Hecla Mining Stock Plummets Nearly 50% Amid Silver Price Collapse
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 19 2026
0mins
Should l Buy HL?
Source: Fool
- Stock Price Plunge: Hecla Mining's stock has dropped nearly 50% in recent weeks, falling from a 52-week high of $34.17 in late January to $16.25 in early Thursday trading, marking a new low not seen since December 2025, reflecting market pessimism about its future performance.
- Silver Price Collapse: Silver prices plummeted over 10% on March 19 to below $67 per ounce, a significant drop from nearly $115 just weeks earlier, severely threatening Hecla's profitability as the largest silver producer in the U.S. and Canada.
- Impact of High Oil Prices: Brent crude oil surged 7% to over $114 per barrel due to supply disruptions in the Middle East, driving inflation higher and forcing the Federal Reserve to delay interest rate cuts, which diminishes the appeal of non-yielding assets like silver, further pressuring Hecla's stock price.
- Strategic Adjustments and Outlook: Despite record revenue and net income in 2025, Hecla plans to double its exploration spending in 2026 and aims to use the $593 million from the sale of its Casa Berardi gold mine to repay debt and invest in growth, demonstrating its commitment to long-term development amid current challenges.
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Analyst Views on HL
Wall Street analysts forecast HL stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 17.050
Low
16.00
Averages
23.93
High
36.50
Current: 17.050
Low
16.00
Averages
23.93
High
36.50
About HL
Hecla Mining Company is a silver producer in the United States and Canada. It discovers, acquires and develops mines and other mineral interests and produces and markets concentrates containing silver, gold, lead, zinc and copper; carbon material containing silver and gold, and unrefined dore containing silver and gold. Its segments include Greens Creek, Lucky Friday, Keno Hill and Casa Berardi. Greens Creek operation is located on Admiralty Island, near Juneau, Alaska. Greens Creek property includes over 440 unpatented lode mining claims, 58 unpatented millsite claims, 21 patented lode claims and one patented millsite. Lucky Friday mine is a deep underground silver, lead, and zinc mine located in the Coeur d’Alene Mining District in northern Idaho. Keno Hill Silver Project is located within the Keno Hill Silver District in Canada’s Yukon Territory, which comprises over 242 square kilometers with numerous mineral deposits. It owns a number of exploration and pre-development projects.
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.
Hecla Mining Reports Significant Q1 Profit Increase Driven by Revenue Growth
- Significant Profit Increase: Hecla Mining reported a net income from continuing operations of $164.65 million in Q1, translating to $0.25 per share, a substantial rise from $24.34 million or $0.04 per share a year earlier, indicating a marked improvement in profitability.
- Revenue Doubling: The company's revenue from continuing operations surged to $411.43 million, doubling from $205.33 million in the same quarter last year, reflecting successful sales expansion amid strong market demand, thereby enhancing its competitive position.
- Adjusted EBITDA Growth: Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased to $265 million from $77 million year-over-year, demonstrating significant achievements in cost control and operational efficiency, further solidifying the company's financial health.
- Impact of Non-Cash Write-Down: Despite a non-cash write-down of $192 million related to the Casa Berardi sale resulting in a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $19 million or $0.03 per share, the overall financial performance still showcases strong growth potential.
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Hecla Mining Q1 Earnings Miss Expectations
- Disappointing Performance: Hecla Mining reported a Q1 GAAP EPS of $0.25, missing expectations by $0.02, indicating pressure on profitability that could affect investor confidence moving forward.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Despite a significant year-over-year revenue increase of 100.2% to $411 million, the figure fell short of market expectations by $21.44 million, suggesting that demand has not fully translated into sales even in a rapidly growing environment.
- Supply-Demand Imbalance: Hecla Mining highlighted that the undersupplied silver market is expected to drive future growth, indicating potential adjustments in resource allocation and market strategy to capitalize on this opportunity.
- Market Environment Challenges: With silver prices retreating from record highs, Andean Precious Metals has plunged 36% year-to-date, which may negatively impact overall industry sentiment, necessitating Hecla's cautious approach to market fluctuations.
See More
Hecla Mining to Announce Q1 Earnings on May 5th with Strong Estimates
- Earnings Announcement: Hecla Mining (HL) is set to release its Q1 earnings on May 5th after market close, with consensus EPS estimated at $0.26 and revenue projected at $432.44 million, reflecting a robust 65.5% year-over-year growth in the silver mining sector.
- Performance Beat: Over the past year, Hecla has exceeded EPS estimates 25% of the time while achieving a 100% success rate in beating revenue estimates, indicating the company's strong revenue growth and profitability stability.
- Estimate Revisions: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen two upward revisions with no downward adjustments, while revenue estimates have also been revised upward once, suggesting analysts' optimistic outlook on Hecla's future performance amid rising silver prices.
- Market Outlook: With an undersupplied silver market, Hecla Mining is signaling a pathway to achieve 20 million ounces of silver production, and its record cash flow indicates a positive growth trajectory and strategic direction for the company moving forward.
See More
Hecla Mining Releases 2025 Sustainability Report Highlighting ESG Performance
- Safety Performance Improvement: Hecla Mining achieved a 13% improvement in safety performance in 2025, as measured by the total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR), ensuring employee safety and enhancing the company's competitive edge in the industry.
- Significant Economic Impact: The company generated over $1 billion in direct economic impact to the communities where it operates, demonstrating its positive role in driving local economic development while enhancing its reputation in social responsibility.
- Strengthened Environmental Standards: Hecla's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity ratio stands at 0.007 metric tonnes per ounce of silver produced, one of the lowest in the industry, reflecting the company's commitment and efforts in environmental protection.
