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Key Takeaways POSCO targets KRW 187T revenues and KRW 13.1T operating profit by 2035 through portfolio expansion.PKX plans 173,000 tons of annual lithium capacity by 2033, targeting top-five global producer status. POSCO will invest KRW 16.7T in 2026-2028 and use some proceeds for share buybacks. POSCO Holdings Inc. (PKX - Free Report) has unveiled a long-term growth strategy to transform its business portfolio beyond steel by expanding into lithium, strategic minerals and energy, aiming to strengthen industrial supply chains and drive future earnings growth. 

At its CEO Investor Day on July 2, CEO Chang In-Hwa outlined the group's vision to become a leading supplier of industrial, strategic and energy resources. The company is targeting consolidated revenues of KRW 187 trillion and operating profit of KRW 13.1 trillion by 2035. 

Lithium will be the centerpiece of the strategy. POSCO plans to increase annual lithium production capacity to 173,000 tons by 2033, to become one of the world's top five lithium producers and generate more than KRW 1.8 trillion in operating profit from the business by 2035. 

The company said its Argentina brine lithium operation turned profitable in March and recently received approval under Argentina's large investment incentive program, supporting future expansion. It also plans to accelerate additional phases of the project to reach 100,000 tons of annual brine lithium capacity by 2033. 

In ore lithium, POSCO's joint venture with Australia's Mineral Resources Limited secures more than 187,000 tons of annual lithium concentrate supply, providing a foundation for expanding its refining business and generating stable annual revenues of roughly KRW 200 billion. 

Beyond lithium, the group plans to expand its resources portfolio through rare earths and specialty gases that support electric vehicles, robotics and advanced manufacturing. 

In its steel business, POSCO plans to increase overseas production capacity to 10 million tons by 2031 in high-growth markets including India, the United States and Indonesia, while reinvesting profits to support low-carbon initiatives in Korea. 

The company also plans to expand its LNG value chain, grow renewable energy projects and commercialize Physical AI solutions for industrial operations. 

To support the transformation, POSCO Group plans to invest KRW 16.7 trillion in growth initiatives during 2026-2028. It also intends to optimize ownership stakes in listed subsidiaries to around 50%, with the proceeds primarily funding strategic resource projects. About 10% of the proceeds will be used for share buybacks and cancellations to enhance shareholder value. 

Shares of PKX have lost 14% in the past year compared with the industry’s 33.1% decline. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

PKX Zacks Rank & Key PicksPKX currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some other better-ranked stocks in the Conglomerates space are 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) , Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (MITSY - Free Report)  and Griffon Corporation (GFF - Free Report) . MMM, MITSY and GFF carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MMM’s current-year earnings is pegged at $8.73 per share, indicating an 8.3% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average earnings surprise being 4.6%. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MITSY’s current-year earnings is pegged at $47.56 per share, indicating a 23.1% year-over-year decrease. Shares of MITSY have plunged 9.7% over the past year. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GFF’s current fiscal-year earnings is pegged at $5.17 per share. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average earnings surprise being 3.3%. 

Key Takeaways PKX completed a 2.5-million-ton EAF at Gwangyang Steelworks as part of its decarbonization roadmap. POSCO estimates the new EAF can reduce carbon emissions by up to 75% versus blast furnaces. PKX is developing Haptang technology to produce premium low-carbon steel products by 2030. POSCO Holdings Inc. (PKX - Free Report) is accelerating its transition toward low-carbon steelmaking with the completion of South Korea’s largest electric arc furnace (EAF) at its Gwangyang Steelworks. The newly completed facility represents a major milestone in the company’s decarbonization strategy and its long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. 

The new EAF has an annual production capacity of 2.5 million tons of steel and was built with an investment of approximately KRW 600 billion (roughly $397 million). Construction began in February 2024 and took more than two years to complete. The facility will now serve as a cornerstone of POSCO’s low-carbon steel production system. 

Unlike traditional blast furnaces that depend on iron ore and coking coal, EAFs mainly use recycled steel scrap, reducing energy use and emissions. POSCO estimates the Gwangyang EAF can cut carbon emissions by up to 75% versus conventional steelmaking. 

POSCO is going beyond scrap-based steelmaking by developing its proprietary “Haptang” (hot metal mixing) technology, which blends molten iron from blast furnaces with steel produced in electric arc furnaces. The process is designed to maintain the quality standards required for premium steel products while reducing carbon emissions. Through this hybrid approach, PKX aims to mass-produce high-value products, including automotive steel sheets and electrical steel, by 2030. 

The EAF project forms part of POSCO’s broader decarbonization roadmap. The company views electric arc furnace technology as an important intermediate step toward its next-generation HyREX hydrogen-reduction steelmaking process, which is expected to play a central role in its long-term carbon-neutral production system. POSCO ultimately plans to transition from coal-based steelmaking toward hydrogen-based ironmaking and establish a fully decarbonized production structure by 2050. 

Per POSCO, the completion of the Gwangyang EAF represents a key milestone in advancing low-carbon steel production and reflects POSCO’s commitment to a decarbonized manufacturing model. The company noted that the facility will help meet rising global demand for sustainable steel products while enhancing its competitive position in the transition to a low-carbon economy. 

Shares of PKX have gained 8.5% in the past year against the industry’s 2.4% decline. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

PKX Zacks Rank & Other Key PicksPKX currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Other top-ranked stocks in the Conglomerates space include 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) , Marubeni Corporation (MARUY - Free Report)  and Griffon Corporation (GFF - Free Report) . ITT, MARUY and GFF carry a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MMM’s current-year earnings is pegged at $8.71 per share, indicating an 8.1% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average earnings surprise being 4.6%. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MARUY’s current-year earnings is pegged at $23.86 per share, indicating an 8.8% year-over-year decrease. Shares of MARUY have gained 48.7% over the past year. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GFF’s current fiscal-year earnings is pegged at $5.17 per share. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average earnings surprise being 3.3%.