Vale S.A. is a global leader in metals and mining, specializing in the production of iron ore, iron ore pellets, nickel, and copper. The company operates extensive mining systems in Brazil and other regions, along with integrated logistics networks including railways, ports, and terminals. Vale also produces by-products such as cobalt, platinum group metals, silver, and gold, catering to international markets through its subsidiary, Vale International S.A.
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Iron Ore Solutions - Extracts and produces iron ore and iron ore pellets, supported by integrated mining systems in Brazil, including railways, ports, and terminals.
- Northern System - Comprises mining complexes and a maritime terminal in Carajás, Pará, Brazil.
- Southeast System - Includes mining complexes, a railway, a maritime terminal, and a port in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- Southern System - Features mining complexes and maritime terminals in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- Pelletizing Plants - Operates six plants in Brazil and two in Oman.
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Energy Transition Metals - Produces nickel, copper, and associated by-products such as cobalt, platinum group metals, silver, and gold.
- Nickel Operations - Conducts mining and refining in Canada, Indonesia, Brazil, the UK, and Japan.
- Copper Operations - Produces copper concentrates and cathodes in Brazil and Canada.
- By-products - Processes cobalt, PGMs, silver, and gold from nickel and copper mining operations.
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Logistics Systems - Operates railways, maritime terminals, and ports integrated with mining operations, along with global distribution centers for iron ore shipments.
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Energy Investments - Invests in renewable energy sources to meet its operational energy needs.
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Mineral Exploration - Engages in greenfield exploration in countries such as Brazil, USA, Canada, Chile, Peru, and Indonesia.
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| Name | Position | External Roles | Short Bio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Alexandre Silva D’Ambrósio ExecutiveBoard | Executive Vice-President, Corporate and External Affairs | Alexandre Silva D’Ambrósio has been serving as the Executive Vice-President, Corporate and External Affairs at Vale since 2021. He also holds key legal roles at Vale, including General Counsel and Executive Officer Legal & Taxes, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Vale Base Metals Limited. | ||
Gustavo Duarte Pimenta ExecutiveBoard | Executive Vice-President, Finance and Investor Relations | Gustavo Duarte Pimenta has served as Executive Vice-President, Finance and Investor Relations at Vale since 2021. He also holds a board seat as a member of the Board of Directors of Vale Base Metals Limited. | ||
Marina Barrenne de Artagão Quental ExecutiveBoard | Executive Vice-President, People | Member of the Board of Directors of Vale Base Metals Limited | Marina Barrenne de Artagão Quental has been the Executive Vice-President, People at Vale since 2021. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Vale Base Metals Limited, demonstrating her extensive experience in human resources and corporate governance. | |
Alexandre Gomes Pereira Executive | Executive Vice-President, Projects | Alexandre Gomes Pereira is the Executive Vice-President, Projects at VALE since 2017. Previously, he served in several key roles at VALE including Executive Officer for Global Business Solutions, Senior Vice-President and Global Chief Information Officer, and Global IT Services Director. | ||
Carlos Henrique Senna Medeiros Executive | Executive Vice-President, Operations | Chief Executive Officer, North and Central Americas at Ball Corporation; Chief Executive Officer, South America at Rexam plc; Chairman of the Board of Directors at Envases de Centro America | Carlos Henrique Senna Medeiros has served as Executive Vice-President, Operations at VALE since 2019. He previously held roles as Chief Executive Officer for North and Central Americas at Ball Corporation (June 2016 to June 2019), Chief Executive Officer for South America at Rexam plc (October 2012 to May 2016), and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Envases de Centro America (September 2014 to June 2019). | |
Maria Luiza de Oliveira Pinto e Paiva Executive | Executive Vice-President, Sustainability | Maria Luiza de Oliveira Pinto e Paiva has been serving as the Executive Vice-President, Sustainability at Vale since 2021. She is responsible for leading sustainability initiatives at the company, and there is no record of additional board or external roles beyond this position. | ||
Rafael Jabur Bittar Executive | Executive Vice-President, Technical | Rafael Jabur Bittar has been the Executive Vice-President, Technical at Vale since 2022. He previously served as Director of Geotechnics from 2019 and as a Geotechnical Officer, contributing significant expertise in tailings and dams management. | ||
