Barnes (US:B) ZACKS·2025-06-04 12:21Core Insights - Barrick Mining Corporation's stock has shown bullish momentum, breaking above its 50-day simple moving average (SMA) and gaining approximately 6% in a week due to rising gold prices driven by trade and geopolitical tensions [1][8] - The stock is also trading above its 200-day SMA, indicating a long-term uptrend, with a golden crossover occurring on April 9, 2025 [2] Stock Performance - Over the past year, Barrick's shares have increased by 20.3%, underperforming the Zacks Mining – Gold industry's 52.6% rise but outperforming the S&P 500's 10.8% increase [5] - Compared to peers, Newmont Corporation, Kinross Gold Corporation, and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited have seen gains of 34.6%, 97%, and 85.3%, respectively [5][6] Production and Projects - Key projects such as Goldrush and Lumwana are progressing on schedule and within budget, which is expected to enhance long-term output [8][11] - The Goldrush mine aims for 400,000 ounces of annual production by 2028, while the Reko Diq project in Pakistan is projected to produce 460,000 tons of copper and 520,000 ounces of gold annually starting in 2028 [12][13] Financial Performance - Barrick's liquidity is strong, with cash and cash equivalents around $4.1 billion and operating cash flows of approximately $1.2 billion in Q1 2025, a 59% increase year over year [17] - The company returned $1.2 billion to shareholders in 2024 through dividends and share repurchases, with a healthy dividend yield of 2% and a payout ratio of 28% [18] Cost Challenges - Barrick faces rising costs, with cash costs per ounce of gold and all-in-sustaining costs (AISC) increasing by approximately 16% and 20% year over year, respectively [19] - For 2025, total cash costs are projected to be between $1,050-$1,130 per ounce, and AISC is expected to range from $1,460-$1,560 per ounce, indicating a year-over-year increase [19][20] Production Outlook - The company forecasts attributable gold production for 2025 to be between 3.15-3.5 million ounces, a decline from 3.91 million ounces in 2024, primarily due to reduced output from certain mines [20] - Total gold production fell roughly 19% year over year to 758,000 ounces in Q1 2025 [20] Earnings Estimates - Earnings estimates for Barrick have been revised upward over the past 60 days, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 and 2026 being adjusted higher [21] Valuation - Barrick's stock is currently trading at a forward price/earnings ratio of 10.67X, which is about 23.6% lower than the industry's average of 13.97X, indicating an attractive valuation [21] Investment Recommendation - The combination of production growth initiatives, strong financial health, rising earnings estimates, and a safe dividend yield suggests a positive outlook for Barrick, although caution is warranted due to high costs and a subdued production forecast [22]