Operations at Vale’s (VALE) Fabrica and Viga mines were halted in January after a water overflow at the units that analysts say account for ~2% of the company’s iron ore production outlook for this year.

The company recently reaffirmed its FY 2026 iron ore production guidance of 335M-345M metric tons, but analysts said the Fabrica and Viga suspension was a negative, as the units have an annual combined output of ~8M tons.

It is unclear whether Vale (VALE) is approved to resume operations, as the Minas Gerais state government had also suspended activities at the mines.

The post Vale cleared to restart Brazil operations shut down by water overflow appeared first on Up2info.com.

Southern Copper (SCCO) has undergone a significant re‑rating and now trades at 16.3x estimated 2026 EV/EBITDA, a level BofA analysts led by Caio Ribeiro said is difficult to justify given thin free cash flow yields of 3% in 2026 and expectations for production to decline by ~3% over the next years, from 938M tons in 2025 to 910M tons in 2027 due to depletion and lower grades, with limited catalysts to offset these trends.

While BofA’s medium‑term outlook for copper remains constructive, the analysts believe Southern Copper’s (SCCO) current share price “already embeds a bullish scenario that is unlikely to materialize near term.”

Vale (VALE) shares have been helped by strong operational performance in 2025 and de-risking, but with iron ore now below $100/ton, the ongoing ramp‑up of Simandou, and expected 2%–3% declines in China steel demand/production, BofA sees limited upside at this stage.

While the operational outlook remains solid, as reflected by recent results, BofA believes the current share price already captures most of the near‑term potential.

The post Southern Copper, Vale downgraded at BofA on stretched valuations appeared first on Up2info.com.

The Brazilian miner gained about 10% in the preceding six sessions. Overall, the stock rose over 30% so far this year, compared to the 1.4% rise in the broader S&P 500 Index.

Vale is up nearly 8% over the past one month. The stock closed 2.9% higher on Wednesday at $17.53.

The company, in February, reported that its fourth-quarter net loss widened year-on-year, citing an impairment of nickel assets in Canada

Looking at Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating, VALE has a Strong Buy rating with a score of 4.95 out of 5. The company received A+ in the prospect of profitability, while it got a C- in the growth factor.

Turning to the Wall Street community, 15 analysts gave VALE a Buy and above, 10 analysts have given the stock a Hold recommendation, and no one recommended Sell or lower.

Seeking Alpha analysts are also cautious and see the stock as a Hold.

“Given Vale’s high sensitivity to iron ore prices, the stock is likely to revert to a more typical correlation once Brazil’s macro impulse fades…Therefore, I decided to prune my position accordingly after the recent rally, downgrading VALE to a Hold, as risk-reward now appears balanced rather than asymmetric,” said Seeking Alpha analyst Bernard Zambonin.

Earlier in the month, Vale agreed to sell most of its stake in the Thompson Nickel Belt venture in Manitoba to Exiro Minerals, Orion Resources Partners, and Canada Growth Fund as part of a strategic review of its base metals business.

The post Vale set to snap six straight sessions of gains appeared first on Up2info.com.

Vale (VALE) said its Vale Base Metals subsidiary will retain an 18.9% minority stake as part of a new four-party consortium for the Thompson venture, with Exiro, Orion, and Canada Growth Fund collectively holding 81.1%.

The consortium partners agreed to invest as much as $200M at Thompson, while Vale Base Metals (VALE) signed an offtake agreement for concentrate produced at the Thompson mill, maintaining its status as Canada’s largest nickel supplier.

The group did not disclose the terms of the transaction, which is expected to close by year-end.

The post Vale to sell most of Thompson Nickel Belt operations to new consortium appeared first on Up2info.com.

The post Vale GAAP EPS of -$0.90, revenue of $11.06B appeared first on Up2info.com.

Vale (VALE) said it recorded a $3.5B impairment on Vale Base Metals’ nickel assets in Canada, “triggered by a downward revision in long-term nickel price assumptions based on market estimates,” and a writeoff of deferred tax assets from subsidiaries resulted in a $2.8B impact.

