Whitehaven Coal Ltd's stock plummeted 5.04% during intraday trading on Thursday, following the release of its first-half financial results.

The company reported an underlying net loss after tax of A$19 million for the six months ended December, a stark contrast to the Visible Alpha consensus estimate of a A$16 million profit and the A$350 million profit posted in the prior period. Revenue fell 28% to A$2.48 billion, missing the IBES estimate of A$2.55 billion, as the average realized coal price dropped approximately 19% year-over-year to A$189 per ton.

Management attributed the weaker financial performance to ongoing cyclical price weakness in metallurgical and thermal coal markets, citing global uncertainties surrounding U.S. tariffs and related trade dynamics. Despite the negative earnings surprise, the company declared an interim dividend of 4 Australian cents per share and announced plans for additional share buybacks.