RJ Hamster
Copper Giant Freeport Rebounds – Upside Ahead?
| UnsubscribeExecutive Order 14330: Trump’s Biggest Yet (From The Oxford Club)Post 35% Surge, Analysts Eye More Upside in Copper Giant FreeportWritten by Leo Miller on December 17, 2025 Quick LookAfter being down and out in September, Freeport McMoRan has recovered mightily.Analysts are raising their price targets on the copper miner.Data center build-outs and EV expectations provide support for FCX’s long-term outlook.After taking a big-time tumble in September, copper mining giantFreeport McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) has regained its footing, and then some. On Sept. 24, shares dropped nearly 17% as the company significantly reduced its guidance in light of a disaster at its Indonesian mine.The stock declined another 6% on Sept. 25, leaving FCX shares just over $35.However, Freeport has roared back with a vengeance since then. Shares closed at just over $47.50 on Dec. 16; an approximately 35% recovery from their September low.Now, Wall Street analysts see even more upside ahead. Below, we’ll detail why Freeport McMoRan has been able to stage such a robust rebound, and why analysts are growing increasingly optimistic. Ultimately, Freeport McMoRan continues to have solid upside potential going forward. All data is as of the Dec. 16 close unless otherwise indicated.Starlink’s $100 Billion IPO: Your Chance to Invest Early (Ad)Elon Musk’s Starlink project is generating major speculation ahead of a potential IPO that some analysts believe could reach a historic $100 billion valuation. According to James Altucher, there may be a smart “backdoor” way for everyday investors to position ahead of that event without needing traditional IPO access — and he says it can be done for under $100. He’s also sharing a free ticker tied to this trend for anyone who wants to take a closer look.Click here to learn moreFCX Fully Recovers After September CrashA mudslide occurred at Freeport’s Grasberg Block Cave underground mine in Indonesia in early September, tragically killing several workers. Subsequently, Freeport was forced to lower its guidance for 2025 and 2026 significantly. Freeport estimated that the mine could “potentially” return to pre-incident production levels in 2027. However, as MarketBeat pointed out at the time, this decline in production is temporary.There is a reasonable path by which Freeport’s copper production could return to pre-incident levels in the not-too-distant future. Thus, it appears likely that the market was overreacting to near-term disruptions, providing an opportunity for investors with a long-term mindset. The market appears to have coalesced around this view. FCX shares now trade above $45 per share; their level the day before the company lowered its guidance.Wall Street Moves Targets Above $55 in DecemberThe consensus price target on Freeport currently sits near $49, suggesting around 3% upside potential in the stock. However, among Wall Street analysts tracked by MarketBeat who updated their price targets in December, the average target comes in at over $56.This figure implies that shares could rise by 18%. This shows how analysts incorporating the most recent information in their forecasts are also among the most optimistic on FCX.On Dec. 4, Reuters conducted an interview with Freeport CEO Kathleen Quirk, which appears to have been a key impetus for analysts raising their price targets. Quirk said that copper production at Grasberg should return to 90% of pre-incident levels in 2026 and back to full production in 2027.These were more optimistic statements than the company’s initial assessment, leading to bullishness among analysts. Quirk also stated that Freeport has the opportunity to grow by 50% (roughly 8% – 9% annually) over the next five years through internal, organic means. She likened this potential growth to adding an entirely new mine to the company’s portfolio. However, this growth will not come with the major capital investment required to actually construct a mine.This internal expansion strategy contrasts with competitors such as BHP Group (NYSE: BHP), who have looked toward expensive merger and acquisition deals to bolster their production.Silver’s About to Embarrass a Lot of People (Ad)They wrote silver off as a “boring metal,” but its move above $33 has forced analysts to reconsider what’s really driving this market. With AI hardware, EVs, solar, and next-gen electronics all dependent on silver — while global supply continues to lag — this quiet setup is starting to look like one of the most overlooked opportunities in the commodities space. Most investors still haven’t connected the dots, which is why this new silver forecast guide breaks down the fundamentals behind the move, the real pressure building beneath the surface, and the steps to consider before silver becomes front-page news.Get the Silver Forecast NowLong-Term Tailwinds Supporting FCX’s OutlookFiber optics is likely to keep replacing copper as the primary method for transmitting data. However, despite being able to transmit data more efficiently than copper, one thing that fiber optics cannot do is transmit electricity. This is why copper remains essential for electricity transmission and distribution—a growing need in both the artificial intelligence (AI) and electric vehicle (EV) sectors.Furthermore, although the shift toward EVs has slowed, experts expect them to continue rising in prevalence. Analysts believe that EVs make up around 9% of passenger cars sold in the United States today. BloombergNEF projects this number will increase to 27% by 2030. This is key for Freeport, as EVs require three to four times more copper than gas-powered vehicles. Additionally, rising demand for EV charging stations to support EV proliferation could create even more demand for copper.Data centers and a continued shift toward EVs are two key tailwinds supporting long-term copper demand, and thus Freeport McMoran’s outlook. While near-term gains may moderate, long-term investors focused on the copper supercycle still have reasons to be optimistic about FCX stock.Read this article online ›Further ReadingForget the Chips: 4 Industrial Plays for the AI ReboundYear-End Rally Momentum Is Building: See Our 4 High-Upside Stocks (From Meza Services)MongoDB Could Hit Record Highs—But You’ll Need to Move FastThese 5 stocks could move before Wall Street catches on (From TradingTips)Dollar General’s Turnaround Could Send the Stock Higher in 2026Don’t Bet Against AppLovin: The Case Against the ShortsMicron’s Q1 Results Say “AI Bubble Is Far From Bursting” Did you learn something from this article? |
Thank you for subscribing to The Early Bird, MarketBeat’s 7:00 AM newsletter that covers stories that will impact the stock market each day. If you have questions about your newsletter, please feel free to email our U.S. based support team at contact@marketbeat.com. If you no longer wish to receive email from The Early Bird, you can unsubscribe. Copyright 2006-2025 MarketBeat Media, LLC. 345 North Reid Place, Suite 620, Sioux Falls, S.D. 57103. USA..Further Reading: A Backdoor Play on Starlink’s IPO for Less than $100? (From Paradigm Press) |
