What is the best metal stock to buy?

Wheaton Precious Metals is the best metal stock to buy. It provides investors with low-risk exposure to several key metals, including gold and silver.

Are metal stocks a good investment?

Metal stocks can be a good investment. During periods of rising demand, metal prices tend to rise, benefiting metal stocks.

What is the largest metal company?

The largest metal company in mid-2026 was BHP Group, with a market capitalization exceeding $220 billion.

What metal is best to invest in right now?

You could make a solid long-term investment case for most metals. However, copper appears to be one of the best metals to invest in right now. Demand could grow by almost 70% by 2050, driven by catalysts such as electric vehicles and increased electrification. Meanwhile, there's a potential supply challenge ahead as legacy copper mines deplete. These catalysts could drive up copper prices, potentially making copper stocks a very rewarding long-term investment opportunity.

Will metal stocks rise?

Metal stocks could rise in the future. As long as the economy is growing, demand for metals (and metals prices) should rise. That should boost the value of metals stocks. However, if the economy slows, demand for metals would likely decline. That would likely weigh on the value of metals stocks.

Do metal stocks offer regular dividends?

Yes, many metals stocks offer regular dividends. Some metal companies have long records of paying a fixed quarterly dividend that they increase every year (e.g., Nucor, with 53 consecutive years). Others pay more variable dividends that rise and fall with their profitability (e.g., Rio Tinto and BHP Group).

Are metal stocks cyclical?

Many metals stocks are cyclical. Companies that produce industrial metals (e.g., copper, iron ore, steel, and aluminum) tend to be cyclical because demand for those metals rises and falls with the economy. Precious metals producers, on the other hand, tend to be less cyclical, often seeing rising demand during economic downturns as investors flock to safe-haven metals.

Are metal stocks volatile?

Yes, metal stocks can be volatile because metal prices are volatile.

5 Best Metals Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

By Matthew DiLallo – Updated Aug 16, 2026 at 7:44 AM EST | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Top metal stocks include Rio Tinto, Nucor, and Wheaton Precious Metals for diverse investments in 2026.
Rio Tinto focuses on low-cost aluminum and other essential industrial metals like iron ore, lithium, and copper.
Nucor, a Dividend King, is more economically resilient than other steel producers due to its focus on using electric arc furnaces.

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Silver metal rods stacked atop one another — Image source: Getty Images.

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Five top metals stocks for 2026

Metals companies largely fall into two categories:

Those focused on precious metals such as gold and silver.
Those that produce or use industrial metals such as iron ore, aluminum, and copper.

Many companies mine or produce metals. However, a handful of metals companies stand out as industry leaders by focusing on keeping costs down to maximize the value of the metals they produce. Here are five top metal stocks worthy of investor consideration this year:

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Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Market capMarket cap calculated using publicly traded shares outstanding only. Does not include unlisted, private, or dual-class non-traded shares. Implied market cap may vary.	Dividend yield	Industry
Wheaton Precious Metals (NYSE:WPM)	$61.0 billion	0.54%	Metals and Mining
Nucor (NYSE:NUE)	$61.0 billion	0.83%	Metals and Mining
Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO)	$120.0 billion	6.41%	Metals and Mining
BHP Group (NYSE:BHP)	$220.5 billion	3.07%	Metals and Mining
MP Materials (NYSE:MP)	$10.5 billion	0.00%	Metals and Mining

Data as of Aug 16, 2026. Showing 5 of 5 total entries.

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1. Rio Tinto

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NYSE: RIO

Rio Tinto Group

Today's Change

(-0.43%) $-0.41

Current Price

$95.68

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$120B

Day's Range

$95.39 - $96.72

52wk Range

$60.22 - $112.58

Volume

2.2M

Avg Vol

2.7M

Gross Margin

26.70%

Dividend Yield

6.41%

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Rio Tinto is a diversified global mining company. It primarily focuses on producing industrial metals, including the three most widely used ones -- iron ore, aluminum, and copper. It also has a growing lithium business.

Rio Tinto is a global leader in producing aluminum. The company operates large-scale, high-quality bauxite mines, alumina refineries, and aluminum smelters. It’s a leader in efforts to use low-cost, carbon-free hydroelectricity to power aluminum operations. In August 2026, Australia committed up to $1.8 billon to help keep the company's Tomago aluminum smelter open beyond 2028 as it transitions from coal to renewable power.

Rio Tinto is also a top producer of iron ore, a key ingredient in steel, the most widely used metal alloy in the world. The company’s iron ore operations in Australia comprise an integrated network of world-class mining assets, processing hubs, rail lines, and port terminals that help keep costs low. Rio Tinto and its partner Hancock Prospecting approved the Hope Downs 2 iron ore project in Australia to expand its iron ore business in 2025.

