Glencore could consider buying more steelmaking coal assets at right price, good quality and in the right location, the London-listed miner's Chief Executive Gary Nagle said in a briefing on Wednesday.

Glencore also said on Wednesday it would not spin off its coal business after securing backing from the majority of its investors who see lucrative earnings from the fossil fuel after the commodities giant's recent acquisition of Teck Resources' coking coal assets.

Following completion of the acquisition of a 77 percent interest in Elk Valley Resources (EVR) on July 11, 2024, Glencore has undertaken a consultation process to assess shareholder views regarding retaining or demerging the coal and carbon steel materials business.

Shareholders representing an estimated two-thirds of eligible voting shares were consulted for their views. Over 95 percent of shareholders that specifically expressed a preference for retention or demerger supported the retention of the coal and carbon steel materials business, primarily on the basis that retention should enhance Glencore’s cash generating capacity to fund opportunities in our transition metals portfolio, such as our copper growth project pipeline, as well as accelerate and optimise the return of excess cash flows to shareholders.

Numerous shareholders also expressed scepticism on the scale of a potential MetalsCo (the remaining business) valuation uplift arising from a demerger and did not see separation as ESG positive given the wide support for our latest Climate Action Transition Plan (CATP), including our responsible thermal coal decline strategy, and the belief in the important role that steelmaking coal is expected to play in supporting the infrastructure needed for the energy transition.

Some shareholders also abstained from offering a specific preference, principally advising that consideration of a demerger is a strategic decision for the Board.

The outcome of this consultation process and the Group’s own analysis have led the Board to conclude that, between the options of retaining or demerging, considering both risk and opportunity scenarios, retention of the coal and carbon steel materials business currently provides the optimal pathway for demonstrable and realisable value creation for Glencore shareholders.

“Following extensive consultation with our shareholders, whose views were very clear, and our own analysis, the Board believes retention offers the lowest risk pathway to create value for Glencore shareholders today," said Glencore chair Kalidas Madhavpeddi. "The expected cash generative capacity of the coal and carbon steel materials business significantly enhances the quality of our portfolio, by commodity and geography, and broadens our ability to fund our strong portfolio of copper growth options as well as accelerate shareholder returns.”

The Board also notes that in line with their 2024-2026 CATP, recently approved by more than 90 percent of voting shareholders, Glencore will continue to oversee the responsible decline of its thermal coal operations over time. Glencore will also assess how best to integrate the EVR assets into our climate transition strategy, having regard to our ICA commitment to develop and adopt a climate transition strategy for EVR, and recognising that the transition away from steelmaking coal for steel production will be slower than thermal coal.

With the decision to retain the coal and carbon steel materials business, the previous Net debt cap shaping our shareholder returns framework is immediately reset at around $10bn, excluding marketing related lease liabilities, along with our continued commitment to minimum strong BBB/Baa ratings.

While the decision has been taken to retain this business today, the Board preserves the option to consider a demerger of all or part of this business in the future if circumstances change.