Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

3 Low-Rated Stocks Analysts May Be Underestimating Ahead of Q3 EarningsSouthern Copper NYSE: SCCO reported record quarterly net sales, adjusted EBITDA and net income for the second consecutive quarter, supported by substantially higher copper and by-product prices, while production was broadly stable and the company advanced several expansion projects in Peru and Mexico.

Vice President of Finance, Treasurer and CFO Raul Jacob said third-quarter net sales rose 39% year over year to $4.7 billion. Copper accounted for 74% of sales, while molybdenum, silver and zinc represented 12%, 7% and 4%, respectively.

Get Southern Copper alerts:

Copper’s Record Rally Highlights a Deeper Supply ProblemThe company reported record adjusted EBITDA of $3 billion, up 54% from the third quarter of 2025, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 65%, compared with 59% a year earlier. Net income reached a record $1.8 billion, a 63% increase from $1.1 billion in the prior-year quarter. The net income margin expanded to 38% from 33%.

“We are very pleased to report strong third quarter performance as we hit record highs for net sales, adjusted EBITDA, and net income for the second consecutive quarter,” Jacob said.

Higher Prices Offset Production Pressures
Copper Is the AI Trade No One Priced In—3 Miners With the Most to GainCopper production totaled 232,396 tons during the quarter, down 1% from a year earlier. Production in Peru declined 6%, reflecting lower ore grades and recoveries at the Toquepala and Cuajone mines. That decline was partly offset by a 2.5% increase in Mexico, driven largely by higher output from Buenavista and IMMSA operations.

For the first nine months of 2026, copper production declined 2.9% to 693,602 tons. Southern Copper expects to produce 918,000 tons of copper during 2026, 0.7% above its initial plan.

Market pricing was a significant contributor to the company’s results. The average London Metal Exchange copper price rose 44% to $6.41 per pound from $4.24 per pound in the third quarter of 2025. The average COMEX copper price increased 34% to $6.48 per pound, Jacob said.

Southern Copper estimated that global copper inventories totaled 1.105 million tons as of Oct. 9, covering approximately 14 days of global demand. Based on prevailing supply-and-demand conditions, the company expects either a slight deficit or slight surplus in the copper market during 2026.

By-product prices also rose sharply. Molybdenum averaged $32.93 per pound, up 36% year over year, while silver averaged $62.80 per ounce, up 59%. Zinc prices increased 36%, according to the company.

Cash Costs Fall as By-Product Credits Rise
Total operating costs and expenses increased 17%, or $223 million, from the prior-year quarter. Jacob cited higher diesel and fuel costs, worker participation, inventory consumption, depreciation, power and labor costs. Those increases were partially offset by a $22 million translation difference and exchange-rate effects on local-currency costs.

Operating cash cost per pound of copper, net of by-product credits, fell 77% to $0.09 in the third quarter from $0.52 a year earlier. The company attributed the decline primarily to a 31% increase in by-product revenue credits, which totaled $1.2 billion, or $2.36 per pound.

Cash costs before by-product credits were $2.46 per pound, up 10% from the comparison period cited by the company, as higher production and administrative costs were partly offset by premiums and treatment and refining benefits. Jacob said Southern Copper expects fourth-quarter cash costs before by-product credits to be in line with or slightly better than the third-quarter level, though he noted that costs remain difficult to forecast.

Expansion Projects Target More Than 1 Million Tons of Copper
Southern Copper’s capital investment program for the decade exceeds $21 billion. The company said projects under construction at Tía María in Peru and El Pilar in Mexico are expected to add a combined 156,000 tons of refined copper production annually, allowing the company to surpass 1 million tons of annual copper production.

Tía María is expected to produce 120,000 tons of SX-EW copper cathodes annually in its early years. Operations are scheduled to begin in the first half of 2028. As of Sept. 30, the project was 50% complete, with $884 million invested and $1.1 billion committed. Jacob said the revised timing reflected the additional time needed for mechanical assembly and engineering work. He did not provide an updated capital-cost estimate during the call.

El Pilar, in Mexico’s Sonora state, is expected to produce 36,000 tons of copper cathodes annually. The $551 million project began early site preparation in September, with construction expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027 and production targeted for the second half of 2029.

The company also outlined longer-term Peruvian projects:

Los Chancas: Expected annual production of 130,000 tons of copper and 7,500 tons of molybdenum, with estimated capital investment of $2.6 billion and a planned 2031 start. The company said illegal miners must be removed from its concession before development can proceed at a faster pace.
Michiquillay: Expected to produce 225,000 tons of copper annually, along with molybdenum, gold and silver by-products. Southern Copper estimates investment of approximately $2.5 billion and expects production by 2032.
Cuajone expansion: The company is evaluating an increase in milling capacity from 90,000 to 120,000 tons per day, requiring estimated capital spending of $680 million. The expansion could add average annual production of 55,000 tons of copper and 1,400 tons of molybdenum. Southern Copper is also studying a potential expansion to 150,000 tons per day.

Dividend Declaration
Southern Copper announced a quarterly cash dividend of $1.30 per common share and a stock dividend of 0.0126 common shares per share. Both are payable Nov. 19 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 3, 2026.

About Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO)Southern Copper Corporation NYSE: SCCO is a mining and metals company engaged primarily in the exploration, development, extraction, processing and production of copper. The company also produces molybdenum, zinc, silver and lead, along with related byproducts. Its operations include open-pit mines, underground mines, concentrators, smelters, refineries and other processing facilities.

Southern Copper operates mainly in Peru and Mexico. Its Peruvian assets include the Toquepala and Cuajone copper mines, while its Mexican operations include the Buenavista del Cobre and La Caridad mines, as well as associated processing and infrastructure facilities.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

Should You Invest $1,000 in Southern Copper Right Now?Before you consider Southern Copper, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Southern Copper wasn't on the list.

While Southern Copper currently has a Reduce rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View The Five Stocks Here

The AI boom extends far beyond the biggest tech names. Discover 10 companies supplying the memory, storage, networking, semiconductor manufacturing, and power infrastructure that make AI possible. Learn where the next wave of AI investment opportunities may emerge—and the key risks investors should watch as the global AI buildout accelerates.

Get This Free Report

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Growth stocks are attractive to many investors, as above-average financial growth helps these stocks easily grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. But finding a great growth stock is not easy at all.

That's because, these stocks usually carry above-average risk and volatility. In fact, betting on a stock for which the growth story is actually over or nearing its end could lead to significant loss.

However, the task of finding cutting-edge growth stocks is made easy with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.

Our proprietary system currently recommends Southern Copper (SCCO - Free Report) as one such stock. This company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.

Studies have shown that stocks with the best growth features consistently outperform the market. And for stocks that have a combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), returns are even better.

While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this miner is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:

Earnings GrowthArguably nothing is more important than earnings growth, as surging profit levels is what most investors are after. For growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is highly preferable, as it is often perceived as an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.

While the historical EPS growth rate for Southern Copper is 9.4%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 52.1% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 42.7%.

Impressive Asset Utilization RatioGrowth investors often overlook asset utilization ratio, also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio, but it is an important feature of a real growth stock. This metric shows how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.

Right now, Southern Copper has an S/TA ratio of 0.76, which means that the company gets $0.76 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 0.44, it can be said that the company is more efficient.

In addition to efficiency in generating sales, sales growth plays an important role. And Southern Copper looks attractive from a sales growth perspective as well. The company's sales are expected to grow 31.4% this year versus the industry average of 20.7%.

Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsBeyond the metrics outlined above, investors should consider the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is a plus here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

There have been upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates for Southern Copper. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 1.8% over the past month.

Bottom LineWhile the overall earnings estimate revisions have made Southern Copper a Zacks Rank #2 stock, it has earned itself a Growth Score of A based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above.

You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

This combination positions Southern Copper well for outperformance, so growth investors may want to bet on it.

Southern Copper (SCCO) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.15 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.04 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.35 per share a year ago.

Southern Copper (SCCO - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $200.68, moving -3.25% from the previous trading session. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.11%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.09%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 1.88%.

The stock of miner has risen by 9.52% in the past month, leading the Basic Materials sector's loss of 5.96% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.06%.

The upcoming earnings release of Southern Copper will be of great interest to investors. On that day, Southern Copper is projected to report earnings of $2.07 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 53.33%. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $4.5 billion, reflecting a 33.33% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.

For the annual period, the Zacks Consensus Estimates anticipate earnings of $7.94 per share and a revenue of $17.63 billion, signifying shifts of +51.53% and +31.41%, respectively, from the last year.

Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Southern Copper. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 1.36% increase. Currently, Southern Copper is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In the context of valuation, Southern Copper is at present trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 26.13. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 25.54, which means Southern Copper is trading at a premium to the group.

Meanwhile, SCCO's PEG ratio is currently 1.83. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. Mining - Non Ferrous stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 1.29 based on yesterday's closing prices.

The Mining - Non Ferrous industry is part of the Basic Materials sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 167, putting it in the bottom 33% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions.

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.

Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.86% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To maximize your returns, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. This means picking stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you find yourself looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, make sure they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Southern Copper (SCCO - Free Report) Phoenix, AZ-based Southern Copper engages in mining, exploring, smelting and refining copper and other minerals. The company conducts exploration activities in Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Peru. 

SCCO is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. SCCO has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 51.5% for the current fiscal year.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.35 to $7.94 per share. SCCO boasts an average earnings surprise of +6.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, SCCO should be on investors' short list.

In the latest trading session, Southern Copper (SCCO - Free Report) closed at $200.57, marking a -1.81% move from the previous day. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.22%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.66%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq depreciated by 0.22%.

Coming into today, shares of the miner had lost 2.06% in the past month. In that same time, the Basic Materials sector lost 6.74%, while the S&P 500 gained 1.4%.

The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Southern Copper in its upcoming release. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $2, marking a 48.15% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $4.36 billion, up 29.08% from the year-ago period.

SCCO's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $7.86 per share and revenue of $17.36 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +50% and +29.37%, respectively.

Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Southern Copper. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 3.48% higher. Southern Copper presently features a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Looking at valuation, Southern Copper is presently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 26. This expresses a premium compared to the average Forward P/E of 25.79 of its industry.

Investors should also note that SCCO has a PEG ratio of 1.82 right now. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Mining - Non Ferrous industry held an average PEG ratio of 0.96.

The Mining - Non Ferrous industry is part of the Basic Materials sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 223, putting it in the bottom 10% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the vigor of our specific industry groups by computing the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks incorporated in the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank A proprietary stock-rating model, the Zacks Rank utilizes the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings outlook, to help investors create a successful portfolio.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +23.86% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Southern Copper (SCCO - Free Report) Phoenix, AZ-based Southern Copper engages in mining, exploring, smelting and refining copper and other minerals. The company conducts exploration activities in Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Peru. 

SCCO is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Basic Materials stock. SCCO has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 3.3% over the past four weeks.

One analyst revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.27 to $7.86 per share. SCCO boasts an average earnings surprise of +6.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, SCCO should be on investors' short list.

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO – Free Report) by 5.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 106,792 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,278 shares during the quarter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Southern Copper were worth $21,640,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in SCCO. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Southern Copper during the 2nd quarter worth about $1,729,500,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in Southern Copper during the second quarter worth about $318,448,000. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in Southern Copper during the second quarter worth about $149,739,000. Capital Research Global Investors acquired a new position in Southern Copper during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $81,039,000. Finally, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund acquired a new position in Southern Copper during the first quarter valued at approximately $85,342,000. 7.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity In other news, Director Luis Palomino Bonilla sold 202 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.79, for a total value of $39,751.28. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 1,723 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $339,066.65. The trade was a 10.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders have sold a total of 704 shares of company stock valued at $138,077 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.07% of the company’s stock.

Southern Copper Stock Performance SCCO traded up $0.55 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $206.09. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 271,916 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,550,251. The company’s 50-day moving average is $197.58 and its 200-day moving average is $184.49. Southern Copper Corporation has a 52 week low of $119.25 and a 52 week high of $223.88. The firm has a market cap of $171.94 billion, a PE ratio of 30.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 4.56 and a current ratio of 5.06. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The basic materials company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.93 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $4.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.37 billion. Southern Copper had a return on equity of 49.04% and a net margin of 35.87%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 40.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Southern Copper Corporation will post 7.86 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 27th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 11th were issued a dividend of $1.10 per share. This is an increase from Southern Copper’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. This represents a $4.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 11th. Southern Copper’s payout ratio is 64.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have weighed in on SCCO. Citigroup reaffirmed a “positive” rating on shares of Southern Copper in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Southern Copper from $125.49 to $129.94 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 17th. UBS Group reissued a “sell” rating and issued a $158.10 target price (up from $143.28) on shares of Southern Copper in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Southern Copper from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Southern Copper from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 1st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and seven have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $146.84.

View Our Latest Analysis on Southern Copper

About Southern Copper (Free Report)

Southern Copper Corp. is an integrated copper producer engaged in the exploration, mining, processing, smelting and refining of copper and other minerals. Its principal products include copper cathodes, copper concentrates, molybdenum, zinc, silver and lead. The company also produces sulfuric acid and other byproducts through its metallurgical operations.

Southern Copper operates major mining and processing assets in Mexico and Peru. Its Mexican operations include the Buenavista del Cobre and La Caridad mining complexes, while its Peruvian operations include the Cuajone and Toquepala mines.

Read More Five stocks we like better than Southern Copper A Manufacturing Surprise Could Be a Big Win for These 2 Companies What a $1 Billion Chip Deal Says About Amazon’s AI Ambitions 3 Stocks Benefiting From AI Demand Just Announced Major Buybacks Insiders Are Selling These 3 Stocks, Should You?

Receive News & Ratings for Southern Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Southern Copper (SCCO) has an impressive earnings surprise history and currently possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely beat in its next quarterly report.

Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO – Get Free Report) and Ivanhoe Mines (OTCMKTS:IVPAF – Get Free Report) are both large-cap materials companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, profitability, dividends and earnings.

Valuation and Earnings This table compares Southern Copper and Ivanhoe Mines”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Southern Copper $15.79 billion 10.70 $4.33 billion $6.84 29.61 Ivanhoe Mines $441.61 million 27.33 $261.55 million $0.09 94.00 Southern Copper has higher revenue and earnings than Ivanhoe Mines. Southern Copper is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Ivanhoe Mines, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Insider & Institutional Ownership 7.9% of Southern Copper shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.1% of Southern Copper shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Southern Copper and Ivanhoe Mines, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Southern Copper 7 5 3 0 1.73 Ivanhoe Mines 0 4 2 1 2.57 Southern Copper presently has a consensus target price of $146.84, indicating a potential downside of 27.50%. Ivanhoe Mines has a consensus target price of $15.20, indicating a potential upside of 79.67%. Given Ivanhoe Mines’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Ivanhoe Mines is more favorable than Southern Copper.

Profitability This table compares Southern Copper and Ivanhoe Mines’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Southern Copper 35.87% 49.04% 25.81% Ivanhoe Mines 23.47% 5.07% 3.81% Volatility & Risk Southern Copper has a beta of 1.14, meaning that its stock price is 14% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Ivanhoe Mines has a beta of 1.03, meaning that its stock price is 3% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary Southern Copper beats Ivanhoe Mines on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

(Get Free Report)

Southern Copper Corporation engages in mining, exploring, smelting, and refining copper and other minerals in Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, and Chile. The company is involved in the mining, milling, and flotation of copper ore to produce copper and molybdenum concentrates; smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes; production of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid; production of refined silver, gold, and other materials; and mining and processing of zinc, copper, molybdenum, silver, gold, and lead. It operates the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines, and a smelter and refinery in Peru; and La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, as well as a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery, and a rod plant in Mexico. The company also operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, as well as two copper concentrators and two operating SX-EW plants in Mexico. In addition, it operates underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver, and gold; a coal mine; and a zinc refinery. The company has interests in 156,818 hectares and 502,688 hectares of concessions in Peru and Mexico; and 168,200 hectares and 28,453 hectares of exploration concessions in Argentina and Chile. Southern Copper Corporation was incorporated in 1952 and is based in Phoenix, Arizona. Southern Copper Corporation is a subsidiary of Americas Mining Corporation.