Shaun Usmar Executive | Chief Executive Officer, Vale Base Metals | Shaun Usmar has been leading Vale Base Metals as Chief Executive Officer since October 1, 2024. He is an international mining executive with over 30 years of experience, previously holding significant roles such as Founder of Triple Flag Precious Metals and Senior Executive Vice President and CFO at Barrick Gold Corporation. | ||
André Viana Madeira Board | Director elected by Vale's employees | André Viana Madeira has been a Director elected by Vale's employees on the Board since 2023. He previously served as an Alternate Member from May 2021 and participated in key committees such as the Innovation, Sustainability, and Operational Excellence and Risk Committees. | ||
Daniel André Stieler Board | Chairman of the Board of Directors | President of Caixa de Previdência dos Funcionários do Banco do Brasil - PREVI (since June 2021) ; Member of the Deliberative Council of the Brazilian Association of Closed Private Pension Entities (ABRAPP) (since July 2021) ; Member of the Board of Directors of Tupy S.A. (since April 2022) | Chairman of VALE since 2021. With extensive experience in finance and corporate governance, Daniel André Stieler has held key leadership roles at both VALE and external institutions. | |
Douglas James Upton Board | Independent Member of Vale's Board of Directors | Douglas James Upton was elected to Vale's Board of Directors in 2023 and serves as an independent board member. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Vale Base Metals Limited and briefly served on the Audit and Risks Committee from July 2024 until November 2024. | ||
Fernando Jorge Buso Gomes Board | Director | CEO and Investor Relations Officer of Bradespar S.A.; Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Eternit S.A.; Director of Banco do Brasil; Director of Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais (CEMIG); Director and Member of the Fiscal Council of Petrobras; Professor at Fundação Escola de Governo ENA; Director of Eletrobras; Director of Kepler Weber S.A.; Director of Companhia Catarinense de Águas e Saneamento (CASAN); Director of Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras de Santa Catarina (CELESC); Director of GASMIG; Member of the Fiscal Council of Braskem; Director of AES Eletropaulo | Fernando Jorge Buso Gomes has been a Director at VALE since 2015 and currently serves on the Capital Allocation and Projects Committee, contributing to the company’s strategic long-term capital allocation and sustainability initiatives. | |
Heloísa Belotti Bedicks Board | Independent Member of the Board of Directors | General Director of the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance (IBGC) ; Member of the Board of Directors of MAPFRE Group | Heloísa Belotti Bedicks is a Brazilian economist and accountant serving as an Independent Member of the Board of Directors at VALE since November 14, 2024. She brings extensive experience in corporate governance and financial administration from her varied roles in Brazil. | |
João Luiz Fukunaga Board | Director | President of PREVI - Banco do Brasil Employees Pension Fund (Feb 2023); Officer at Banco do Brasil (2012-Feb 2023); Union Auditor of the Bank Workers Union of São Paulo (2022-Feb 2023) | João Luiz Fukunaga is a Director at Vale and serves as the Chairperson of the People and Compensation Committee as well as a member of the Sustainability Committee , contributing to key strategic initiatives. He has also held leadership roles outside Vale as President of PREVI - Banco do Brasil Employees Pension Fund (since Feb 2023) and as an officer at Banco do Brasil (2012-February 2023), in addition to serving as the Union Auditor of the Bank Workers Union of São Paulo (2022-February 2023). | |
Luis Henrique Cals de Beauclair Guimarães Board | Independent Director | Director of Cosan S.A.; Director of Cosan Luber Invested Limited | Luis Henrique Cals de Beauclair Guimarães was elected as an Independent Director at VALE in 2023 and serves as Chairperson of the Capital Allocation and Projects Committee and as a Member of the People and Compensation Committee. He has extensive leadership experience with roles in several companies, including serving as Director of Cosan S.A.. | |
Manuel Lino Silva de Sousa Oliveira Board | Lead Independent Director | Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Jubilee Metals Group PLC; Senior Independent Member of the Board of Directors, Polymetal International PLC; Senior Independent Member of the Board of Directors, Antofagasta PLC; Senior Independent Member of the Board of Directors, Blackrock World Mining Investment Trust PLC | Manuel Lino Silva de Sousa Oliveira, born in 1952, has over 35 years of expertise in corporate finance and mining. He began serving as an independent director at Vale in 2021 and assumed his current role as Lead Independent Director on June 29, 2023. | |
Marcello Magistrini Spinelli Board | Member of the Board of Directors of Vale International S.A. | Marcello Magistrini Spinelli was Executive Vice President of Iron Ore Solutions at Vale from 2019 until his departure on October 8, 2024 , and he currently serves as a board member of Vale International S.A.. He began his career at Vale in 2002, playing a key role in the company's logistics and iron ore operations. | ||
Marcelo Gasparino da Silva Board | Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Directors | Member of the Board of Directors of CEMIG ; Member of the Board of Directors of Petrobras | Marcelo Gasparino da Silva has served as Vale's Vice-Chairperson of the Board of Directors since 2020, after initially joining as an alternate in 2019. He is an independent director with extensive experience in corporate governance and sustainability, serving on key committees such as the Nomination and Governance Committee since 2022. | |
Paulo Cesar Hartung Gomes Board | Independent Member of the Board of Directors | CEO of Ibá – Indústria Brasileira de Árvores; Board Member at RenovaBR; Board Member at Institute for Health Studies; Board Member at Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI); Board Member at Unimed Participações; Board Member at EDP Brasil; Board Member at Veracel Celulose | Paulo Cesar Hartung Gomes has served as an independent board member at Vale since 2023 and joined the Audit and Risks Committee in April 2024. He also leads as CEO of Ibá – Indústria Brasileira de Árvores and holds multiple board roles outside Vale. | |
Rachel de Oliveira Maia Board | Independent Director | Independent Board Member at Companhia Brasileira de Distribuição (Grupo Pão de Açúcar) ; Independent Member at Banco do Brasil Committees ; Founder and CEO of RM Consulting ; Founder of Instituto Capacita-ME ; Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Ambassador of SDG 5 ; Member of Grupo Mulheres do Brasil ; Member of the Social and Economic Committee of the Conselho de Desenvolvimento | Rachel de Oliveira Maia has been an Independent Director at VALE since May 2021 , and she also serves as Chairperson of the Sustainability Committee and a member of additional committees, highlighting her strong expertise in governance and sustainability. | |
Reinaldo Duarte Castanheira Filho Board | Independent Member of the Board of Directors | Reinaldo Duarte Castanheira Filho serves as an independent board member at Vale, elected on November 14, 2024 , and is a member of the Audit and Risks Committee since November 28, 2024. He has extensive experience in the mining industry with previous executive roles at Vale, including CEO of the Aluminum business, CFO of the Manganese business, and Director of Investment Analysis. | ||
Shunji Komai Board | Director on Vale's Board of Directors | Vice President of Mitsui & CO. (Brasil) S.A. | Shunji Komai has been serving as a Director on Vale's Board of Directors since 2023. He is an active member of the Capital Allocation and Projects Committee and the People and Compensation Committee , and he holds an external role as Vice President of Mitsui & CO. (Brasil) S.A. since February 2023. |
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Your CapEx guidance for 2025 has been reduced to $5.9 billion; could you explain in detail what factors other than foreign exchange assumptions have contributed to this revision, and is there potential for more efficiencies after 2025?
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With recent discussions in the press about potential M&A activity, specifically regarding the acquisition of the Bamin asset, could you elaborate on the strategic rationale behind this and whether Vale is actively pursuing this opportunity?
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Given that your share price is currently low in the cycle, why did you opt for a special dividend of $500 million instead of executing a buyback to return cash to shareholders, and how should we think about extraordinary dividends and buybacks in the future?
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Despite having copper growth options in Carajás for many years, when will we see visibility on permitting and final investment decisions so we can gain confidence in the projected growth coming through in Brazil?
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Your iron ore inventories increased by almost 6 million tons in the second half of last year due to a focus on higher quality products; are you comfortable with your current inventory levels, and does this reflect a strategic shift towards prioritizing value over volume in the future?
Research analysts who have asked questions during Vale earnings calls.
Caio Ribeiro
Bank of America
4 questions for VALE
Carlos de Alba
Morgan Stanley
4 questions for VALE
Daniel Sasson
Itaú BBA
4 questions for VALE
Leonardo Correa
BTG Pactual
3 questions for VALE
Marcio Farid Filho
Goldman Sachs
3 questions for VALE
Rafael Barcellos
Bradesco BBI
3 questions for VALE
Rodolfo De Angele
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
3 questions for VALE
Yuri Pereira
Santander Bank
3 questions for VALE
Amos Fletcher
Barclays
2 questions for VALE
Caio Greiner
BTG Pactual
2 questions for VALE
Marina Calero Ródenas
RBC Capital Markets
2 questions for VALE
Myles Allsop
UBS Group AG
2 questions for VALE
Christopher LaFemina
Jefferies
1 question for VALE
Liam Fitzpatrick
Deutsche Bank
1 question for VALE
Ricardo Monegaglia Neto
Safra
1 question for VALE
Timna Tanners
Wolfe Research
1 question for VALE
Notable M&A activity and strategic investments in the past 3 years.
| Company | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
Anglo American Minério de Ferro Brasil S.A. | 2024 | Completed in December 2024, Vale acquired a 15% equity interest by contributing Serra da Serpentina iron ore resources valued at US$750 million plus a US$30 million cash disbursement; the transaction generated a gain of US$626 million and led to its transformation into an associate. |
Aliança Geração de Energia S.A. | 2024 | Completed in August 2024, Vale paid R$2,737 million (US$493 million) to acquire Cemig GT's 45% stake and become the sole owner, aligning with its energy platform and decarbonization strategy while integrating assets including hydroelectric plants and wind farms. |
Vale Oman Pelletizing Company LLC (VOPC) | 2023 | Completed in April 2023, Vale acquired the remaining 30% noncontrolling interest from OQ Group for US$130 million, achieving full ownership and enhancing its integrated pelletizing operations in Sohar, Oman. |
New Steel | 2022 | Completed on April 29, 2022, the merger of New Steel into Vale resulted in the incorporation of intangible assets (≈R$2,757 million) and property, plant, and equipment (R$48 million) into Vale’s balance sheet, reinforcing its dry ore processing technology strategy following its initial acquisition in 2019. |
Recent press releases and 8-K filings for VALE.
- VALE reported a proforma EBITDA of $4.4 billion in Q3 2025, marking a 17% year-on-year increase and a 28% quarter-on-quarter increase, driven by robust sales and favorable pricing.
- Iron ore sales increased by 5% year-on-year to 86 million tons, the highest for a third quarter since 2018, with the company confident in achieving its 2025 C1 cost guidance of $20.5 to $22 per ton.
- In base metals, copper hauling costs decreased by 65% to below $1,000 per ton, and nickel hauling costs fell by 32% year-on-year to $12,300 per ton, leading to a reduction in 2025 cost guidance for both metals.
- Recurring free cash flow reached $1.6 billion in Q3 2025, a $1 billion increase year-on-year, contributing to a $800 million quarter-on-quarter decrease in expanded net debt to $16.6 billion.
- The company anticipates increased room for additional shareholder remuneration, with extraordinary dividends likely to be announced in the coming months.
- Vale reported strong Q3 2025 results, with proforma EBITDA reaching $4.4 billion, a 17% increase year-on-year and 28% higher than the previous quarter.
- Operational performance was solid, with iron ore production at 94 million tons (up 4% year-on-year) and copper production growing 6% year-on-year, putting the company on track to meet its annual production guidances.
- The company achieved a significant milestone in dam safety by removing the last dam from emergency level three and continued progress on de-characterization programs.
- Cost efficiency initiatives led to lowered 2025 guidance for nickel hauling costs to $13,000-$14,000 per ton and copper hauling costs to $1,000-$1,500 per ton.
- Recurring free cash flow increased by $1 billion year-on-year to $1.6 billion, and expanded net debt decreased to $16.6 billion, indicating increased room for additional shareholder remuneration.
- Vale delivered solid operational and financial performance in Q3 2025, with proforma EBITDA reaching $4.4 billion, marking a 17% increase year-on-year and 28% higher than the previous quarter.
- Iron ore production reached 94 million tons, an increase of 4% year-on-year and the highest quarterly output since 2018, while copper production grew 6% year-on-year. Iron ore sales also increased 5% year-on-year to 86 million tons.
- The company achieved significant milestones in its safety agenda, including removing the last dam from emergency level three and successfully implementing the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).
- Strategic growth projects are advancing, with the On\u00e7a Puma second furnace starting operations 13% below planned CapEx and adding 15,000 tons of nickel capacity. The Serra Sul expansion is 80% physically complete and expected to start by the end of 2026.
- Management indicated that extraordinary dividends are likely to be announced in the coming months due to strong cash flow and consistent iron ore prices above $100 per ton.
- Vale's net operating revenues reached US$10,420 million in Q3 2025, marking a 9% increase year-over-year and 18% quarter-over-quarter. Proforma EBITDA grew 17% year-over-year to US$4,399 million, and Proforma net income attributable to shareholders increased 78% year-over-year to US$2,744 million.
- The company generated US$2,568 million in Free Cash Flow in Q3 2025, a 337% increase year-over-year, contributing to a US$0.8 billion quarter-over-quarter reduction in expanded net debt, which stood at US$16.6 billion at quarter-end.
- Operational efficiencies led to a 65% year-over-year decrease in copper all-in costs to US$994/t and a 32% year-over-year decline in nickel all-in costs to US$12,347/t. The 2025 all-in cost guidance was subsequently revised down for copper to US$1,000-1,500/t and for nickel to US$13,000-14,000/t.
- Capital expenditures totaled US$1,250 million in Q3 2025, remaining on track to meet the 2025 guidance of US$5.4-5.7 billion, with the successful startup of the Onça Puma 2nd furnace adding 15 ktpy of nickel capacity. Vale also achieved the milestone of having no dams classified at emergency level 3.
- Vale S.A. has updated its 2025 all-in cost estimates for copper and nickel, attributing the changes to strong operational performance and higher-than-expected gold by-product prices.
- The new 2025 all-in copper cost estimate is $1,000-1,500/t, reduced from the previous estimate of $1,500-2,000/t. This estimate is based on a gold price range of $3,500/troy ounce to $4,100/troy ounce for 4Q25.
- The new 2025 all-in nickel cost estimate is $13,000-14,000/t, a decrease from the prior estimate of $14,000-15,500/t.
- All other estimates previously disclosed by the company remain unchanged.
- Vale S.A. reported consolidated net operating revenue of R$56,701 million for the three-month period ended September 30, 2025. For the same period, consolidated net income was R$14,671 million , and basic earnings per common share were R$3.42. Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA reached R$23,765 million in Q3 2025.
- For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2025, the company generated R$34,020 million in consolidated net cash from operating activities and paid R$19,456 million in dividends and interest on capital to shareholders. Cash and cash equivalents stood at R$31,391 million at the end of Q3 2025.
- In September 2025, Vale completed the sale of a 70% stake in Aliança Geração de Energia S.A. for R$4,616 million (US$871 million), recognizing a loss of R$472 million in the income statement.
- The Definitive Settlement for the Samarco dam collapse totals R$170 billion (US$31.7 billion), with R$38 billion already incurred by Vale, Samarco, and BHPB, and R$100 billion to be paid over 20 years. The provision for the Samarco dam failure was R$12,768 million as of September 30, 2025.
- For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2025, Adjusted EBITDA was $10,870 million, a slight decrease from $11,046 million in the prior year period.
- Net cash generated by operating activities for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2025, totaled $6,102 million.
- In September 2025, the company completed the divestment of 70% of its stake in Aliança Geração de Energia S.A. and other energy assets, resulting in a cash inflow of $1,006 million but a recognized loss of $89 million on the transaction in the income statement for the three-month period ended September 30, 2025.
- Payments related to the Samarco dam failure significantly increased to $2,122 million for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2025, compared to $304 million in the prior year period, with Samarco's judicial reorganization process concluding in August 2025.
- On October 23, 2025, Fitch Ratings upgraded Vale S.A.'s Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) from 'BBB' to 'BBB+' with a Stable Outlook.
- The senior unsecured debt ratings for Vale and Vale Overseas Limited were also upgraded from 'BBB' to 'BBB+', and Vale's Long-Term National Scale rating and local debentures were affirmed at 'AAA(bra)'.
- This upgrade reflects Vale's broader diversification into higher value-added products, greater operational flexibility, rising scale, and environmental risk mitigation that has reduced litigation uncertainty.
- Fitch forecasts Vale's EBITDA to be $14.2 billion in 2025, $13.4 billion in 2026, and $13.3 billion in 2027, with net leverage expected to be around 0.9x for these years.
- Vale S.A. reported strong operational performance in Q3 2025, with all three core businesses (Iron Ore, Copper, and Nickel) tracking towards the upper end of their 2025 production guidance ranges.
- Iron ore production increased 4% year-over-year to 94.4 Mt, and iron ore sales rose 5% year-over-year to 86.0 Mt in Q3 2025, with improved price realization.
- Copper production grew 6% year-over-year to 90.8 kt, driven mainly by consistent output from Salobo and higher concentrate volumes from Voisey's Bay and Sudbury.
- Nickel production was 46.8 kt, largely flat year-over-year, but the Onça Puma's second furnace commenced operations, adding 15 ktpy to the site's production capacity and raising the total to 40 ktpy.
- Vale S.A. has announced an optional acquisition offer for up to all of its 388,559,056 outstanding participating debentures from its 6th issuance.
- The primary goal of this offer is to optimize the Company’s capital structure by managing financial liabilities and reinforcing its capital allocation strategy.
- The acquisition price is set at R$42.00 per debenture, with the deadline for expressing sale intentions being October 31, 2025, and financial settlement on November 5, 2025.
- The offer is contingent upon Vale or its subsidiaries securing financing and receiving valid sale intention notices.