VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV: SMY | OTCQB: SHCMF) (“Search” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that the planned 7000m of the DEEP FOX Phase 3 drill program have been completed. DEEP FOX is located in our Port Hope Simpson – St. Lewis Critical Rare Earth Elements (CREE) District in SE Labrador. The drill program consisted of 38 drill holes. Currently, we have logged 29 drill holes and sent over 3500 samples for geochemical assay. Our geological team expect to have the remainder of the holes logged and samples, approximately another 2500, sent for assay shortly.

DEEP FOX DRILL PROGRAM UPDATE

The drill program commenced June 2, 2021.

• Drilling program observations:

  • We finished the drill program ahead of schedule;

  • Tested beyond the outer limits of the current mine pit design;

  • Visual mineralization observed in every drill hole.

• Drilling program progress:

  • Starting to receive assay results. We will not be reporting until all assay results have been received and interpreted.

• Next Steps of our Exploration Program:

  • We will delay our planned HQ geotechnical program until our resource engineers provide an updated mine pit design. We believe our planned HQ drill program will be expanded to include more drill holes and will commence after an updated mineral resource and mine pit design has been completed.

  • We anticipate having all assay results and interpretation to initiate the updated resource estimation by October 31, 2021.

  • We will commence our channel sampling program at SILVER FOX and FOX MEADOW. We anticipate our program will allow these prospects to be drill ready for 2022.

  • Late September, we have scheduled our team to work on our recently staked and acquired properties in the RED WINE DISTRICT, located in Northern Labrador.

  • The exploration programs are being funded from our April 2021 flow-through funding of $ 2,520,000.

Dr. Randy Miller, Vice-President, Exploration comments; “We have observed mineralization in all drill holes and await assay results to determine the grades. Drilling has expanded the zone of visual mineralization on the 150m and 200m levels to the NE and on the 50m level to the west. We are also currently digitizing all drilling and channel sampling data for Deep Fox, including drill logs, assays, and specific gravity and magnetic susceptibility measurements, to aid in the geological interpretation of the mineralization and associated rocks.”

Greg Andrews, President/CEO states; “Our immediate goal is to advance our Critical Rare Earth Element District to production. This will require (a) advancing our DEEP FOX project to a measured and indicated resource, (b) providing engineering and economic studies such as Preliminary Economic Assessments and Feasibility Studies and (c) developing and submitting an Environmental Assessment report to initiate the environmental and permitting process for DEEP FOX. Our goal is to have the updated Preliminary Economic Assessment report by January 2022. Also, we will continue our exploration work in the District to advance some of our other prospects to be drill ready for 2022.”

The DEEP FOX DEPOSIT occurs about 2 km northeast of St. Lewis, Labrador and 12 km east of the FOXTROT DEPOSIT.

Search is following the COVID protocols which are currently in place within the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador to ensure the safety of our employees and the communities where we work.

Qualified Person:

Dr. Randy Miller, Ph.D., P.Geo, is the Company's Vice President, Exploration, and Qualified Person (as defined by National Instrument 43-101) who has supervised the preparation of and approved the technical information reported herein. The Company will endeavour to meet high standards of integrity, transparency, and consistency in reporting technical content, including geological and assay (e.g., REE) data.

About Search Minerals Inc.

Led by a proven management team and board of directors, Search is focused on finding and developing Critical Rare Earths Elements (CREE), Zirconium (Zr) and Hafnium (Hf) resources within the emerging Port Hope Simpson – St. Lewis CREE District of South East Labrador. The Company controls a belt 63 km long and 2 km wide and is road accessible, on tidewater, and located within 3 local communities. Search has completed a preliminary economic assessment report for FOXTROT, and a resource estimate for DEEP FOX. Search is also working on three exploration prospects along the belt which include: FOX MEADOW, SILVER FOX and AWESOME FOX.

Search has continued to optimize our patented Direct Extraction Process technology with the generous support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and from the Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency. We have completed two pilot plant operations and produced highly purified mixed rare earth carbonate concentrate and mixed REO concentrate for separation and refining.

For further information, please contact:

Greg Andrews
President and CEO
Tel: 604-998-3432
E-mail: info@searchminerals.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding “Forward-Looking” Statements:

Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. "Forward-looking information" in this news release includes information about the Company’s proposed exploration programs described herein, and other forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the inability to obtain the necessary resources to complete the exploration programs and poor exploration results.

The forward-looking information in this news release reflects the current expectations, assumptions and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made assumptions about the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, and that the Company will receive all required regulatory approvals,.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, unless and until required by applicable securities laws. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

By Ivana Sekularac and Aleksandar Vasovic

KORENITA, Serbia, Aug 26 (Reuters) – Four years from now, fields in the Jadar river valley in western Serbia where Djorjde Kapetanovic grows corn and soy to feed his cattle will be turned into a waste dump for Europe's biggest lithium mine.

Rio Tinto in July committed $2.4 billion to its Jadar project as global miners push into metals needed for the green energy transition, including lithium, which is used to make electric vehicle batteries. The Jadar project, once completed, would help make Rio a top 10 lithium producer, just as demand for EVs booms.

Opposition to the project is growing, however, because of concerns about possible environmental damage and protest rallies have become more frequent. In April, thousands gathered in Belgrade to protest against widespread pollution in the Balkan country and against the lithium mine near Loznica, 142 km (88 miles) southwest of the capital.

Once it reaches full capacity, the mine is expected to produce 58,000 tonnes of refined battery-grade lithium carbonate per year. That would make it Europe's biggest lithium mine in terms of production, Rio said.

In the village of Korenita, dairy farmer Kapetanovic said the mine, if opened, could leave him without income. Part of his land where he grows crop to feed his animals will be turned into a dump for mining waste, known as tailings, with compensation from the company.

Other areas of his land, his house and a cattle shed will be outside the mine, leaving Kapetanovic worried about exposure to possible pollution.

"Who would want to buy products made on the outskirts of the mine?" said Kapetanovic, who produces 10 tonnes (22,000 lb) of meat and 90,000 litres (23,775 gallons) of milk per year, making him one of the bigger producers in the Loznica area.

Rio Tinto Serbia CEO Vesna Prodanovic said the Anglo-Australian miner would meet all European Union and Serbian environmental regulations, including on the treatment of wastewater.

"There's simply no way for the construction to start without securing licences (and) if all those (EU standards) are not adhered to," she said in an interview.

"We take into account precipitation levels, prescribed dust levels. We take into consideration everything there is in the field. We are making all studies and tests to get clear data about what is the current situation in the area."

One study, commissioned by Rio on the mine’s environmental impact, concluded the mine should not be built as it will cause "irredeemable damage to the biosphere", an abstract obtained by Reuters found.

"The implementation of the planned activities, especially the disposal of industrial waste, will significantly impair biodiversity in the entire area of the planned works," the study by Belgrade University’s Faculty of Biology said.

"In … primary zones of (the mine's) influence, there will be complete and direct destruction of habitats with the disappearance of all organisms that inhabit them."

Rio said the biodiversity study was part of a wider feasibility study and it would conduct further research to "support the most advanced and most expensive solutions in nature protection, which would minimise the impact".

ECONOMIC BOOST

Lithium is central to the European Union's plans to secure an entire supply chain of battery minerals and materials as the use of electric vehicles increases.

Serbia, which sits on the world's 11th largest lithium reserves, is working its way through the accession process to join the EU.

For its own economy, the Jadar project is one of Serbia’s biggest foreign investments to date and could help to tackle rising unemployment in the Balkan country.

Rio said the project would create about 2,100 construction jobs and inject approximately 200 million euros ($235.32 million) per year into the domestic supply chain.

Energy minister Zorana Mihajlovic told Reuters that Serbia aimed, like the EU, to secure the entire production chain, including a potential battery plant and an electric vehicle plant.

Rio's Serbia CEO said the company's studies estimated the project would add 1 percentage point to Serbia's $51.4 billion annual GDP. It would also boost Loznica’s municipal budget by 60-70% annually, she said.

In June, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who is under fire for supporting the project, said a referendum would be held to allow people to decide whether it should go ahead.

The absence of further details on the referendum has worried opponents. In July, Loznica municipal assembly, which is dominated by Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party and its allies, formally gave a green light for mine construction by approving a new municipal plan for land allocation.

Contacted by Reuters, the president's office had no immediate comment.

Rio has bought nearly half of the land required for the mine, which will be spread over roughly 387 hectares.

Some $100 million of Rio's investment has been earmarked for environmental protection, but activists say that is insufficient to compensate for potential damage.

One major concern for environmentalists is Rio's plan to put

waste dumps in the Korenita and Jadar rivers valley, an area prone to flash flooding.

In 2014, Korenita river flooding caused a closed mine's tailings dam to overflow, spilling toxic waste onto agricultural land.

Rio Tinto said it planned to convert the liquid waste into "dry cakes" to make it easier and safer to store and is planning for once-in-a-millennium floods in its construction.

($1 = 0.8499 euros) (Editing by Amran Abocar and Barbara Lewis)

After taking a beating over the past few weeks, oil prices have been surging on rising demand optimism, a major production outage in Mexico, and the first full U.S. regulatory approval of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

October crude and Brent were up 3% to $67.47/bbl and $70.83/bbl, respectively, a day after a 5% surge by both benchmarks snapped a seven-day losing streak after China claimed to have brought its coronavirus cases down to zero and opened up the Ningbo port, one of the busiest in the world, after a two-week shutdown.

About two weeks ago, China—once the epicenter of the virus—took an uncompromising approach by imposing widespread travel restrictions and new lockdowns. Authorities in Beijing curtailed public transport and taxi services in 144 of the worst-hit areas nationwide, including train service and subway usage in Beijing.

That seemed like overkill, with less than 1,000 cases of the delta virus reported nationwide and a good 61% of the population already fully vaccinated. However, Beijing opted to employ its tried-and-tested method of targeted lockdown that has been successful in stopping no less than 30 Covid-19 flare-ups in the past. The capital city of Beijing implemented a two-week quarantine for visitors from high-risk areas, halted the use of community spaces for entertainment, and also limited the number of visitors allowed at parks and scenic areas.

Chinese authorities also urged people to cancel vacations and business trips, especially those from high-risk areas, and also advised college students to delay their return to school for the new semester.

Well, it appears that Beijing has come out on top, once again.

"The developments out of China are reigniting expectations that oil demand would start to rise again," said Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at Price Futures Group Inc. has told Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, a major fire on a Mexican oil platform has wiped out more than 400,000 barrels a day of the nation's output, a development that has calmed nerves with OPEC+ expected to add a similar amount to the market beginning September.

Bullish for commodities

The latest oil price rally also comes with further signals that demand is strengthening.

Over the past two days, the difference between the nearest two December Brent futures contracts jumped by $1 a barrel, while the global benchmark increased its premium to WTI to the widest since April. 

Meanwhile, the American Petroleum Institute (API) has reported a 1.622 million decline in U.S. crude stockpiles, accompanied by a nearly 1 million drop in gasoline stocks. API has also reported a 245,000 barrel dip in distillate stocks last week, which unfortunately marks the smallest drop since January.  

The turnaround in demand sentiment has also helped boost other commodities, with iron ore prices jumping 10%.

Shares of iron miners Vale (NYSE:VALE), Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO), and BHP (NYSE:BHP) are all trading higher as iron ore prices bounce off a spectacular collapse that saw prices crash ~25% over the past 30 days.

Iron ore futures in Singapore have rebounded as much as 10% to $149.65/metric, thanks in large part to the improved sentiment across all asset classes stemming from China's improved situation as well as a potential boost to the U.S. vaccination drive.

China's central bank has said it will try and stabilize the supply of credit and increase the amount of money supporting smaller businesses. There are expectations for further stimulus targeting the infrastructure sector, manufacturing, and real estate after the July slowdown left the economic situation looking bleak.

All eyes will now turn to the Jackson Hole symposium—being held virtually from Thursday—which is expected to offer important insights into how the Federal Reserve plans to scale back stimulus.

The dollar has lately hit a nine-month high, weighing heavily on dollar-priced commodities, including oil, due to a surge in safe-haven demand. The dollar's multi-faceted strengths have been on display once again following the release of weak U.S. retail sales data that underwhelmed against consensus estimates; Yet, the greenback has been gaining ground against its international peers due to expectations of the Fed to begin its taper program in September.

However, Jeff Gundlach (aka the bond king) says not to worry too much about the taper because the Fed intends to keep rates near zero for years to come.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

• Europe Faces LNG Supply Crunch
  

• Brent Climbs Back Above $70 On Major Production Outage
  

• ‘Skimming Stones’ Pattern Shows Wall Street Is Wrong About Oil

Read this article on OilPrice.com

Mosaic (MOS) could be a solid addition to your portfolio given a notable revision in the company's earnings estimates. While the stock has been gaining lately, the trend might continue since its earnings outlook is still improving.

The rising trend in estimate revisions, which is a result of growing analyst optimism on the earnings prospects of this fertilizer maker, should get reflected in its stock price. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. This insight is at the core of our stock rating tool — the Zacks Rank.

The five-grade Zacks Rank system, which ranges from a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record of outperformance, with Zacks #1 Ranked stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 2008.

