We recently published a list of the 10 Best Copper Stocks to Buy According to Wall Street Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where MAC Copper Limited (NYSE:MTAL) stands against other best copper stocks to buy according to Wall Street analysts.
The U.S. stock market has changed rapidly since the new president took control of the Oval Office. In the list of commodities that are recently surfacing as standout performers in the market, copper holds a significant place. The commodity has captured the attention of investors across the globe. According to The Wall Street Journal, by the end of March 2025, the U.S. copper future saw a 26% increase, reaching $5.02 per pound. The extraordinary growth, in addition to surpassing global prices, has set unprecedented records in the industry.
The recent tariff implementations from the U.S. administration stand among the heavy contributors to this surge. The U.S. president has recently announced a series of tariff increases, targeting the major trading partners of the U.S. Accordingly, the EU imports will be charged a 20% tariff. Chinese goods have the most impact at a 34% tariff. Similarly, a minimum 10% hike is imposed on all imports globally. Because of these measures, the average tariff rate has risen to 23%, the highest in over a century. The WSJ calls it the most significant shift in the United States’s approach to global trade.
READ ALSO: Why These Energy Stocks are Gaining This Week.
These new tariffs affect the import and export of various goods in the U.S. concerning copper. A rush has been noted to import the commodity into the U.S. before the new import tax rates take effect. This influx has resulted in a notable rise in physical deliveries, causing domestic copper prices to surge.
Income-seeking investors in the market, however, need to look past these immediate market reactions and focus on the long-term outlook for copper. Even in the long run, the value of copper remains robust. An article by CNBC noted that the world’s leading mining companies anticipate a 70% growth in the global demand for copper by 2050. The surge is expected to be driven by the adoption of copper-intensive technologies, such as renewable energy systems and electric vehicles. With constant growth in several customers shifting to renewable energy-based technologies, such an increase in demand for the commodity is inevitable.
On the other hand, the industry will likely face significant challenges in meeting this rise in demand. The mining industry, for instance, faces constraints like declining ore grades and the need for substantial capital investments to develop new projects. Owing to these factors, the growth in supply and the industry’s ability to sustain high copper prices in the future could take a hit.
Even so, copper stocks remain attractive, and investors are increasingly looking towards adding them to their portfolios to give them a diverse touch. The immediate price surges due to trade policies and the potential for long-term demand position the copper sector as a compelling investment avenue. But with this said, investors may be wondering what the best copper stock to buy today is.
Our Methodology
We followed a few criteria when putting together our list of best copper stocks for investors. Primarily, we considered only those copper stocks with an upside potential of 10%. The criteria were placed to present our interested investors with stocks with the prospect of significant capital appreciation. A substantial rise in the price of stocks often correlates with substantial profits for investors. Hence, we ranked our list based on this upside potential. We have also considered only those stocks followed by hedge funds listed in Insider Monkey’s Q4 2024 database. It ensures the institutional interests in the stocks.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
Aerial view of the Yellowhead copper project, the scale of the landscape revealed.
MAC Copper Limited (NYSE:MTAL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 14
Upside potential: 65.90%
MAC Copper Limited (NYSE:MTAL), listed as Metals Acquisition Limited (MTAL), is a mining and metals company headquartered in Jersey. The company’s focus is on acquiring high-quality copper assets. Its flagship project is the CSA Copper Mine in Australia, which serves the global infrastructure and electrification sectors. With strategic acquisitions and a strong focus on copper amid the energy transition across many economies, the company builds a sturdy foothold in the global market against emerging players like Ivanhoe Mines.
MAC Copper Limited (NYSE:MTAL) surpassed the midpoints of its guidance by achieving a record copper production in the fourth quarter of 2024. The company has also reported a substantial EBITDA margin of 47%. Company guidance anticipates copper production to reach over 50,000 tons by 2026. For 2025, production is expected to be in the range of 43,000 tons to 48,000 tons, capturing the attention of investors and analysts alike in the market.
As per the Insider Monkey database of Q4 2024, 14 hedge fund holders held stakes in MAC Copper Limited, suggesting low institutional exposure compared to other leading copper stocks in our list. However, its substantial upside potential of 65.90% stands out markedly, attracting investors interested in incorporating one of the best copper stocks into their portfolios.
Overall, MTAL ranks 2nd on our list of best copper stocks to buy according to Wall Street analysts. While we acknowledge the potential for MTAL as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MTAL but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
