ASX Today, page-36062

What can we deduce about the ALB divestiture of its LTR holding?

1. They need cash. The price was dropping to their original investment price or even below it and they must preserve their capital. ALB has a history of making remarkably poor management and strategic investment decisions (other than Greenbushes).
2. They do not want to have a brawl with Gina. They had their nose bloodied once and could have done a deal then possibly, but stayed dormant, much to Gina's surprise I believe. They have given up on LTR but only because of the currently poor lithium price. Otherwise they would have stayed in the fight.
3. The short/mid term price pain for lithium will continue for a while yet, at least in ALB's view. I note the recent comments on the lithium price by @anatol with which I agree, so the turn around may be closer than ALB believes. Perhaps another example of poor timing by ALB.
4. I would like to know who bought their stake or whether it was just randomly placed throughout the market. It is still a buyer's market in lithium (for now) so poor old ALB had to swallow the current price.
5. What will Gina do now? I think nothing differently to what she was going to do before, namely to try and get as much of a grip on the Australian lithium mining industry as she can. If that means a take over as part of a JV then the ALB sale effects her little, unless their holdngs went to a number of big players who could act together (with TG, his friends and us) to thwart her plans, or at least force a higher price.
6. The ALB sale is just like the cessation of Core's operations, an example of lithium price pain. It has to end sometime. Until then I am holding firmly. If this means Gina does not get her prize and we go mining I am happy with that. The LTR production mid this year will be a new dawn. Only impatient fools or those that genuinely need the cash are selling now.