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Item 3 — Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Hecla Mining Company · 10-Q · Q2 FY2026 · Period ended Jun 30, 2026
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The following discussion about our exposure to market risks and risk management activities includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as summarizes the financial instruments held by us at June 30, 2026, which are sensitive to changes in commodity prices and foreign exchange rates and are not held for trading purposes. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. In the normal course of business, we also face risks that are either non-financial or non-quantifiable (See Part II, Item 1A. - Risk Factors of this Form 10-Q, Part I, Item 1A. – Risk Factors of our 2025 Form 10-K).
Metals Prices
Changes in the market prices of silver, gold, lead, zinc, and copper can significantly affect our profitability and cash flow. Metals prices can and often do fluctuate widely and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control (see Item 1A – Risk Factors – A substantial or extended decline in metals prices would have a material adverse effect on us in our 2025 Form 10-K). We utilize collars and financially-settled forward and put option contracts to manage our exposure to changes in prices for silver, gold, zinc, and lead.
Provisional Sales
Sales of all metals products sold directly to customers, including by-product metals, are recorded as revenues when all performance obligations have been completed and the transaction price can be determined or reasonably estimated. For concentrate sales, revenues are generally recorded at the time of shipment at forward prices for the estimated month of settlement. Due to the time elapsed between shipment to the customer and the final settlement with the customer, we must estimate the prices at which sales of our metals will be settled. Previously recorded sales are adjusted to estimated settlement metals prices until final settlement by the customer. Changes in metals prices between shipment and final settlement will result in changes to revenues previously recorded upon shipment. Metals prices can and often do fluctuate widely and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control (see Item 1A – Risk Factors – A substantial or extended decline in metals prices would have a material adverse effect on us in our 2025 Form 10-K). At June 30, 2026, hedged metals contained in concentrate sales and exposed to future price changes totaled 0.5 million ounces of silver, 370 ounces of gold, 10,850 tons of zinc, and 7,000 tons of lead. If the price for each metal were to change by 10%, the change in the total value of the hedged concentrates sold would be approximately $8.5 million. As discussed in Note 8 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited), we utilize a program designed and intended to mitigate the risk of negative price adjustments with limited financially-settled forward contracts for our silver, gold, zinc, and lead sales.
Commodity-Price Risk Management
See Note 8 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for a description of our metals prices risk management program.
Foreign Currency Risk Management
We operate and have mining interests in Canada, which exposes us to risks associated with fluctuations in the exchange rates between the USD and the CAD. We determined the functional currency for our Canadian operations is the USD. As such, foreign exchange gains and losses associated with the re-measurement of monetary assets and liabilities from CAD to USD are recorded to earnings each period. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2026, we recognized a net foreign exchange loss of $4.4 million (2025: $3.8 million) and $3.9 million (2025: $4.2 million). Foreign currency exchange rates are influenced by a number of factors beyond our control. A 10% change in the exchange rate between the USD and CAD from the rate at June 30, 2026 would have resulted in a change of approximately $1.4 million in our net foreign exchange gain or loss. We do not hedge the remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities. We do hedge some of our operating and capital costs denominated in CAD as economic hedges.
See Note 8 of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) for a description of our foreign currency risk management program.
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