B08 Metal Ore Mining

Rio looks long term and offers Jacques 10 years at the top

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 4-May-17

Todd Warren of Colonial First State Global Asset Management supports Rio Tinto’s revelation that CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques has been given a 10-year contract. He argues that such a contract allows management to make decisions with a company’s long-term interests in mind. Warren and Peter O’Connor of Shaw & Partners are both of the view that CEOs with long mandates should be subject to short-term performance standards. The length of Jacques contract was not specified when he was appointed in March 2016.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, COLONIAL FIRST STATE GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT, SHAW AND PARTNERS LIMITED, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, LEIGHTON HOLDINGS LIMITED, WORLEYPARSONS LIMITED – ASX WOR

Elliott spruiks BHP plan to Sydney hedge funds

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Peter Ker, John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 3-May-17

Representatives of activist US hedge fund Elliott Associates have organised meetings with Sydney-based institutional investors as it seeks to gain support for its proposal for a restructuring of the resources giant. However, some large local investors have indicated that they have not held talks with Elliott and will not back its proposals. Elliott has also been targeting several other global companies, including Arconic and Samsung.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ELLIOTT ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, ELLIOTT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, ARCONIC INCORPORATED, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS COMPANY LIMITED, ALCOA INCORPORATED

US miner lauds activist campaign against BHP

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 1-May-17

Cliffs Natural Resources CEO Lourenco Goncalves contends that the recent fall in the price of iron ore is in part the fault of BHP Billiton CFO Peter Beaven. He had forecast that the iron ore price would weaken in a speech on 9 March 2017, and the price has been in decline since then. Goncalves has welcomed the activist campaign being waged against BHP by Elliott Associates, while also accusing BHP of over-production of iron ore.

CORPORATES
CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES INCORPORATED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ELLIOTT ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, VALE SA, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, ARCONIC INCORPORATED, CASABLANCA CAPITAL LP, ROY HILL IRON ORE PTY LTD

Pilbara deluge cuts BHP output

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 1-May-17

The revenue of BHP Billiton, Fortescue Metals Group, Rio Tinto and Woodside Petroleum was slashed by about $A2.9bn in the March 2017 quarter, due to heavier than usual rainfall in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. BHP has attributed its 11 per cent downturn in iron ore production in the Pilbara to the wet season. Likewise, production at the North West Shelf LNG project was 12.7 per cent lower. Meanwhile, the State Government’s iron ore royalties are likely to have been reduced by about $A170m as a result of the adverse weather conditions.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, ATLAS IRON LIMITED – ASX AGO, AUSTRALIA. BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY

Newcrest hit by power prices, Cadia damage

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Peter Ker, Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 28-Apr-17

Newcrest Mining has warned that full-year gold production for 2016-17 is likely to be at the lower end of its guidance. Newcrest has also indicated that its Cadia gold mine in New South Wales is unlikely to return to full capacity for some time following an earthquake. Meanwhile, the company has advised of an increase of about 90 per cent in the base price it will pay for electricity at Cadia under a new supply agreement for 2017-18. Newcrest says it will seek a better supply deal.

CORPORATES
NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS

Atlas Iron needs to diversify, says new chief Lawrenson

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 27-Apr-17

Atlas Iron MD Cliff Lawrenson says the proposed Corunna Downs mine remains the junior iron ore producer’s main priority. He adds that Atlas will seek to lift annual production to around 10-15 million tonnes over the long-term, but he notes that the company may need to diversify its operations to ensure that it avoids the financial problems that nearly caused its collapse in 2014. Rival iron ore producers BC Iron and Mount Gibson Iron are actively seeking to diversify.

CORPORATES
ATLAS IRON LIMITED – ASX AGO, BC IRON LIMITED – ASX BCI, MOUNT GIBSON IRON LIMITED – ASX MGX, KALIUM LAKES LIMITED – ASX KLL, PILBARA MINERALS LIMITED – ASX PLS

BHP puts US shale back on block

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 17 & 26 : 27-Apr-17

BHP Billiton has reduced its 2017 forecast for copper production to between 1.33 million and 1.36 million tonnes due to the impact of industrial action at the Escondida mine in Chile. Metallurgical coal output is also expected to be lower due to Cyclone Debbie in Queensland, while iron ore production guidance has been reduced to between 268 million and 272 million tonnes following inclement weather in Western Australia during the March quarter. Meanwhile, BHP has flagged plans to sell its Fayetteville shale gas fields in the US.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ELLIOTT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Goldman turns bearish on BHP

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 19 : 26-Apr-17

The London-listed shares of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto have fallen by around 16 per cent in the last two months. Goldman Sachs has reduced its share price targets for the UK stock of both companies. The firm now has a "sell" recommendation on BHP, citing factors such as the downturn in the price of iron ore and coking coal. Goldman Sachs also has sell ratings on Antofagasta and Kumba Resources.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INCORPORATED, ANTOFAGASTA PLC, KUMBA RESOURCES LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Prices of iron ore grades ‘will narrow’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Tess Ingram, Lisa Murray
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 24-Apr-17

The price of iron ore with 62 per cent iron content averaged $US85.52 per tonne in the March 2017 quarter, while lower-grade iron ore averaged $US52.96 per tonne. However, some analysts do not expect the price differential to be sustained. Mark Pervan of AME Group notes that Chinese steel mills are already beginning to use lower-grade iron ore again. Meanwhile, China Iron & Steel Association vice-president Li Xinchuang has forecast that the iron ore price will average about $US65 per tonne in 2017.

CORPORATES
AME GROUP PTY LTD, CHINA IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, ATLAS IRON LIMITED – ASX AGO, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, SHANGHAI STEELHOME INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMPANY LIMITED

Big miners defy iron ore price slide to hold firm

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 20 : 20-Apr-17

The iron ore price has shed 33 per cent in the last month, and it has now fallen to a six-month low. However, ratings agency Standard & Poor’s has upgraded its average price forecast for 2017 from $US55 per tonne to $US66. The firm has also upgraded Rio Tinto’s "A-" credit rating from "stable" to "positive", and flagged the potential for a further upgrade within 12-18 months. Shares in Australia’s three largest iron ore producers were resilient in local trading on 19 April, despite the falling iron price.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, STANDARD AND POOR’S FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC, NIKKO ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, FREEPORT-McMORAN COPPER AND GOLD INCORPORATED