Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) from an overweight rating to a neutral rating in a report published on Monday morning, Marketbeat.com reports.

A number of other research firms have also weighed in on RIO. DZ Bank lowered shares of Rio Tinto from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Morgan Stanley downgraded Rio Tinto from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating on shares of Rio Tinto in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. HSBC cut Rio Tinto from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Argus raised their target price on Rio Tinto from $70.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $81.00.

Rio Tinto Stock Performance

NYSE:RIO opened at $92.16 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 1.44 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The company’s 50 day moving average is $91.88 and its 200-day moving average is $77.35. Rio Tinto has a 12 month low of $51.67 and a 12 month high of $101.53.

Rio Tinto Dividend Announcement

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Rio Tinto

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of RIO. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Rio Tinto by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 19,642,744 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $1,572,009,000 after purchasing an additional 522,576 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in Rio Tinto by 0.4% during the second quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 5,496,126 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $320,589,000 after acquiring an additional 20,138 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in Rio Tinto by 170.8% during the fourth quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 3,886,335 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $311,023,000 after acquiring an additional 2,451,140 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its position in shares of Rio Tinto by 31.9% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 3,157,545 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $208,430,000 after purchasing an additional 763,786 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can lifted its holdings in Rio Tinto by 8.6% during the 4th quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 2,221,469 shares of the mining company’s stock valued at $177,784,000 after purchasing an additional 175,833 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 19.33% of the company’s stock.

Rio Tinto News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Rio secured a roughly $1.175bn financing package for its Rincon lithium project in Argentina, supporting development of the ~$2.5bn project targeting ~60,000 tpa battery‑grade lithium carbonate — a clear funding and execution milestone that de‑risks Rio’s lithium growth profile. Rio Tinto secures $1.175 billion financing package for Rincon lithium project in Argentina
• Positive Sentiment: Rio said it raised its Q2 Japan aluminum offer to the highest premium since 2015 — signaling tighter aluminum markets/pricing that could boost revenue and margins for Rio’s aluminum segment. Rio Tinto raises Q2 Japan aluminum offer to highest premium since 2015
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary and coverage highlight that RIO has surged ~65% over six months on rising copper output, first production at Johnson Camp and major lithium & iron‑ore projects — reinforcing momentum expectations for growth. Should You Buy Rio Tinto Stock After a 64.9% Rally in 6 Months?
• Neutral Sentiment: Partner Domestic Metals reports advancement of a Rio Tinto JV Smart Creek exploration project and is “eyeing a major discovery” — an early‑stage upside catalyst but speculative until drill results confirm commercial resources. Domestic Metals Advances Rio Tinto JV Smart Creek Project, Eyes Major Discovery
• Negative Sentiment: Mongolian authorities are pressing to renegotiate commercial terms for the giant Oyu Tolgoi copper mine and Rio says it is in active negotiations — heightening political and contract risk for one of Rio’s flagship copper assets. Rio Tinto in ‘Active Negotiations’ With Mongolia Over Oyu Tolgoi Copper Mine
• Negative Sentiment: Major broker actions: J.P. Morgan downgraded Rio to a Hold and Sanford C. Bernstein cut its price target to $77 — analyst moves that can pressure near‑term sentiment and cap upside. Rio Tinto (RIO) was downgraded to a Hold Rating at J.P. Morgan
• Negative Sentiment: UBS warns that Chinese port iron‑ore inventories are near multi‑year highs, risking a supply overhang that could weaken iron‑ore prices — a key price driver for Rio’s iron‑ore earnings. Rio Tinto and BHP face iron ore inventory warning as prices recover from Chinese New Year lows

Rio Tinto Company Profile

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.