Erste Group Bank Predicts Stronger Earnings for Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto PLC (NYSE:RIO) – Investment analysts at Erste Group Bank upped their FY2026 EPS estimates for Rio Tinto in a research note issued on Thursday, April 2nd. Erste Group Bank analyst S. Lingnau now forecasts that the mining company will post earnings per share of $8.16 for the year, up from their prior forecast of $7.99. Erste Group Bank has a “Buy” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Rio Tinto’s current full-year earnings is $6.28 per share. Erste Group Bank also issued estimates for Rio Tinto’s FY2027 earnings at $8.15 EPS.

Several other research firms also recently weighed in on RIO. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Rio Tinto from a “hold (c)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of Rio Tinto from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Rio Tinto from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays downgraded shares of Rio Tinto from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, HSBC downgraded shares of Rio Tinto from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $81.00.

Rio Tinto Stock Up 3.9%

RIO opened at $98.33 on Thursday. Rio Tinto has a 1-year low of $52.27 and a 1-year high of $101.53. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $93.51 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $81.17.

Rio Tinto Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be given a dividend of $2.54 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. This represents a dividend yield of 564.0%.

Institutional Trading of Rio Tinto

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Capital Advisors Inc. OK increased its holdings in shares of Rio Tinto by 20.6% in the 3rd quarter. Capital Advisors Inc. OK now owns 520,428 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $34,353,000 after buying an additional 89,069 shares during the last quarter. QSM Asset Management Ltd bought a new position in shares of Rio Tinto in the 3rd quarter worth $11,509,000. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC increased its holdings in shares of Rio Tinto by 479.6% in the 3rd quarter. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC now owns 144,553 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $9,542,000 after buying an additional 119,614 shares during the last quarter. Synergy Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Rio Tinto by 272.2% in the 3rd quarter. Synergy Asset Management LLC now owns 205,418 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $12,712,000 after buying an additional 150,234 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caprock Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Rio Tinto in the 3rd quarter worth $1,416,000. 19.33% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Rio Tinto

Here are the key news stories impacting Rio Tinto this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pilbara output and operational resilience support near‑term iron ore outlook — coverage highlights steady 2025 iron ore production, improved efficiency at Pilbara and progress on new projects that helped offset weather and cost headwinds, underpinning revenue visibility. Can Pilbara Facility Anchor Rio Tinto’s Short-Term Growth Trajectory?
• Positive Sentiment: Green‑steel collaboration boosts strategic, ESG growth story — a joint development agreement (JDA) with Calix for a green iron demo plant in Western Australia underscores Rio’s move into lower‑carbon steel inputs, supporting long‑term premium positioning. Calix Ltd jumps 30% on JDA with Rio Tinto
• Positive Sentiment: Higher aluminium billet premiums may lift margins — reports show Rio Tinto raised U.S. billet premiums alongside peers amid Middle East conflict, which can boost near‑term aluminium revenue. Market Chatter: Rio Tinto, Century Aluminum Raise US Billet Premiums
• Positive Sentiment: CEO emphasizes China as innovation hub — management comments about China as a key hub for innovation reinforce investor confidence in RIO’s technology and market access strategy. Rio Tinto CEO: China a key hub for innovation
• Neutral Sentiment: Former CEO launching deep‑sea mining ventures — multiple stories report Tom Albanese’s firms merging/listing to build a large seabed critical‑minerals platform; this is more industry‑adjacent than a direct competitive threat to Rio today. Ex‑Rio Tinto CEO’s deep‑sea mining firm to merge with Odyssey
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst consensus remains mixed — Rio Tinto retains a consensus “Hold” from analysts, suggesting limited near‑term upside per street estimates despite operational positives. Rio Tinto receives consensus ‘Hold’
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader market and energy developments are tangential — items like a large South African solar commissioning and basic‑materials market commentary provide background on energy/commodity dynamics but are not RIO‑specific catalysts. Bolobedu Solar power plant reaches commissioning

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a global mining and metals company that explores for, mines, processes and markets a wide range of commodities. Its principal products include iron ore, aluminum, copper, diamonds and various other minerals and industrial materials. The company’s activities span the full value chain from exploration and project development to mining, processing, smelting and refining, supplying raw materials to industries such as steelmaking, automotive, packaging, electronics and construction.

The origins of Rio Tinto date back to mining operations in the Rio Tinto region of Spain in the 19th century, and the group has since grown into a multinational enterprise.