Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX)
Freeport-McMoRan is a global mining giant that digs up the copper and gold essential for everything from electric cars to modern electronics.
Is Freeport-McMoRan Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Freeport-McMoRan is a global mining giant that digs up the copper and gold essential for everything from electric cars to modern electronics.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
A long-term structural shortage of copper.
Technological shifts reducing copper usage.
What does Freeport-McMoRan Inc. do?
This company operates massive mines across the Americas and Indonesia, making its money by selling raw copper and gold to manufacturers worldwide. Because copper is a key ingredient in the global shift toward green energy and electrification, the business is heavily tied to how much the world is building and upgrading its power grids. The figure that moves the needle most is the global price of copper, as even small swings in the market can have a big impact on their bottom line.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and income, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 1.0% a year
- !Revenue slipped about 7% over the year
- !High P/E of 31 - big growth is already priced in
- ✓Low debt - a sturdier balance sheet
- A major player in a metal essential for the green energy transition
- Strong recent growth in earnings
- Significant global scale and established mining operations
- Political instability in regions where mines are located
- Environmental and regulatory hurdles for new mining projects
- Economic downturns reducing the demand for industrial metals
What do Freeport-McMoRan Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Freeport-McMoRan Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Freeport-McMoRan Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Freeport-McMoRan Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 1.0% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Freeport-McMoRan Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-22 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-23 | $0.62 | $0.74 | Beat +18% |
| 2026-04-23 | $0.47 | $0.57 | Beat +22% |
| 2026-01-22 | $0.32 | $0.47 | Beat +47% |
| 2025-10-23 | $0.41 | $0.50 | Beat +23% |
| 2025-07-23 | $0.44 | $0.54 | Beat +22% |
| 2025-04-24 | $0.23 | $0.24 | Beat +5% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Albemarle CorporationWhat are the scenarios for Freeport-McMoRan Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Freeport-McMoRan Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- A major player in a metal essential for the green energy transition
- Strong recent growth in earnings
- Significant global scale and established mining operations
- Highly sensitive to unpredictable commodity price swings
- Mining is a capital-intensive business with high operational costs
- The share price can be quite volatile compared to the broader market
- Political instability in regions where mines are located
- Environmental and regulatory hurdles for new mining projects
- Economic downturns reducing the demand for industrial metals
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained, long-term drop in the global price of copper
- Major operational failures or closures at key mining sites
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.