Rio May Get Boost From Iron Ore Demand, Goldman Says (Update3)
By Rebecca Keenan
July 16 (Bloomberg) -- Rio Tinto Group, the world’s third- largest mining company, may have its earnings boosted by rising demand and prices for iron ore, Goldman Sachs JBWere Pty said.
“We are becoming increasingly positive on the outlook for iron ore with spot prices increasing and global steel production expected to recover somewhat in the second half of 2009,” Goldman analysts led by Neil Goodwill said in a report.
China detained Rio’s head of iron ore operations on July 5 for allegedly stealing state secrets amid a stalemate in pricing talks. Rio is still targeting record ore production this year as Chinese steel demand continues to recover, it said yesterday.
“This should provide some upside risk to Rio’s earnings profile,” Goodwill said in the July 15 report. He’s forecasting Rio will report full-year profit of $3.85 billion this year.
Rio dropped 21 pence, or 1 percent, to 2,083.5 pence at 10:19 a.m. in London trading, paring this year’s gain to 69 percent. Earlier, the London-based company gained 4.6 percent to A$52.40 at the close in Sydney. Iron ore is Rio’s biggest contributor to earnings.
Imports of iron ore by China, the biggest buyer, rose 3.4 percent in June, according to Chinese customs data, while spot ore prices are trading at a nine-month high. Rio yesterday reported an 8 percent jump in second-quarter iron ore production with record output from its operations in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
Rio’s iron ore output beat UBS AG’s estimates by 16 percent, Sydney-based analysts for the broker said in a report yesterday.
‘Better Growth’
“Given the expectation of better growth in the second half of 2009 in the U.S. and Europe, coupled with continued strength in Chinese demand, we maintain our buy rating,” said the UBS analysts led by Glyn Lawcock. He has a 12-month target price of A$66 on Rio’s Australian shares.
Some of China’s largest mills have agreed to a “provisional” 33 percent price cut offered by Rio, the world’s second-largest exporter, Umetal Research Institute said yesterday. The China Iron and Steel Association, comprising steel and trading companies, is still negotiating with Rio on a benchmark contract price, an official said yesterday.
China’s Ministry of Commerce is reviewing iron ore import licenses and may decide to cancel some, China Daily reported today, citing unnamed sources. The ministry ruled out a proposal from the steel industry group to scrap all licenses held by trading companies, the report said.
Stern Hu
Chinese authorities last week said they had evidence that four Rio employees, including Stern Hu, an Australian citizen and head of Rio’s iron ore operations in China, stole state secrets. China accuses Hu of bribing steel executives during ore price talks, Australia’s Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said July 10.
Hu’s detention comes amid a reported government crackdown on the iron ore market in China. Executives from 16 Chinese steel mills taking part in iron ore talks this year received payments from Rio employees, the China Daily newspaper reported yesterday, citing an industry “insider” it didn’t identify. Rio declined to comment on the report.
Baosteel Group Co., the nation’s biggest mill, said yesterday none of its executives were being investigated by authorities or have been asked to assist with the Rio probe.
Rio yesterday pulled out of China its entire staff involved in research work on the iron ore and steel industry, the Australian Financial Review reported today, without citing anyone. Rio spokesman Gervase Greene declined to comment on the report today.
The Hu case has had no effect on the business of Sino Gold Mining Ltd., Chief Executive Officer Jake Klein said today on a call with analysts and reporters. The Sydney-based company operates two mines in China and is building a third.
“I don’t believe it’s going to have a long term impact on the relationship between Australia and China,” Klein said. “We are so short of facts at the moment.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Rebecca Keenan in Melbourne at rkeenan5@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: July 16, 2009 05:20 EDT