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Silver AHA Winner in Liquidity Management

Innovation in a Rocky Market: Freeport-McMoRan

By Staff Writer | Updated on November 01, 2010

When the global recession sent the price of copper and molybdenum into a tailspin that would quickly translate into cutting revenue in half for Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, the company went into action. It implemented a broad-based plan that included lowering operating costs by 18% by idling facilities, reducing its U.S. workforce by one-third, and suspending its common stock dividend. The goal was to take the pain upfront, hang onto much of its $1.2 billion in cash, and protect the company’s prospects in the recovery.

The company also converted many of its $1.1 billion, 5.5% preferred shares into common to reduce dividend payouts, and used funds from certain trust accounts where there was excess cash that the company could reclaim.

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