SBI Securities Co. Ltd. Has $3.11 Million Stock Holdings in Rio Tinto PLC $RIO

Key Points

• SBI Securities reduced its stake in Rio Tinto by 19.7% in Q4, selling 9,543 shares and ending the period with 38,792 shares valued at about $3.11 million.
• Several brokerages have downgraded RIO and the consensus rating is "Hold" with a consensus price target of $101.75.
• Rio Tinto benefits from rising copper prices and planned cost cuts that could boost cash flow, but it faces ESG and operational risks (local community water concerns, potential investor divestment, and West African project disruptions); the company also paid a $2.54 dividend in April.

SBI Securities Co. Ltd. decreased its holdings in shares of Rio Tinto PLC (NYSE:RIO - Free Report) by 19.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 38,792 shares of the mining company's stock after selling 9,543 shares during the period. SBI Securities Co. Ltd.'s holdings in Rio Tinto were worth $3,105,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. PFS Partners LLC acquired a new position in Rio Tinto in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Nvest Wealth Strategies Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Rio Tinto during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH acquired a new position in shares of Rio Tinto during the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto in the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. Finally, Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Rio Tinto in the 4th quarter valued at about $37,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 19.33% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on RIO shares. Zacks Research lowered shares of Rio Tinto from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. HSBC downgraded shares of Rio Tinto from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. DZ Bank cut shares of Rio Tinto from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Morgan Stanley lowered shares of Rio Tinto from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Barclays cut shares of Rio Tinto from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Rio Tinto has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $101.75.

Trending Headlines about Rio Tinto

Here are the key news stories impacting Rio Tinto this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/technical spotlight — Institutional Investor/IBD called RIO a “stock of the day” after a breakout as hopes for an Iran deal lifted metals prices, providing momentum for miners including Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto, IBD stock of the day, breaks out as Iran deal hopes lift metals prices
• Positive Sentiment: Commodity tailwinds — Copper, gold and silver jumped after easing geopolitical risk, lifting sector sentiment and helping re-rate large diversified miners such as Rio Tinto. Higher metal prices support revenue and cash flow upside. Copper, Silver, Gold Price Jump As Oil Dives. These Stocks Are Near Buy Points.
• Positive Sentiment: Copper production growth — Reports note Rio Tinto’s copper output is rising, putting its valuation and dividend policy in focus; sustained higher copper volumes and prices would materially boost cash generation and investor returns. Rio Tinto Copper Output Rise Puts Valuation And Dividend In Spotlight
• Positive Sentiment: Cost discipline — Management has signaled further cost cutting as it pivots into a copper-led growth phase; cost cuts can bolster margins and free cash flow, reassuring income-focused investors. Rio Tinto boss vows more cost-cutting as it bets big on copper boom
• Positive Sentiment: Operational outsourcing — Rio Tinto awarded Sodexo a Pilbara facilities contract, a small operational development that may improve service delivery and concentrate capital on core mining. Sodexo awarded contract to manage Rio Tinto’s Pilbara facilities
• Negative Sentiment: Environmental & ESG pressure — Traditional owners say a sacred Aboriginal waterhole in Western Australia has dried, blaming Rio Tinto’s water use; this raises reputational, regulatory and community-relations risk. Rio Tinto's water use dries sacred waterhole, Aboriginal group says
• Negative Sentiment: Investor divestment risk — The Jesuits in Britain are considering selling their stake over environmental concerns in Madagascar and Guinea, a sign of growing ESG-led investor pressure that could weigh on sentiment. Jesuits in Britain consider divesting from Rio Tinto over environmental concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Operational disruption risk — Mining was halted at the Baowu-led Simandou site over a pay dispute, highlighting labour and geopolitical risks in West African projects that can affect supply dynamics and sector sentiment. Mining halted at Baowu-led Simandou site over pay dispute, sources say

Rio Tinto Price Performance

Shares of RIO opened at $105.55 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.44, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $94.70 and a 200 day simple moving average of $85.48. Rio Tinto PLC has a 52-week low of $55.64 and a 52-week high of $105.97.

Rio Tinto Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Thursday, April 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 6th were paid a $2.54 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 6th. This represents a yield of 564.0%.

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a global mining and metals company that explores for, mines, processes and markets a wide range of commodities. Its principal products include iron ore, aluminum, copper, diamonds and various other minerals and industrial materials. The company's activities span the full value chain from exploration and project development to mining, processing, smelting and refining, supplying raw materials to industries such as steelmaking, automotive, packaging, electronics and construction.

The origins of Rio Tinto date back to mining operations in the Rio Tinto region of Spain in the 19th century, and the group has since grown into a multinational enterprise.

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