Grupo Mexico profit beats estimates on higher copper prices

Grupo Mexico, controlled by billionaire German Larrea, ranks among the world's largest producers by volume of copper, a metal in high demand globally to meet growing needs of myriad industrial and electrical applications.

The firm produced 257,537 metric tons of copper in the second quarter, down 3.7% from the same period in 2025, due to lower output in Peru and its U.S. Asarco unit, partly offset by an increase at its Mexican operations.

At the same time, copper prices jumped 30.5% from a year earlier to $6.16 per pound.

Sales in the key mining division rose 41.3% from a year earlier.

Grupo Mexico maintained its 2026 guidance to produce 1.034 million tons of copper.

For its growth projects, Grupo Mexico said it is looking at acquiring a stake in a rail asset in Brazil, and in Argentina it is awaiting the outcome of a tender process for freight rail assets.

It would be open to the Argentina acquisition as long as it could have full control of both infrastructure and operations, the company said.

The company also said it raised $1.25 billion through a 10-year senior unsecured bond issue last month, and plans to use the funds for the Tia Maria copper project in Peru.

The project was 42% complete by the end of the second quarter, with a target to start operating in the second half of the year.

MEXICO CITY, July 21 (Reuters) - Mining and transportation conglomerate Grupo Mexico said on Tuesday its second-quarter net profit rose nearly 79% from the same period a year earlier, bolstered by higher copper prices and well ahead of analysts' forecasts.