Peabody Energy is the world's largest private-sector coal company, operating primarily in the United States with additional international presence through offices in China and Australia. Founded in 1883 as Peabody, Daniels & Company by Francis Peabody in the Chicago area, the company initially focused on buying and selling coal before incorporating as Peabody Coal Company in Illinois in 1890 and operating its first mine in 1895. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Peabody specializes in the mining, sale, distribution, marketing, brokering, and trading of coal primarily for electricity generation and steelmaking. The company has expanded significantly over decades through acquisitions and innovations in safety and operations. Peabody filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 13, 2016, due to falling coal prices and regulatory challenges, emerging restructured on April 3, 2017, and resuming trading on the NYSE under ticker BTU. The company emphasizes safety, integrity, leadership, and sustainability in its human capital practices while facing controversies and legal actions from environmental organizations over alleged environmental violations. Despite global shifts toward renewable energy, Peabody continues to target growth, planning 8.5 million metric tons of metallurgical coal shipments in 2025 and pursuing acquisitions to bolster its position in the energy sector.