About Ivanhoe Mines (Get Free Report)

Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. engages in the mining, development, and exploration of minerals and precious metals primarily in Africa. It explores for platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, gold, rhodium, zinc, silver, germanium, and lead deposits. The company's projects include the Platreef project located in the Northern Limb of South Africa's Bushveld Complex; the Kipushi project located in Haut-Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of Congo; and the Kamoa-Kakula project located within the Central African Copperbelt. It also holds a 100% interest in the Western Foreland exploration project covering an area of approximately 2,407 square kilometers located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company was formerly known as Ivanplats Limited and changed its name to Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. in August 2013. The company was incorporated in 1993 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Receive News & Ratings for Southern Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Wall Street watches a company's quarterly report closely to understand as much as possible about its recent performance and what to expect going forward. Of course, one figure often stands out among the rest: earnings.

The earnings figure itself is key, of course, but a beat or miss on the bottom line can sometimes be just as, if not more, important. Therefore, investors should consider paying close attention to these earnings surprises, as a big beat can help a stock climb and vice versa.

Hunting for 'earnings whispers' or companies poised to beat their quarterly earnings estimates is a somewhat common practice. But that doesn't make it easy. One way that has been proven to work is by using the Zacks Earnings ESP tool.

The Zacks Earnings ESP, ExplainedThe Zacks Earnings ESP, or Expected Surprise Prediction, aims to find earnings surprises by focusing on the most recent analyst revisions. The basic premise is that if an analyst reevaluates their earnings estimate ahead of an earnings release, it means they likely have new information that could possibly be more accurate.

The core of the ESP model is comparing the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, where the resulting percentage difference between the two equals the Expected Surprise Prediction. The Zacks Rank is also factored into the ESP metric to better help find companies that appear poised to top their next bottom-line consensus estimate, which will hopefully help lift the stock price.

When we join a positive earnings ESP with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or stronger, stocks posted a positive bottom-line surprise 70% of the time. Plus, this system saw investors produce roughly 28% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.

Stocks with a #3 (Hold) ranking, which is most stocks covered at 60%, are expected to perform in-line with the broader market. But stocks that fall into the #2 (Buy) and #1 (Strong Buy) ranking, or the top 15% and top 5% of stocks, respectively, should outperform the market. Strong Buy stocks should outperform more than any other rank.

Should You Consider Southern Copper?The final step today is to look at a stock that meets our ESP qualifications. Southern Copper (SCCO - Free Report) earns a #3 (Hold) 29 days from its next quarterly earnings release on October 27, 2026, and its Most Accurate Estimate comes in at $2.16 a share.

SCCO has an Earnings ESP figure of +8.00%, which, as explained above, is calculated by taking the percentage difference between the $2.16 Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2. Southern Copper is one of a large database of stocks with positive ESPs. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

SCCO is part of a big group of Basic Materials stocks that boast a positive ESP, and investors may want to take a look at Freeport-McMoRan (FCX - Free Report) as well.

Freeport-McMoRan, which is readying to report earnings on October 22, 2026, sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) right now. Its Most Accurate Estimate is currently $0.84 a share, and FCX is 24 days out from its next earnings report.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Freeport-McMoRan is $0.73, and when you take the percentage difference between that number and its Most Accurate Estimate, you get the Earnings ESP figure of +14.63%.

Because both stocks hold a positive Earnings ESP, SCCO and FCX could potentially post earnings beats in their next reports.

Find Stocks to Buy or Sell Before They're ReportedUse the Zacks Earnings ESP Filter to turn up stocks with the highest probability of positively, or negatively, surprising to buy or sell before they're reported for profitable earnings season trading. Check it out here >>

Key Takeaways FCX's expansion projects aim to boost copper output, backed by strong financial health.SCCO plans $20.5 billion in investments to lift copper production to roughly 1.6 million tons.FCX and SCCO posted strong cash generation, while both face challenges from weaker near-term production. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX - Free Report) and Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO - Free Report) are two heavyweights in the copper mining industry. Both operate on a global scale, extracting and processing copper and other metals.

 Copper prices continue to show strength driven by robust demand from China and the United States. Structural tailwinds, including electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy projects, artificial intelligence data center growth and grid modernization, continue to boost copper consumption. Worries about tightening supply amid rising EV and infrastructure demand aided the red metal. Supply risks stem from operational issues in top producer Chile, along with export bans on copper concentrates from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Copper surged to an all-time high near $6.9 per pound recently on tariff-related uncertainties and supply tightness. Imports to the United States have surged ahead of a potential tariff announcement by the Trump administration. Copper prices are currently hovering above $6.7 per pound and up more than 40% year over year.

Let’s dive deep and closely compare the fundamentals of these two copper mining companies to determine which one is a better investment now.

The Case for FreeportFreeport continues to leverage its portfolio of high-quality copper assets, emphasizing disciplined execution and organic growth initiatives to strengthen its production profile. FCX has completed the evaluation of a large-scale expansion at El Abra in Chile to define a large sulfide resource that could potentially support a major mill project similar to the large-scale concentrator at Cerro Verde, with an estimated resource of approximately 20 billion recoverable pounds of copper. The expansion is expected to result in the addition of more than 700 million pounds of copper production annually.

In Arizona, FCX is progressing with pre-feasibility studies at its Safford/Lone Star operations, with completion targeted for 2026, to assess a sizable sulfide expansion opportunity. It has expansion opportunities at Bagdad in Arizona that can more than double the concentrator capacity of the operation. Technical and economic studies have revealed the potential to build concentrating facilities to boost copper production by 200-250 million pounds annually.

PT Freeport Indonesia (PT-FI) is developing the Kucing Liar ore body within the Grasberg district with a targeted ramp-up expected to commence in 2030. Studies completed by FCX in 2025 show an opportunity to increase Kucing Liar’s design capacity to 130,000 metric tons of ore per day and reserves by roughly 20% at low costs.

   FCX has a strong liquidity profile and generates substantial cash flows, providing ample flexibility to fund expansion projects, reduce debt and enhance shareholder returns. It generated solid operating cash flows of $5.6 billion in 2025. Cash flows provided by operations were around $2 billion in the second quarter of 2026. Freeport ended the second quarter with strong liquidity, including $4.1 billion in cash and cash equivalents, $3 billion in availability under the Freeport revolving credit facility, and $1.5 billion in availability under the PT-FI credit facility.

At the end of the second quarter, Freeport had a net debt of $2.1 billion, excluding PTFI’s new downstream processing facilities. Its net debt is below its targeted range of $3-$4 billion. Freeport has a policy of distributing 50% of the available cash to its shareholders and the balance to either reduce debt or invest in growth projects. FCX has no significant debt maturities until 2027.

FCX offers a dividend yield of roughly 0.4% at the current stock price. Its payout ratio is 13% (a ratio below 60% is a good indicator that the dividend is sustainable). Backed by strong financial health, the company's dividend is perceived to be safe and reliable.

Despite these positives, Freeport faces headwinds from higher costs. Its second-quarter unit net cash costs jumped 74% year over year to $1.97 per pound due to lower copper volumes. Freeport expects unit net cash costs of $2 per pound for the third quarter, while projecting a full-year average of roughly $1.9 (compared with $1.65 in 2025). The projected third-quarter unit cost reflects a roughly 43% year-over-year increase. The uptick in costs reflects higher costs of energy and other consumables due to the Middle East conflict and persistent pressure on volumes. Higher costs are expected to weigh on the company's margins.

Freeport’s copper sales volumes tumbled approximately 30% year over year in the second quarter to 710 million pounds. The downside primarily resulted from lower operating rates during the phased ramp-up of the Grasberg Block Cave mine in Indonesia, following the mud rush incident in September 2025.

While the company’s third-quarter outlook for copper sales volumes of 750 million pounds indicates a sequential improvement, it suggests a 23% year-over-year decline. The company, in April 2026, lowered its consolidated sales volume projections for full-year 2026 to around 3.1 billion pounds of copper from the prior view of 3.4 billion pounds due to an expected delay in achieving full ramp-up of the Grasberg Block Cave mine. Lower sales volumes are expected to weigh on its top line.

The Case for Southern CopperSouthern Copper has a strong pipeline of world-class copper greenfield projects and other promising opportunities. It operates high-quality assets in investment-grade countries such as Mexico and Peru. Backed by its constant commitment to increasing low-cost production and growth investments, the company is well poised to continue delivering enhanced performance.