Consensus earnings estimates for the next quarter and full year have moved considerably higher for Mosaic, as there has been strong agreement among the covering analysts in raising estimates.

The chart below shows the evolution of forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Current-Quarter Estimate Revisions

The company is expected to earn $1.68 per share for the current quarter, which represents a year-over-year change of +630.43%.

Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Mosaic has increased 50.99% because three estimates have moved higher compared to no negative revisions.

Current-Year Estimate Revisions

For the full year, the earnings estimate of $4.43 per share represents a change of +421.18% from the year-ago number.

The revisions trend for the current year also appears quite promising for Mosaic, with four estimates moving higher over the past month compared to no negative revisions. The consensus estimate has also received a boost over this time frame, increasing 34.51%.

Favorable Zacks Rank

The promising estimate revisions have helped Mosaic earn a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Rank is a tried-and-tested rating tool that helps investors effectively harness the power of earnings estimate revisions and make the right investment decision. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Our research shows that stocks with Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) significantly outperform the S&P 500.

Bottom Line

Mosaic shares have added 6.1% over the past four weeks, suggesting that investors are betting on its impressive estimate revisions. So, you may consider adding it to your portfolio right away to benefit from its earnings growth prospects.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

The Mosaic Company (MOS) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

In this article, we discuss the 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. If you want to skip our detailed analysis of these stocks, go directly to Stanley Druckenmiller is Loading Up on These 5 Stocks.

Technology stocks have offered investors explosive returns over the past few months. No other billionaire on Wall Street has benefited more from this trend than Stanley Druckenmiller, the Pennsylvania-born investor who oversees Duquesne Capital, a hedge fund with more than $3.4 billion in assets under management. Druckenmiller, who has witnessed his wealth soar by over $4.5 billion in the first eight months of this year, added many growth stocks to his portfolio between March and June, according to the latest securities filings.

Together, the 15 most valuable new additions to the Duquesne Capital portfolio at the end of the second quarter of 2021 accounted for over 11% of the portfolio. Druckenmiller has loaded up on tech companies in the software, cybersecurity, and cloud services business. However, despite this flurry of new activity, he has also maintained sizable stakes in his top holdings like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), among others.

Although the total value of his holdings has decreased from $3.8 billion at the end of the first quarter this year to $3.4 billion at the end of the second quarter, Druckenmiller still has a turnover rate of 89%. Between March and June this year, the billionaire purchased 16 new stocks, made additional purchases in 10, sold out of 28 equities, and reduced holdings in 12 stocks. Over the years, the incredible success that Druckenmiller has had in the investing world is not typical of an average hedge fund manager.

The entire hedge fund industry is feeling the reverberations of the changing financial landscape. Its reputation has been tarnished in the last decade, during which its hedged returns couldn’t keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. On the other hand, Insider Monkey’s research was able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by more than 124 percentage points since March 2017. Between March 2017 and July 2021 our monthly newsletter’s stock picks returned 186.1%, vs. 100.1% for the SPY. Our stock picks outperformed the market by more than 115 percentage points (see the details here). That’s why we believe hedge fund sentiment is an extremely useful indicator that investors should pay attention to. You can subscribe to our free newsletter on our homepage to receive our stories in your inbox.

Stan Druckenmiller

Our Methodology

With this context in mind, here is our list of the 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. These were ranked according to the investment portfolio of Duquesne Capital at the end of the second quarter of 2021 with the most valuable holdings occupying top positions on our list.

Only those stocks were selected that are new additions to the portfolio of the fund as compared to the filings for the first quarter of the year. The analyst ratings of each company are also discussed to provide readers with some more context for their investment decisions.

The hedge fund sentiment around each stock was gauged using the data of 873 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey. The number of hedge fund holders in each company are mentioned alongside other details for further clarity.

Stanley Druckenmiller is Loading Up on These Stocks

15. ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAD)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 21

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAD) is a California-based biopharma firm. It is placed fifteenth on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. According to the latest filings, Duquesne Capital owned 74,400 shares in ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAD) at the end of June 2021 worth $1.8 million, representing 0.05% of the portfolio.

On August 5, investment advisory Cantor Fitzgerald kept an Overweight rating on ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAD) stock and lowered the price target to $27 from $33. Charles Duncan, an analyst at the firm, issued the ratings update.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 21 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $1.3 billion in ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAD), down from 33 in the previous quarter worth $1.4 billion.

Just like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAD) is one of the top stock picks of Stanley Druckenmiller.

In its Q1 2021 investor letter, Alger, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAD) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

14. SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE: S)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 67

SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE: S) is ranked fourteenth on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. The company provides cybersecurity solutions and is headquartered in California. Regulatory filings show that Duquesne Capital owned 100,000 shares in SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE: S) worth $4.2 million at the end of the second quarter of 2021, representing 0.12% of the portfolio.

On July 26, investment advisory Cowen initiated coverage of SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE: S) stock with an Outperform rating and a price target of $60, noting that the platform marketed by the firm was becoming a major shield against network attacks.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 67 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $2 billion in SentinelOne, Inc. (NYSE: S).

13. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 51

DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is placed thirteenth on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. The company markets cable and TV-related services and is based in Colorado. Latest data shows that Duquesne Capital owned 112,400 shares in DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) at the end of June 2021 worth $4.6 million, representing 0.13% of the portfolio.

On August 12, investment advisory Deutsche Bank maintained a Buy rating on DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) stock and raised the price target to $77 from $68, noting that the company was making “tangible progress” on the network buildout.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 51 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $2.5 billion in DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), the same as in the previous quarter worth $2.2 billion.

In addition to Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is one of the top stock picks of Stanley Druckenmiller.

In its Q2 2021 investor letter, ClearBridge Investments, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

12. OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: OMF)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41

OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: OMF) is an Indiana-based financial services holding company. It is ranked twelfth on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. This is the first time the fund has bought a stake in the company. Securities filings reveal that Duquesne Capital owned 83,750 shares in OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: OMF) at the end of the second quarter of 2021 worth $5 million, representing 0.14% of the portfolio.

On July 28, investment advisory Citi maintained a Buy rating on OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: OMF) stock and raised the price target to $71 from $64, noting that the guidance numbers were positive on loan growth by the end of the year.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 41 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $994 million in OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: OMF), down from 43 in the previous quarter worth $886 million.

In its Q4 2020 investor letter, Miller Value Partners, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: OMF) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

11. The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 43

The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) is a Florida-based firm that markets fertilizers and agricultural chemicals. It is placed eleventh on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. According to the 13F filings, Duquesne Capital owned 162,000 shares in The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) at the end of June 2021 worth $5.1 million, representing 0.14% of the portfolio.

On August 20, investment advisory HSBC upgraded The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) stock to Buy from Hold and raised the price target to $39 from $37, underlining that stronger fertilizer prices were here to stay.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 43 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $808 million in The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS), up from 38 in the preceding quarter worth $944 million.

Along with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) is one of the top stock picks of Stanley Druckenmiller.

In its Q1 2021 investor letter, Appleseed Fund, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

10. Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 49

Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) is ranked tenth on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. The firm owns and runs an online entertainment platform and is based in California. According to the latest filings, Duquesne Capital owned 59,575 shares in Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) at the end of the second quarter of 2021 worth $5.3 million, representing 0.15% of the portfolio.

On August 18, investment advisory Morgan Stanley maintained an Overweight rating on Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) stock and raised the price target to $88 from $87, citing four different reasons to stay bullish on the firm in note to investors.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 49 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $4.9 billion in Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX), up from 46 in the previous quarter worth $3.3 billion.

In its Q2 2021 investor letter, Guardian Fund, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

9. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 47

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF) is placed ninth on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. The firm is based in Illinois and markets hydrogen and nitrogen products. Regulatory filings show that Duquesne Capital owned 193,900 shares in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF) at the end of June 2021 worth $9.9 million, representing 0.28% of the portfolio.

On August 20, investment advisory HSBC upgraded CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF) stock to Buy from Hold with a price target of $59.5, up from $57, noting supply disruptions, higher feedstock costs, and low inventories as catalysts for fertilizer prices.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 47 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $955 million in CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF), up from 44 in the previous quarter worth $879 million.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) are some of the top stock picks of Stanley Druckenmiller, just like CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF).

8. Farfetch Limited (NYSE: FTCH)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 63

Farfetch Limited (NYSE: FTCH) is a UK-based firm that owns and runs an online marketplace for luxury fashion goods. It is ranked eighth on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. Latest data shows that Duquesne Capital owned 293,100 shares in Farfetch Limited (NYSE: FTCH) at the end of June 2021 worth $14.6 million, representing 0.42% of the portfolio.

On August 20, investment advisory Goldman Sachs kept a Buy rating on Farfetch Limited (NYSE: FTCH) stock but lowered the price target to $68 from $71. Louise Singlehurst, an analyst at the firm, issued the ratings update.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 63 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $4 billion in Farfetch Limited (NYSE: FTCH), up from 57 in the previous quarter worth $3 billion.

In its Q1 2021 investor letter, RiverPark Funds, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Farfetch Limited (NYSE: FTCH) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

7. Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 49

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a Maryland-based firm that owns and runs hotels and timeshare properties. It is placed seventh on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. Securities filings reveal that Duquesne Capital owned 135,700 shares in Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) at the end of the second quarter of 2021 worth $18.5 million, representing 0.53% of the portfolio.

On August 4, investment advisory BMO Capital reiterated a Market Perform rating on Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) stock and raised the price target to $145 from $140, appreciating the “better-than-expected” earnings for the firm in the second quarter.

At the end of the second quarter of 2021, 49 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $2.4 billion in Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR), down from 58 in the previous quarter worth $3 billion.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) are some of the top stock picks of Stanley Druckenmiller, in addition to Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR).

In its Q1 2021 investor letter, LRT Capital Management, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

6. Coupa Software Incorporated (NASDAQ: COUP)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 54

Coupa Software Incorporated (NASDAQ: COUP) is ranked sixth on our list of 15 stocks Stanley Druckenmiller is loading up on. The firm operates from California and provides a cloud-based management platform to businesses. Latest data shows that Duquesne Capital owned 107,988 shares in Coupa Software Incorporated (NASDAQ: COUP) at the end of June 2021 worth $28.3 million, representing 0.81% of the portfolio.

On August 11, investment advisory Artete upgraded Coupa Software Incorporated (NASDAQ: COUP) stock to Buy from Sell with a price target of $300, noting that the concerns regarding demand environment were already reflected in the shares.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Connecticut-based investment firm Lone Pine Capital is a leading shareholder in Coupa Software Incorporated (NASDAQ: COUP) with 4.6 million shares worth more than $1.2 billion.

In its Q4 2020 investor letter, Artisan Partners Limited Partnership, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Coupa Software Incorporated (NASDAQ: COUP) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

Click to continue reading and see Stanley Druckenmiller is Loading Up on These 5 Stocks.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Lithium Corp. (“American Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSX-V:LI | OTCQB:LIACF | Frankfurt:5LA1) is pleased to announce the highest lithium extraction results to date, achieving 97.4% extraction utilizing warm sulfuric acid leach on Tonopah Lithium Claims (“TLC”) claystone mineralization.

Highlights:

• Latest TLC test work run by TECMMINE in Lima, Peru has achieved 97.4% lithium extraction using warm sulfuric acid leach, the highest results achieved to date from any recovery process.

• On-going test work for the sulfuric acid process route will continue to be optimized by varying leach time, acid concentration, temperature, solid-liquid ratios and grind/particle size.

• Metallurgical work on the TLC claystone mineralization continues to demonstrate amenability to three process options to extract lithium:

  • i) leaching with sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) at 90°C (97.4% extraction);

  • ii) salt roasting followed by water leaching (initial 82% extraction); and

  • iii) leaching with hydrochloric acid (HCl) at 90°C (initial 95.1% extraction).

• Continued metallurgical work will aim to take each processing option through to the lithium carbonate and/or lithium hydroxide precipitation stage and to focus on optimizing all 3 processing options and related flow-sheet designs.

• Thereafter, the Company will select the best option to enable a robust Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) with economic benefits maximized and environmental impacts minimized.

Dr. Laurence Stefan, COO of American Lithium, stated, “We are pleased to have achieved the highest lithium extraction to date from TLC using simple sulfuric acid processing with almost the entire amount of lithium available extracted into sulfate solution. We continue to focus on optimizing the best process routes from both economic and environmental perspectives and, thereafter, to advance TLC through PEA towards future development.”

TLC Process Update
Process work has previously demonstrated that TLC claystones are amenable to rapid lithium extraction using warm sulfuric acid leaching, reaching 92% lithium extraction in 10 minutes. In addition, up to 82% lithium extraction has been achieved using salt roasting followed by water leaching (refer to previous news release, dated June 29, 2021). The latest test work run at TECMMINE achieved 97.4% lithium extraction into sulfate solution using H₂SO₄ at temperatures of 90⁰C with 60-minute leaching.

Optimization test work will continue into Fall 2021 using all three potential process options: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid as well as salt roasting/water leaching. American Lithium is committed to producing a world class process to supply cost competitive lithium products in an environmentally sound manner.

Stock Option Grant
The Company also announces the granting, subject to regulatory acceptance, of 500,000 incentive stock options to an advisor / consultant of the Company (the “Options”). The Options have a term of 5 years and are exercisable at a price of $1.81 per common share.

