gold prices

Newmont’s share price has increased twice as much as the price of gold since January, which should help it expand operations and lower costs.

Goldcorp, $21.13, symbol G on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 830.3 million; Market cap: $18.0 billion; www.goldcorp.com), is a Canadian-based gold miner. The company produces gold, silver and base metals. Its mines include Red Lake and three others in Canada (Porcupine, Musselwhite and Eleonore); Penasquito and Los Filos in Mexico; Marlin in Guatemala; the Cerro Negro and Alumbrera (37.5% interest) in Argentina; and Pueblo Viejo (40%) in the Dominican Republic. As well, Goldcorp has five projects in the development stage. In 2015, the company produced 3.5 million ounces of gold, up 20.6% from 2.9 million ounces in 2014. The increase mostly came from the start up of the Cerro Negro gold/silver mine in January 2015 and the Eleonore gold mine in April 2015. In the three months ended December 31, 2015, Goldcorp’s revenue rose 28.4%. That’s a jump from to $1.07 billion from $835.0 million, a year earlier. Cash flow rose 30.5%, to $338.0 million, or $0.41 a share, from $259.0 million, or $0.32 a share....

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NEWMONT MINING $26.26 (New York symbol NEM; Shares outstanding: 529.1 million; Market cap: $13.4 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 0.4%; www.newmont.com) is one of the world’s largest gold and copper producers, with major mines in the U.S., Peru, Suriname, Australia, Ghana and Indonesia. Newmont’s shares have gained 41% since the start of 2016. That’s mainly because the recent volatility in global stock markets has pushed up gold prices during the same period by 17% to $1,242 an ounce. Rising gold prices will also improve the profitability of Newmont’s Cripple Creek & Victor gold mine in Nevada. The company acquired the operation in August 2015. Newmont expects its overall operating costs will fall as it opens new mines in the next few years....

NEWMONT MINING $26.26 (New York symbol NEM; Shares outstanding: 529.1 million; Market cap: $13.4 billion; TSINetwork Rating: Average; Dividend yield: 0.4%; www.newmont.com) is one of the world’s largest gold and copper producers, with major mines in the U.S., Peru, Suriname, Australia, Ghana and Indonesia. Newmont’s shares have gained 41% since the start of 2016. That’s mainly because the recent volatility in global stock markets has pushed up gold prices during the same period by 17% to $1,242 an ounce. Rising gold prices will also improve the profitability of Newmont’s Cripple Creek & Victor gold mine in Nevada. The company acquired the operation in August 2015. Newmont expects its overall operating costs will fall as it opens new mines in the next few years....

Here’s an email I received recently from one of our portfolio management clients. Lots of readers may find something they can identify with in his views. “Subject: cashless society Good morning Pat,...

BOEING CO., $108.63, New York symbol BA, fell 11% this week on news that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating how the company accounts for the development costs of its 747 and 787 jet airliners. Accounting rules let Boeing spread the huge upfront costs of designing and building new planes over several years, instead of recognizing these outlays when they occur. The SEC is looking into Boeing’s estimate of these costs, as well as its projected aircraft sales. If the company has to change these estimates, that could take it longer to recoup its development costs....

In 2011, gold shot up to a high of $1,950 U.S. an ounce, and silver reached a peak of $48.48. Gold prices then fell steadily, hitting a low of $1,050 in December 2015 for the first time since early 2010. The metal now trades at $1,143. Silver also declined to a five-year low of $13.65 an ounce in December 2015. It now trades at $14.68. Longer term, gold and silver could well regain their 2011 highs. This would simply reflect the vast inflationary expansion in the U.S. money supply since the 2008 financial crisis....

The BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF, $25.54, symbol ZLB on Toronto (Units outstanding: 25.6 million; Market cap: $653.8 million; www.etfs.bmo.com), provides exposure to a low beta weighted portfolio of Canadian stocks. The ETF selects the 40 lowest beta stocks from the 100 largest and most liquid securities in Canada. The underlying portfolio is rebalanced in June and reconstituted in December. The BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF has an MER of 0.40%. It currently yields 2.5%. The BMO Low Volatility Canadian Equity ETF’s current top holdings are: Fairfax Financial, Canadian REIT, Dollarama, Progressive Waste Solutions, Empire Company, Intact Financial, RioCan REIT, Emera, Metro Inc. and BCE Inc....

IAMGold has mines in West Africa, Quebec and South America, but its most valuable asset in today’s weak gold market is its cash position.