Shares of Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL) plunged more than 8% in pre-market trading on Tuesday, after the company reported mixed third-quarter results that fell short of analysts' expectations for earnings per share (EPS), despite beating revenue estimates.

For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, Hecla Mining reported adjusted EPS of $0.03, missing the consensus estimate of $0.05 by a significant margin of 40%. However, the mining company's revenue of $245.09 million surpassed analysts' expectations of $229.40 million, marking a 34.73% increase compared to the same period last year.

The disappointing earnings results overshadowed Hecla Mining's revenue growth, with investors seemingly focusing more on the EPS miss as a potential indicator of profitability concerns or higher-than-expected costs. The pre-market sell-off reflects the market's initial reaction to the company's mixed performance, highlighting the importance of meeting earnings expectations in driving stock price movements.