Five Companies Leading the Way in Battery Technology

Lithium is a hot commodity these days with companies that specialize in the production of batteries making a killing. The long-term prospects for the demand for lithium-ion battery demand are good. Trends towards more fuel-efficient vehicles have caused the demand for automotive batteries to skyrocket. Producers are embroiled in stiff competitions to produce the most reliable car batteries that feature the most innovative technology for producing high performance in power usage and regulation, and fast charge features. If you're considering making an investment in this new and promising technology, here are five companies that are leading the way in battery technology.

5. Abermarle Corporation

The Abermarle Corporation is one of the leading fine chemical manufacturing companies specializing in the chemicals used in the development of lithium-ion batteries. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its three operational divisions specialize in the production of lithium, bromine specialties, and catalysts. It's the largest provider of lithium for use in the production of electric vehicle batteries currently. The Albemarle Corporation has secured multiple long-term contracts with manufacturers that will take them well into the next decade. The expectation is for production growth between 15,000 to 20,000 metric tons of the product in the next year.

4. Energizer Holdings, Inc

Energizer Holdings, Inc. is one of the largest battery manufacturers in the world. The headquarters is located in St. Louis, Missouri. It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ENR. This company is best known for its television commercials featuring the Energizer bunny. It has risen to the position of the largest producer of global household battery products n the world. The company is stable and doing well financially with an adjusted free cash flow that ranges between $330 to $370 million. Its lofty goals include an adjusted EBITDA of between $650 to $675 million. The company expanded when it acquired the Battery and Auto Care company. Energizer Holdings Inc. has expanded its factories and optimized them to improve efficiency and cost. The consumer battery business is strong with a sunny outlook for continued growth and high demand.

3. Johnson Controls International PLC

Johnson Controls International PLC is a multinational conglomerate that is American and Irish in origin with its headquarters located in Cork, Ireland. The company is thriving with a workforce of more than 105,000 employees distributed around 2000 different locations within six continents. Johnson Controls International is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol JCI. It is one of the largest manufacturers of automotive batteries in the world. It recently consolidated its business with the sale of Power Solutions ahead of the pre-planned schedule. This was the battery unit that sold, but as a battery supplier, JCI continues to be one of the leaders in the industry with a backing of $8.8 billion. Analysts believe that the coming months are likely to result in new highs in stock prices, making it wise to invest sooner rather than later to get in on a nice return on investment.

2. Panasonic Corporation

The Panasonic Corporation was previously known as the Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. The company has been in business since 1918. It was launched as a lightbulb socket manufacturer and has since expanded its operations to include the production of lithium-ion batteries. It is listed on TOCMKTS under the ticker symbol PCRFY with its headquarters in Kadoma, Osaka, Japan. This company has a lot of positive things going on. They're recently joined with Toyota in a joint venture to create smart homes. They also have an existing partnership with Toyota to produce batteries for the automotive brand' electric vehicles. Panasonic is a leader in the production of home appliances and household batteries. The latest endeavor moves them further into the wave of innovation and technology in robots to clean the home. Panasonic went in with Toyota on the venture for the manufacture of EV batteries. They hold a 49 percent ownership in the deal. They've set some lofty goals for the future. This includes the aim to increase battery capacity by fifty times for Toyota's new hybrid vehicle models. This venture also supplies batteries for Diahatsu, Subaru, and Mazda. Honda was a previous customer and remains one currently. There are yet further plans between Panasonic and Toyota to develop solid-state batteries. These will eventually be used to replace the lithium-ion batteries that are currently used in electric cars. They have the potential for providing higher mileage ranges for a lower cost. These are a part of the wave of the future technology in battery power for electric cars and it could possibly drive the revenues of Panasonic even higher in the future.

1. Tesla

Tesla is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol TSLA. The company has experienced growth of triple in its stock value in the previous 12 month period. Tesla is a company that produces electric cars, but it has recently acquired the Maxwell company for $200 million for its intellectual property. Maxwell manufactures ultracapacitors and is also involved in the development of dry electrode technology for batteries. These are units that enhance the performance of lithium-ion battery cells. The potential for Tesla is immense with this new addition to the company. This could potentially lead to an increase in Tesla's battery technology between an estimated 15 percent to 100 percent, depending on how everything shakes out. Tesla is known as a provider of the best-known battery technology within the automotive industry currently. They're looking toward the future of improving current technologies and continuing to advance through time. Tesla is rated as the number one leader in the industry in battery technology, and the stocks show no sign that they will do anything other than going up in the projected future.