Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) shares are pushing higher on Friday after the gold giant released its first-quarter results for 2026.
The stock is up 2.87% to $158.91 at the time of writing, continuing a strong run that has seen it climb around 20% over the past month.
Here’s a closer look at how the company performed in the 3 months to 31 March.
Record cash flow and earnings lift
Newmont reported a strong start to the year, supported by higher realised gold prices and steady production.
The company produced 1.5 million attributable gold ounces during the quarter, broadly in line with expectations.
Average realised gold prices came in at around US$2,944 per ounce, which helped drive a clear lift in margins.
That flowed through to earnings and cash generation.
Net income reached US$3.2 billion, while adjusted EBITDA came in at US$5.2 billion.
More notably, free cash flow hit a record US$3.1 billion for the quarter.
Operating cash flow was also strong at US$3.8 billion, even after working capital movements.
Shareholder returns step up
The balance sheet strength has allowed Newmont to return more capital to shareholders.
During the quarter, the company delivered US$2.7 billion in total returns through dividends and share buybacks.
It also confirmed a quarterly dividend of US$0.25 per share.
On top of that, management approved an additional US$3 billion share buyback program.
That sits alongside an existing program, with total buybacks now lifted to US$6 billion.
Costs improve as operations stabilise
Costs moved in the right direction during the quarter.
Gold all-in sustaining costs (AISC) came in at US$1,029 per ounce, down from the prior quarter.
Gold costs applicable to sales (CAS) also declined to US$903 per ounce.
The improvement was driven by stronger by-product credits and steady operating performance across key sites.
There were still some softer spots.
Production was lower at certain operations, including Boddington, following weather disruptions and maintenance.
Despite this, Newmont’s broader cost profile is starting to look more stable.
Guidance holds, with second-half weighted
Full-year guidance has been left unchanged following the March quarter update.
Newmont is still targeting around 5.6 million ounces of attributable gold production for 2026.
Costs are expected to sit near US$1,650 per ounce on an all-in sustaining basis.
What stands out is how the year is expected to unfold.
Production is weighted toward the second-half, with higher grades and stronger volumes expected across several operations later in the year.
That timing is fairly typical for Newmont, but it does mean a larger share of output is still to come.
Foolish bottom line
This was a strong result, driven largely by higher gold prices and a big lift in cash flow.
More of that cash is now being returned to shareholders, which is starting to stand out.
The second-half will matter more, with production expected to build and costs needing to hold where they are.
From my side, I’d still be watching the gold price as much as the operations.
If pricing stays where it is, the outlook looks solid. If it pulls back, sentiment could shift just as quickly.
The post Newmont shares jump again as record cash flow and buyback boost sentiment appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
Should you invest $1,000 in Newmont right now?
Before you buy Newmont shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Newmont wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
* Returns as of 20 Feb 2026
.custom-cta-button p {
margin-bottom: 0 !important;
}
More reading
- Why Newmont, PLS and Fortescue shares are grabbing headlines on Friday
- Why Newmont, Nuix, PLS, and Vulcan Energy shares are rising today
- Newmont declares quarterly dividend for ASX investors
- 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
- 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.