BHP stock slips as copper focus meets a strike risk

Published on 09/23/2026 at 13:48 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

BHP stock closed at USD 87.83 on September 22, 2026, after a 2.02 percent gain. Copper supplied 54 percent of EBITDA in the latest update.

BHP, US0886061086, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

BHP Group Limited (US0886061086) closed at USD 87.83 on the NYSE on September 22, 2026, up 2.02 percent from the prior close. The stock remains below its 52-week high of USD 98.71, while the latest market data put capitalization at USD 223.218 billion.

Copper now leads earnings

The earnings mix has changed materially. In the latest full-year update, copper accounted for approximately 54 percent of underlying EBITDA, compared with iron ore as the former main earnings pillar, according to The Bull on September 22, 2026.

The same September 22 report said copper prices had moved above USD 13,900 per tonne, while iron ore remained in a USD 105 to USD 110 per tonne range. That comparison matters because it shows why copper has become the more important earnings variable even though iron ore still provides a second operating pillar.

Growth plan carries a risk

BHP distributed USD 8.7 billion in dividends in the latest full-year update and outlined a self-funded plan to increase copper production by 50 percent by the mid-2030s, The Bull reported on September 22, 2026.

The immediate counter-factor is operational rather than financial. A potential strike at the Escondida copper mine has emerged amid a wage dispute, according to GuruFocus on September 23, 2026. With copper contributing 54 percent of underlying EBITDA in the latest update, disruption at a major copper asset would directly challenge the growth narrative.

Stock stays below yearly high

The September 22 close was USD 10.88 below the 52-week high of USD 98.71 and USD 35.65 above the 52-week low of USD 52.18. Volume was 1,666,052 shares, against average volume of 2,519,150 shares, while market capitalization stood at USD 223.218 billion.

BHP Group Limited stock closed at USD 87.83 on the NYSE on September 22, 2026, after the 2.02 percent daily increase. The price range and capitalization place the copper-led strategy alongside a valuation that remains materially above the 52-week low.