SCCO holds the largest copper reserves among listed peers. Its low-cost, integrated operations and deep pipeline of world-class greenfield projects further strengthen its competitive positioning. The company is well-positioned to capitalize on the expected surge in copper demand in the year to come, backed by the energy transition trend.

The company continues to build its presence in Peru as the country is the second-largest producer of copper. Peru holds about 9% of the world’s copper reserves. Despite the year-to-date fall in production, the company has slightly hiked its 2026 copper production outlook to 917,000 tons. Southern Copper expects to take this up to roughly 1.6 million tons by 2033 or 2034. To support this growth plan, the company intends to invest $20.5 billion over the next decade, with the bulk of the capital allocated to projects in Peru.

The company’s key growth catalysts include the Tía María, Los Chancas and Michiquillay projects in Peru, along with El Pilar in Mexico, all of which underpin SCCO’s long-term expansion pipeline. Given its constant commitment to increasing low-cost production and growth investments, SCCO is well-positioned to continue delivering enhanced performance.

SCCO generated net cash from operating activities of $4.75 billion in 2025, up roughly 7.5% from $4.42 billion in 2024, attributable to higher net income. It delivered a solid 116.9% year-over-year surge in operating cash flow in the first six months of 2026 to $3.68 billion. Southern Copper’s strong cash generation is driven by higher sales and a reduction in operating assets and liabilities requirements. The company also benefited from its cash cost decrease, which was driven by a 68.2% year-over-year rise in by-product revenue credits.

In July 2026, the board authorized a $1.10-per-share cash dividend plus a stock dividend of 0.012 shares per common share, reflecting continued capital returns alongside higher investment spending. SCCO offers a dividend yield of 2.4% at the current stock price. Its payout ratio is 66%, with a five-year annualized dividend growth rate of roughly -2.3%.

However, SCCO faces headwinds from near-term production declines. Copper production fell 3.5% year over year in the second quarter of 2026 to 230,662 tons, while first-half 2026 output declined 3.8% to 461,206 tons. The weakness was concentrated in Peru, where second-quarter production fell 12% because of lower ore grades and recoveries at Toquepala and Cuajone. Management raised its 2026 copper production outlook, but it remains below the 956,270 tons produced in 2025. Lower production is expected to weigh on its performance.

Price Performance and Valuation of FCX & SCCOFCX stock has surged 105.4% over a year, while SCCO stock has rallied 71.2% compared with the Zacks Mining - Non Ferrous industry’s rise of 66.1%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

FCX is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 20.70. This represents a roughly 11.2% discount when stacked up with the industry average of 23.32X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

SCCO is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 26.81, higher than FCX and above the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

How Does Zacks Consensus Estimate Compare for FCX & SCCO?The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FCX’s 2026 sales and EPS implies a 10.5% and 59.3% increase year over year, respectively. The EPS estimates for 2026 have been trending higher over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The consensus estimate for SCCO’s 2026 sales and EPS implies year-over-year growth of 29.4% and 49.4%, respectively. The EPS estimates for 2026 have been going up over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

FCX or SCCO: Which Stock is a Better Pick Now?Both FCX and SCCO currently have a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), so picking one stock is not easy. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Both Freeport and Southern Copper are making progress with their growth projects amid a favorable copper pricing environment. FCX is poised to gain from progress in its expansion activities that will boost production capacity. However, a weaker sales volume outlook and higher expected unit costs weigh on its prospects. On the other hand, SCCO’s case is backed by its constant commitment to increasing low-cost production and growth investments amid challenges from weaker expected near-term production. FCX’s more attractive valuation and higher earnings growth projections suggest that it may offer better investment prospects in the current market environment.

Corient Private Wealth LP reduced its holdings in Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO – Free Report) by 10.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 39,614 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 4,765 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LP’s holdings in Southern Copper were worth $6,903,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. SHP Wealth Management acquired a new position in Southern Copper in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Bell Investment Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Southern Copper during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Rakuten Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Southern Copper during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Lloyd Advisory Services LLC. purchased a new position in shares of Southern Copper during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Southern Copper during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 7.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling In other Southern Copper news, Director Luis Palomino Bonilla sold 202 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.79, for a total value of $39,751.28. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 1,723 shares in the company, valued at approximately $339,066.65. This represents a 10.49% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In the last three months, insiders have sold 604 shares of company stock valued at $118,077. 0.07% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Southern Copper Trading Up 3.3% SCCO stock opened at $196.06 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 5.06, a quick ratio of 4.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. Southern Copper Corporation has a 12-month low of $105.10 and a 12-month high of $223.88. The stock has a market cap of $163.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.66, a PEG ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.14. The business’s 50-day moving average is $192.35 and its 200 day moving average is $183.58. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The basic materials company reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.93 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $4.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.37 billion. Southern Copper had a return on equity of 49.04% and a net margin of 35.87%.The company’s revenue was up 40.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Southern Copper Corporation will post 7.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Southern Copper Increases Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 27th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 11th were paid a dividend of $1.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 11th. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. This is a boost from Southern Copper’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. Southern Copper’s dividend payout ratio is currently 64.33%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades SCCO has been the subject of several analyst reports. UBS Group reiterated a “sell” rating and issued a $158.10 target price (up from $143.28) on shares of Southern Copper in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. CICC Research lowered shares of Southern Copper to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Sunday, July 26th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “positive” rating on shares of Southern Copper in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Southern Copper from $144.27 to $156.13 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Southern Copper from $125.49 to $129.94 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 17th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and seven have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $146.84.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Southern Copper

Southern Copper Profile (Free Report)

Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE: SCCO) is an integrated copper producer engaged in the exploration, mining, processing, smelting and refining of minerals. The company produces copper in the form of cathodes, concentrates and anodes, along with byproducts including molybdenum, zinc, silver, lead and sulfuric acid.

Southern Copper operates mining and processing facilities in Mexico and Peru. Its principal Mexican operations include the Buenavista del Cobre and La Caridad mining complexes, while its Peruvian operations include the Toquepala and Cuajone mines and the Ilo smelter and refinery.

Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Southern Copper Aeluma’s Selloff Could Be Setting Up Its Next Big Move Crypto Bill Stalls, Smart Money Calls: Time to Buy the Dip? The September Scramble: Find Sanctuary in These 3 Defensive Dividend Stocks The Fed’s Rate Hike Could Backfire If Oil Prices Collapse

Receive News & Ratings for Southern Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Southern Copper commands a significant valuation premium from to its world-class assets, low costs, but mostly due to share scarcity. I see SCCO trading at 14.5x EV/EBITDA and 25x PE on 2027 estimates, making it expensive relative to peers and its own parent. SCCO's 11% free float and index weighting drive a scarcity premium that caps further levager to copper prices.

Southern Copper (SCCO - Free Report) ended the recent trading session at $194.14, demonstrating a -7.23% change from the preceding day's closing price. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 0.59%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.6%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 0.65%.

Coming into today, shares of the miner had gained 7.37% in the past month. In that same time, the Basic Materials sector gained 2.83%, while the S&P 500 lost 1.37%.

Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Southern Copper in its upcoming release. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $2, reflecting a 48.15% increase from the same quarter last year. Simultaneously, our latest consensus estimate expects the revenue to be $4.36 billion, showing a 29.08% escalation compared to the year-ago quarter.

In terms of the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $7.83 per share and a revenue of $17.36 billion, indicating changes of +49.43% and +29.37%, respectively, from the former year.

Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Southern Copper. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the business operations and its ability to generate profits.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-term stock moves. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 2.62% upward. Right now, Southern Copper possesses a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

Valuation is also important, so investors should note that Southern Copper has a Forward P/E ratio of 26.73 right now. This indicates a discount in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 26.91.

It is also worth noting that SCCO currently has a PEG ratio of 1.87. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. Mining - Non Ferrous stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 1.06 based on yesterday's closing prices.

The Mining - Non Ferrous industry is part of the Basic Materials sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 214, placing it within the bottom 14% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank evaluates the power of our distinct industry groups by determining the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks forming the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.

Copper miners are quietly getting crushed while traders fixate on oil, and the selloff spreading across the entire complex may be signaling something far more consequential for the real economy than crude ever could.