It also has a large-scale copper business. It controls the massive Oyu Tolgoi mining project in Mongolia. The company also owns the Winu copper-gold project in Australia, which it's seeking to develop.

Finally, Rio Tinto approved the $2.5 billion Rincon project in Argentina in late 2024, its first commercial-scale lithium operation. It also acquired Arcadium Lithium for $6.7 billion in early 2025 to create a world-class lithium business to complement its leading iron ore, aluminum, and copper operations.

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2. Nucor

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NYSE: NUE

Nucor

Today's Change

(-1.24%) $-3.38

Current Price

$268.91

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$61B

Day's Range

$267.60 - $274.74

52wk Range

$131.32 - $280.11

Volume

1.2M

Avg Vol

1.5M

Gross Margin

15.44%

Dividend Yield

0.83%

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Nucor is a diversified North American steel and steel products company. It produces steel bars, plates, beams, and other steel products, including fasteners, pipes, and wire. Nucor also operates a leading scrap metal business that recycles and transports ferrous (iron-containing) and nonferrous metals.

Nucor differs from most other steel manufacturers because it focuses on operating mini-mills, which use electric arc furnaces to melt scrap steel. The process is less expensive than traditional blast furnaces used to melt iron. It also powers its facilities primarily with natural gas rather than coal, which is cheaper. Nucor, which focuses on recycled metals, is one of the world's lowest-cost steel producers. Nucor is always looking to become more sustainable. It's partnering with Helion to develop a historic fusion power plant to provide zero-carbon electricity to one of its steelmaking plants.

The company’s relatively environmentally sustainable and lower-cost operations have enabled it to turn a profit across a range of economic conditions and to pay a steadily growing dividend. The steel producer delivered its 53rd consecutive year of dividend increases in late 2025. With more than 50 years of annual dividend increases, Nucor is a Dividend King. It may be an ideal stock for investors seeking a lower-risk steelmaker.

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3. Wheaton Precious Metals

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NYSE: WPM

Wheaton Precious Metals

Today's Change

(1.78%) $2.35

Current Price

$134.21

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$61B

Day's Range

$133.01 - $135.62

52wk Range

$90.94 - $165.76

Volume

1.4M

Avg Vol

Gross Margin

75.21%

Dividend Yield

0.54%

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Wheaton Precious Metals is one of the largest metals streaming companies in the world. It provides mining companies with an upfront payment to help develop a project. In exchange, it receives the right to purchase a portion of the production at a fixed cost.

Wheaton Precious Metals has a diversified portfolio of streaming contracts. Its agreements give it the right to purchase gold (52% of its revenue), silver (46%), palladium (0.7%), platinum (0.3%, and cobalt (1%) from a variety of leading mining companies. Its streams currently include producing mines as well as those in development. Those development projects position Wheaton to grow its gold-equivalent production 50% by 2030.

The company’s streaming contract portfolio provides it with predictable costs. Its total cash costs will average $12.50 an ounce for silver and $650 an ounce for gold through 2030. It can then sell the metals at prevailing market prices, pocketing the difference. With gold over $4,400 per ounce in mid-2026 and silver around $65 per ounce, Wheaton is making a hefty profit on its precious-metal streaming contracts. That's giving it more cash to pay dividends and invest in new mining streams. The company’s low-cost business model makes it an attractive investment in precious metals.

4. BHP Group

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NYSE: BHP

BHP Group

Today's Change

(-0.52%) $-0.45

Current Price

$86.78

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$220B

Day's Range

$86.47 - $87.79

52wk Range

$51.83 - $93.83

Volume

2.4M

Avg Vol

2.7M

Gross Margin

40.96%

Dividend Yield

3.07%

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BHP Group is a globally diversified metals producer. It focuses on producing metals and materials for the following three industries:

Steel: BHP Group produces iron ore and metallurgical coal, both of which are key to the steel sector.
Electrification: It produces copper and nickel, important metals for electrification and electric vehicles.
Sustainable food production: BHP produces potash used in fertilizers.

The company has several near-term growth drivers, including the ramp-up of its Jansen potash mine in Canada, the expansion of its Western Australia iron ore business, and expansion projects supporting its metallurgical coal business in Australia. Additionally, the company has longer-term growth projects for its copper business in Chile and in Australia. BHP aims to grow its copper equivalent production at a 3% to 4% annual rate through 2035, while returning at least 50% of its cash flow to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.

