Freeport-McMoRan vs Vale

Freeport-McMoRan and Vale are compared across business models, financial performance, and market context. This page offers a neutral overview of how the companies operate, create value, and position themselves in the mining sector. Content is accessible and free from speculation or advice. Educational content, not financial advice.

Freeport-McMoRan and Vale are compared across business models, financial performance, and market context. This page offers a neutral overview of how the companies operate, create value, and position t...

Comparison Snapshot

Key Financial Metrics

FCX

Metric

VALE

$87.84B

Market Cap

$71.40B

-12.13%

Potential Profit

-13.68%

Buy

Analyst Rating

Buy

Why It's Moving

FCX Beats Q4 Expectations Despite Grasberg Halt, Eyes 2026 Restart Amid Copper Rally

Q4 EPS hit $0.47 versus $0.28 expected, driven by higher realized prices offsetting lower volumes from Indonesia's Grasberg mud rush disruption.
Plans for Grasberg restart in H2 2026 targeting 85% production capacity, with ongoing mud removal and infrastructure repairs on track.
HSBC hiked price target to $69 with a buy rating, while dividend adjusted lower to $0.075 quarterly amid cautious sales outlook.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Vale surges as BofA hikes price target to $17, spotlighting iron ore dominance and copper upside.

BofA Securities lifted its price target to $17 from $15 while keeping a Buy rating, praising Vale's portfolio flexibility, iron ore leadership, and superior cash generation versus peers.
Upcoming earnings eyed for EPS of $0.52, up 160% year-over-year, with full-year profits projected to rise 9.89% on steady revenue, signaling resilient demand.
Mining - Iron industry ranks #1 out of 250+, bolstering Vale's momentum after reclaiming top global iron ore producer status with disciplined costs and de-risked operations.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

FCX Beats Q4 Expectations Despite Grasberg Halt, Eyes 2026 Restart Amid Copper Rally

Q4 EPS hit $0.47 versus $0.28 expected, driven by higher realized prices offsetting lower volumes from Indonesia's Grasberg mud rush disruption.
Plans for Grasberg restart in H2 2026 targeting 85% production capacity, with ongoing mud removal and infrastructure repairs on track.
HSBC hiked price target to $69 with a buy rating, while dividend adjusted lower to $0.075 quarterly amid cautious sales outlook.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Vale surges as BofA hikes price target to $17, spotlighting iron ore dominance and copper upside.

BofA Securities lifted its price target to $17 from $15 while keeping a Buy rating, praising Vale's portfolio flexibility, iron ore leadership, and superior cash generation versus peers.
Upcoming earnings eyed for EPS of $0.52, up 160% year-over-year, with full-year profits projected to rise 9.89% on steady revenue, signaling resilient demand.
Mining - Iron industry ranks #1 out of 250+, bolstering Vale's momentum after reclaiming top global iron ore producer status with disciplined costs and de-risked operations.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Investment Analysis

Freeport-McMoRan

FCX

Pros

Freeport-McMoRan has a strong market position with diversified mining assets across North America, South America, and Indonesia.
The company exhibits solid operating profit margins around 26%, reflecting effective operational management in the metals sector.
Freeport-McMoRan’s current price-to-earnings ratio is below its fair valuation metric, suggesting potential undervaluation relative to growth prospects.

Considerations

The stock trades at a higher PE ratio compared to industry peers, indicating it may be priced for growth and carries valuation risk.
Recent reports indicate a decline in copper and gold production, which could pressure near-term earnings.
Its share price volatility is above average with a beta of approximately 1.49, exposing it to amplified market risk.

Vale

VALE

Pros

Vale is a leading global producer of iron ore and nickel, essential raw materials for steelmaking and industrial use.
The company maintains a solid net profit margin above 13%, outperforming Freeport-McMoRan on profitability metrics like return on equity and assets.
Vale has shown recent resilience with a steady price increase over the past year and positive short-term price momentum.

Considerations

Vale's stock price is projected to decline slightly over the next year based on analyst and macroeconomic forecasts.
Its operating profit margin is lower than Freeport-McMoRan’s, which may suggest less operational efficiency in current market conditions.
Vale faces cyclical exposure to steel demand fluctuations and regulatory risks inherent to its extensive mining operations.

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