** Jefferies maintains its 'hold' rating on shares of Sandfire Resources SFR.AX, price target $(PT)$ at A$12.00

** Brokerage says despite volatility and uncertainty seen in the mining industry, the copper miner has delivered 'operational consistency and incremental growth outlooks'

** Adds that recent Q4FY25 production continues this trend; co posts 12% increase in Group Copper Equivalent (CuEq) production to 152.4kt in FY25

** But Jefferies highlights negative impacts from wet weather at co's Motheo project, notes premium valuation of shares

** SFR, however, remains brokerage's preferred ASX copper exposure

** 6 of 13 analysts rate 'buy' or higher on shares; 6 'hold', and 1 'sell', median PT is A$11.88, per LSEG-compiled data

** YTD, SFR up 20.3%, last closed at A$11.16

(Reporting by Nichiket Sunil in Bengaluru)

((Nichiket.Sunil@thomsonreuters.com))