehicle power systems, and has products which include personal transporters and off road vehicles. This is an extremely low cap stock.

Lists of other stocks in green industries, such as ethanol stocks and cloud computing stocks, can be found at at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author owns F, AONE, ALTI, and DAI.

By Stockerblog.com