While oil headlines dominate trading, copper miners are quietly taking a beating. Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX | FCX Price Prediction) is off over 6% in Thursday’s session to just over $71, extending a 4% slide over the past week. The rest of the copper complex is bleeding in sympathy, and it is happening on a day when investors are watching crude, not concentrate.

Copper Selloff Runs Deep as the Metal Rolls Over Copper prices are pulling back, and copper equities are geared to that price. Every 10 cents per pound swing at the metal level roughly translates to $390 million in annual EBITDA for Freeport in the 2027 to 2028 window, per management’s own sensitivity math. That is the leverage. When the underlying commodity moves a few percent, producer earnings estimates and the equities that discount them can move several multiples of that.

LME copper had been on a tear, averaging $6.05 per pound in the second quarter, up roughly 40% year over year, with Freeport realizing $5.78 per pound in the first quarter of 2026 versus $4.44 a year earlier. On the July call, Freeport’s chief executive Kathleen Quirk noted copper had closed at $6.30 per pound on the LME, an increase of about 12% since the start of the year, with visible inventories in China continuing to draw to multi-year lows. When the setup is that tight and positioning is that long, a give-back in the metal hits the equities hard.

Today looks like exactly that. It is one session, and the broader trend is still intact. Freeport is up 39.83% year to date and up 62.39% over the past year. Calling this a regime change would be premature. Calling it a warning shot for anyone who thought the copper trade was a one-way bet is fair.

Selloff Sweeps the Copper Complex The pain is broad. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO), the largest name in the group at roughly $166 billion in market cap, is down 6% today and more than 3.5% over the past week. Teck Resources (NYSE:TECK) is off nearly 7% in the session. Hudbay Minerals (NYSE:HBM) has dropped over 7%, and Brazil-focused Ero Copper (NYSE:ERO) is down closer to 8%, giving back a week that had otherwise been positive.

Meanwhile the crude tape is telling a different story. WTI has climbed from $76.78 on August 5 to $91.48 on September 1. That is where the financial press is looking. The copper move is arguably the more consequential signal for the real economy.

Why? Because copper is a physical input to grid buildout, data center construction, EVs, and housing. Freeport’s own commentary describes “robust copper demand and order books associated with AI data centers and related energy infrastructure“. Federal research on data centers similarly identifies them as the largest driver of U.S. electricity demand growth (the copper miners are one slice of that buildout; we mapped seven other non-chip AI infrastructure suppliers in a free report here). When copper wobbles, it can be signaling softness in one of those inputs, or it can be positioning unwind after a huge run. The candid read is we do not yet know which.

What to Watch Next Two markers matter over the coming weeks. First, whether copper stabilizes or the pullback extends. Second, Freeport’s next earnings report; the Street currently models $0.7250 in EPS for the September quarter, with revisions running three up and six down over the trailing 30 days. FCX’s 50-day moving average of $66.72 is the level bulls will want to defend.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Shares of Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX | FCX Price Prediction) are sliding early Thursday as a record rally in copper reverses inside a single session. Freeport-McMoRan stock is down 8% to $70.43 after reports cast doubt on the refined-copper tariffs that had…

Shares of Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX | FCX Price Prediction) are sliding early Thursday as a record rally in copper reverses inside a single session. Freeport-McMoRan stock is down 8% to $70.43 after reports cast doubt on the refined-copper tariffs that had powered the metal to fresh highs earlier this week. The scarcity trade that built up all summer is unwinding in real time, and copper miners are traveling with it.

The selloff runs deep across the group. Also under pressure, Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO) stock is down 7% to $195.66, and Teck Resources (NYSE:TECK) stock is down 7% to $65.08. Both names had ridden the same setup that lifted the group into Tuesday’s records, and both are now handing back a meaningful piece of that move.

The Global X Copper Miners ETF (NYSEARCA:COPX) is down 7% as the entire basket rerates in unison, with its three largest U.S.-listed constituents leading the decline. Meanwhile, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is down 0.41%, so today’s damage is concentrated in copper names rather than the wider market.

Tariff Doubt Reverses the Scarcity Trade Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange is down 3.1% to $14,312 per metric ton after touching a record $14,875 earlier in the same session. The reversal followed reports that the White House hasn’t yet reached a decision on tariffs covering refined copper, with officials weighing how higher prices would feed through into manufacturing costs. Precious metals are lower too, with a firmer dollar and higher inflation-adjusted Treasury yields weighing on the broader metals complex.

Expectations of tariff action had been a central plank of the rally, pulling U.S.-bound metal out of global warehouses and building a scarcity premium into the physical price. Remove that expectation, and the premium unwinds inside minutes, which is why a policy update with no operational content just repriced the entire mining group. Copper had set fresh records earlier in the week and Freeport-McMoRan stock ran sharply higher on Tuesday alongside the metal, so much of what’s coming off today was put on this week.

Why Freeport Travels Furthest Freeport-McMoRan is the largest U.S.-based copper producer and the most copper-levered name in the peer set, so it moves furthest in both directions when the metal reprices. That’s why the stock climbed sharply into Tuesday’s records and has given the most back this morning. The name still carries an operational overhang from the September 2025 mud-rush at Grasberg in Indonesia, with the flagship mine continuing to run below full capacity through the second half of 2026.

Southern Copper leans on a deep growth pipeline through Peruvian and Mexican projects including Tía María, Michiquillay, and Los Chancas, and Teck Resources is midway through a pending combination with Anglo American that targets $800 million in annual pre-tax synergies. All three, however, trade off the same copper price curve, so a same-day repricing of the metal drags them together regardless of company-specific stories.

The Global X Copper Miners ETF holds Freeport-McMoRan at 9.9% of net assets, Teck Resources at 9.9%, and Southern Copper at 9.7%, which is why the fund moves in near lockstep with its three U.S.-listed anchors today. That structure makes COPX a clean read on how the market is grading the entire copper theme rather than any one company’s quarter.

Even after this morning’s slide, Freeport-McMoRan stock is up 40% year to date (YTD). Southern Copper stock is up 42% YTD, and Teck Resources stock is up 36% YTD. That backdrop is why a single-session reversal in copper cuts this hard across the group without yet erasing the year’s trend.

What to Watch The next signal is whether copper stabilizes at the LME afternoon fix or keeps bleeding into the U.S. cash session. A concrete tariff decision, even a delay, could reset the scarcity premium the group had been pricing in. Any headline touching refined-copper policy is now the swing variable for the whole sector.

Investors sizing their exposure to the copper-mining sector may want to keep an eye on whether Freeport-McMoRan stock reclaims its 50-day moving average. That line sits at $66.72 and has framed the summer trend, so a decisive break below would flip the technical setup for the name. The consensus analyst price target on Freeport-McMoRan sits at $72.05, close to where the stock is trading right now.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

While investors chased chip stocks, one corner of the commodities market quietly staged a stunning run that has left even NVIDIA in the dust. The reason connects directly to how AI actually gets built.

On Sunday afternoon, All-In co-host and Social Capital founder Chamath Palihapitiya posted two things minutes apart. First, a declaration: “It has arrived. The next 18mo will be wild.” Then, a quote-post about a copper price record. The juxtaposition was the trade thesis. Copper on the LME had just touched $14,533 per ton, an all-time high according to multiple wire services, with data center demand helping drive the surge.

On the All-In podcast days earlier, Palihapitiya framed the moment in plain terms: “AGI has basically been here since the beginning of the year.” The next phase is diffusion, and diffusion runs on wire, transformers, and substations alongside accelerators.

Performance Gap Investors Missed Measured to the September 4 close, the scoreboard is jarring: Southern Copper is up 109%, Freeport-McMoRan 64%, and NVIDIA 34% over the trailing year. The copper miners are running roughly triple the pace of the flagship AI chip name, and both extended their gains as the LME record was set. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO | SCCO Price Prediction) rose 4.9% on September 8 alone, while Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) added 5.3%. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) slipped 2% the same session.

