Glencore's 2023 earnings halve on lower commodity prices

GLENCORE said on Wednesday (Feb 21) lower commodity prices had halved its earnings last year, and slashed its payout to investors, as the company saves to fund the acquisition of a 77 per cent stake in Teck Resources’ metallurgical coal business.

After two consecutive record years, adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) halved to US$17.1 billion from US$34.1 billion a year earlier, in line with analysts’ consensus estimates of US$17.15 billion.

In preliminary 2023 results, the miner and trader said net debt stood at US$4.92 billion at the end of the year, from just US$75 million at the end of 2022.

London-listed Glencore’s payout of US$1.6 billion announced on Wednesday does not include a new buyback scheme, after the existing one ends this month, nor a special dividend, as the company uses its cash to fund the $6.9 billion acquisition of Canadian miner Teck’s steelmaking coal unit. REUTERS