Markets: Rio's ore supremacy

Citigroup’s mercurial analyst Clarke Wilkins, who has criticised Rio Tinto chief executive Sam Walsh’s iron ore expansion in the Pilbara, still likes the stock and prefers it compared with BHP.

“The record capex spend of recent years is finally driving production growth for BHP and Rio,” says Wilkins. “But BHP’s performance in the first half of 2013 clearly outstripped a weather hamstrung Rio. If nature plays ball we expect Rio’s production performance to improve in the second half of 2013 and 2014 and gain the upper hand on BHP.”

Wilkins’ 12-month target price for Rio’s stock is $67. His share price target for BHP is $35.

At 1251 AEST BHP shares were down 40 cents, or 1.2 per cent, to $33.82. Rio’s shares had dropped 70.5 cents, or 1.2 per cent, to $$55.995. In the last 12 months Rio shares have gained 6.1 per cent and BHP’s stock is up 12 per cent compared with the 21 per cent gain in the S&P/ASX200 Index, according to Bloomberg data.