KOLKATA — Shares of state-owned mining giant Hindustan Copper Ltd (HINDCOPPER) faced selling pressure in Thursday’s trading session, tracking a broader downturn in the metals and mining sector. As of 11:24 GMT+5:30, the stock was trading at ₹597.65 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), down ₹16.00 or 2.61% from its previous close.
Despite the intraday dip, the company maintains a robust market capitalization of ₹593.27 billion, cementing its position as a heavyweight in India’s strategic minerals space.
Valuation and Market Fundamentals
Investors are closely watching the company’s valuation metrics, which currently reflect high growth expectations. Hindustan Copper is trading at a Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio of 104.46x and a Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio of 25.87x. The Basic Earnings Per Share (EPS) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) stands at ₹5.87.
The company's capital structure remains lean, with total debt at ₹1.42 billion against cash and equivalents of ₹2.51 billion, resulting in an Enterprise Value of ₹592.18 billion.
Operational and Financial Health
Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Kolkata, Hindustan Copper remains the primary player in India’s copper vertical, integrated from mining to the production of cast copper rods. Its revenue streams are primarily driven by:
Copper Products (Major revenue source)
Services and Scrap sales
By-products including sulphuric acid, copper sulphate, and anode slime.
The company’s revenue is entirely domestic, with 100% of its country-based income generated within India. In terms of shareholder returns, the company recently paid a dividend of ₹1.46 per share in October 2024, maintaining a dividend yield of 0.24%.
Ownership and Governance
The company remains a "closely held" entity, with 66.16% (639.75 million shares) held by promoters (the Government of India), while the public free float stands at 33.84% (327.27 million shares). Under the leadership of CEO Sanjiv Kumar Singh, the firm continues to manage a workforce of approximately 1,270 employees.
Market Outlook
The current slide to the ₹597 level comes at a time of high volatility in global commodity prices. While the company’s net margins have shown resilience in recent quarters (Q2 '25), the high P/E ratio suggests that the market is pricing in significant future expansion in mining capacity or a sustained surge in copper prices.
