# Falabella Surpasses SQM in Market Value

> Falabella's record stock price beats lithium giant SQM in Chilean market.
- Title: Falabella Surpasses SQM in Market Value · The Rio Times
- Summary: Falabella's record stock price beats lithium giant SQM in Chilean market. Falabella's shares rose 3.17% to US$17.394 billion, surpassing SQM's US$16.854…
- Keywords: falabella, sqm, chile, ipsa, fitch, market value, stock price, lithium, bancos de chile, news, world, politics
- Source: The Rio Times — https://riotimesonline.com/falabella-record-high-sqm-market-value-2026
- Author: Juan Martinez
- Published: 2026-10-18T06:39:32+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: falabella, sqm, chile, ipsa, fitch, market value, stock price, lithium, bancos de chile, news, world, politics
## Record Market Value
Falabella shares closed at 6,824.9 pesos (about US$6.94) on Friday 16 October 2026, lifting market value to US$17.394 billion.
## SQM Market Value
SQM's market value stood at US$16.854 billion, a gap of about US$540 million behind Falabella.
## Fitch Credit Upgrade
Fitch raised Falabella's credit rating to BBB from BBB- on Wednesday 14 October 2026, citing lower debt and better margins.
## Market Performance
Falabella shares rose 3.17% since late September, with the stock up about 11% from 6,150 pesos (about US$6.25) to 6,824.9 pesos.
## IPSA Ranking
Falabella ranks second on Chile's IPSA index behind Banco de Chile at US$19.671 billion.
## SQM's Past Value
SQM was the most valuable company on the exchange as recently as May 2026, valued at US$26.17 billion.
## Why SQM Lost Value
The sources do not explain why SQM lost value, though it dropped from US$26.17 billion to US$16.854 billion.
## Record Holds for Now
The record close may not hold when trading resumes on Monday 19 October 2026, as a small move could reverse the order.
## Peso Currency Risk
Falabella shares are priced in pesos, so dollar-based investors face currency risk alongside stock risk.
## Fitch Rating Details
Fitch upgraded Falabella to BBB from BBB- with a stable outlook, noting stronger business profile and better margins.
## Share Sales by Former Controllers
Former Falabella controllers sold about 2.88% of shares for 464.749 billion pesos (about US$472 million) in 2026.
## Investor Impact
US investors benefit from the credit upgrade as bond funds gain cushion above BBB- rating.
## Market Reaction
The wider Chilean market saw minimal movement, with IPSA down 0.01% on Friday 16 October 2026.
## What's Next
Falabella's record market value may hold until Monday 19 October 2026, but the gap is small and easily reversed.
## Key takeaway

Falabella's shares rose 3.17% to US$17.394 billion, surpassing SQM's US$16.854 billion market value on Friday 16 October 2026.