The Copper Year
When it comes to the mining industry, its 2006 financial and production indicators were, perhaps, the best of the past decade, signaled the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers that covered 40 majors worldwide. The industry is obviously riding a rising wave, PwC concluded.
In 2006 fiscal year (that ended April 1 for a number of firms in the world), the sales of biggest companies soared 37 percent to $249 billion and gross profits widened 64 percent to $67 billion, while the holders’ dividend stepped up 66 percent on year ($26.1 billion vs. $15.6 billion) and EBITDA margin grew from 37 percent to 44 percent, PWC said, emphasizing that the matter at stake is the rising trend with the growing demand for investments. The proof is the aggregate debt of the companies that went up 73 percent past year to $42 billion.
First of all, the mining boom boosted the quartet of leaders – BHP Billiton, Anglo American, Rio Tinto and CVRD. In selection of 40 majors, those companies account for 43 percent of the aggregate revenues and 47 percent of profits.
Even though Russia’s Polus Zoloto, ALROSA and Norilsk Nickel were added to selection, Russia is somewhat off the booming track. The core component of the latter is the surge in the copper sales, which account for 32 percent of the aggregate sales of mining blockbusters, while the copper investments soared 120 percent on year. Similar to copper, the Russians cannot boast of outstanding achievements in coal and iron industries, while aluminum, platinum, nickel and diamonds are of no great significance in terms of the global market.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of June 21, 2007
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