Analysts updating HMY stock price forecast point to fiscal discipline. Debt-to-equity ratio improvement to 0.21 in latest filings reduces financial risk and supports potential dividend capacity. Harmony Gold Mining’s (NYSE:HMY) gold production has shown impressive stability over the past three years. At the start of the financial year 2024, the management had projected that its production would remain stable as compared to the previous year. However, the company significantly exceeded expectations, as the gold production increased by 12% year-over-year in the first half of FY24, reaching 832,000 ounces. This remarkable performance was driven by an 11% increase in recovered grades from its underground gold mines. The strong production momentum continued into the third quarter and the management raised its full-year production target to 1.55 million ounces, surpassing the initial expectation of 1.38 million to 1.47 million ounces. In the latest operational update released on August 26, Harmony Gold announced that it will achieve a full-year production volume of 1.56 million ounces, marking a 6% increase year-over-year, with recovered grades also up 6% to 6.11 g/t. Harmony is South Africa's biggest gold producer by volume, with production of roughly 1.56 million ounces in fiscal 2024.  It has a diverse portfolio of gold development projects spread across South Africa and Papua New Guinea (PNG).  The company’s development projects currently in progress include the development of the Wafi-Golpu copper-gold project in PNG and the Eva Copper project in Australia. The Wafi-Golpu project is believed to be a game-changer for the company, with an estimated gold reserve of 13 million ounces. HMY is currently in negotiations with its joint venture partner, Newmont Corporation NEM and the PNG Government regarding the terms of a Mining Development Contract, which is required for a Special Mining Lease. The low-risk Eva Copper project in Australia offers additional upside, giving HMY a significant global copper-gold footprint. HMY acquired Eva Copper in 2022, adding a tier-one mining jurisdiction to its portfolio. The acquisition is in line with HMY’s objective of transitioning into a low-cost gold and copper mining company. The feasibility study update for the project is currently underway. HMY has received a conditional grant funding from the Queensland government, which will help accelerate the development of this project. It is subject to several conditions, including HMY reaching a positive final investment decision by January 2026. Eva Copper is expected to produce 55,000-60,000 tons of copper per annum. HMY stock price forecast derived from earnings estimations sees FY2024 EPS potentially rising by 15%. Positive operational efficiency metrics and better ore grades reported in recent updates support this scenario.