Freeport-McMoRan’s copper manufacturing slips in Indonesia; shares fall

(Reuters) -Copper miner Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) posted a drop in fourth-quarter manufacturing on Thursday and mentioned that its prices would rise greater than anticipated this 12 months, sending the corporate’s shares down greater than 4%.

Whereas the Phoenix-based firm was in a position to put up a better-than-expected quarterly revenue, the outcomes have been fueled by greater copper costs throughout the quarter that offset a manufacturing drop in Indonesia.

Freeport operates Indonesia’s Grasberg, the world’s second-largest copper mine, and had been constructing a smelter within the nation as a part of an working settlement with Jakarta officers.

That smelter was broken by a fireplace final 12 months and the corporate has been engaged on repairs whereas additionally negotiating with the nation on extending an export settlement to smelt the copper elsewhere briefly.

“We now have a strong restoration plan that we’re executing on and that may allow us to ship this challenge throughout 2025,” CEO Kathleen Quirk informed traders on a convention name.

Freeport boosted its finances for the 12 months by roughly 5% to $4.4 billion and forecast a rise for subsequent 12 months as properly, stunning traders. Quirk mentioned the corporate is working to develop extra environment friendly whereas additionally funding progress initiatives.

Shares have been down about 4.3% in noon buying and selling. Decrease copper costs additionally pressured the inventory.[MET/L]

The corporate stays bullish on long-term copper demand and expects the market to be in a deficit in coming years, Quirk mentioned.

Freeport’s common realized value for copper rose 9% to $4.15 per pound throughout the fourth quarter, however copper manufacturing fell about 5% to 1.04 billion kilos on a year-over-year foundation. The corporate expects 4 billion kilos of copper gross sales for the 12 months, marginally decrease than 2024.

On an adjusted foundation, Freeport earned 31 cents per share within the quarter, in contrast with analysts’ common estimate of 20 cents per share, in response to information compiled by LSEG.

Freeport sells all the copper it produces in the US to U.S. prospects and thus doesn’t count on to be affected by any potential tariffs on the steel, however does fear about broader impacts, Quirk mentioned.

“We need to guarantee that any tariffs in place do not impression general international progress or create inflationary pressures within the U.S.,” Quirk mentioned.