Qualified Persons
Mr. Ted O’Connor, P.Geo., a Director of American Lithium, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical geological information contained in this news release.

About American Lithium
American Lithium, a member of the TSX Venture 50, is actively engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of lithium projects within mining-friendly jurisdictions throughout the Americas. The Company is currently focused on enabling the shift to the new energy paradigm through the continued exploration and development of its strategically located TLC lithium claystone project in the richly mineralized Esmeralda lithium district in Nevada as well as continuing to advance its Falchani lithium and Macusani uranium development projects in southeastern Peru. Both Falchani and Macusani have been through preliminary economic assessments, exhibit strong additional exploration potential and are situated near significant infrastructure.

The TSX Venture 50 is a ranking of the top performers in each of 5 industry sectors in the TSX Venture Exchange over the last year.

For more information, please contact the Company at info@americanlithiumcorp.com or visit our website at www.americanlithiumcorp.com for project update videos and related background information.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of American Lithium Corp.

“Simon Clarke”

CEO & Director

Tel: 604 428 6128

For further information, please contact:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information
This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the plans, objectives and advancement of the TLC, Falchani and Macusani Projects (the “Projects”), exploration drilling plans, in-fill and expansion drilling plans, results of exploration and development plans, expansion of resources and testing of new deposits, environmental and social community permitting, and any other statements regarding the business plans, expectations and objectives of American Lithium. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", “indicate”, “scheduled”, “target”, “goal”, “potential”, “subject”, “efforts”, “option” and similar words, or the negative connotations thereof, referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management are not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Although American Lithium believes that the current opinions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available at the time, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since American Lithium can provide no assurance that such opinions and expectations will prove to be correct. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to: American Lithium’s ability to achieve its stated goals, including the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Plateau Energy Metals Inc. (“Plateau”); the estimated costs associated with the advancement of the Projects; risks and uncertainties relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent and manner to which measures taken by governments and their agencies, American Lithium or others to attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19 could affect American Lithium, which could have a material adverse impact on many aspects of American Lithium’s businesses including but not limited to: the ability to access mineral properties for indeterminate amounts of time, the health of the employees or consultants resulting in delays or diminished capacity, social or political instability in Peru which in turn could impact American Lithium’s ability to maintain the continuity of its business operating requirements, may result in the reduced availability or failures of various local administration and critical infrastructure, reduced demand for the American Lithium’s potential products, availability of materials, global travel restrictions, and the availability of insurance and the associated costs; risks related to the certainty of title to the properties of American Lithium, including the status of the “Precautionary Measures” filed by American Lithium’s subsidiary Macusani Yellowcake S.A.C. (“Macusani”), the outcome of the administrative process, the judicial process, and any and all future remedies pursued by American Lithium and its subsidiary Macusani to resolve the title for 32 of its concessions; risks regarding the ongoing Ontario Securities Commission regulatory proceedings; the ongoing ability to work cooperatively with stakeholders, including but not limited to local communities and all levels of government; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that any future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with our expectations; risks that permits will not be obtained as planned or delays in obtaining permits; mining and development risks, including risks related to accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour disputes (including work stoppages, strikes and loss of personnel) or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in exploration and development; risks related to commodity price and foreign exchange rate fluctuations; risks related to foreign operations; the cyclical nature of the industry in which American Lithium operates; risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms or delays in obtaining governmental approvals; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the uncertain global economic environment and the effects upon the global market generally, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic measures taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19, any of which could continue to negatively affect global financial markets, including the trading price of American Lithium’s shares and could negatively affect American Lithium’s ability to raise capital and may also result in additional and unknown risks or liabilities to American Lithium. Other risks and uncertainties related to prospects, properties and business strategy of American Lithium are identified in the “Risks and Uncertainties” section of Plateau’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis filed on January 19, 2021, in the “Risk Factors” section of American Lithium’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis filed on January 29, 2021, and in recent securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. American Lithium undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Cautionary Note Regarding Macusani Concessions
Thirty-two of the 151 concessions held by American Lithium’s subsidiary Macusani, are currently subject to Administrative and Judicial processes (together, the “Processes”) in Peru to overturn resolutions issued by INGEMMET and the Mining Council of MINEM in February 2019 and July 2019, respectively, which declared Macusani’s title to 32 of the concessions invalid due to late receipt of the annual validity payments. In November 2019, Macusani applied for injunctive relief on 32 concessions in a Court in Lima, Peru and was successful in obtaining such an injunction on 17 of the concessions including three of the four concessions included in the Macusani Uranium Project PEA. The grant of the Precautionary Measure (Medida Cautelar) has restored the title, rights and validity of those 17 concessions to Macusani until a final decision is obtained at the last stage of the judicial process. A Precautionary Measure application was made at the same time for the remaining 15 concessions and was ultimately granted by a Court in Lima, Peru on March 2, 2021 which has also restored the title, rights and validity of those 15 remaining concessions to Macusani, with the result being that all 32 concessions are now protected by Precautionary Measure (Medida Cautelar) until a final decision on this matter is obtained at the last stage of the judicial process. A final date for the last stage of the judicial process has not yet been set. If American Lithium’s subsidiary Macusani does not obtain a successful resolution of the Processes, its title to the concessions could be revoked.

For those looking to find strong Basic Materials stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. The Mosaic (MOS) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? One simple way to answer this question is to take a look at the year-to-date performance of MOS and the rest of the Basic Materials group's stocks.

The Mosaic is one of 251 individual stocks in the Basic Materials sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #7 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.

The Zacks Rank is a proven model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. MOS is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MOS's full-year earnings has moved 39.90% higher within the past quarter. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Based on the latest available data, MOS has gained about 35.85% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Basic Materials group have gained about 9.08% on average. This means that The Mosaic is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Looking more specifically, MOS belongs to the Fertilizers industry, a group that includes 7 individual stocks and currently sits at #10 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 15.07% so far this year, so MOS is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.

Investors in the Basic Materials sector will want to keep a close eye on MOS as it attempts to continue its solid performance.

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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

MELBOURNE, Australia, August 24, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation today announced a partnership to study the construction of a hydrogen pilot plant at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery in Gladstone and explore the potential use of hydrogen at the refinery.

The two global companies have signed a letter of intent that focuses on Yarwun as the location for a Gladstone hydrogen plant that Sumitomo has been studying. If the project proceeds, the pilot plant would produce hydrogen for the recently announced Gladstone Hydrogen Ecosystem.

The study supports the efforts of Australian, Queensland and local governments to establish Gladstone as a clean hydrogen hub of the future.

Rio Tinto Australia Chief Executive Kellie Parker said "Rio Tinto has a long relationship with Sumitomo and we are delighted to partner with them to explore the possibilities of hydrogen, not only for our own refinery, but for Sumitomo to supply industry more broadly in Gladstone.

"Reducing the carbon intensity of our alumina production will be key to meeting our 2030 and 2050 climate targets. There is clearly more work to be done, but partnerships and projects like this are an important part of helping us get there."

Sumitomo Corporation’s Energy Innovation Initiative Director Hajime Mori said "We are excited about working together with Rio Tinto as our long-term partner to develop this hydrogen project in Gladstone and working toward our company’s vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

"We believe the pilot plant will play a significant role in establishing the Gladstone Hydrogen Ecosystem.

"Sumitomo has commenced the Design Study and Preliminary Master Planning to build the Gladstone hydrogen ecosystem and we will continue to work towards future hydrogen exports from Gladstone.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said Gladstone is an industrial powerhouse and this partnership presents a great opportunity for the region and for Queensland.

"This is only the beginning of a wave of international collaborations that will lead to new industries and new jobs underpinned by the supply of renewable energy," Mr Miles said.

"With the Palaszczuk Government’s strong commitment to creating more jobs in emerging industries, we will work to keep Queensland at the forefront of renewable hydrogen and the opportunities that come with it."

Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said the Palaszczuk Government was developing Queensland’s Energy Plan to reinforce our platform for international partnerships focused on new technology and a stronger Australia.

"This is a plan to create a renewable energy ecosystem that will power our low-carbon ambitions to transform industry, create thousands of jobs for Queenslanders, and decarbonise not only Queensland but the nation."

Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing and Minister for Water Glenn Butcher said the partnership would provide important economic opportunities for the entire Central Queensland region.

"Gladstone’s world-class deep water port, water security through Awoonga Dam, and industry attraction via the local State Development Area have set Gladstone up to become the hydrogen capital of Australia, providing massive employment and supply chain opportunities both locally and in the Central Queensland region."

The Sumitomo partnership complements a recently announced feasibility study into using hydrogen to replace natural gas in the alumina refining process at Yarwun and provides the potential for larger-scale implementation if the studies are successful.

About Rio Tinto:

Rio Tinto produces high-quality iron ore, copper, aluminium, and minerals that have an essential role in enabling the low-carbon transition. We have publicly acknowledged the reality of climate change for over two decades and have reduced our emissions footprint by over 30 percent in the decade to 2020. We have set 2030 targets to reduce our absolute emissions by 15% and our emissions intensity by 30% relative to our 2018 baseline. These targets are consistent with a 45% reduction in absolute emissions, relative to 2010 levels, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) pathways to 1.5°C. They are supported by our commitment to spend approximately $1 billion on emissions reduction initiatives over the first five years of the ten-year target period. In 2020, we set new Scope 3 emissions reduction goals to guide our partnership approach across our value chain. Read more about our approach to climate change: www.riotinto.com/invest/reports/climate-change-report

About Sumitomo Corporation:

Sumitomo Corporation ("SC") is a leading Fortune 500 global trading and business investment company with 135 locations (Japan: 22, Overseas: 113) in 66 countries and regions. The entire SC Group consists of more than 900 companies. SC conducts commodity transactions in all industries utilising worldwide networks, provides customers with financing, serves as an organiser and a coordinator for various projects, and invests in companies to promote greater growth potential. SC’s core business areas include six business units: Metal Products; Transportation & Construction Systems; Infrastructure; Media & Digital; Living Related & Real Estate; and Mineral Resources, Energy, Chemical & Electronics, and one initiative: Energy Innovation.

Sumitomo Corporation established a new business organisation entitled the Energy Innovation Initiative (EII) in April 2021 which will carry this Gladstone project. In order to greatly contribute to the achievement of our long-term goals toward climate change mitigation, "Carbon neutralisation in 2050" and "Realisation of a sustainable energy cycle", we will accelerate our efforts for the materialisation of a hydrogen society by promoting hydrogen related businesses.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210823005690/en/

Contacts

Media Relations, United Kingdom
Illtud Harri
M +44 7920 503 600

David Outhwaite
T +44 20 7781 1623
M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas
Matthew Klar
T +1 514 608 4429

Media Relations, Australia
Jonathan Rose
T +61 3 9283 3088
M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers
T +61 3 9283 3087
M +61 433 525 739s

Jesse Riseborough
T +61 8 6211 6013
M +61 436 653 412

Investor Relations, United Kingdom
Menno Sanderse
T: +44 20 7781 1517
M: +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington
T +44 20 7781 2051
M +44 7920 010 978

Clare Peever
M: +44 7788 967 877

Investor Relations, Australia
Natalie Worley
T +61 3 9283 3063
M +61 409 210 462

Amar Jambaa
T +61 3 9283 3627
M +61 4 7286 5948

Rio Tinto plc
6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom
T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia
T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

media.enquiries@riotinto.com
riotinto.com

Follow @RioTinto on Twitter

Category: General

LONDON, August 24, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rio Tinto has today commenced the process of restarting operations at Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) in South Africa. This follows a stabilisation of the security situation around the mine, supported by the national and provincial government, as well as substantive engagement with host communities and their traditional authorities.

Rio Tinto chief executive Minerals Sinead Kaufman said "The safety and security of our people has been our priority throughout and we recognise the collaboration and constructive dialogue we have had with all stakeholders to get us into a position where we can restart operations and resume contributing to the host communities, KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa. I also acknowledge the resilience and dedication shown by all our people at RBM over the past weeks."

Operations will be ramping up to capacity as soon as possible. The overall impact of the suspension of operations, including the shutdown of furnace number 4 as announced on 21 July 2021, is still to be assessed. At this time, the force majeure declared on customer contracts remains in place.

This announcement is authorised for release to the market by Steve Allen, Rio Tinto’s Group Company Secretary.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210824005423/en/

Contacts

Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com

Media Relations, UK
Illtud Harri
M +44 7920 503 600

David Outhwaite
M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas
Matthew Klar
T +1 514 608 4429

Investor Relations, UK
Menno Sanderse
M: +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington
M +44 7920 010 978

Clare Peever
M +44 7788 967 877

Rio Tinto plc
6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Media Relations, Australia
Jonathan Rose
M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers
M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough
M +61 436 653 412

Investor Relations, Australia
Natalie Worley
M +61 409 210 462

Amar Jambaa
M +61 472 865 948

Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

riotinto.com

Category: RBM

Crude prices recovered for the second day in a row, fueled by optimism about falling COVID-19 infections in China and by a major production outage in the Gulf of Mexico

Source: Baker Hughes.

