Topic: How To Invest

Q: Pat, what do you think of the outlook for Southern Copper, as well as the copper metal itself? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: Southern Copper Corp., $60.48, symbol SCCO on New York (Shares outstanding: 773.1 million; Market cap: $46.7 billion; Resources sector; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk www.southerncoppercorp.com), is the fifth-largest copper producer in the world with operations in both Mexico and Peru. It also produces molybdenum, silver, zinc, lead and gold. Mexican conglomerate Grupo Mexico holds an 88.9% stake in the company. In 2021, Southern Copper’s copper production costs were just $0.67 a pound, making it one of the world’s lowest-cost producers. The company generates 81% of its revenues from copper, with the rest from molybdenum (10%), zinc (3%), silver (3%), and other metals (3%). Between 2017 and 2020, overall revenue rose 20.0%, from $6.65 billion in 2017 to $7.98 billion in 2020. Revenue then jumped 36.9% in 2021 on surging copper prices, to $10.93 billion. Earnings climbed 6.4% between 2017 and 2020, from $1.48 billion, or $1.90 a share, to $1.57 billion, or $2.03. Alongside revenue, earnings then jumped 116.3% in 2021, to $3.40…