Vale’s Net Debt Position Improves, Excess Cash Going to Dividends

Vale (VALE) considerably reduced its net debt in 2017. At the end of 2017, its net debt totaled $18.1 billion, a decline of ~28% year-over-year. The company was guiding for net debt of $15.0 billion–$17.0 billion by the end of 2017. In the latest quarter, the company recorded another reduction of $3.2 billion in net debt to reach $14.9 billion. The debt decline during the quarter was supported by the sale of its fertilizer assets to Mosaic for $3.7 billion.