Chart of the Week

Indian Crude Imports Drop to 1-Year Low in July

– Indian demand seems to have bottomed out in July, hitting a 1-year low in crude oil imports at 3.4 million b/d.

– The weak readings come from a double whammy of refinery maintenance in at least six major refineries across the country and still-high product stocks that were slow to clear during the April-May lockdowns.

– With the monsoon season largely over and refineries coming back from seasonal maintenance, forthcoming months should see tangible improvements, boosted by a narrowing Brent-Dubai EFS (ie more arbitrage barrels coming in).
– August imports so far seem to be indicating a gradual rebound in Indian demand, with arrivals between August 01-23 averaging 3.8 million b/d, up by 400,000 b/d month-on-month.

Market Movers

– S&P warned that it might downgrade the credit rating of Australian energy firm BHP (NYSE:BHP) after it sold its oil business to Woodside in a nil-premium merger. The potential downgrade to BBB+ would see BHP’s rating drop to its lowest level since it was first rated in 1995.

– Brazil’s NOC Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) launched operations at its 180 kbpd Carioca FPSO in the Sepia field, some 200km off the coast in water depth of 2200 meters. Petrobras’ stocks failed to react so far.

– Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS.A) lost its OML 11 block in Nigeria after a court decision ruled the Anglo-Dutch major wasn’t entitled to renew it, coming only several weeks after Shell paid a $111 million fine for a decades-old oil spill. Shell’s leaving Nigeria seems imminent now.

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Crude prices recovered somewhat from last week’s freefall, boosted by improving signals coming out of East Asia (China reporting no locally transmitted infections) as well as the Ku-Maloob-Zaap platform seeing a major supply disruption in offshore Mexico. ICE Brent quotes swung back above the $70 per barrel mark, whilst WTI futures trended around $67.5 per barrel, further extending the widening Brent-WTI spread.

Hedge Funds Keep on Selling Crude. Hedge funds and money managers have sold petroleum for the seventh time in nine weeks, Reuters reports, as demand concerns have bitten into the summer season’s bullish sentiment. The sales were equivalent to 40 MMbbls in the six most important futures in the week to 17 August.

Ku-Maloob-Zaap Fire Debilitates Mexico Offshore Output. A fire on a PEMEX-operated offshore oil platform connected to the Ku-Maloob-Zaap complex (40% of Mexico’s crude output) killed at least 5 people, forcing the Mexican NOC to decrease output as the platform ran out of natural gas for reinjection.

Guyana to Pick Crude Marketer from 15 Companies. Fifteen companies have bid to become Guyana’s crude oil marketer, with China’s Sinochem (SH:600500) bidding the lowest price at $0.02 per barrel. The lowest bid might not guarantee the deal as Guyana was seeking for an experienced trading company with solid monthly crude marketing volumes.

ExxonMobil Negotiates PNG Deal Again. The government of Papua New Guinea relaunched talks with US major ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) on the P’nyang gas project following a 2-year hiatus. The negotiations were broken off after the two sides failed to agree if P’nyang should be channeled into a separate train of PNG LNG.

Baltic Freight Index Rises to Highest Since 2010. The Baltic Exchange’s sea freight Baltic Index continues to soar, now standing at 4,147 points, with capesize rates increasing for 11 straight sessions already. Shipping constraints in China coupled with robust commodity demand remain the main drivers of the ongoing freight rate surge.

GM Recalls Every Chevy Bolt EV. General Motors (NYSE:GM) indefinitely halt the sales of all Chevy Bolt EVs and recalled all models produced in 2019-2022 due to fire risks from the car’s high-voltage battery pack, dealing a $1 trillion blow to the US carmaker.

Panama Canal Maintenance to Sap Transit Capacity. The Panama Canal will go into scheduled maintenance between 29 August – 10 September, pushing up freight prices in the Western Hemisphere and severely impacting the transiting capacity for non-booked ships which will be forced to wait 14-15 days to pass.

Chinese Merger to Create Third-Largest Steelmaker. The long-mooted merger of Chinese steelmakers Ansteel Group and Ben Gang has started last week, propelling the new firm to become the third globally after Baowu Group and ArcelorMittal (AMS:MT) amid a wide-ranging consolidation drive within China’s bloated steel sector.

Gazprom Ups 2021 Price Forecast. Russian gas giant Gazprom (MCX:GAZP) has revised its 2021 average European sales price for the third time this year already, hiking it to $270 per Mcm, sending its stock to an all-time high.

Afghanistan Runs Risk of Product Dearth. Following Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, product exports to Afghanistan (which doesn’t have a conventional refinery) stopped altogether. Before August most of the 20-25kbpd of products supplied to the country was railed in from the Turkmenbashi Refinery in Turkmenistan, currently only Iran supplies fuel across the border.

Chinese Coking Coal Futures Soar. Coke and coking coal futures on the Dalian Commodity Exchange surged this week amidst rumours of an impending two-week suspension in coal imports from Mongolia, with the latter trading at an all-time high of 3050 yuan per tonne ($470 per tonne).

BP Drills First Exploration Well in Azerbaijan’s SWAP Block. Operating the Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula (SWAP) block offshore Azerbaijan, UK-based major BP (NYSE:BP) spudded the first wildcat in the acreage at the North Khali area in water depths of some 40 meters.

Gold Steady Above the $1,800/oz Mark. Following a surge late last week, gold prices remained above the $1,800 per ounce threshold, back to where they were a month ago, as investors continue to speculate whether the US Federal Reserve would delay tapering or not.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

• Europe Faces LNG Supply Crunch
  

• Brent Climbs Back Above $70 On Major Production Outage
  

• ‘Skimming Stones’ Pattern Shows Wall Street Is Wrong About Oil

Read this article on OilPrice.com

(Bloomberg) — BHP Group and Mitsubishi Corp. will deploy electric pickup trucks and fast-charging units at an Australian coal mine to test technology that could aid the challenging task of cutting the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The BHP Mitsubishi Alliance joint venture, Australia’s top coal producer, will initially use two of Canadian firm Miller Technology Inc.’s Relay trucks to transport workers at the Broadmeadow mine in Queensland. The vehicles — which can be juiced up in about 20 minutes for a 10-hour shift — will be backed by Tritium Pty Ltd. chargers that are adapted for use in harsh mining environments.

Miners are beginning to test out options to replace their vast diesel-powered fleets, including pickups and excavators, with zero-emissions alternatives, a step that could assist in curbing the industry’s sprawling climate footprint. Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. is adding hydrogen fuel-cell buses, while BHP, Vale SA and Rio Tinto Group have challenged suppliers to speed up development of large electric haul trucks.

Eliminating all combustion-engine vehicles at mines would require major investment and only tackle a portion of their pollution. Use of diesel, including by mining equipment, accounts for about 40% of BHP’s so-called scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, the company said in its most recent annual climate report.

“The new electric transporters are a major step toward safer and more sustainable underground mining,” BMA President James Palmer said in a statement. The Relay trucks will replace diesel vehicles at the mine, and BMA plans a broader fleet replacement program that will eventually retire its entire diesel fleet.

Brisbane-based charger manufacturer Tritium, which in May reached an agreement to go public via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, sees further opportunities to supply charging equipment to miners.

Read: Fastest Electric Car Chargers Waiting for Batteries to Catch Up

The industry will need “charging technology that is sealed to protect against sediment, dust and moisture, and rated to operate in harsh conditions,” Jane Hunter, Tritium’s chief executive officer, said in a statement.

BHP is seeking to lower greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations — a small fraction of the total — by almost a third by 2030 and to zero by 2050. The company last week agreed to split off its oil and gas unit to accelerate a retreat from fossil fuels, and is working with customers to reduce emissions.

(Updates with details in third paragraph.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

The Mosaic Company MOS recently announced that its board has approved a new $1 billion share buyback authorization. This replaces the earlier authorization which had $700 million of the original $1.5 billion remaining.

The updated authorization highlights Mosaic's constant focus on a balanced utilization of excess capital that includes returning capital to stockholders.

The company recently completed the previously announced early redemption of $450 million in notes that were due November 2021. This reflects the first step toward achieving the company's objective of retiring $1 billion of debt over time. It expects to meet the debt retirement objective and execute share buybacks utilizing strong cash flow generated this year and beyond.

Mosaic has raised and extended its committed line of credit. The five-year, $2.5 billion facility matures in November 2026 and replaces the $2.2 billion line of credit maturing in November 2022. This increase in size provides more security and flexibility as well as reflects growth in the business.

The company noted this share repurchase authorization reflects its ongoing commitment to balanced capital allocation. The successful transformation of business has allowed it to invest in growth, strengthen the balance sheet and return capital to shareholders. With an improving cost position and balance sheet, the company is well-poised for the future.

Shares of Mosaic have gained 70.4% in the past year compared the industry’s growth of 43.4%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Mosaic, in its last earnings call, stated that it expects strong agricultural trends to continue through the second half of 2021, driving demand for fertilizers. Grower economics remain attractive in most global growing regions on strong crop demand, affordable inputs and favorable weather.

The company predicts $90-$100 per ton improvement in average realized price in the Phosphates segment sequentially in the third quarter. For the Potash segment, $25-$35 per ton improvement in average realized prices is expected in the third quarter.

The Mosaic Company Price and Consensus

The Mosaic Company price-consensus-chart | The Mosaic Company Quote

Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks

Mosaic currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Some other top-ranked stocks in the basic materials space are Nucor Corporation NUE, Dow Inc. DOW and Cabot Corporation CBT.

Nucor has a projected earnings growth rate of around 489.2% for the current year. The company’s shares have soared 160.4% in a year. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Dow has an expected earnings growth rate of around 403.01% for the current year. The company’s shares have gained 34.5% in the past year. It currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1.

Cabot has an expected earnings growth rate of around 138.5% for the current fiscal. The company’s shares have rallied 34.7% in the past year. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

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Zacks Investment Research

Paydown of $450 Million November Debt Maturity

New $2.5 Billion Line of Credit Maturing in 2026

TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 23, 2021 /The Mosaic Company (NYSE:MOS), today announced a number of actions to strengthen and optimize its capital base.

The Board of Directors has approved a new $1 billion share repurchase authorization, which replaces the previous authorization that had $700 million of the original $1.5 billion remaining. This new expanded authorization reflects Mosaic's unchanged commitment to a balanced deployment of excess capital that includes returning capital to shareholders.

In addition to the new share repurchase authorization, last week, the company also completed the previously announced early redemption of $450 million in notes that were due November 2021. This represents the first step toward reaching the company's goal of retiring $1 billion of debt over time. The company expects to meet the debt retirement goal and execute share repurchases using strong cash flow generated in 2021 and beyond.

Finally, Mosaic has increased and extended its committed line of credit. The 5-year, $2.5 billion facility matures in November 2026 and replaces the $2.2 billion line of credit maturing in November of 2022. This increase in size provides additional security and flexibility and reflects the growth in the business.

"Today's announcement reflects our ongoing commitment to balanced capital allocation. Our successful transformation of the business has allowed us to invest in growth, strengthen the balance sheet and return capital to shareholders," said Joc O'Rourke, President and Chief Executive Officer. "With an improving cost position and balance sheet, Mosaic is well positioned for the future."

About The Mosaic Company

The Mosaic Company is one of the world's leading producers and marketers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. Mosaic is a single-source provider of phosphate and potash fertilizers and feed ingredients for the global agriculture industry. More information on the company is available at www.mosaicco.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about proposed or pending future transactions or strategic plans and other statements about future financial and operating results. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of The Mosaic Company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the economic impact and operating impacts of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the potential drop in oil demand/production and its impact on the availability and price of sulfur, political and economic instability and changes in government policies in Brazil and other countries in which we have operations; the predictability and volatility of, and customer expectations about, agriculture, fertilizer, raw material, energy and transportation markets that are subject to competitive and other pressures and economic and credit market conditions; the level of inventories in the distribution channels for crop nutrients; the effect of future product innovations or development of new technologies on demand for our products; changes in foreign currency and exchange rates; international trade risks and other risks associated with Mosaic's international operations and those of joint ventures in which Mosaic participates, including the performance of the Wa'ad Al Shamal Phosphate Company (also known as MWSPC), the timely development and commencement of operations of production facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the future success of current plans for MWSPC and any future changes in those plans; difficulties with realization of the benefits of our long term natural gas based pricing ammonia supply agreement with CF Industries, Inc., including the risk that the cost savings initially anticipated from the agreement may not be fully realized over its term or that the price of natural gas or ammonia during the term are at levels at which the pricing is disadvantageous to Mosaic; customer defaults; the effects of Mosaic's decisions to exit business operations or locations; changes in government policy; changes in environmental and other governmental regulation, including expansion of the types and extent of water resources regulated under federal law, carbon taxes or other greenhouse gas regulation, implementation of numeric water quality standards for the discharge of nutrients into Florida waterways or efforts to reduce the flow of excess nutrients into the Mississippi River basin, the Gulf of Mexico or elsewhere; further developments in judicial or administrative proceedings, or complaints that Mosaic's operations are adversely impacting nearby farms, business operations or properties; difficulties or delays in receiving, increased costs of or challenges to necessary governmental permits or approvals or increased financial assurance requirements; resolution of global tax audit activity; the effectiveness of Mosaic's processes for managing its strategic priorities; adverse weather conditions affecting operations in Central Florida, the Mississippi River basin, the Gulf Coast of the United States, Canada or Brazil, and including potential hurricanes, excess heat, cold, snow, rainfall or drought; actual costs of various items differing from management's current estimates, including, among others, asset retirement, environmental remediation, reclamation or other environmental regulation, Canadian resources taxes and royalties, or the costs of the MWSPC; reduction of Mosaic's available cash and liquidity, and increased leverage, due to its use of cash and/or available debt capacity to fund financial assurance requirements and strategic investments; brine inflows at Mosaic's potash mines; other accidents and disruptions involving Mosaic's operations, including potential mine fires, floods, explosions, seismic events, sinkholes or releases of hazardous or volatile chemicals; and risks associated with cyber security, including reputational loss; as well as other risks and uncertainties reported from time to time in The Mosaic Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

The Mosaic Company

Media:
Ben Pratt, 813-775-4206
benjamin.pratt@mosaicco.com
or
Investors:
Laura Gagnon, 813-775-4214
Paul Massoud, 813-244-0669
investor@mosaicco.com

SOURCE: The Mosaic Company

View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/660922/Mosaic-Announces-1-Billion-Share-Repurchase-Authorization-Paydown-of-450-Million-November-Debt-Maturity-New-25-Billion-Line-of-Credit-Maturing-in-2026

Investors interested in stocks from the Fertilizers sector have probably already heard of Mosaic (MOS) and Nutrien (NTR). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Both Mosaic and Nutrien have a Zacks Rank of # 1 (Strong Buy) right now. Investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook since the Zacks Rank favors companies that have witnessed positive analyst estimate revisions. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

Our Value category highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.

