(Bloomberg) -- Glencore Plc, the world’s biggest coal exporter, recorded a $395 million loss by hedging future production of the fuel before prices rallied.
The miner and trader locked in prices for about 55 million metric tons during the second quarter, when benchmark prices surged 11 percent, said Chief Financial Officer Steve Kalmin. On a call with analysts Wednesday, he responded to repeated questioning by defending the trade as “sensible” and a “corporate risk-management” decision.
The loss, which hasn’t been realized yet, stings for Glencore because Chief Executive Officer Ivan Glasenberg, revered in the industry for his commodity expertise, once headed the coal unit and cut his teeth trading the fuel. Glencore sank as much as 6 percent in London after disclosing the charge, which the CEO said wasn’t a “big deal,” and reporting its lowest profit since going public in 2011.
The hedge was “poorly timed” and limits benefits to higher prices, Chris Lafemina, a New York-based mining analyst at Jefferies International, said in a note. “Of course, coal prices could fall and these losses could become gains, but the reality so far is that prices have increased further since June 30, markets are tightening, and supply globally is falling.”