Q4 adjusted EBITDA climbed 21% Y/Y to $4.59B, matching expectations, which the company said was driven primarily by improved contributions from Vale Base Metals, and recurring free cash flow reached $1.7B, surging by $900M Y/Y, driven mainly by strong projected EBITDA and lower net financial expenses.

Q4 revenues rose 9% to $11.06B, surpassing the $10.86B analyst consensus estimate, as performance was solid across segments, as sales volumes for iron ore, copper, and nickel rose Y/Y by 5%, 8%, and 5%, respectively.

In the iron ore business, Vale (VALE) said it is advancing the commissioning of the Capanema and Vargem Grande 1 projects, with full production expected in this year’s H1 and H2, respectively, and construction of the Serra Sul +20 project has reached 84% completion, with operations expected to begin in H2.

In base metals, Vale (VALE) said it has started construction of the Bacaba project to extend the operational life of the Sossego mining complex, with copper production estimated to average 50K tons/year over an eight-year mine life.

Last month, the company reported FY 2025 iron ore production had reached 336.1M metric tons, the highest annual level since 2018, including 90.4M tons in Q4, up 6% Y/Y.

For FY 2026, Vale (VALE) affirmed it expects to produce 335M-345M tons of iron ore.

The post Vale slips after posting widening quarterly loss, including $3.5B nickel assets impairment appeared first on Up2info.com.

The post Vale Q4 2025 Earnings Preview appeared first on Up2info.com.

Vale (VALE) lost the position of world’s largest iron ore producer to Rio TInto (RIO) in 2019, when the collapse of a tailings dam in the Brazilian city of Brumadinho killed more than 250 people and prompted a safety review of the company’s projects.

Rio (RIO) reported last week that its 2025 iron ore production from the Pilbara totaled 327.3M metric tons; when including its Canadian operations, total iron ore output hit 336.6M tons.

For Q4, Vale (VALE) said iron ore production rose 6% Y/Y to 90.4M tons, driven by Brucutu’s robust performance and the continued ramp-up of the Capanema and VGR1 projects, while Q4 pellet production fell 9% Y/Y to 8.3M tons in Q4.

Q4 copper production increased 6% to 108.1K tons, the company’s highest quarterly copper output since 2018, reflecting all-time-high production at Salobo, while nickel production rose 2% to 46.2K tons.

The post Vale’s iron ore output rose 3% in 2025, topping Rio Tinto’s Pilbara for first time in seven years appeared first on Up2info.com.

Vale (VALE) said the city of Congonhas had ordered the suspension of operating permits for its Fabrica and Viga units and the adoption of emergency measures following the overflows.

The company reaffirmed its FY 2026 iron ore production guidance of 335M-345M metric tons, but analysts said the suspension was a negative, as the units have an annual combined output of ~8M tons.

Analysts at Itau BBA said the events could affect Vale’s (VALE) short-term share performance, but this is due primarily to “regulatory scrutiny and headline risk rather than a reassessment of structural operational risk.”

Vale (VALE), which has faced scrutiny since two major dam disasters in Minas Gerais state in the 2010s, said there was no connection between the latest accident and the tailings dams it has in the region, which it said are “in stable and safe conditions.”

The post Vale halts two iron ore units after water overflow prompts permit suspension appeared first on Up2info.com.

Miner and steelmaker Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (SID) said tailing water flooded its facilities near the mine, including a loading area; CSN said its mining containment structures are operating normally, but it is not yet known if the incident will affect production.

Vale (VALE) said its own output would not be impacted by the incident.

The municipal government of Congonhas said Vale’s (VALE) slurry reached streams in the town, and a second overflow occurred at the company’s nearby Viga mine.

The incident does not involve a dam, and all dams in the region remain stable and under continuous monitoring, Vale (VALE) said; the Brumadinho dam collapse in Minas Gerais seven years ago killed 270 people.

The post Vale mine overflow in Brazil sends water into competitor CSN’s site appeared first on Up2info.com.