MOS currently has a forward P/E ratio of 6.94, while NTR has a forward P/E of 13.24. We also note that MOS has a PEG ratio of 0.99. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. NTR currently has a PEG ratio of 1.66.

Another notable valuation metric for MOS is its P/B ratio of 1.11. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, NTR has a P/B of 1.46.

These metrics, and several others, help MOS earn a Value grade of A, while NTR has been given a Value grade of C.

Both MOS and NTR are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that MOS is the superior value option right now.

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(Bloomberg) — The race to supply automakers with nickel to power their batteries is pitting two of the biggest names in mining against each other.

A company owned by Australian iron ore billionaire Andrew Forrest signaled its refusal to back down after a proposal to buy Canadian nickel developer Noront Resources Ltd. was trumped by the world’s biggest miner, BHP Group. And Forrest has been busy back home too: Australian nickel producer Western Areas Ltd. — which announced this week it’s in takeover talks with a local rival — revealed Friday the tycoon has become a substantial shareholder.

Nickel, traditionally used to make stainless steel, is taking center stage in the mining industry’s push into the booming battery metal space. A key component in lithium-ion batteries, it’s a favorite talking point of Elon Musk, who appealed to producers last year to “please mine more nickel.” The metal packs more energy into batteries and allows producers to reduce use of cobalt, which is more expensive and has a less transparent supply chain.

The fight over nickel mines comes at a pivotal time for the industry. Plans by China’s Tsingshan Holding Group to make battery-grade metal from materials previously reserved only for stainless steel have sparked fears of a market flood. Yet some analysts and investors have questioned whether the process will be accepted by increasingly eco-conscious automakers.

For BHP, the focus on nickel represents a sharp turnaround from less than a decade ago. The company had planned to exit the nickel business to focus on other commodities, and put its Nickel West unit in Australia up for sale in 2014. Today, BHP has identified the metal as one of its priority “future facing” commodities as the company shifts away from fossil fuels.

Last month, it announced that it’s signed a nickel-supply deal with Tesla Inc. to sell metal from Nickel West. And a week later, it announced a $260 million offer to gain control of Noront’s rich nickel and copper deposit, with the backing of the smaller company’s board.

Forrest’s Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd., which has amassed a stake of about 25% of Noront and holds a convertible loan, said Thursday it will refuse to sell its shares to BHP, setting the businessman up as a future — and potentially difficult — partner. He also suggested he could return with an increased competing offer if Noront were prepared to open its books for due diligence. (Noront retorted Friday it’s already offered to do so if Wyloo signs a confidentiality pact.)

It’s not clear what Forrest’s plans are for the Western Areas investment. But he’s got a track record of getting under the feet of established players — he made his fortune taking on BHP in Western Australia, when his Fortescue Metal Group burst on to the scene during the height of the last commodity super cycle. Since then, he’s created an iron ore giant to challenge the traditional Australian duopoly of BHP and Rio Tinto Group.

Forrest has long signaled he’s interested in battery metals and has expressed ambitions to get into the business for at least half a decade. In fact, he got his start in mining in nickel, working at Anaconda Nickel where he was developing the Murrin Murrin mine in Australia before being ousted in 2001.

“While Fortescue Metals is an iron ore miner, the very name tells us that he always had bigger plans,” said Tom Price, head of commodities strategy at Liberum Capital.

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(Bloomberg) — A small Canadian nickel miner reiterated support for takeover by BHP Group after its largest shareholder, Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest, tried snubbing the deal.

Noront Resources Ltd. said Friday in a statement that its board continues to recommend that shareholders accept BHP’s cash offer that values the company at C$325 million ($254 million), a day after Forrest’s Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd. said it wouldn’t sell its shares to the world’s largest miner. Wyloo Metals, which owns about 25% of Noront and holds a convertible loan that could lift its control to 37%, said it would consider making a superior offer.

The wrangle over the Toronto-based minerals explorer highlights a race among mining heavyweights to control supplies of raw materials that are key to a clean energy future. Noront has been developing one of Canada’s largest potential mineral reserves, in a largely untapped northern Ontario region dubbed the Ring of Fire. The high-grade nickel deposit also has chromite, copper and zinc. Nickel is one of the key metals used in batteries for electric vehicles.

Noront, whose main asset is the Eagle’s Nest nickel-and-copper deposit in the Ontario region, said success of BHP’s offer doesn’t require Wyloo’s support, according to the statement. Noront shares fell 4.8% to 50 Canadian cents at 10:56 a.m. trading in Toronto, below BHP’s 55-cent-a-share offer made July 27.

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In this article, we will take a look at the 15 most valuable lithium companies in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the growing lithium industry, and go directly to the 5 Most Valuable Lithium Companies in the World.

Lithium has been at the forefront of many technological advancements over the last three decades. A low-density metal, lithium is on its way to change the future for the better. The lithium-ion battery, in particular, has taken the world by storm, facilitating the mobile and smartphone industries and, in the last decade, electric vehicles.

According to a report published by EnviroCORE in 2018, lithium is one of the most crucial pieces of the green energy puzzle and is of great importance to the European Union in terms of demand and consumption.

In the last 20 years alone, there has been an exponential increase in the consumption of metals worldwide. The global lithium industry is a rapidly expanding one and analysts expect the current demand for lithium at 77,000 tonnes to double by 2024. This is primarily due to the decline in cost and improved performance of lithium-ion batteries.

As of 2018, approximately 39% of global lithium production was channeled into manufacturing lithium-ion batteries. The market is only expected to grow by 2024 to an estimated $210 million, with lithium-ion batteries taking up 66% of global lithium production. The demand of lithium is seeing a surge worldwide as companies like Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM), EnerSys (NYSE: ENS) and Livent Corporation (NYSE: LTHM) continue to make energy-efficient products.

charlotte-stowe-WkqHU1G2_sg-unsplash

Our Methodology

We have selected the 15 biggest and most notable lithium companies and ranked them according to their market capitalization from lowest to highest. Many of these companies have operations in up to 20 countries. There is a special focus on the lithium mining projects these companies are currently involved in and the lithium-based products that they supply to their partners.

With this context and industry outlook in mind, let's now discuss our list of the 15 most valuable lithium companies in the world.

15. Savannah Resources Plc (LSE: SAV.L)

Market Cap: $86.31 million (as of August 17)

Savannah Resources Plc (LSE: SAV.L) is to play an incredibly significant role in Europe’s green revolution. The company is currently in the middle of a new lithium project, Mina da Barroso, highlighting a strong position in 2021. The new project is located in Portugal and the company also has interests in Mozambique. It is set to be the most prestigious spodumene lithium project in all of Western Europe.

As the EV revolution led by companies like Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) causes a surge in lithium demand, companies like Savannah Resources Plc, along with Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM), EnerSys (NYSE: ENS) and Livent Corporation (NYSE: LTHM) are expected to gain in the coming years.

14. Bacanora Lithium Plc (LSE: BCN.L)

Market Cap: $304.67 million (as of August 17)

Bacanora Lithium PLC (LSE: BCN.L) is a company based in the United Kingdom that manufactures lithium-ion batteries. Currently, the company is commercializing its newest project in Mexico, the Sonora Lithium Project. It has a production capability of 35,000 metric tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate.

13. Piedmont Lithium Inc. (NASDAQ: PLL)

Market Cap: $870 million (as of August 17)

Piedmont Lithium Inc (NASDAQ: PLL), a US-based company, located on the Carolina Tin Spodumene Belt of North Carolina, produces lithium hydroxide and is targeted towards clean energy and powering electric vehicles (EVs).

According to Piedmont Lithium’s March Quarterly Report 2021, the company entered into an agreement with Sayona Quebec, purchasing a 25% stake. The company also increased its total mineral resources for its flagship operations, Piedmont Lithium Carolina.

12. Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE: LAC)

Market Cap: $1.84 billion (as of August 17)

Lithium Americas Corp (NYSE: LAC) is a company based in Canada, currently operating two of the largest lithium projects, Thacker Pass in the US and Cauchari-Olaroz in Argentina. The Thacker Pass lithium project is expected to be commissioned in 2022 with a production capacity of 30,000tpa of battery-grade lithium carbonate.

11. Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY.AX)

Market Cap: $1.93 billion (as of August 17)

Galaxy Resources Ltd. (ASX: GXY.AX) is one of the leading producers of lithium. It has several operations and projects under its belt including a hard-rock mine in Western Australia, a hard-rock spodumene project in Canada, and a brine project in Argentina. Galaxy Resources Ltd (ASX: GXY.AX) is also working to develop its flagship project in Argentina, Sal de Vida. It also caters to the demand of the North American and European markets for electric vehicles.

10. Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE.AX)

Market Cap: $2.36 billion (as of August 17)

Orocobre Ltd. (ASX: ORE.AX) is one of the leading companies in Argentina’s Lithium Triangle. Orocobre Ltd. (ASX: ORE.AX) is also in partnership with Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TSE: 8015.T), operating a brine-based lithium operation. The company is also underway to construct a 10,000tpa lithium hydroxide plant in Naraha, Japan.

9. Livent Corporation (NYSE: LTHM)

Market Cap: $3.69 billion (as of August 18)

Livent Corp (NYSE: LTHM) is a lithium company based in Philadelphia, with its primary focus on the production of lithium hydroxide. Livent Corp (NYSE: LTHM) signed an agreement with Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) to increase the volume of its supply in 2021 and analysts expect the partnership to extend through 2022.

Additionally, Livent Corp (NYSE: LTHM) is pursuing a joint venture to buy Nemaska Lithium Inc’s (TSX: NMX) projects in Canada. It is expected to obtain 50% of Nemaska Lithium Inc (TSX: NMX).

As the EV revolution led by companies like Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) causes a surge in lithium demand, companies like Livent Corp (NYSE: LTHM), Savannah Resources Plc, along with Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM) and EnerSys (NYSE: ENS) are expected to gain in the coming years.

8. EnerSys (NYSE: ENS)

Market Cap: $3.79 billion (as of August 18)

EnerSys (NYSE: ENS) manufactures the NexSys ion battery, handling the most advanced lithium-ion technology. EnerSys is one of the world’s largest industrial battery producers. In July 2021, EnerSys (NYSE: ENS) signed a memorandum of understanding with Lithium Technology Corporation, becoming its exclusive distributor. This will allow for a diversified range of lithium product options, thereby also increasing EnerSys (NYSE: ENS) exposure in the battery market.

EnerSys (NYSE: ENS) is among several lithium giants that continue to grow, along with Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM) and Livent Corp (NYSE: LTHM).

7. Pilbara Minerals Limited (ASX: PLS.AX)

Market Cap: $4.47 billion (as of August 17)

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS.AX) is an Australia-based company, located in the Pilbara region, the heart of its Pilgangoora Operation for the production of spodumene. Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS.AX) has many global partners including Ganfeng Lithium Co Ltd (SZSE: 002460.SZ), General Lithium, and Great Wall Motor Company. It also owns 100% of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium operation.

6. Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group

Market Cap: $5 billion (as of August 18)

Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group is a Chinese company that is involved in manufacturing and sales of lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide and other lithium salt products. Its main operations include industrial explosives, industrial detonators, industrial cords, industrial detonators, customized civil explosive products. In December 2020, the company said it signed a deal with Tesla to supply battery-grade lithium hydroxide to the EV maker for the next five years.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Most Valuable Lithium Companies in the World.

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Disclosure: None. 15 Most Valuable Lithium Companies in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.

A previous version of this article mentioned FMC among the most valuable lithium companies. FMC decided to spin-off its lithium business under Livent in 2018.

