Hecla Mining Company HL is scheduled to release first-quarter 2026 results on May 5, after market close.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings for the quarter has remained unchanged over the past 60 days at 27 cents per share. The bottom-line projection indicates an increase of 575% from the year-ago number.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hecla Mining’s quarterly revenues is $474 million, which indicates a year-over-year increase of 81.4%.
HL’s Earnings Surprise History
Hecla Mining’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters. The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 34.5%, on average.
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What the Zacks Model Unveils for HL
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for HL this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here, as elaborated below.
Earnings ESP: HL has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: HL presently carries a Zacks Rank of 3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Factors Likely to Have Shaped Hecla Mining’s Q1 Performance
In 2025, HL produced around 17.0 million ounces of silver, marking a 5% increase from the previous year and at the top end of consolidated silver production guidance. The growth was supported by stronger output across its core operations, particularly the Greens Creek mine in Alaska, which delivered 8.7 million ounces, up 3% from 2024.
HL’s Lucky Friday project produced a record 5.3 million ounces of silver, driven by higher milled grades and throughput.
Keno Hill produced a record 3.02 million ounces of silver in 2025 and achieved its first full-year of profitability under Hecla Mining ownership, supported by improved power reliability and higher milling rates.
This momentum likely carried into the first quarter, with higher production and sales volumes expected year over year. Higher silver and gold prices in the quarter are also expected to have provided a boost to the company’s revenues.
However, the company continues to face cost pressures. Inflation at Lucky Friday continued through 2025, raising labor, consumables and contractor expenses. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Lucky Friday produced about 1.3 million ounces with AISC of $25.73 per ounce after by-product credits. AISC is guided at $23.50-$26.00 per ounce for 2026, higher than $21.98 in 2025.
Overall, the company’s first-quarter 2026 results are expected to reflect higher sales volumes and metal prices, somewhat offset by inflated costs.
HL’s Price Performance
The company’s shares have surged 219.6% in the past year, outperforming the industry’s 162% growth.
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Stocks to Consider
Here are a few Basic Materials stocks, which according to our model, have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in their upcoming releases.
CF Industries CF, scheduled to release first-quarter 2026 earnings on May 6, currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.07% and a Zacks Rank of 1.
CF Industries’ earnings for the quarter are pegged at $2.35 per share, indicating year-over-year growth of 27%. The company has delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 13.15%.
Wheaton Precious Metals WPM, scheduled to release first-quarter 2026 earnings on May 7, has an Earnings ESP of +7.44% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Wheaton Precious’ earnings for the first quarter of 2026 is pegged at $1.14 per share, indicating 107% growth from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure. Wheaton Precious has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 13.7%.
Barrick Mining Corporation B, scheduled to release first-quarter 2026 earnings on May 11, has an Earnings ESP of +1.60% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Barrick Mining’s earnings for the first quarter of 2026 is pegged at 73 cents per share, indicating 109% growth from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure. Barrick Mining has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 11.20%.
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CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF): Free Stock Analysis Report
Barrick Mining Corporation (B): Free Stock Analysis Report
Hecla Mining Company (HL): Free Stock Analysis Report
Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).