FCX Freeport-McMoRan Inc

Freeport-McMoRan is one of the world's largest publicly traded copper producers, with mines in North America, South America, and Indonesia. Sector: Materials.

Freeport-McMoRan Inc (FCX) is an individual stock. The analysis below presents key financial metrics for the company, covering profitability, capital efficiency, valuation, margins, and growth.

Assessing the quality of returns on invested capital, ROIC is 10.29%, WACC is 12.08%, and the economic spread is -1.79%. On balance, the company is not clearing their capital cost hurdle, meaning reinvestment may be diluting rather than compounding value. Supporting metrics show ROE at 13.03% and ROA at 5.54%, a combination that helps frame whether profitability strength is broad enough to hold through different market conditions. Taken together, the return profile suggests a company that likely needs operating improvement before returns quality can be considered durable.

The current pricing of the company reads trailing P/E of 40.52, forward P/E of 20.13, PEG of 1.68. A meaningful compression from trailing to forward P/E implies analysts are projecting earnings growth that could re-rate the company favorably if delivered. The PEG ratio signals a company priced at reasonable growth-adjusted value — adequate for the earnings outlook, without offering an obvious margin of safety. The current ratio of 2.29 is in an acceptable range, reflecting reasonable short-term financial health. In aggregate, the valuation reads as fair to moderately stretched — leaving the investment case dependent on earnings execution rather than multiple expansion.

Looking at margins from gross to free cash flow, gross margin sits at 32.61%, operating margin at 25.09%, and free cash flow margin at 4.31%. The gross margin reading is middling — acceptable, but leaving less room for error at the production level. At this level, operating margins reflect businesses that are scaling with discipline without dramatic cost pressure. The company's cash conversion is poor at this level — a sign of capital-intensive or loss-making businesses across much of the company. Margins indicate a company that is operating effectively in some areas while still showing efficiency gaps in others.

Projected 12-month EPS growth of 101.3% adds a powerful forward signal — analyst consensus expects earnings to accelerate materially, which, if delivered, could make current multiples look increasingly modest. Turning to growth and analyst expectations, TTM revenue growth of 1.81% indicating muted but still positive top-line momentum across the company, while the estimated 12-month price change of 10.48%, where target prices point to mid-range appreciation potential from current levels. The distinction matters: revenue growth tells you what the company are doing, price targets tell you what analysts think the market will pay for it. Ultimately, the alignment between revenue momentum and analyst targets will depend on execution quality and the broader rate and sentiment environment. The estimated 12-month price change is based on analyst consensus price target estimates, sourced from publicly available data, and should not be interpreted as a reliable prediction of future performance.

The fundamental picture is not broken, but neither is it clearly compelling — a hold posture reflects the absence of an obvious catalyst for re-rating in either direction.

This summary is based on publicly available quantitative data and is not intended as investment advice. Carefully consider your personal financial circumstances before making any decisions.