(Adds details on Rio Tinto, Fortescue, union submissions)

MELBOURNE, Aug 20 (Reuters) – Sexual harassment is rife at mining camps in Western Australia, with firms across the industry reporting multiple complaints that have led to 48 staff being fired by the world's biggest, BHP, since 2019, submissions to a government inquiry showed.

The inquiry was initiated after high-profile cases of sexual assault by miners in the mineral-rich state emerged this year, and as the sector struggles with a dire skills shortage and a low proportion of female staff.

Submissions to the investigation were made public this week, including a survey by The Western Mine Workers' Alliance, a union representing hundreds of workers in Pilbara, a region rich in the iron ore that is Australia's most valuable export.

The survey of 425 workers showed two-thirds of female respondents had experienced verbal sexual harassment while working in the FIFO mining industry, and 36% of women and 10% of men some form of harassment in the last 12 months.

"We have heard detailed reports from members about supervisors and managers pressuring female workers into sexual activity in order to access training and job opportunities and there is a widespread perception that such activity takes place," said the union, which is calling for an independent body to investigate complaints.

"I have seen a man watch porn on bus and plane. I have found a porn magazine in a truck. I have had underwear stolen. I have had a male try get into my room… I reported harassment on numerous occasions and nothing was done," the union quoted an unnamed woman who works at Rio Tinto as saying.

A Rio spokesperson pointed Reuters to its submissions for examples of steps it is taking as part of an industry-wide response that includes improving safety and reporting procedures and mining camp infrastructure and tightening policies around alcohol.

In more detailed accounts to the panel, which will make recommendations to West Australia's parliament in April 2022, BHP said it had fired 48 workers in two years for incidents related to sexual harassment.

It said it received four rape allegations, one of attempted rape, other reports of unwanted sexual touching, and 73 substantiated reports of sexual harassment from June 2019 to June 2021.

It said it was spending $300 million to increase camp security, improving workforce training, vetting practices and making reporting of incidents easier.

Rio said that since January 2020 it had received one reported case of sexual assault and 29 of sexual harassment that were substantiated, and another report of sexual assault and 14 of sexual harassment that could not be.

Fortescue, Woodside Petroleum and Chevron Corp, also made submissions.

Fortescue said it had 20 harassment matters reported this year, added to 11 last year, across a total workforce of more than 15,000.

(Reporting by Melanie Burton. Editing by Gerry Doyle and John Stonestreet)

By Carolina Mandl and Marta Nogueira

SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazilian prosecutors asked a bankruptcy court on Wednesday to compel miners Vale SA and BHP Group Ltd to fully pay off their Samarco joint venture's 50.7 billion reais ($9.47 billion) debt, according to a court document reviewed by Reuters.

Samarco filed for bankruptcy protection in April as it struggled to restructure its debt, which it stopped servicing after a dam burst at a mine in 2015, killing 19 people, releasing a giant torrent of sludge and halting production.

Prosecutors consider Samarco's co-owners to be responsible for the disaster and are seeking a restraining order that would oblige them to cover its debt, according to the document.

The prosecutors said both controlling shareholders used Samarco to obtain immediate gains amid an iron-ore price boom, which they say precipitated the dam's collapse.

"They chose to put at risk the lives of people who lived and worked there, as well as the environment, causing tragic consequences and incalculable damages," they wrote.

Vale said in a securities filing it was surprised by the prosecutors' request.

"The request attacks the clear letter of the agreements signed between the parties, to which the MPMG (prosecutors from Minas Gerais state) is a signatory, in addition to threatening the ongoing discussions and efforts to renegotiate the reparation measures for damage resulting from the Fundão dam collapse," the company said.

BHP said in a statement the bankruptcy protection request was the best solution it found to allow Samarco to recover financially.

($1 = 5.3543 reais)

(Reporting by Carolina Mandl in Sao Paulo and Marta Nogueira in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Christian Plumb and Peter Cooney)

MELBOURNE, Australia, August 19, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rio Tinto is partnering with the Western Australian Government to launch a COVID-19 vaccination blitz targeting communities in the Pilbara and the fly-in fly-out workforce.

Following positive discussions between Rio Tinto and the WA Department of Health, vaccination hubs will be established in the Pilbara and at a trial clinic at Perth Airport to make vaccinations more accessible.

Starting with Tom Price, planning is underway for hubs at several locations in the Pilbara, with vaccines available to members of the local community, Indigenous communities, Rio Tinto employees, contractors and their families.

Rio Tinto is working with the Department of Health and the Shire of Ashburton and is close to finalising a location for the proposed Tom Price hub. The facility could potentially offer vaccines to the entire adult population of Tom Price and surrounding communities.

Rio Tinto’s COVID-19 screening facilities at Perth Airport (T2 and T3) will also be modified to include ‘pop-up’ vaccination hubs to target workers returning to Perth. The hubs will initially be available to Rio Tinto’s FIFO workforce, who regularly travel to and from the Pilbara, with the option to expand the vaccination service to the wider FIFO community.

The initial vaccination blitz is expected to commence in September, subject to availability of vaccines. Rio Tinto will work with the WA Government to finalise details in the coming weeks.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott said the company stood ready to support the WA Government’s vaccination rollout in any way it can.

"We are pleased to work in partnership with the WA Government on this industry-first vaccination blitz, which we expect will help boost vaccination rates in the Pilbara.

"This is an important development in our state’s effort to combat COVID-19. We know vaccinations are our best way out of this pandemic and we are very happy to convert our existing screening facilities, which have helped keep COVID-19 out of our operations and vulnerable communities for almost 18 months, to include vaccination hubs.

"Given Rio Tinto’s large operational footprint in the Pilbara, we are well positioned to support the WA Government’s vaccination rollout in the region, ensuring the vaccine is more accessible to remote and vulnerable communities.

"Plans are being developed to establish additional hubs in places like Paraburdoo, Pannawonica and Dampier, following the Tom Price vaccine blitz.

"While the initial vaccine blitz at Perth Airport will target Rio Tinto’s FIFO workforce, we will work with the WA Government to make our facilities available to others in the industry and community.

"Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the resources sector has worked hard to continue to operate in a COVID-safe way. The next step in is to play our part in making the vaccine accessible to as many Western Australians as possible."

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210818005863/en/

Contacts

Please direct all enquiries to
Media.enquiries@riotinto.com

Media Relations, Australia
Jonathan Rose
M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers
M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough
M +61 436 653 412

Jamie Macdonald
M +61 467 725 517

Rio Tinto plc
6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom

T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia

T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

riotinto.com

Category: General

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., August 19, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The board of directors of Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP), a leading global provider of essential minerals, has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.72 per share. This dividend is payable Sept. 20, 2021, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Sept. 10, 2021.

About Compass Minerals

Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP) is a leading global provider of essential minerals focused on safely delivering where and when it matters to help solve nature’s challenges for customers and communities. Its salt products help keep roadways safe during winter weather and are used in numerous other consumer, industrial and agricultural applications. And its plant nutrition business manufactures products that improve the quality and yield of crops, while supporting sustainable agriculture. Additionally, its specialty chemical business serves the water treatment industry and other industrial processes. The company operates 16 production and packaging facilities with more than 2,000 employees throughout the U.S., Canada, Brazil and the U.K. Visit compassminerals.com for more information about the company and its products.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210819005804/en/

Contacts

Investor Contact Douglas KrisSenior Director of Investor Relations+1.917.797.4967krisd@compassminerals.com

Media Contact Rick AxthelmChief Public Affairs and Sustainability Officer+1.913.344.9198MediaRelations@compassminerals.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Lithium Corp. (“American Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSX-V:LI | OTCQB:LIACF | Frankfurt:5LA1) is pleased to announce that the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) is currently reviewing an Administrative Draft Environmental Assessment (“EA”) for American Lithium’s proposed Plan of Operations (“PO”) for its Tonopah Lithium Claims Project (“TLC”). This PO was filed in January 2021 and accepted as complete by the BLM in June 2021 (see press release dated June 17, 2021).

The PO has been updated as part of the EA process to reflect latest changes introduced through the EA and now proposes drilling from up to 110 drill sites as well as excavating five test pits to acquire samples for metallurgical testing. In addition, with the EA combining all previously planned phases of project exploration and pre-feasibility work into one phase of development, the PO has also been updated accordingly. While this will result in all required environmental bonding being paid upfront on approval, it will stream-line process, maximize efficiencies and help fast-track resulting work programs.

With the EA process now underway, and based on its most recent meetings, the Company advises that, it currently anticipates final approval of the PO to occur by late Fall 2021 with the commencement of the next phase of development at TLC starting shortly thereafter.

In the interim, American Lithium will continue to focus on finalizing its metallurgical test work. As previously reported, the Company has three viable recovery options and will focus on optimizing these before selecting the best process, based on economic and environmental criteria, to enable the completion of a robust preliminary economic assessment on TLC (“PEA”). In parallel, and as also previously reported, pre-concentration test work, designed to increase the lithium head grade prior to leaching, continues using different gravimetric routes and commercially available equipment. This work is also integral to the PEA as it has the potential to materially impact the economics of the TLC Project.

In addition, over the next several weeks, the Company plans to utilize existing permitted disturbance areas to twin several previously explored mineralized drill holes. These holes will be drilled deeper than the original completion depths to test for further zones of lithium mineralization and the presence of other minerals, to determine the depth and nature of volcanic basement rocks and to provide additional sample material for on-going and future metallurgical testing. This drilling will also enable the Company to accurately determine the depth / location of the water table. While the TLC deposit is above the water table and water has never been encountered in the drilling programs that define the current resource, accurately defining the water table is a key element for future permitting.

Dr. Laurence Stefan, COO of American Lithium, stated “commencing the EA review process is an important milestone for American Lithium as we look to finalize approval of the updated Plan of Operations, which will, in turn, enable the next phase of development at TLC. Updating the PO will also help us streamline and fast-track operations following approval. In the interim, our efforts to optimize flowsheet design, together with additional drilling and related field work, will position us to complete a robust PEA on TLC which, combined with the next phase of development following PO approval, will then enable the Company to move as efficiently as possible into the feasibility phase of TLC development.”

Qualified Person
Mr. Ted O’Connor, P.Geo., a Director of American Lithium, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical geological information contained in this news release.

About American Lithium
American Lithium, a member of the TSX 50, is actively engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of lithium projects within mining-friendly jurisdictions throughout the Americas. The Company is currently focused on enabling the shift to the new energy paradigm through the continued exploration and development of its strategically located TLC lithium claystone project in the richly mineralized Esmeralda lithium district in Nevada as well as continuing to advance its Falchani lithium and Macusani uranium development projects in southeastern Peru. Both Falchani and Macusani have been through preliminary economic assessments, exhibit strong additional exploration potential and are situated near significant infrastructure.

The TSX Venture 50 is a ranking of the top performers in each of 5 industry sectors in the TSX Venture Exchange over the last year.

For more information, please contact the Company at info@americanlithiumcorp.com or visit our website at www.americanlithiumcorp.com for project update videos and related background information.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of American Lithium Corp.

“Simon Clarke”
CEO & Director
Tel: 604 428 6128

For further information, please contact:

