Ferrexpo plc, a mining company with its main assets in Ukraine, produced 3 million 221,461 thousand tons of pellets in 2025, which is 47% less than in the previous year (6 million 70,541 thousand tons).
According to the company’s press release on Wednesday, total production of commercial products (pellets and iron ore concentrate) in 2025 decreased by 9% to 6 million 141,759 thousand tons. In particular, the output of commercial concentrate amounted to 2 million 920,298 thousand tons against 709,803 thousand tons, respectively. The company also produced 81,787 thousand tons of DR pellets (489,720 thousand tons in 2024) and 3 million 139,674 thousand tons of premium pellets (a decrease of 44%).
The press release notes that at the end of the year, the intensity and frequency of rocket and drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy, transport, and port infrastructure increased. Disruptions to energy supplies and logistics channels resulted in lower-than-planned production in the fourth quarter. Total production for the quarter amounted to 1.1 million tons, including 0.7 million tons of premium Fe67% iron ore concentrate and 0.4 million tons of premium iron ore pellets.
It is noted that during 2025, the group successfully adapted to changes in market demand, increasing production of premium iron ore concentrate to a record 2.9 million tons, which is 48% of total production compared to 10% in 2024.
The group continued to actively manage its working capital and costs in challenging operating conditions last year. This included reducing working hours for employees, continuing to reduce purchases of goods and services, and further suspending all non-essential capital expenditures, overhead costs, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenses. The suspension of VAT refunds continued during the quarter, and the total amount of unpaid VAT as of the end of November 2025 was $69 million. If VAT continues to be unreimbursed, the total amount is projected to increase to approximately $74 million as of the end of December 2025.
As of December 31, 2025, the group’s net cash position was approximately $47 million (compared to $50 million as of June 30, 2025), with lease liabilities subject to potential final adjustments at the end of the year and no debt.
Commenting on the group’s performance, interim CEO Lucio Genovese noted that the last quarter of 2025 was one of the most challenging for the business and employees since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Rocket and drone attacks on regional energy infrastructure led to interruptions in electricity supply to businesses.
“Our operational teams worked hard to restore production with limited available capacity. Despite all these challenges, total production for the quarter exceeded 1 million tons, and for the second year in a row, production exceeded 6 million tons. This is more than 50% of our pre-war capacity and acceptable production figures, considering all the challenges we have faced during the fourth year of the war,” Genovese said.
However, he added that since December, the group’s export capabilities have been limited due to attacks in the Black Sea, and until repairs are completed and safe access to the sea is restored, the company will again focus on rail exports. At the same time, although this logistics channel is open, the electrified state railway network has less capacity. Therefore, the switch to diesel locomotives means that locomotives need more time to deliver wagons to the western border, and due to slower travel and turnaround times, the group has leased additional wagons from third-party suppliers, which incurs additional costs.
“Thanks to the capacities that state-owned utilities can provide us with, we are currently operating one pellet production line with additional concentrate production and are able to produce and export our high-quality iron ore pellets to serve our European customers. When the power supply, rail and port connections are restored, it will be possible to increase the production and sale of concentrate in Asian markets,” predicts the acting chairman.
The company hopes for an end to the war, “but we must remain vigilant, we must continue to work on the safety of our people, while making efforts to recover withheld VAT and ensure the integrity of our assets.”
As reported, Ferrexpo produced 2 million 808.594 thousand tons of pellets in the first nine months of 2025, which is 38.5% less than in the same period of 2024 (4 million 567.168 thousand tons). Total production of commercial products (pellets and iron ore concentrate) for the first nine months of 2025 increased by 0.9% to 5 million 67,888 thousand tons. In particular, the output of commercial concentrate amounted to 2 million 259,294 thousand tons against 457,264 thousand tons, respectively. The company also produced 81,787 thousand tons of DR pellets (326,168 thousand tons in the first nine months of 2024) and 2 million 726,807 thousand tons of premium pellets (a decrease of 35.7%).
In the first half of 2025, Ferrexpo produced 2 million 169,631 thousand tons of pellets, which is 34.2% less than in January-June 2024 (3 million 297,441 thousand tons). Total production of commercial products in the first half of 2025 decreased by 9% compared to the first half of 2024, to 3 million 393,135 thousand tons. In particular, the output of commercial concentrate amounted to 1 million 223,504 thousand tons against 429,865 thousand tons, respectively. The company also produced 81,787 thousand tons of DR pellets (in the first half of 2024 – 162,645 thousand tons) and 2 million 87,844 thousand tons of premium pellets (a decrease of 33.4%).
In Q1 2025, Ferrexpo produced 1 million 347.749 thousand tons of pellets, which is 26% less than in January-March 2024 (1 million 813.973 thousand tons). At the same time, total production of commercial products (pellets and iron ore concentrate) in Q1 2025 increased by 3% compared to Q1 2024, reaching 2 million 125,467 thousand tons. In particular, the output of commercial concentrate amounted to 777,718 thousand tons against 240,516 thousand tons in Q1 2024. The company also produced 81,879 thousand tons of DR pellets (not produced in Q1 2024), 1 million 105,049 thousand tons of premium pellets (a decrease of 36%), and 160,913 thousand tons of other pellets (an increase of 95%).
In 2024, Ferrexpo increased its production of pellets by 58% compared to 2023, from 3 million 845,325 thousand tons to 6 million 70,541 thousand tons. In 2023, the company produced 3.845 million tons of pellets, which is 36.5% less than in 2022.
Ferrexpo owns 100% of Yeristovsky GOK LLC, 99.9% of Bilanovsky GOK LLC, and 100% of Poltavsky GOK PJSC.