Why Copper Is the Physical Layer of AI S&P Global projects global copper demand reaching 42 million metric tons by 2040, a 50% increase driven by forces like electrification, AI, data centers, and defense modernization. More than 65% of the world’s copper already flows into electricity delivery applications. Other signals also suggest the supply/demand dynamic is strengthening. The U.S. Geological Survey added copper to its List of Critical Minerals in November 2025, and the Department of Energy expects data centers to consume up to 12% of U.S. electricity demand by 2028. Every megawatt of new AI compute pulls tons of copper into windings, busbars, cable, and switchgear before a GPU ever draws power (we profiled seven of the non-chip companies feeding this buildout, from power to cooling to the metals layer, in a free report you can grab here).

Southern Copper: The Anchor Trade Southern Copper’s fundamentals are running with the price. In Q2 fiscal 2026, reported on July 21, the company posted EPS of $2.01 on revenue of $4.29 billion, a 40.58% year-over-year gain and its fourth consecutive earnings beat. Adjusted EBITDA reached $2.86 billion at a 66.6% margin. The eye-catcher: operating cash cost per pound of copper collapsed to $0.05 from $0.63 a year earlier as silver, molybdenum, and zinc by-product credits surged.

Chairman German Larrea described it as “another exceptional quarter, registering record-breaking results in sales, adjusted EBITDA, and net income” in the company’s Q2 2026 8-K filing. Southern Copper also carries a $20.5 billion capital investment program for the decade, headlined by the Tía María project in Peru, targeting first production in H2 2027.

Freeport-McMoRan: America’s Copper Champion Freeport CEO Kathleen Quirk has staked out the domestic supply narrative. Q1 fiscal 2026 delivered adjusted EPS of $0.57 versus $0.47 consensus, a 21.79% beat, on revenue of $6.23 billion. Realized copper averaged $5.78 per pound. The Grasberg mud rush in September 2025 remains the swing factor: Indonesia subsidiary PTFI is expected to run at roughly 65% of capacity in H2 2026, reaching full capacity only by year-end 2027. Freeport’s growth pipeline includes innovative leaching targeting roughly 800 million pounds per year by 2030, plus El Abra, Bagdad, and Kucing Liar. The forward P/E sits at 18, versus 39 for Southern Copper.

What to Watch Next Two caveats belong in the notebook. Southern Copper trades at roughly 13x book value, and analyst consensus sits below the current price. Both miners are also exposed to volatile forces like commodity-price mean reversion, Peru political risk, and the sustainability of the by-product credit tailwind that flattered Southern Copper’s cash cost. If Palihapitiya’s 18-month window plays out, the copper trade rides electrification. If AI infrastructure spend cools, the same operating leverage that lifted these stocks 60% to 120% in a year cuts in reverse.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Southern Copper (SCCO - Free Report) closed at $204.26 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.31% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.46%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 0.56%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 0.45%.

Coming into today, shares of the miner had gained 3.31% in the past month. In that same time, the Basic Materials sector gained 12.62%, while the S&P 500 gained 2%.

Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Southern Copper in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company is expected to report EPS of $1.81, up 34.07% from the prior-year quarter. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $4.13 billion, reflecting a 22.39% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.

For the entire fiscal year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $7.61 per share and a revenue of $16.86 billion, representing changes of +45.23% and +25.6%, respectively, from the prior year.

Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Southern Copper. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.

Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To capitalize on this, we've crafted the Zacks Rank, a unique model that incorporates these estimate changes and offers a practical rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, stretching from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has a noteworthy track record of outperforming, validated by third-party audits, with stocks rated #1 producing an average annual return of +25% since the year 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has shifted 0.29% downward. Currently, Southern Copper is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Southern Copper is presently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 26.5. This indicates a premium in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 26.13.

Also, we should mention that SCCO has a PEG ratio of 1.73. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. The Mining - Non Ferrous industry had an average PEG ratio of 1 as trading concluded yesterday.

The Mining - Non Ferrous industry is part of the Basic Materials sector. With its current Zacks Industry Rank of 202, this industry ranks in the bottom 18% of all industries, numbering over 250.

The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.

Key Takeaways SCCO plans to invest $20.5B over the next decade, with most capital allocated to projects.Tia Maria, Los Chancas and Michiquillay represent $10.3B in planned investment in Peru.Southern Copper expects production to increase to 1.6M tons by 2033 or 2034. Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO - Free Report) intends to invest $20.5 billion over the next decade to support its long-term outlook, with the bulk of the capital allocated to projects.

Southern Copper has also reaffirmed its dedication to collaborating with Peru's government to drive economic and social progress. This will be achieved by advancing the company’s Peruvian projects, Tía María, Los Chancas, and Michiquillay, which represent a total investment of $10.3 billion.

SCCO expects to spend $1.8 billion on the Tia Maria project located in the Peruvian region of Arequipa, which is designed to produce 120,000 tons of copper cathodes per year. As of June 30, 2026, the project was 42% complete, with $693 million invested and $1.10 billion committed. The company targets start-up for the second half of 2027.

The company expects to invest $2.6 billion in the Los Chancas, which is expected to produce 130,000 tons of copper and 7,500 tons of molybdenum annually from 2031. Michiquillay requires $2.5 billion in investment and expects to produce 225,000 tons of copper annually from 2032 over an initial mine life exceeding 25 years.

In Mexico, El Pilar is moving toward early site work in September 2026 and construction in the first quarter of 2027, with production targeted for the second half of 2029. The project is designed for 36,000 tons of annual copper cathode output.

These projects give Southern Copper multiple sources of organic production growth beyond current mine grades. These developments help reach tangible milestones for the company’s broader expansion program across both operating countries over time. Southern Copper maintains a strong long-term outlook with production expected to increase to 1.6 million tons by 2033 or 2034.

Project Updates of Southern Copper PeersFreeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX - Free Report) completed the evaluation of a large-scale expansion at El Abra in Chile to define a large sulfide resource that could potentially support a major mill project similar to the large-scale concentrator at Cerro Verde, with an estimated resource of 20 billion recoverable pounds of copper. Freeport-McMoRan expects the expansion to result in the addition of more than 700 million pounds of copper production annually.

Freeport-McMoRan has a strong liquidity profile and generates substantial cash flows, providing ample flexibility to fund expansion projects, reduce debt and enhance shareholder returns.

BHP Group Limited (BHP - Free Report) has copper projects under execution and a pipeline that could deliver around two Mtpa of attributable copper production by the 2030s. BHP Group is planning an Escondida New Concentrator project with a potential $4.4-$5.9-billion investment to replace the aging Los Colorados plant. BHP Group has approved a pre-commitment funding of $0.5 billion (BHP’s share) for the concentrator, which is expected to have a higher production capacity and add 230-270 kt of copper annually.

SCCO’s Price Performance, Valuations & EstimatesSouthern Copper shares have skyrocketed 123.3% year to date compared with the Zacks Mining - Non-Ferrous industry’s surge of 82.4%. During this time, the Basic Materials sector has risen 34.6% and the S&P 500 has rallied 23%.   

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Southern Copper stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 29.17X, which is a premium to the industry average of 24.84X.  

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Southern Copper’s 2026 sales is $16.86 billion, indicating a 25.6% year-over-year jump. The consensus mark for the year’s earnings is pegged at $7.61 per share, suggesting a rally of 45.2%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2027 sales implies an 11.7% year-over-year dip. The same for earnings suggests a fall of 8.2%.

Earnings estimates for 2026 have moved 0.1% south over the past 60 days, while the same for 2027 have moved up 0.3% over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.  

Key Takeaways Southern Copper's H1 copper production fell 3.8% y/y to 461,206 tons.The 2026 copper output is forecast at 917,000 tons, implying a 5% y/y decline.Tia Maria and other projects could lift output to 1.6 million tons by 2033 or 2034. Southern Copper Corporation’s (SCCO - Free Report) copper production fell 3.5% in the second quarter of 2026, pushing the first-half 2026 production to decline 3.8% year-over-year to 461,206 tons due to a decrease in production at the company’s Peruvian operations.

Despite the year-to-date fall in production, the company has slightly hiked its 2026 copper production outlook to 917,000 tons from the initially stated 910,000 tons. The figure, however, implies a 5% year-over-year decline. The downside will be caused by lower ore grades at the Cuajone and Peruvian mines. Southern Copper expects 2027 copper production to remain near the 2026 level.

Tía María is expected to begin production in the second half of 2027 and lift total copper output to about 970,000 tons in 2028. The company then expects production to reach 1.06 million tons in 2029.