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5. MP Materials

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NYSE: MP

MP Materials

Today's Change

(5.53%) $3.08

Current Price

$58.74

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$10B

Day's Range

$56.15 - $61.11

52wk Range

$37.81 - $100.25

Volume

10.8M

Avg Vol

6.2M

Gross Margin

14.51%

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MP Materials is a fully integrated producer of rare-earth magnets. It mines rare-earth from its Mountain Pass mine in California (the second-largest in the world), refines them at an on-site facility, and then combines them with other metals to produce powerful magnets at its manufacturing facility in Texas.

The rare-earth magnets produced by MP Materials are crucial to the transportation, energy, robotics, defense, and aerospace industries. In 2025, Apple (AAPL +0.22%) signed a $500 million partnership with MP Materials to supply magnets made from recycled rare-earth materials. Additionally, MP Materials received a $400 million investment from the U.S. Department of Defense to help fund the construction of a second U.S. magnet manufacturing facility. These deals will help support the continued growth of the company's metals business.

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How to invest in metal stocks

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to buy metal stocks:

Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments. If you don't have one yet, take a look at our favorite brokers and trading platforms to find the right one for you.
Search for the stock: Enter the ticker into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.

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Benefits and risks of investing in metal stocks

Investing in metals stocks has its share of pros and cons. Some of the benefits include:

Growth potential: Demand for metals is rising, enabling producers to increase production volumes.
Income: Many metals companies pay above-average dividends.
Inflation hedge: Investing in a metals stock can help mute some of the impact of inflation on your portfolio.

Investing in metals stocks has risk, including:

Volatility: Metal prices can be highly volatile, impacting metal companies' profitability and stock prices.
Operational issues: A company might run into a mine cost overrun or operational issue that can impact the stock price.
Capital-intensive: Metals companies need to invest significant capital to maintain and expand their operations. That can cause financial issues during a downturn if they borrowed too heavily to fund capital projects.

Methodology: How these stocks were chosen

The metals industry can be volatile, as pricing and demand change with economic conditions. That drove my focus on the largest metals companies with the strongest financial profiles, as they're best positioned to weather a cyclical downturn. I also looked for companies with the best growth prospects. These metal stocks stood out as the best in the industry.

Should you invest in metal stocks?

Industrial metal demand is growing due to the following factors:

Economic growth is the major demand growth catalyst for industrial metals
Renewable energy and electric vehicles are driving demand for industrial metals and other materials, such as lithium and cobalt.
The technology sector also contributes to demand for metals, which are crucial for building AI data centers and other tech hardware.

The value of precious metals, on the other hand, tends to have an inverse relationship to the economy. That’s due in large part to investors buying these metals to protect their wealth or to hedge against inflation. We saw this in 2025 and early 2026, as precious metal prices soared amid inflationary and global economic concerns.

Given the inverse relationships between these types of metals, investors might want to pair a company focused on industrial metals with one focused on precious metals to smooth returns.

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Investing in metal stocks: FAQ

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About the Author

Matt DiLallo has been a contributing Motley Fool stock analyst specializing in the energy, industrials, and real estate sectors since 2012. He also covers dividend-paying stocks, pre-IPO companies, ETFs, and other investing topics. He holds an MBA from Liberty University.

TMFmd19

@MatthewDiLallo

Matt DiLallo has positions in Apple and BHP Group. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple. The Motley Fool recommends BHP Group and MP Materials. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

5 Best Metals Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

Key Points

Five top metals stocks for 2026

1. Rio Tinto

Key Data Points

2. Nucor

Key Data Points

3. Wheaton Precious Metals

Key Data Points

4. BHP Group

Key Data Points

5. MP Materials

Key Data Points

How to invest in metal stocks

Benefits and risks of investing in metal stocks

Methodology: How these stocks were chosen

Should you invest in metal stocks?

Related investing topics

5 Best Mining Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

4 Best Silver Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

5 Best Gold Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

7 Best Materials Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

Investing in metal stocks: FAQ

About the Author

Read Next

Stocks Mentioned

Motley Fool Stock Advisor’s Latest Pick

Premium Investing Services

Key Data Points

5 Best Mining Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

4 Best Silver Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

5 Best Gold Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

7 Best Materials Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest

Investing in metal stocks: FAQ

What is the best metal stock to buy?

Are metal stocks a good investment?

What is the largest metal company?

What metal is best to invest in right now?

Will metal stocks rise?

Do metal stocks offer regular dividends?

Are metal stocks cyclical?

Are metal stocks volatile?

1. Rio Tinto

2. Nucor

3. Wheaton Precious Metals

4. BHP Group

5. MP Materials

How to invest in metal stocks

Benefits and risks of investing in metal stocks

Methodology: How these stocks were chosen

Should you invest in metal stocks?

Related investing topics

Five top metals stocks for 2026

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points

Key Data Points