- Female Leadership Representation: Women comprise 43% of the company's Board of Directors, promoting gender equality and bringing diverse perspectives and decision-making capabilities to the company, thereby enhancing corporate governance standards.
See More
Hecla Mining Reports Significant Q1 Profit Increase Driven by Revenue Growth
- Significant Profit Increase: Hecla Mining reported a net income from continuing operations of $164.65 million in Q1, translating to $0.25 per share, a substantial rise from $24.34 million or $0.04 per share a year earlier, indicating a marked improvement in profitability.
- Revenue Doubling: The company's revenue from continuing operations surged to $411.43 million, doubling from $205.33 million in the same quarter last year, reflecting successful sales expansion amid strong market demand, thereby enhancing its competitive position.
- Adjusted EBITDA Growth: Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased to $265 million from $77 million year-over-year, demonstrating significant achievements in cost control and operational efficiency, further solidifying the company's financial health.
- Impact of Non-Cash Write-Down: Despite a non-cash write-down of $192 million related to the Casa Berardi sale resulting in a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $19 million or $0.03 per share, the overall financial performance still showcases strong growth potential.
See More
US Stocks Surge to New Highs Led by Tech Earnings
- Tech Stock Rally: The Nasdaq 100 index surged over 1.44% to reach an all-time high, driven by strong earnings from chipmakers and AI infrastructure stocks, reflecting market optimism about sustained investment growth in artificial intelligence.
- Crude Oil Plunge: WTI crude oil prices fell more than 6% to a two-week low as the US nears a peace agreement with Iran, which is expected to lift restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, thereby reducing energy costs and enhancing profitability prospects for airlines and cruise lines.
- Employment Data Impact: The April ADP employment change report indicated that US companies added 109,000 jobs, below the expected 120,000, yet the market remains optimistic about the Fed's monetary policy, suggesting a lower likelihood of interest rate hikes.
- Earnings Optimism: So far, 84% of the 375 S&P 500 companies that reported earnings have exceeded expectations, with Q1 earnings projected to rise 12% year-over-year, indicating strong corporate profitability that further supports the stock market's upward trend.
See More
US Stocks Reach All-Time Highs as AI Investments Surge
- Market Performance: The S&P 500 index rose by 0.76% and the Nasdaq 100 index increased by 1.19%, reaching all-time highs, reflecting strong market optimism regarding ongoing investments in artificial intelligence, which are expected to continue driving stock prices higher.
- Chipmakers' Strong Earnings: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) saw its stock price surge over 16% after raising its full-year sales forecast significantly due to robust data center spending, indicating a strong growth trajectory and reinforcing its competitive position in the semiconductor market.
- Crude Oil Price Plunge: WTI crude oil prices fell more than 5% to a two-week low as the US nears a peace agreement with Iran, which may help lower inflation expectations and improve profitability prospects for airlines and cruise operators amid declining fuel costs.
- Employment Data Impact: The April ADP employment change report indicated that US companies added 109,000 jobs, below the expected 120,000, yet the market remains optimistic about the Fed's monetary policy, which is likely to continue supporting stock market gains.
See More
Hecla Mining Q1 Earnings Miss Expectations
- Disappointing Performance: Hecla Mining reported a Q1 GAAP EPS of $0.25, missing expectations by $0.02, indicating pressure on profitability that could affect investor confidence moving forward.
- Weak Revenue Growth: Despite a significant year-over-year revenue increase of 100.2% to $411 million, the figure fell short of market expectations by $21.44 million, suggesting that demand has not fully translated into sales even in a rapidly growing environment.
- Supply-Demand Imbalance: Hecla Mining highlighted that the undersupplied silver market is expected to drive future growth, indicating potential adjustments in resource allocation and market strategy to capitalize on this opportunity.
- Market Environment Challenges: With silver prices retreating from record highs, Andean Precious Metals has plunged 36% year-to-date, which may negatively impact overall industry sentiment, necessitating Hecla's cautious approach to market fluctuations.
See More
Hecla Mining to Announce Q1 Earnings on May 5th with Strong Estimates
- Earnings Announcement: Hecla Mining (HL) is set to release its Q1 earnings on May 5th after market close, with consensus EPS estimated at $0.26 and revenue projected at $432.44 million, reflecting a robust 65.5% year-over-year growth in the silver mining sector.
- Performance Beat: Over the past year, Hecla has exceeded EPS estimates 25% of the time while achieving a 100% success rate in beating revenue estimates, indicating the company's strong revenue growth and profitability stability.
- Estimate Revisions: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen two upward revisions with no downward adjustments, while revenue estimates have also been revised upward once, suggesting analysts' optimistic outlook on Hecla's future performance amid rising silver prices.
- Market Outlook: With an undersupplied silver market, Hecla Mining is signaling a pathway to achieve 20 million ounces of silver production, and its record cash flow indicates a positive growth trajectory and strategic direction for the company moving forward.
See More
Hecla Mining Releases 2025 Sustainability Report Highlighting ESG Performance
- Safety Performance Improvement: Hecla Mining achieved a 13% improvement in safety performance in 2025, as measured by the total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR), ensuring employee safety and enhancing the company's competitive edge in the industry.
- Significant Economic Impact: The company generated over $1 billion in direct economic impact to the communities where it operates, demonstrating its positive role in driving local economic development while enhancing its reputation in social responsibility.
- Strengthened Environmental Standards: Hecla's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity ratio stands at 0.007 metric tonnes per ounce of silver produced, one of the lowest in the industry, reflecting the company's commitment and efforts in environmental protection.
- Female Leadership Representation: Women comprise 43% of the company's Board of Directors, promoting gender equality and bringing diverse perspectives and decision-making capabilities to the company, thereby enhancing corporate governance standards.
See More