Southern Copper maintains a strong long-term outlook with production expected to increase to 1.6 million tons by 2033 or 2034. To support this growth plan, the company intends to invest $20.5 billion over the next decade, with the bulk of the capital allocated to projects.

The pipeline includes Tía María, Los Chancas and Michiquillay in Peru, along with El Pilar, El Arco and other projects in Mexico. The breadth of these projects gives Southern Copper multiple sources of organic production growth beyond current mine grades. Expected grade recovery at Toquepala and Cuajone should also add production after 2027.

Southern Copper Peers’ Production Performance & OutlookTeck Resources Ltd (TECK - Free Report) copper segment’s revenues surged 85% year over year, driven by higher copper prices and sales volumes. This pushed the company’s top line to $2.6 billion, marking a 78% year-over-year rise.

However, Teck Resources' Red Dog production fell to 112,000 tons in the second quarter of 2026 from 136,600 tons a year earlier as grades declined in line with the mine plan. Nonetheless, Teck Resources maintains its 2026 copper production guidance of 455-530 thousand tons, whereas it produced 453.5 thousand tons in 2025. This will be driven by higher output at QB, Highland Valley Copper and Antamina. The long-term outlook for copper is positive as demand is expected to grow, partly driven by electric vehicles, renewable energy and infrastructure investments.

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.’s (FCX - Free Report) revenues declined 7.3% year over year to $7.03 billion in the second quarter of 2026. Freeport-McMoRan’s copper production fell 18.4% year over year to 786 million pounds in the reported quarter.

Freeport-McMoRan’s copper sales volumes tumbled approximately 30% year over year in the second quarter to 710 million pounds. While the company’s third-quarter outlook for copper sales volumes of 750 million pounds indicates a sequential improvement, it still suggests a 23% year-over-year decline. The company, in April 2026, lowered its consolidated sales volume projections for 2026 to 3.1 billion pounds of copper from the prior view of 3.4 billion pounds due to an expected delay in achieving full ramp-up of the Grasberg Block Cave mine.

SCCO’s Price Performance, Valuations & EstimatesSouthern Copper shares have gained 51.3% year to date compared with the Zacks Mining - Non Ferrous industry’s rise of 38.5%. During this time, the Basic Materials sector has risen 25.1% and the S&P 500 has rallied 12.6%.  

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Southern Copper stock is currently trading at a forward 12-month earnings multiple of 29.70X, which is a premium to the industry average of 25.45X. 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Southern Copper’s 2026 sales is $16.86 billion, indicating a 25.6% year-over-year jump. The consensus mark for the year’s earnings is pegged at $7.61 per share, suggesting a rally of 45.2%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2027 sales implies an 11.7% year-over-year dip. The same for earnings suggests a fall of 8.2%.
Earnings estimates for 2026 have moved 0.1% south over the past 60 days, while the same for 2027 have moved up 0.3% over the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 

On August 24, 2026, we delve into the DCF analysis for Southern Copper Corp
SCCO +8.69% 91

, a company that has seen remarkable price performance, with a year-to-date increase of 57.6% and a staggering 145.0% rise over the past year. This analysis will explore the discrepancies between different valuation models, providing insights into the company's worth.

DCF Earnings-based intrinsic value of $208.63 vs current price of $216.00 (margin of safety: -3.5%) DCF FCF-based intrinsic value of $82.19 vs current price (significantly overvalued with -162.8% margin of safety) GF Score™ of 91/100 indicates strong financial health, but the low predictability rank of 2/5 stars suggests caution in relying solely on DCF inputs. What Is SCCO Worth? DCF Earnings-Based Model To evaluate Southern Copper Corp's intrinsic value, we employed a two-stage DCF model. The first stage considers a growth phase lasting ten years, where we project earnings per share (EPS) to grow at a rate of 20.5%. The second stage reflects a terminal growth phase with a more conservative growth rate of 4% over the subsequent ten years. The discount rate applied throughout the model is 11%, derived from the risk-free rate and equity risk premium.

Parameter Value Current EPS (TTM, excl. non-recurring) $6.68 10-Year Growth Rate 20.5% 10-Year Treasury Rate 4.71% Discount Rate (ceil(Treasury) + 6%) 11% Terminal Growth Rate 4% The calculation summary for the two-stage model is as follows:

Stage Description Value Growth Stage (Years 1-10) EPS growing at 20.5%, discounted at 11% $104.26 Terminal Stage (Years 11-20) 4% terminal growth, discounted at 11% $104.37 Intrinsic Value Growth + Terminal $208.63 With the current price at $216.00, the intrinsic value of $208.63 indicates that the stock is fairly valued, with a margin of safety of -3.5%. It's important to note that GuruFocus utilizes EPS excluding non-recurring items, as research suggests that stock prices correlate more closely with earnings than with free cash flow. For further details, you can visit the SCCO DCF Calculator.

What Does the Free Cash Flow DCF Say? The free cash flow (FCF) based intrinsic value for Southern Copper Corp is calculated at $82.19. This starkly contrasts with the earnings-based valuation, indicating a significant disagreement between the two models. The FCF model suggests that the stock is significantly overvalued, with a margin of safety of -162.8%. This discrepancy highlights the need for caution when interpreting these valuations.

How Does GF Value™ Compare to the DCF Models? The GF Value™ for Southern Copper Corp is calculated at $142.28, providing a third perspective on the company's valuation. This proprietary measure is derived from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. The divergence among the three models—earnings DCF, FCF DCF, and GF Value™—suggests a complex valuation landscape for SCCO. For more insights, check the GF Value™.

What Does SCCO's GF Score™ Tell Us? The GF Score™ measures various aspects of a company's performance, including financial strength, profitability, growth potential, valuation, and momentum. Southern Copper Corp boasts a strong GF Score™ of 91/100, indicating robust financial health, but its predictability rank of 2/5 stars suggests that the DCF model's reliability is limited. Below is a summary of SCCO's GF Score™ metrics:

Metric Rating GF Score™ 91/100 Financial Strength 7/10 Profitability 10/10 Growth 10/10 Valuation 3/10 Momentum 6/10 For more details on SCCO, visit the SCCO stock page.

Key Assumptions and Limitations It is crucial to recognize that DCF models are highly sensitive to the assumptions made regarding growth rates and discount rates. Stocks with low predictability ratings, such as SCCO, yield less reliable DCF estimates. The terminal growth rate of 4% is a simplifying assumption that may not fully capture future market dynamics.

What This Means for Investors In synthesizing the three valuation models—DCF earnings, DCF FCF, and GF Value™—we find a notable tension. While the earnings-based DCF suggests that Southern Copper Corp is fairly valued, the FCF model indicates significant overvaluation. The GF Value™ further supports the notion of overvaluation at $142.28. Additionally, the insider activity shows that insiders have sold $3.3M worth of shares over the past year, while 11 gurus currently hold the stock, with 8 adding positions and 2 trimming theirs. This mixed signal from guru ownership, combined with the insider selling, warrants a cautious approach. For further exploration of the DCF analysis, visit the SCCO DCF Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions What is SCCO's intrinsic value based on DCF?

Earnigns-based intrinsic value is $208.63, while FCF-based intrinsic value is $82.19.

Is SCCO overvalued or undervalued?

Based on the DCF and GF Value™ consensus, SCCO appears to be overvalued.

How reliable is the DCF model for SCCO?

The reliability of the DCF model for SCCO is limited, given its predictability rank of 2/5 stars.

