Southern Copper is a key stock in this Peru fund

Article Excerpt

Southern Copper Corp. (symbol SCCO on New York)is one of the largest copper producers in the world, with operations in Mexico and Peru. More than 80% of its revenue comes from copper sales, with smaller contributions from molybdenum, silver, and zinc. Since 1996, the company’s common stock has been listed on both the New York and Lima stock exchanges. The company’s financial performance is largely influenced by movements in copper prices. It was therefore not surprising that 2021 delivered record profits of $3.4 billion. That’s when copper prices averaged over $4 a pound. This profit was almost 50% higher than the previous best year, 2011. However, profits also slump when copper prices fall such as in 2016 when the price of the red metal averaged close to $2 per pound. Apart from being hugely profitable when the copper price is high, Southern Copper also has low operating costs, ranking it among the lowest-cost producers in the world. This helps the company to…