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Investing.com - Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) has reiterated its Equalweight rating and $54.00 price target on Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) despite the mining company reporting better-than-expected second-quarter 2025 results. The mining giant, currently valued at $65 billion, has shown strong momentum with a 21.7% year-to-date return.
Freeport-McMoRan posted revenues of $7,582 million in the second quarter, exceeding the Visible Alpha consensus estimate of $7,152 million. The company’s adjusted EBITDA reached $3,191 million, surpassing consensus forecasts of $3,020 million, while adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.53, ahead of the consensus expectation of $0.45. According to InvestingPro, five analysts have recently revised their earnings estimates upward for the upcoming period, suggesting continued optimism about the company’s performance.
The mining giant reported copper production of 1,016 million pounds, exceeding guidance of 1,005 million pounds, while gold volumes reached 522,000 ounces, beating the consensus estimate of 499,000 ounces. Molybdenum production totaled 22 million pounds, slightly above consensus forecasts of 21 million pounds.
Freeport-McMoRan achieved copper net cash costs of $1.13 per pound, significantly below guidance of approximately $1.50 per pound and consensus estimates of $1.27 per pound. The lower costs were attributed to higher by-product credits.
Morgan Stanley expects the stock to underperform as a reduced sales outlook and higher cash operating cost guidance offset the strong quarterly performance. Cash from operations for the quarter totaled $2,195 million, exceeding the consensus estimate of $2,033 million. InvestingPro analysis indicates the company maintains a GOOD financial health score of 2.9, with strong liquidity ratios and moderate debt levels. Discover 10+ additional exclusive insights and detailed valuations with InvestingPro’s comprehensive research report.
In other recent news, Freeport-McMoRan has been the focus of several analyst updates. CFRA raised its price target for the company to $57 from $48, maintaining a Strong Buy rating, and adjusted its 2025 and 2026 EPS forecasts upward, highlighting the company’s role in global energy transition and infrastructure development. Stifel initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a $56 price target, emphasizing the company’s copper production capabilities and innovative leaching technology. Meanwhile, Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James increased its price target to $53 from $52, citing Freeport-McMoRan’s large, low-cost copper assets and significant gold production. Citi also adjusted its price target, raising it to $48 from $44, due to potential benefits from upcoming Section 232 tariffs on copper imports. However, Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock from Overweight to Equalweight, although it raised the price target to $54, pointing to limited short-term catalysts. These developments reflect diverse analyst perspectives on Freeport-McMoRan’s potential in the current market environment.
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