American Lithium Corp.
Email: info@americanlithiumcorp.com
Website: www.americanlithiumcorp.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information
This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the plans, objectives and advancement of the TLC, Falchani and Macusani Projects (the “Projects”), exploration drilling plans, in-fill and expansion drilling plans, results of exploration and development plans, expansion of resources and testing of new deposits, environmental and social community permitting, and any other statements regarding the business plans, expectations and objectives of American Lithium. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", “indicate”, “scheduled”, “target”, “goal”, “potential”, “subject”, “efforts”, “option” and similar words, or the negative connotations thereof, referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management are not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events. Although American Lithium believes that the current opinions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available at the time, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since American Lithium can provide no assurance that such opinions and expectations will prove to be correct. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to: American Lithium’s ability to achieve its stated goals, including the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Plateau Energy Metals Inc. (“Plateau”); the estimated costs associated with the advancement of the Projects; risks and uncertainties relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and the extent and manner to which measures taken by governments and their agencies, American Lithium or others to attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19 could affect American Lithium, which could have a material adverse impact on many aspects of American Lithium’s businesses including but not limited to: the ability to access mineral properties for indeterminate amounts of time, the health of the employees or consultants resulting in delays or diminished capacity, social or political instability in Peru which in turn could impact American Lithium’s ability to maintain the continuity of its business operating requirements, may result in the reduced availability or failures of various local administration and critical infrastructure, reduced demand for the American Lithium’s potential products, availability of materials, global travel restrictions, and the availability of insurance and the associated costs; risks related to the certainty of title to the properties of American Lithium, including the status of the “Precautionary Measures” filed by American Lithium’s subsidiary Macusani Yellowcake S.A.C. (“Macusani”), the outcome of the administrative process, the judicial process, and any and all future remedies pursued by American Lithium and its subsidiary Macusani to resolve the title for 32 of its concessions; risks regarding the ongoing Ontario Securities Commission regulatory proceedings; the ongoing ability to work cooperatively with stakeholders, including but not limited to local communities and all levels of government; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that any future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with our expectations; risks that permits will not be obtained as planned or delays in obtaining permits; mining and development risks, including risks related to accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour disputes (including work stoppages, strikes and loss of personnel) or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in exploration and development; risks related to commodity price and foreign exchange rate fluctuations; risks related to foreign operations; the cyclical nature of the industry in which American Lithium operates; risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms or delays in obtaining governmental approvals; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the uncertain global economic environment and the effects upon the global market generally, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic measures taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19, any of which could continue to negatively affect global financial markets, including the trading price of American Lithium’s shares and could negatively affect American Lithium’s ability to raise capital and may also result in additional and unknown risks or liabilities to American Lithium. Other risks and uncertainties related to prospects, properties and business strategy of American Lithium are identified in the “Risks and Uncertainties” section of Plateau’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis filed on January 19, 2021, in the “Risk Factors” section of American Lithium’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis filed on January 29, 2021, and in recent securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. American Lithium undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Cautionary Note Regarding Macusani Concessions Thirty-two of the 151 concessions held by American Lithium’s subsidiary Macusani, are currently subject to Administrative and Judicial processes (together, the “Processes”) in Peru to overturn resolutions issued by INGEMMET and the Mining Council of MINEM in February 2019 and July 2019, respectively, which declared Macusani’s title to 32 of the concessions invalid due to late receipt of the annual validity payments. In November 2019, Macusani applied for injunctive relief on 32 concessions in a Court in Lima, Peru and was successful in obtaining such an injunction on 17 of the concessions including three of the four concessions included in the Macusani Uranium Project PEA. The grant of the Precautionary Measure (Medida Cautelar) has restored the title, rights and validity of those 17 concessions to Macusani until a final decision is obtained at the last stage of the judicial process. A Precautionary Measure application was made at the same time for the remaining 15 concessions and was ultimately granted by a Court in Lima, Peru on March 2, 2021 which has also restored the title, rights and validity of those 15 remaining concessions to Macusani, with the result being that all 32 concessions are now protected by Precautionary Measure (Medida Cautelar) until a final decision on this matter is obtained at the last stage of the judicial process. A final date for the last stage of the judicial process has not yet been set. If American Lithium’s subsidiary Macusani does not obtain a successful resolution of the Processes, its title to the concessions could be revoked.

(Bloomberg) — Iron ore extended its rout as BHP Group warned it sees an increasing likelihood of “stern cuts” to China’s steel output this year.

The prospect of much lower steel production in the second-half is “testing the bullish resolve of the futures markets,” BHP wrote in a commodities outlook report on its website. Iron ore in Singapore has plunged by a third since spiking to an all-time high in May.

China’s steel industry is under pressure after pledging to reduce output this year, a goal that requires huge second-half curbs to offset booming output earlier in 2021. Production in July was more than 8% lower year-on-year, data on Monday showed.

Futures in Singapore fell 6.5% to $147.95 a ton by 6:49 p.m. local time, and were heading for a fifth weekly loss. In China, futures dropped 2.5% to close at the lowest level since November.

While investor attention is very focused on China’s output curbs in the second half, the nation’s demand trends will also be critical. Beijing is pushing a range of measures to control the property sector, which accounts for big chunk of steel usage and has traditionally helped drive surges in iron ore prices.

“Policymakers are clearly concerned about over-investment and concentrated credit risk in the property sector,” Commonwealth Bank of Australia wrote in an emailed note. And even if China swings to more pro-growth policies to battle recent weakness, “there’s a good chance that the property sector is left out”.

Shanghai steel futures also dropped, with hot-rolled coil down 3.3% and rebar down 3.8%.

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BHP Group BHP reported underlying attributable profit of $17.1 billion in the fiscal 2021 (ended Jun 30, 2021), which was up 88% year over year, reflecting higher commodity prices and strong operational performance. Earnings per American Depositary Share (ADS) was $6.75 in fiscal 2021, up from $3.58 in fiscal 2020 but missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.93. Underlying earnings per share was $3.38, compared with $1.79 in fiscal 2020. The company’s each American Depositary Shares represents two fully-paid ordinary shares. It also made a flurry of announcements — to exit its oil and gas operations as it strikes a merger deal with Woodside Petroleum Ltd, approval of $5.7 billion in capital expenditure in Jansen Potash Mine in Canada and its decision to unify its dual-listed structure.

The company’s attributable profit amounted to $11.3 billion in fiscal 2021, including an exceptional loss of $5.8 billion. The exceptional loss was related to the impairments of potash and energy coal assets as well as the current year impact of the Samarco dam failure. Attributable profit in fiscal 2020 was $7.9 billion, which included an exceptional loss of $1.1 billion.

Revenues & Margin Performance

Revenues for fiscal 2021 totaled $60.8 billion, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $60.2 billion. It marked an improvement of 42%from revenues of $42.9 billion in the prior fiscal. The Iron ore segment’s revenues surged 66% year over year to $34 billion on higher prices and record production achieved at WAIO. Revenues in the Copper segment rose 47% to $15.7 billion, reflecting higher prices. Revenues in the Petroleum fell 3% year over year to $3.9 billion. The Coal segment’s revenues slumped 17% to $5 billion.

Adjusted profit from operations in fiscal 2021 soared 91% year over year to $30.3 billion owing to higher commodity prices and strong underlying operational performance, lower deferred stripping depletion at Escondida, lessened fuel and energy costs, and savings from the company’s cost reduction initiatives. Unfavorable impacts of exchange rate movements, copper grade decline, natural field decline in Petroleum, inflation, adverse weather and planned maintenance somewhat mitigated these impacts. Underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) were $37.4 billion for fiscal 2021, up 69% year over year.

Balance Sheet & Cash Flow

Net operating cash flow for fiscal 2021 was $27.2 billion compared with $15.7 billion in fiscal 2020. This marked 15th consecutive year of generating net operating cash flow above the $15 billion mark. The company reported record free cash flow of $19.4 billion, courtesy of higher iron ore and copper prices, and a strong operational performance.

Cash and cash equivalents as of Jun 30, 2021 amounted to $15.2 billion, up from $13.4 billion at the end of fiscal 2020. Capital and exploration expenditure totaled $7.1 billion, down 7% from the prior fiscal. The company provided capital and exploration guidance at $7.1 billion for fiscal 2022. As of the end of fiscal 2021, net debt was $4 billion, substantially lower than $12 billion reported as of fiscal 2020. Backed by strong fiscal 2021 results, BHP Group’s board announced a record final dividend of $2.00 per share.

Other Updates

In fiscal 2021, the company successfully achieved first production at four major development projects — on or ahead of schedule and on budget. It acquired an additional 28% working interest in Shenzi in November 2020. The Shenzi North development, a two-well subsea tie-in to the Shenzi platform, was approved in August 2021. At the end of fiscal 2021, BHP Group had two major projects under development — Mad Dog Phase 2 in petroleum and Jansen mine shafts in potash.

Significant Announcements

BHP Group approved $5.7 billion in capital expenditure for the Jansen Stage 1 potash project. First ore is expected in 2027. Once operational, Jansen S1 is expected to produce approximately 4.35 million ton of potash per year. This will provide the company exposure to a commodity with a strong demand outlook and immense growth potential.

The company has agreed to pursue a merger of its Petroleum business with Woodside Petroleum Ltd, which will create a global top 10 independent energy company by production. The combined business will have a high margin oil portfolio and long life LNG assets. Woodside would issue new shares to be distributed to BHP Group’s shareholders. Woodside shareholders will own 52% of the merged group, while BHP Group’s shareholders owning the remaining 48%. Woodside and BHP Group have estimated annual synergies in excess of $400 million per year. The Petroleum segment generated 6% of BHP Group’s fiscal 2021 revenues.

BHP Group intends to unify its corporate structure under its existing Australian parent company to realize simplification and enhanced strategic flexibility benefits.

Fiscal 2022 Production & Cost Guidance

In fiscal 2022, the company expects to produce between 249 Mt and 259 Mt of iron ore compared with 254 Mt produced in fiscal 2021 as WAIO continues to focus on incremental volume growth through productivity improvements. The petroleum production guidance is 99-106 MMboe. BHP Group anticipates copper production between 1,590 kt and 1,760 kt. Production guidance of Metallurgical coal for fiscal 2022 is at 39-44 Mt, while the same for energy coal is at 13-15 Mt. Nickel production is expected between 85 kt and 95 kt.

Conventional Petroleum unit cost is projected at $11-$12 per barrels of oil equivalent (boe) for fiscal 2022. Escondida unit cost is anticipated at $1.20-$1.40 per pound. Queensland Coal unit cost for the fiscal is expected at $80-$90 per ton. WAIO unit cost guidance is projected to be $17.50-$18.50 per ton.

The company expects demand for energy, metals and fertilizers to remain strong in the years to come, fueled by global economic growth, population growth and rising living standards. The near-term outlook, however, remains cloudy due to the uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Price Performance

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

BHP Group’s shares have gained 22.7% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 21%.

Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks

BHP Group currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Some other top-ranked stocks in the basic materials space include Avient Corporation AVNT, Veritiv Corporation VRTV and Commercial Metals Company CMC. While Avient and Veritiv flaunt a Zacks Rank #1, Commercial Metals carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Avient has a projected earnings growth rate of 75% for 2021. The company’s shares have soared 92% in the past year.

Veritiv has an estimated earnings growth rate of 215% for the current year. Over the past year, the company’s shares have soared 340%.

Commercial Metals has an expected earnings growth rate of 32.8% for the current fiscal year. The company’s shares have gained 54% in a year’s time.

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Zacks Investment Research

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV: SMY | OTCQB: SHCMF) (“Search” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that the Company has elected to accelerate the expiry date of certain warrants. On March 11, 2021, the Company issued a total of 12,500,000 warrants (the “Warrants”) which are exercisable at $0.10 per share until March 11, 2022. As previously announced, the Warrants contained a provision that allows the Company to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants if the closing price of the Company’s shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is greater than $0.14 for a period of twenty consecutive trading days. As the Company’s shares have closed at higher than $0.14 since June 4, 2021, the Company is now providing notice by way of this press release to all the remaining holders of the Warrants that the expiry date for the Warrants will now be September 30, 2021. The Company will also provide written notice directly to all the Warrant holders of the early expiration date. There are 10,820,000 Warrants that are remaining and subject to the early expiration date. If all warrants are exercised, proceeds of $1,082,000 would be realized.

In addition, the Company announces that is has issued a total of 8,930,000 stock options to its directors, officers, employees and consultants. All the stock options will be exercisable for a period of five years at an exercise price of $0.20. Of the total number of stock options granted 7,050,000 options were granted to directors and senior officers of the Company.

About Search Minerals Inc.

Led by a proven management team and board of directors, Search is focused on finding and developing Critical Rare Earths Elements (CREE), Zirconium (Zr) and Hafnium (Hf) resources within the emerging Port Hope Simpson – St. Lewis CREE District of South East Labrador. The Company controls a belt 63 km long and 2 km wide and is road accessible, on tidewater, and located within 3 local communities. Search has completed a preliminary economic assessment report for FOXTROT, and a resource estimate for DEEP FOX. Search is also working on three exploration prospects along the belt which include: FOX MEADOW, SILVER FOX and AWESOME FOX.

Search has continued to optimize our patented Direct Extraction Process technology with the generous support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and from the Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency. We have completed two pilot plant operations and produced highly purified mixed rare earth carbonate concentrate and mixed REO concentrate for separation and refining.

For further information, please contact:

Greg Andrews
President and CEO
Tel: 604-998-3432
E-mail: info@searchminerals.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding “Forward-Looking” Statements:

Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. "Forward-looking information" in this news release includes information about the Company’s proposed exploration programs described herein, and other forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the inability to obtain the necessary resources to complete the exploration programs and poor exploration results.

The forward-looking information in this news release reflects the current expectations, assumptions and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, the Company has made assumptions about the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, and that the Company will receive all required regulatory approvals,.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, unless and until required by applicable securities laws. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.

(Bloomberg) — BHP Group’s go-ahead to spend $5.7 billion on a giant Canadian potash mine is shining a spotlight on a commodity vital to feeding the world.

Prices of the nutrient essential to producing food for growing populations soared after a crop rally helped farmers boost fertilizer purchases. Unlike oil or most metals and grains, potash trade is focused on annual contracts or in the spot market, rather than on a futures exchange — and supplies are mostly controlled by just a handful of producers.

The fertilizer is part of mining giant BHP’s shift toward commodities of the future as it exits fossil fuels, though production won’t start for another six years. For now, much of the focus will be on how U.S. sanctions on Belarus’s state-owned producer affect supply.

Here’s why potash is important and what’s driving the market:

Market Rally

Grains output jumped about 25% in almost a decade on rising global food demand, while a crop rally in the past year encouraged farmers to expand planting and use more fertilizers. That’s seen spot potash prices in Brazil and the U.S. hit the highest in at least eight years.

Nutrien Ltd., the biggest fertilizer company, earlier this year said it will raise potash production amid a tightening market. Last week, the Canadian company revised its forecast for global potash shipments to a record on strong demand.