This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

Allworth Financial LP bought a new position in shares of Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 9,824 shares of the basic materials company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,712,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of SCCO. California Public Employees Retirement System boosted its stake in Southern Copper by 21.2% during the 1st quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 192,523 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $33,126,000 after purchasing an additional 33,638 shares during the period. RFG Advisory LLC bought a new position in Southern Copper in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,147,000. US Bancorp DE increased its position in Southern Copper by 16.2% in the 4th quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 74,484 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $10,687,000 after buying an additional 10,360 shares during the period. Ashoka WhiteOak Capital Pte Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Southern Copper during the fourth quarter worth approximately $5,460,000. Finally, Precision Wealth Strategies LLC acquired a new position in shares of Southern Copper during the first quarter worth approximately $2,769,000. 7.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Southern Copper In other Southern Copper news, Director Bonilla Luis Miguel Palomino sold 202 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.79, for a total value of $39,751.28. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 1,723 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $339,066.65. This represents a 10.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders have sold a total of 509 shares of company stock worth $97,753 in the last ninety days. 0.07% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Southern Copper Stock Performance Shares of Southern Copper stock opened at $216.30 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 5.06 and a quick ratio of 4.56. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $182.23 and a 200 day simple moving average of $183.20. Southern Copper Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $92.94 and a fifty-two week high of $223.88. The firm has a market cap of $180.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.11. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The basic materials company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.93 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $4.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.37 billion. Southern Copper had a return on equity of 49.04% and a net margin of 35.87%.The business’s revenue was up 40.6% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that Southern Copper Corporation will post 7.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southern Copper Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 27th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 11th will be issued a dividend of $1.10 per share. This is an increase from Southern Copper’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. This represents a $4.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.0%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 11th. Southern Copper’s dividend payout ratio is presently 64.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth SCCO has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Southern Copper from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Scotiabank reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and set a $138.34 price objective (up from $133.40) on shares of Southern Copper in a research report on Monday, June 15th. UBS Group reiterated a “sell” rating and issued a $158.10 target price (up from $143.28) on shares of Southern Copper in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Zacks Research downgraded Southern Copper from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Southern Copper from $125.49 to $129.94 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 17th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and seven have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $146.84.

Read Our Latest Research Report on SCCO

Southern Copper Profile (Free Report)

Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE: SCCO) is a large, integrated copper producer whose operations span the full value chain from exploration and mining to smelting, refining and the sale of copper and other metal products. The company produces a range of copper products including copper concentrate and refined cathodes, and recovers valuable byproducts such as molybdenum, silver and zinc. Southern Copper concentrates on high-volume, long-life assets designed to support steady production and processing capabilities.

Southern Copper’s operations are concentrated in Peru and Mexico, where it owns and operates multiple large-scale mining and processing facilities.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Southern Copper Blueprint for a Boom: SEC Clears the Crypto Runway Ross Stores Just Flipped the Off-Price Retail Story After TJX’s Marmaxx Miss Advance Auto Parts Plunged, But Its Turnaround Is Still Working Is Palo Alto Networks Priced for Perfection Again as AI Security Demand Accelerates?

Receive News & Ratings for Southern Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 7,278,460 shares of the basic materials company’s stock, valued at approximately $696,621,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp owned approximately 0.88% of Southern Copper as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in SCCO. State Street Corp lifted its stake in Southern Copper by 2.4% in the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,862,244 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $410,646,000 after acquiring an additional 66,268 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Southern Copper by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 2,536,228 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $363,873,000 after purchasing an additional 7,194 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its stake in Southern Copper by 8.3% in the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 1,181,293 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $169,480,000 after purchasing an additional 90,237 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Southern Copper by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 983,822 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $141,149,000 after purchasing an additional 33,804 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc grew its holdings in Southern Copper by 1.5% during the third quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 955,924 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $116,012,000 after purchasing an additional 14,212 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 7.94% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Southern Copper In related news, Director Bonilla Luis Miguel Palomino sold 202 shares of Southern Copper stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.79, for a total transaction of $39,751.28. Following the sale, the director directly owned 1,723 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $339,066.65. The trade was a 10.49% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders have sold a total of 509 shares of company stock valued at $97,753 over the last three months. 0.07% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Southern Copper Stock Up 2.5% Shares of NYSE SCCO opened at $199.45 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $166.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.16, a PEG ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 1.11. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $181.66 and its 200 day moving average is $182.97. Southern Copper Corporation has a 52 week low of $92.57 and a 52 week high of $223.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 4.56 and a current ratio of 5.06. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The basic materials company reported $1.99 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.93 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $4.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.37 billion. Southern Copper had a net margin of 35.87% and a return on equity of 49.04%. The firm’s revenue was up 40.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that Southern Copper Corporation will post 7.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Southern Copper Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 27th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 11th will be paid a dividend of $1.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 11th. This is a positive change from Southern Copper’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. Southern Copper’s payout ratio is presently 64.33%.

Analyst Ratings Changes A number of research firms have recently issued reports on SCCO. Scotiabank reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and issued a $138.34 price objective (up from $133.40) on shares of Southern Copper in a research report on Monday, June 15th. Zacks Research downgraded Southern Copper from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. CICC Research cut shares of Southern Copper to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Sunday, July 26th. Barclays set a $164.03 price objective on shares of Southern Copper and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut shares of Southern Copper from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and seven have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $146.84.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on SCCO

Southern Copper Profile (Free Report)

Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE: SCCO) is a large, integrated copper producer whose operations span the full value chain from exploration and mining to smelting, refining and the sale of copper and other metal products. The company produces a range of copper products including copper concentrate and refined cathodes, and recovers valuable byproducts such as molybdenum, silver and zinc. Southern Copper concentrates on high-volume, long-life assets designed to support steady production and processing capabilities.

Southern Copper’s operations are concentrated in Peru and Mexico, where it owns and operates multiple large-scale mining and processing facilities.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Southern Copper 3 Energy Stocks Raising Dividends as the Sector Surges 5 Reasons the S&P 500 Could Keep Rallying Through Year-End Walmart’s Post-Earnings Drop Could Be a Buying Opportunity The Trade Desk’s Earnings Miss Raises a Bigger Question About Its AI Future

Receive News & Ratings for Southern Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 9,924,823 shares of the basic materials company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,729,500,000. BlackRock Inc. owned 1.20% of Southern Copper as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in Southern Copper in the 2nd quarter valued at $696,621,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Southern Copper in the fourth quarter valued at $97,645,000. Capital Research Global Investors bought a new position in shares of Southern Copper in the fourth quarter valued at about $81,039,000. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new stake in shares of Southern Copper during the 1st quarter worth about $85,342,000. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new position in Southern Copper in the 2nd quarter valued at about $85,770,000. 7.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Southern Copper In other news, Director Bonilla Luis Miguel Palomino sold 202 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $196.79, for a total transaction of $39,751.28. Following the sale, the director directly owned 1,723 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $339,066.65. This represents a 10.49% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 509 shares of company stock worth $97,753. Corporate insiders own 0.07% of the company’s stock.

Southern Copper Price Performance Shares of Southern Copper stock opened at $194.57 on Thursday. Southern Copper Corporation has a twelve month low of $92.57 and a twelve month high of $223.88. The company has a quick ratio of 4.56, a current ratio of 5.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $181.26 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $182.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $162.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 1.11. Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 22nd. The basic materials company reported $1.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.93 by $0.06. Southern Copper had a net margin of 35.87% and a return on equity of 49.04%. The firm had revenue of $4.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.37 billion. The company’s revenue was up 40.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Southern Copper Corporation will post 7.61 EPS for the current year.

Southern Copper Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 27th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 11th will be issued a $1.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 11th. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. This is a boost from Southern Copper’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. Southern Copper’s payout ratio is presently 64.33%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have weighed in on SCCO. Barclays set a $164.03 price target on shares of Southern Copper and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Southern Copper from $168.97 to $169.96 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Citigroup reiterated a “positive” rating on shares of Southern Copper in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Southern Copper from $125.49 to $129.94 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 17th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Southern Copper from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and seven have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $146.84.

Read Our Latest Research Report on Southern Copper

Southern Copper Company Profile (Free Report)

Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE: SCCO) is a large, integrated copper producer whose operations span the full value chain from exploration and mining to smelting, refining and the sale of copper and other metal products. The company produces a range of copper products including copper concentrate and refined cathodes, and recovers valuable byproducts such as molybdenum, silver and zinc. Southern Copper concentrates on high-volume, long-life assets designed to support steady production and processing capabilities.

Southern Copper’s operations are concentrated in Peru and Mexico, where it owns and operates multiple large-scale mining and processing facilities.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Southern Copper Bloom Energy’s AI Surge Meets a Valuation Reality Check Target Is Winning Shoppers Back—Can the Rally Reach $180? IonQ’s Space Contract Points to a New Frontier for Quantum Investors Is Apple’s AI Strategy Smarter Than Skeptics Think?

Receive News & Ratings for Southern Copper Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern Copper and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.