Should You Buy Rio Tinto PLC (RIO) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.
Conclusion
Buy
Latest Price
92.910
1 Day change
2.70%
52 Week Range
92.940
Analysis Updated At
2026/01/26
Rio Tinto PLC (RIO) is a good buy for a beginner investor with a long-term strategy and $50,000-$100,000 available for investment. The stock has strong technical indicators, positive production growth, and favorable analyst sentiment, making it an attractive option for long-term holding.
Technical Analysis
The MACD is positive and expanding (0.279), indicating bullish momentum. The RSI is at 74.126, suggesting the stock is in a neutral zone. Moving averages are bullish (SMA_5 > SMA_20 > SMA_200), and the stock is trading above key support levels. Resistance levels are at R1: 89.34 and R2: 91.634, with the pre-market price nearing R2, signaling potential for further upside.
Options Data
Bullish
Open Interest Put-Call Ratio
Bearish
Option Volume Put-Call Ratio
The Open Interest Put-Call Ratio of 0.8 indicates a moderate bullish sentiment, while the Option Volume Put-Call Ratio of 2.62 suggests higher put activity, possibly reflecting short-term caution or hedging.
Moving Average Consensus
Sell
4
Buy
10
Positive Catalysts
2026/01/26 04:42:45
Record iron ore production and a 5% increase in copper production, signaling operational strength.
Analyst upgrades, including Erste Group's upgrade to Buy and RBC Capital's increased price target.
Positive momentum in the gold market, which could indirectly benefit Rio Tinto as a diversified miner.
Neutral/Negative Catalysts
2026/01/26 04:42:45
Higher put activity in options data, indicating short-term caution.
Neutral sentiment from hedge funds and insiders, with no significant trading trends.
Financial Performance
Rio Tinto reported a 4% YoY increase in Pilbara iron ore production and an 11% rise in copper production in 2025. Quarterly recovery in Q4 production and shipments further highlights operational improvements. However, detailed financial data for the latest quarter is unavailable.
Growth
Profitability
Efficiency
Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends
Analysts have shown a positive trend, with upgrades and increased price targets. Erste Group upgraded the stock to Buy, and RBC Capital raised its price target to 6,100 GBp. Other firms, including Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan, maintain Overweight ratings with increased price targets, reflecting optimism about the company's growth prospects.
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 83.7 USD with a low forecast of 68 USD and a high forecast of 129.5 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 83.7 USD with a low forecast of 68 USD and a high forecast of 129.5 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: 90.470
Low
68
Averages
83.7
High
129.5
Current: 90.470
Low
68
Averages
83.7
High
129.5
HSBC
Buy
to
Hold
downgrade
$6,900
AI Analysis
2026-01-26
New
Reason
HSBC
Price Target
$6,900
AI Analysis
2026-01-26
New
downgrade
Buy
to
Hold
Reason
HSBC downgraded Rio Tinto to Hold from Buy with a 6,900 GBp price target.
Erste Group
Stephan Lingnau
Hold
to
Buy
upgrade
2026-01-23
New
Reason
Erste Group
Stephan Lingnau
Price Target
2026-01-23
New
upgrade
Hold
to
Buy
Reason
Erste Group analyst Stephan Lingnau upgraded Rio Tinto to Buy from Hold. The firm says Rio Tinto has a high return on equity relative to peers. Rio's sales will increase more in 2026 than in 2025, the analyst tells investors in a research note.
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