Global Electrification Will Increase Copper Demand Despite Setbacks

Key Takeaways

• Optimistic forecasts may overlook operational, regulatory, and environmental challenges that could restrict revenue growth and margin improvement in the near to medium term.
  
• Production stability, capital execution risks, and rising compliance costs could pressure earnings, exposing the company to greater volatility than implied by current market expectations.
  
• Strong operational execution and cost reduction, resolution of legacy issues, and exposure to copper demand position the company for improved earnings and financial flexibility.

Catalysts

Operates as a copper focused base and precious metals mining company in Australia and Chile.

• The current valuation appears to reflect optimistic expectations that global electrification will translate into strong, sustained copper demand, but may overstate 29Metals' ability to fully capitalize given ongoing challenges at Capricorn Copper, where production remains suspended and restart timelines hinge on regulatory approval for tailings and persistent water management issues-potentially capping near
• and mid-term revenue growth versus consensus expectations.
  
• Investors may be over-anticipating margin improvements and cost declines from operational initiatives at Golden Grove-even as head grades are set to improve with Xantho Extended and Gossan Valley ramp-up, persistent geotechnical risks (i.e., seismicity) in deeper zones create uncertainty around maintaining stable production levels and could drive higher remedial or safety capex, limiting the EBITDA margin upside baked into the stock.
  
• The narrative is pricing in a full and timely realization of expansion and capital delivery at Gossan Valley, but delays in capex spend, shifting $15 million into 2026, and ongoing regulatory and environmental approval risks suggest the start of incremental production volumes could be pushed back or ramp-up could be slower than modeled-holding back expected revenue acceleration.
  
• The company's guidance and market optimism seem not to sufficiently factor in the possibility that accelerating ESG scrutiny and evolving regulatory demands (e.g., tailings and water compliance, carbon reduction requirements) may structurally raise operating and sustaining capital costs, creating negative leverage to net margins over the medium term-even as demand for "clean" copper grows.
  
• Forward valuations may discount risks related to declining ore grades, increasing depth, and the company's scale relative to larger, more diversified peers-exposing 29Metals to sharper cost creep and making it more vulnerable to unforeseen operational interruptions (geotechnical or regulatory), which could erode anticipated long-term earnings growth versus bullish market projections.

29Metals Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• Analysts are assuming 29Metals's revenue will grow by 8.0% annually over the next 3 years.
• Analysts assume that profit margins will increase from -32.2% today to 5.4% in 3 years time.
• Analysts expect earnings to reach A$37.2 million (and earnings per share of A$0.03) by about July 2028, up from A$-177.6 million today. However, there is a considerable amount of disagreement amongst the analysts with the most bullish expecting A$67.4 million in earnings, and the most bearish expecting A$13.9 million.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 15.9x on those 2028 earnings, up from -2.6x today. This future PE is greater than the current PE for the AU Metals and Mining industry at 13.1x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to grow by 7.0% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 8.27%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

29Metals Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• The company is executing significant growth projects, including the ramp-up of Xantho Extended (highest-grade ore source) and the development of Gossan Valley (second-highest grade ore source), which are both forecast to materially increase production volumes and grades in the coming years, likely driving revenue and EBITDA higher.
  
• Ongoing and successful cost-reduction initiatives-including a 10% unit cost reduction and a 22% drop in suspension costs at Capricorn Copper-are strengthening margins and improving longer-term earnings quality, enhancing financial flexibility.
  
• As legacy cash flow headwinds (such as pre-IPO offtake agreements and hedging liabilities) roll off through 2026, the company's free cash flow is expected to increase substantially, augmenting balance sheet strength and opening the way to reinvestment and/or shareholder returns.
  
• The company has resolved substantial operational and environmental challenges at Capricorn Copper, progressing towards a restart that could unlock significant latent value (noting historical EBITDA of $66–$100 million per annum from this asset), which would provide a strong incremental boost to overall group earnings.
  
• 29Metals remains well-positioned to benefit from long-term structural demand growth for copper due to global electrification, infrastructure build-out, and the energy transition, all of which underpin supportive commodity pricing and robust long-run top-line revenue prospects.

Valuation

• The analysts have a consensus price target of A$0.277 for 29Metals based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of A$0.4, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just A$0.16.
  
• In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be A$695.1 million, earnings will come to A$37.2 million, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 15.9x, assuming you use a discount rate of 8.3%.
  
• Given the current share price of A$0.34, the analyst price target of A$0.28 is 22.7% lower. Despite analysts expecting the underlying buisness to improve, they seem to believe the market's expectations are too high.
  
• We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.