Southern Copper Corp. ($SCCO) Stock: $2M Fund Buy Sparks Bullish Buzz Despite Analyst Divisions

Big money moves in—copper play heats up as institutional bets clash with Wall Street's lukewarm takes.

The Confidence Play

A $2 million fund scoop of SCCO shares screams conviction while analysts waffle between 'hold' and 'meh.' Metals might be old economy, but when whales dive in, traders pay attention—even if it's just to front-run the next pension fund panic sell.

Copper's Contradictions

Green energy pipelines need it. Short sellers doubt it. Meanwhile, the smart money's loading up before the next inflation report turns industrial metals into meme stocks. Classic Wall Street: betting on inevitability while pretending to analyze.

Bottom line? When funds bypass consensus to back a boring essential, it's either the smartest trade of the quarter... or proof that even professionals chase shiny objects.

TLDR

• Moneda S.A. buys 21,515 SCCO shares worth $2.01M, now 12th largest holding in its portfolio
• SCCO reported $1.19 EPS vs. $1.05 estimate and revenue of $3.12B
• Dividend of $0.70 per share implies a 2.98% yield
• Analysts remain mixed: 3 “sell”, 5 “hold”, $91 average price target
• Stock trades at $98.19, down 1.30%, with a strong 3-year return of 128.34%

Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE: SCCO) stock is currently trading at $98.19 after slipping 1.30% on Friday’s close.

Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO)

Chile-based investment manager Moneda S.A. Administradora General de Fondos has acquired 21,515 shares of the copper miner, amounting to an investment worth approximately $2.01 million. The MOVE positions SCCO as the 12th largest holding in Moneda’s portfolio and represents around 2.2% of its total allocation, as reported in its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also reshuffled their SCCO positions in Q1. Machina Capital S.A.S. nearly doubled its stake to 13,593 shares, while Beacon Investment Advisory Services Inc. raised its holdings by 8.6% to over 53,000 shares. Overall, hedge funds and institutional investors now control 7.94% of the company’s stock.

Strong Q1 Performance and Dividend Outlook

Southern Copper beat consensus estimates in its most recent earnings report for the quarter ending April 25, 2025. The miner posted earnings per share of $1.19, exceeding the $1.05 forecast. Revenue also came in strong at $3.12 billion, surpassing expectations of $3.05 billion.

SCCO also announced a dividend of $0.70 per share, which was paid on May 19 to shareholders of record as of May 5. The yield stands at 2.98%, and the payout ratio is 61.27%, suggesting healthy cash flows. The company boasts a return on equity of 39.39% and a net margin of 30%.

Stock Metrics and Valuation

With a market cap of $79.3 billion, SCCO holds a P/E ratio of 21.79 and a PEG ratio of 2.59. The company maintains a strong balance sheet, highlighted by a quick ratio of 3.22 and a current ratio of 3.71. The debt-to-equity ratio is 0.70. SCCO shares are trading well above the 200-day average of $93.84 and the 50-day average of $96.97. The stock’s 52-week range spans from $74.84 to $121.44.

Analyst Ratings Show Divergence

Analyst sentiment on SCCO remains divided. UBS downgraded the stock to “neutral” with a $105 target, while Morgan Stanley maintained an “underweight” rating but raised its price target to $99. HSBC upgraded SCCO from “moderate sell” to “hold.” In total, there are three “sell” and five “hold” ratings, with a consensus price target of $91.

Long-Term Performance Still Attractive

Despite a -1.35% return over the past year, SCCO has outperformed over longer horizons. The stock has returned 128.34% over three years and 189.32% over five, far exceeding the S&P 500’s gains of 61.05% and 98.67% in the same periods. Year-to-date, SCCO has delivered a 10.36% return, versus the S&P’s 8.62%.