Rio Tinto stock draws mixed calls as EPS estimates rise
Published on 09/29/2026 at 10:32 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Rio Tinto stock (ISIN GB0007188757) was trading at GBp 7,116.00 on the London Stock Exchange at 9:31 a.m. BST on September 29, 2026, up 0.81 percent from the prior close of GBp 7,059.00. The price was 21.95 percent below its 52-week high of GBp 9,117.00, putting analyst estimates at the center of the current debate.
Estimates move higher
According to MarketBeat on September 22, 2026, Erste Group lifted its FY2026 earnings estimate to USD 8.45 per share from USD 8.33. The revised estimate was above the USD 8.41 consensus figure cited in the same report, while Erste retained a Hold rating.
The change is small in percentage terms, but it gives investors a concrete reference point for the earnings outlook. The increase from USD 8.33 to USD 8.45 equals 1.44 percent, while the estimate stands USD 0.04 above consensus.
Production provides the operating test
Rio Tinto's latest operating update points to production rather than a new full-year earnings release. In its July 15, 2026 release, Rio Tinto said copper-equivalent production increased 3 percent year over year in the first half of 2026.
That operating figure matters because copper is one of the group's core growth areas alongside iron ore, aluminum and lithium. The combination of 3 percent production growth and a higher FY2026 EPS estimate gives the market two measurable indicators for judging execution.
Analyst range stays divided
According to MarketBeat on September 22, 2026, Rio Tinto carried a Hold consensus and an average price target of USD 103.12 on the NYSE ADR. The same report listed targets from USD 88.50 to USD 113.00, showing a wide spread in expectations.
For the primary London listing, the reference price was GBp 7,116.00, while the 52-week range ran from GBp 4,834.00 to GBp 9,117.00 on September 29, 2026. The range places the shares 47.30 percent above the yearly low and 21.95 percent below the yearly high.
Rio Tinto stock remains below its yearly high
Rio Tinto stock was last at GBp 7,116.00 on the LSE on September 29, 2026 at 9:31 a.m. BST, with 127,803 shares traded in the session at that time. The next market checkpoint is whether stronger production and higher earnings estimates can narrow the gap to the 52-week high.
Rio Tinto stock facts
- Company: Rio Tinto plc
- ISIN: GB0007188757
- Ticker: RIO.L
- Trading venue: London Stock Exchange
- Price (as of September 29, 2026, 9:31 a.m. BST): GBp 7,116.00
- 52-week range: GBp 4,834.00-9,117.00
- Sector / Industry: Materials / Industrial Materials
