Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX Quick QuoteFCX - Free Report) reported net income (attributable to common stock) of 16 cents per share for first-quarter 2017, as against the year-ago loss of $3.35 per share.

Barring one-time items, adjusted earnings were 15 cents a share in the first quarter, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 17 cents.

Revenues grew around 3% year over year to $3,341 million in the reported quarter but missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,505 million.

Consolidated sales from mines totaled 809 million pounds of copper, 182,000 ounces of gold and 24 million pounds of molybdenum for the reported quarter. Sales volumes have been impacted by regulatory restrictions on PT Freeport Indonesia's (PT-FI) concentrate exports since mid-Jan 2017, resulting in the deferral of roughly 190 million pounds of copper and 280,000 ounces of gold in first-quarter 2017. However, PT-FI's concentrate exports resumed on Apr 21, 2017.

Operational Update

Consolidated average unit net cash costs improved to $1.39 per pound of copper from $1.38 in the year-ago quarter. This is mainly attributable to lower sales volumes, partly offset by higher by-product credits.

Average realized price per ounce for gold rose to $1,229 in the quarter from $1,228 a year ago, while average realized price per pound for molybdenum was $8.71 per pound.

Mining Update

North America Copper Mines: Copper sales decreased 25.4% year over year to 375 million pounds mainly due to lower ore grades and mining rates, timing of shipments, and the sale of a portion of the company’s interest in Morenci. Production fell 19.5% year over year to 392 million pounds in the reported quarter.

Freeport expects copper sales from North America to be 1.5 billion pounds in 2017, versus 1.8 billion pounds in 2015.

South America Mining: Copper sales of 309 million pounds declined 9.2% from the year-ago quarter owing to unusually heavy rainfall and 21-day labor strike at Cerro Verde's expanded operations.

South America mining is anticipated to report sales of around 1.2 billion pounds of copper in 2017, compared with sales of 1.3 billion pounds in 2016.

Indonesia Mining: Copper sales of 125 million pounds declined 28.2% from 174 million pounds the year-ago quarter. The results reflect the impact of regulatory restrictions on PT-FI's concentrate exports beginning on Jan 12, 2017, and a six-week temporary shutdown at PT Smelting, which began on Jan 19, 2017.

Gold sales decreased 9.2% to 177,000 ounces and production rose 30.3% year over year to 232,000 ounces in the reported quarter.

Sales from Indonesia mining are anticipated to be about 1.1 billion pounds of copper and 1.9 million ounces of gold for 2017.

Molybdenum Mines: Molybdenum production was 8 million pounds in the first quarter compared with 7 million pounds in the year-ago quarter.

Financial Position

Freeport had operating cash flows of roughly $792 million, which includes $178 million in working capital and changes in other tax payments.

Freeport had long-term debt of $13,135 million as of Mar 31, 2017, down from $14,795 million as of Dec 31, 2016.

Guidance

Sales volumes for the year 2017 are expected to be roughly 3.9 billion pounds of copper, 1.9 million ounces of gold and 93 million pounds of molybdenum, including 1 billion pounds of copper, 440,000 ounces of gold and 24 million pounds of molybdenum in second-quarter 2017. Estimated sales volumes assume normal operating rates at PT-FI beginning mid-Apr 2017.

The company assumes average prices of $1,250 per ounce of gold and $9.00 per pound of molybdenum for the remainder of 2017.

The current sales volume and cost estimates, consolidated unit net cash costs (net of by-product credits) for copper mines are expected to average $1.08 per pound of copper for 2017. The impact of price changes on consolidated unit net cash costs would approximate 2 cents per pound for each $50 per ounce change in the average price of gold for the balance of 2017 and 2 cents per pound for each $2 per pound change in the average price of molybdenum for the balance of 2017.

Price Performance

Freeport’s shares declined 26% in the last three months, underperforming the Zacks categorized Mining-Non Ferrous industry’s 10.5% loss.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Freeport currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Better-ranked companies in the basic materials space include United States Steel Corp. (X Quick QuoteX - Free Report) , Ternium S.A. (TX Quick QuoteTX - Free Report) and Lundin Mining Corp. (LUNMF Quick QuoteLUNMF - Free Report) . All the three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

U.S. Steel has an expected long-term earnings growth of 8%.

Ternium has an expected long-term earnings growth of 18.4%.

Lundin has an expected long-term earnings growth of 34.1%.

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