Rio Tinto Plc (NYSE:RIO) stock rose Wednesday after the company disclosed a fourth-quarter production increase in Pilbara iron ore production of 4% year-over-year (Y/Y) to 89.7 Mt.
Pilbara iron ore shipments rose 7% Y/Y to 91.3 Mt in the quarter.
Simandou continued its rapid development, beginning operations and completing its first shipment in the quarter.
Meanwhile, production of Bauxite remained flat Y/Y at 15.4 Mt, and Alumina declined 1% Y/Y to 2.0 Mt in the quarter.
Copper equivalent (CuEq) production increased 8% year-over-year in 2025, with shipments up 5%, aided by Oyu Tolgoi's ramp-up, record bauxite output, and strong performance in lithium operations.
Outlook
For fiscal year 2026, Rio expects guidance for Bauxite production of 58-61Mt and Alumina production of 7.6-8.0 Mt.
The company projects Pilbara iron ore sales of 323-338 Mt.
Management Commentary
Rio Tinto Chief Executive Simon Trott said the company delivered standout production results both sequentially and for the full year, driven by strong operational execution and effective project delivery across its portfolio.
He highlighted record quarterly iron ore output in the Pilbara following a rebound from earlier weather disruptions, marked the first shipment from Simandou as a key growth milestone, and pointed to continued record copper production after the completion of the Oyu Tolgoi underground project.
Trott also noted a significant uplift in bauxite output, steady lithium production growth in line with 2025 plans, and said the company's streamlined operating model is beginning to generate tangible performance and value gains.
Rio Tinto is scheduled to release its 2025 full-year results on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
RIO Price Action: Rio Tinto shares were up 3.36% at $88.56 during premarket trading on Wednesday. The stock is trading at a new 52-week high, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Photo by Adwo via Shutterstock
