Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO) is one of the best copper stocks to buy for the AI and electrification boom. The company’s latest usable update came on May 18, 2026, when it published its 1Q26 production and capex guidance presentation. The update keeps Southern Copper’s scale at the center of the investment case, with the company expecting 2026 copper production of 915,400 tonnes, above its prior planned target of 911,400 tonnes.

That matters for a copper-themed list because Southern Copper is not just a price-taker riding metal momentum; it has one of the largest production bases among publicly traded copper miners. In its Q1 filing, the company said copper accounted for 70.2% of first-quarter revenue, while net sales rose 36.2% year over year to $4.25 billion. Copper mine production still declined 4.0% year over year due to lower grades at several operations, so the stock’s story is a mix of scale, pricing leverage, and execution risk rather than clean operational acceleration.

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Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE:SCCO) is a Phoenix-based mining company producing copper, molybdenum, silver, and zinc, with major operations in Peru and Mexico.

While we acknowledge the potential of SCCO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

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