Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. Trims Holdings in Vale S.A. $VALE

Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. lowered its holdings in shares of Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE) by 49.3% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 40,342 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 39,216 shares during the period. Johnson Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings in Vale were worth $438,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. CENTRAL TRUST Co purchased a new position in Vale during the 2nd quarter worth $34,000. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vale during the third quarter worth about $87,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC purchased a new position in Vale during the second quarter worth about $87,000. Lazari Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Vale in the third quarter valued at about $109,000. Finally, Signature Estate & Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Vale in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $99,000. 21.85% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Vale Stock Down 2.3%

VALE opened at $16.64 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average is $14.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.30. The company has a current ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49. Vale S.A. has a one year low of $8.06 and a one year high of $17.72.

Vale (NYSE:VALE) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The basic materials company reported ($0.98) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.52 by ($1.50). Vale had a net margin of 14.69% and a return on equity of 18.60%. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Vale S.A. will post 1.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a special dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 12th were given a dividend of $0.2331 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 12th. Vale’s payout ratio is presently 67.69%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on VALE shares. Zacks Research downgraded Vale from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Vale from $13.00 to $15.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Barclays raised their target price on Vale from $14.50 to $15.50 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Vale from $11.00 to $12.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Vale in a report on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $13.85.

Key Stories Impacting Vale

Here are the key news stories impacting Vale this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management emphasized resilient cash generation in its 2025 results, which helps support liquidity and dividend/provision flexibility despite earnings pressure. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Vale published a February 2026 governance report detailing intensified 2025 audit and risk‑oversight activities — a move that can reassure investors about governance and controls after recent legacy issues. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: The company’s fiscal council has reviewed and backed the 2025 financial statements and proposed profit allocation ahead of the AGM — a routine governance step but important for near‑term shareholder decisions. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Market coverage is mixed: Zacks has published pieces highlighting VALE’s long‑term momentum and investor attention, while summary pieces note the recent dip versus the broader market — useful context but not new company-specific catalysts. Read More. • Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Big quarterly miss: Vale reported EPS of ($0.98) vs. consensus $0.52, a materially negative surprise that likely drove immediate selling pressure. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Full‑year 2025 profit fell sharply due to asset impairments and legacy dam‑related costs — a structural headwind to near‑term profitability and valuation. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Scotiabank trimmed FY2025/FY2026 EPS estimates slightly and retains a “Sector Perform” rating with a $16.50 target, signaling limited near‑term upside from this important sell‑side voice. Read More.

About Vale

Vale SA is a Brazilian multinational mining company and one of the world’s largest producers of iron ore and iron ore pellets. In addition to iron ore, the company produces and sells a range of bulk commodities and metals, including nickel, copper, coal, manganese, ferroalloys and cobalt, and it participates in the fertilizer inputs market. Vale also operates extensive logistics assets — including rail, port and maritime logistics — that support its mining and export activities and provide services to third parties in some regions.

Headquartered in Brazil, Vale maintains a global operational footprint with mining, processing and shipping activities across the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania.