Lithium Price Outlook: Fitch predicts that lithium prices will remain weak until 2026, with a potential recovery in late 2025, while the market is expected to stay oversupplied unless significant production cuts occur.
Market Dynamics: The lithium market faces challenges from evolving battery technologies and alternative materials, which could impact demand, while China continues to dominate both demand and processing.
Capital Management Strategies: Lithium producers are focusing on financial resilience, with companies like Albemarle and SQM adjusting their capital expenditures and debt strategies to navigate the current market volatility.
M&A Opportunities: The difficult market conditions are creating opportunities for well-capitalized miners, such as Rio Tinto, to pursue acquisitions and diversify their portfolios in the lithium sector.
Wall Street analysts forecast RIO stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for RIO is 83.70 USD with a low forecast of 68.00 USD and a high forecast of 129.50 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
6 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast RIO stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for RIO is 83.70 USD with a low forecast of 68.00 USD and a high forecast of 129.50 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
2 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 88.840
Low
68.00
Averages
83.70
High
129.50
Current: 88.840
Low
68.00
Averages
83.70
High
129.50
Berenberg
Hold
maintain
2025-12-17
Reason
Berenberg
Price Target
AI Analysis
2025-12-17
maintain
Hold
Reason
Berenberg raised the firm's price target on Rio Tinto to 5,300 GBp from 5,200 GBp and keeps a Hold rating on the shares.
Morgan Stanley
NULL -> Overweight
upgrade
2025-12-16
Reason
Morgan Stanley
Price Target
2025-12-16
upgrade
NULL -> Overweight
Reason
Morgan Stanley raised the firm's price target on Rio Tinto to 6,060 GBp from 5,810 GBp and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares.
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Argus
John Eade
Buy
maintain
$70 -> $85
2025-12-11
Reason
Argus
John Eade
Price Target
$70 -> $85
2025-12-11
maintain
Buy
Reason
Argus analyst John Eade raised the firm's price target on Rio Tinto to $85 from $70 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The company has strengthened its operating performance and balance sheet in recent years by cutting costs and selling noncore assets, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Rio Tinto is also starting to focus on future clean energy needs through the development of lithium projects and with an acquisition, the firm added.
Cantor Fitzgerald
Matthew O'Keefe
Buy
to
Hold
downgrade
$2.50
2025-12-09
Reason
Cantor Fitzgerald
Matthew O'Keefe
Price Target
$2.50
2025-12-09
downgrade
Buy
to
Hold
Reason
Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Matthew O'Keefe downgraded Rio2 Limited to Hold from Buy with an unchanged price target of C$2.50 after the company announced an agreement with Southern Peaks Mining to acquire its 99.1% interest in the Condestable copper mine located in Peru. The firm is "not overly enamoured with the deal" given the sparse details provided, "questionable timing" with Fenix not yet complete and the reduced leverage to precious metals it brings, the analyst tells investors.
About RIO
Rio Tinto plc is a United Kingdom-based mining and materials company. It operates in over 35 countries, and its portfolio includes iron ore, copper, aluminum and a range of other minerals and materials. Its segments include Iron Ore, Aluminum, Copper, and Minerals. The Iron Ore segment includes iron ore mining and salt and gypsum production in Western Australia. Its iron ore operations in Pilbara comprise an integrated network of over 18 iron ore mines and four independent port terminals. The Aluminum segment includes bauxite mining, alumina refining, and aluminum smelting and recycling. The Copper segment includes mining and refining of copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, other by-products and licensing of extraction technologies. The Minerals segment includes mining and processing of borates, diamonds, iron concentrate and pellets from the Iron Ore Company of Canada, lithium and titanium dioxide feedstock.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