Miners Join Party

BHP on Tuesday finally approved spending on the Jansen potash mine in Canada, after years of wavering over the huge cost. Potash offers the world’s top mining company a long-term future profit driver as it retreats from fossil fuels and focuses on commodities that should benefit from rising populations or the green-energy transition.

Jansen could operate for a century, and is a scalable business that could grow to rival BHP’s Pilbara iron ore operations and its copper mines in Chile in importance, Ragnar Udd, president of BHP’s Minerals Americas business, said on a media call on Wednesday. BHP isn’t the only miner moving into fertilizers — Anglo American Plc took over a $4 billion U.K. mine in 2020 as it shifts from coal to more environmentally-friendly commodities.

There are other big projects in the works. Russia’s Acron Group is speeding up construction of Talitsky potash mine and targets the first supplies in 2025. In Belarus, Slavkali plans to start a 2 million tons-a-year mine in 2023.

Supply Uncertainty

Output is mostly concentrated in North America and former Soviet nations like Russia and Belarus, from underground deposits formed by evaporated sea beds millions of years ago. Nutrien, Mosaic Co., Belaruskali OAO and Uralkali PJSC are among the main producers.

The U.S. last week sanctioned Belaruskali as it targeted companies with ties to President Alexander Lukashenko, though it’s not clear how that will affect supply. Counterparts have until December to wind down transactions with Belaruskali, while Belarusian Potash Co., which handles all of the country’s potash exports, wasn’t itself sanctioned.

Still, BPC told RIA Novosti the sanctions will lead to higher potash prices and less availability on the world market.

Potash Trade

Unlike say crude, copper or wheat, benchmark prices are largely derived from annual deals between producers and buyers, rather than on a futures exchange. The nutrient is also traded in spot markets.

Prices at multiyear highs “revived projects like Jensen or Talitsky in Russia, even as the market is still in oversupply,” said VTB Capital analyst Elena Sakhnova. “It’s not clear how long potash price dynamics will sustain, as it is driven by speculative factors and uncertainty over Belarusian shipments.”

BHP’s Udd said he was confident the market could absorb the extra supply from Jansen, with first production targeted for 2027. “The feedback we’re getting from customers at this point is that they will really relish the competition this will induce in the market.”

(Adds comments from BHP’s Udd throughout.)

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(Corrects to A$40 billion from $40 billion in first paragraph)

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Shares in BHP Group Ltd. and Woodside Petroleum fell on Wednesday as investors digested details of the Perth-based oil and gas group's A$40 billion ($29 billion) merger with BHP's petroleum arm, with some questioning the value of the deal for Woodside.

While a 6% fall in BHP's share price was linked to a decision to end its UK dual listing, where its shares have traditionally traded at a large discount, a fall of up to 4% in Woodside reflected concerns about the expansion, they said.

"It may be difficult to get a vote across the line, with Woodside shareholders likely to question the value of the merger," said Jamie Hannah, deputy head of investments at Van Eck Australia, a shareholder in both BHP and Woodside.

"Woodside is one of the worst-performing companies within the energy sector globally post-COVID; the company doesn't yet have a strong mandate to enter a deal of such questionable value and this could further drag on Woodside's shares," he said.

BHP agreed to hive off its petroleum business to Woodside in a nil-premium merger, in return for new Woodside shares which will go to BHP shareholders, who will own 48% of the enlarged group.

The deal will make Woodside a top 10 global independent oil and gas producer, giving it oil assets in the Gulf of Mexico, gas in Trinidad and Tobago and ageing assets in Australia's Bass Strait, while doubling its stake in North West Shelf LNG.

However, it has raised concerns about the strategic sense of expanding in oil and taking on ageing gas assets with big decommissioning costs.

Investors said the fall in Woodside shares was also partly due to worries about an overhang of stock as BHP investors who want to get out of fossil fuels would look to dump the shares.

The stock was down 0.7% in afternoon trade, underperforming local rivals Santos and Oil Search, which were both up 1%.

Woodside's new chief executive, Meg O'Neill, said while investors were very familiar with BHP's Australian oil and gas assets, they did not appreciate the value of its Gulf of Mexico oil stakes – Mad Dog, Atlantis and Shenzi.

​ "Those are just first-class top-tier assets that will be very cash accretive to the merged company," O'Neill told Reuters.

Analysts were more upbeat about the long term, saying the deal would give Woodside more growth options, beyond its $12 billion Scarborough gas project and Pluto LNG expansion, and the company would benefit from strong cash generation at BHP's debt-free assets.

"It's a logical deal between the parties," said Argo Investments portfolio manager Andy Forster. "I do think ultimately shareholders will vote for it."

Woodside aims to put the deal to a vote in the second quarter of 2022.

Credit Suisse analyst Saul Kavonic said Woodside shareholders may be painted into a corner, noting that, as part of the deal, Woodside gave BHP an option to give up its stake in the Scarborough project for $1 billion if Woodside makes a final investment decision on the project by Dec. 15.

Woodside would then be the sole owner of Scarborough and have to fund the whole project by itself, which it currently cannot afford.

"Shareholders may have little choice but to vote the merger through because it would pose a serious balance sheet overhang," Kavonic said.

($1 = 1.3770 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Sonali Paul; editing by Richard Pullin)

(Bloomberg) — The U.K.’s blue-chip FTSE 100 Index will lose its second-biggest stock by market value and the world’s largest mining company, after BHP Group announced plans to simplify its listing structure.

BHP will move to a primary listing in Australia after collapsing a dual arrangement that dates back to the company’s creation 20 years ago when Australia’s BHP Ltd. merged with rival Billiton. The change, one of several announced Tuesday that also included a plan to exit the oil and gas business, means BHP can be more nimble in pursuing deals, Chief Executive Officer Mike Henry told reporters.

However, the deletion from the FTSE 100 will also prompt asset managers and exchange-traded funds which track the benchmark to sell their holdings in BHP. And the loss will be a blow to the index — the London Stock Exchange is seeking to attract new listings as the U.K. maps its future outside the European Union. It still includes several of the world’s other huge mining companies though, including No. 2 Rio Tinto Group, another dual-listed stock.

“Clearly it’s a big blow losing such a heavyweight,” Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Markets.com, said in an email. “But it will help balance the FTSE 100 a bit more with less leaning on basic resources. Bit less mining, bit more room for up-and-coming tech is surely not a terrible thing,” he said, adding that ultimately BHP is an Australian company at heart and should be listed there.

While BHP is the second-largest company in the FTSE 100, behind AstraZeneca Plc, it only ranks 10th by weighting because of the dual listing, representing 2.6% of the index. The proposal — which is subject to approvals including by the company’s board — would leave BHP with secondary listings in London, Johannesburg and New York. Shareholders of the London-listed vehicle will get shares of the Sydney-listed entity on a one-for-one basis.

The miner has been reviewing its listing structure for years after Elliott Management Corp. pushed BHP to reorganize as a single company. Elliott — which also advocated for the company to get out of oil and gas — argued that removing the dual listing would eliminate a discount between its shares in London and Sydney, reduce costs and bolster transparency.

“Could there be some shareholders who are forced sellers? Yes, clearly,” BHP’s Henry said in a Bloomberg TV interview. “We continue to see shareholders in the Plc as very important and I want to see as many of those as possible continue to hold BHP.”

Under the current arrangement, BHP has two headquarters and two main stock market listings, but is run as a single entity under the same management and board. The company announced the change to its structure as part of its annual earnings results Tuesday, confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report.

(Updates with CEO comments in penultimate paragraph.)

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The new week started with stocks solidly in the red on Monday morning, but then the S&P and Dow staged another comeback that kept their record-setting pace alive. Meanwhile, we’re getting ready for a week full of retail earnings and data that should give us a read on the consumer and, therefore, the economic recovery.

“Equities saw pressure in the morning, then grinded their way higher all day. Sound familiar?”, said Jeremy Mullin in Counterstrike. “Things continue to be quite confusing, but the model to follow has been selling in the morning and buying in the afternoon.”

The Dow was down by nearly 300 points at its worst of the session, but finished higher by 110 points. It was up 0.31% to 35,625.40. The S&P rose 0.26% to 4479.71. These indices have now put together five consecutive sessions of record closes.

The NASDAQ, however, slipped 0.20% (or about 29 points) to 14,793.76. The tech-heavy index is under much more pressure than its counterparts these days. It was down by nearly 13 points last week, while the Dow and S&P were up 0.9% and 0.7%, respectively.

Softer-than-expected retail sales in China were one of the reasons why stocks had such a sluggish morning. And it just so happens that U.S. retail sales will be released tomorrow. You may remember that last month’s print was a pleasant surprise, climbing 0.6% in June to beat expectations calling for a slight loss. It was also a noteworthy improvement from the 1.7% plunge in May.  

And that report is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to retail news this week. Earnings season may be winding down, but we always finish up on an exciting note when some of the biggest retailers in the world take the stage.

Tomorrow we get releases from Walmart (WMT) and Home Depot (HD) before the bell, which were up 0.82% and 1.13% today, respectively. And on Wednesday this week we get the Fed minutes for the July meeting. The release is always a big deal, but it may take on even more importance as many investors feel that a taper announcement is drawing near.

Today's Portfolio Highlights:

Blockchain Technology: You might not think this portfolio needs a mining company, but Rio Tinto (RIO) is proving that this innovative technology can be used anywhere. The company launched a blockchain-based program called START earlier this year, which is the first sustainable label for aluminum using blockchain technology. It’ll be similar to a nutrition label on food, except it will offer information on things like carbon footprint, regulatory compliance and much more. Earnings estimates for RIO are going “through the roof”, which explains why the stock is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Read the full write-up for a lot more on this new addition and be ready for another buy later this week.

Surprise Trader: Earnings season may be slowing down, but it’s not over. In fact, the tail end is when the retailers come out to report, which is where Dave went for his first of four additions this week. He picked up Tapestry (TPR), a designer and marketer of fine accessories and gifts (formerly known as Coach). This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) has beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate for four straight quarters with a positive surprise of 70% last time. And now it has a positive Earnings ESP of 6.06% heading into its next release on Thursday after the bell. The editor added TPR on Monday with a 12.5% allocation, while also getting out of the “meandering” Middleby Corp. (MIDD) position. Read the complete commentary for more.

Black Box Trader: The portfolio replaced four names in this week's adjustment. The stock that were sold on Monday included:

• Target (TGT, +5.1%)
• Interpublic Group of Cos. (IPG, +5%)
• Mattel (MAT)
• Skechers U.S.A. (SKX)

The new buys that filled these spots are:

• Avis Budget Group (CAR)
• DICK'S Sporting Goods (DKS)
• Nucor (NUE)
• Urban Outfitters (URBN)

Read the Black Box Trader’s Guide to learn more about this computer-driven service. By the way, this portfolio had a top performer on Monday with AutoNation (AN) advancing 5.7%.

Options Trader: "Stocks closed mostly higher today with the Dow and S&P both hitting new all-time highs in the process.

"The markets were weaker in the morning and for a portion of the afternoon. But after hitting their worst levels early on, they spent the rest of the day making their way back and then some.

"A stellar Q2 earnings season has really lifted stocks. And even though it's winding down, the robust outlooks for Q3 and beyond suggests there's a lot more upside to go.

"Same goes for the economic reports. Although, while some reports have beaten expectations, like the recent employment report which showed 943,000 new jobs were created last month, some have slowed down a bit. But we continue to see strong economic activity from a rebounding economy eager to open back up." — Kevin Matras

All the Best,
Jim Giaquinto

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Zacks Investment Research

Investors seek growth stocks to capitalize on above-average growth in financials that help these securities grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. But finding a great growth stock is not easy at all.

By their very nature, these stocks carry above-average risk and volatility. Moreover, if a company's growth story is over or nearing its end, betting on it could lead to significant loss.

However, the task of finding cutting-edge growth stocks is made easy with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.

Mosaic (MOS) is one such stock that our proprietary system currently recommends. The company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.

Studies have shown that stocks with the best growth features consistently outperform the market. And returns are even better for stocks that possess the combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).

While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this fertilizer maker is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:

Earnings Growth

Earnings growth is arguably the most important factor, as stocks exhibiting exceptionally surging profit levels tend to attract the attention of most investors. And for growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is definitely preferable, and often an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.

While the historical EPS growth rate for Mosaic is 7.5%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 420.9% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 141.6%.

Impressive Asset Utilization Ratio

Growth investors often overlook asset utilization ratio, also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio, but it is an important feature of a real growth stock. This metric shows how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.

Right now, Mosaic has an S/TA ratio of 0.5, which means that the company gets $0.5 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 0.48, it can be said that the company is more efficient.

While the level of efficiency in generating sales matters a lot, so does the sales growth of a company. And Mosaic looks attractive from a sales growth perspective as well. The company's sales are expected to grow 43.1% this year versus the industry average of 26.1%.

Promising Earnings Estimate Revisions

Superiority of a stock in terms of the metrics outlined above can be further validated by looking at the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is of course favorable here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

The current-year earnings estimates for Mosaic have been revising upward. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 34.5% over the past month.

Bottom Line

Mosaic has not only earned a Growth Score of B based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above, but it also carries a Zacks Rank #1 because of the positive earnings estimate revisions.

You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

This combination indicates that Mosaic is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors.

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The Mosaic Company (MOS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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