Vale SA (ADR) (NYSE:VALE) has reported a sharp fall in second-quarter earnings as iron ore prices declined from a year earlier.
The Brazilian mining giant also announced plans to sell a 13% stake in its base metals unit for $3.4 billion as it focuses more attention on copper and nickel.
Net operating revenues for the three months to June 30, 2023, fell 13% to $9.67 billion while preforms adjusted underlying earnings (EBITDA) from continuing operations fell 25% to $4.14 billion.
It reported a 78% decline in net income from continuing operations of $892 million.
“We continue to make substantial progress on operational excellence across all businesses,” CEO Eduardo Bartolomeo said in a statement.
“In Iron Solutions we set a new production record for a second quarter at S11D, alongside solid performances from Itabira and Vargem Grande. The Torto Dam license is a significant milestone, enhancing our portfolio's overall quality. Our Energy Transition Metals (ETM) business has also performed very well with the successful ramp-up of Salobo III and improved performance at Sossego."
In a separate announcement, Vale said the sale of the stake in its base metals unit formed part of a strategy to unlock more value from its copper and nickel assets to meet increased demand from the electric vehicle market.
Toronto-based Vale Base Metals is one of the world's largest producers of responsibly sourced nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum group metals, according to the company website
Manara Minerals, a joint venture between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Saudi Arabian Mining Co, will acquire a 10% stake in the unit, with US investment firm Engine No. 1 acquiring 3%.
"Today´s announcement to form a strategic partnership with Manara Minerals and Engine No.1 is another major milestone in ETM´s journey to accelerate accretive growth and unlock significant long-term value for all our stakeholders," Bartolomeo added.
"With our high-quality portfolio, we are uniquely positioned to meet the growing demand for green metals essential for the global energy transition."
The company's shares were down 0.3% in Friday pre-market trading after declining 2.1% on Thursday.
Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com