gold prices

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 $1,085 in August 2015 for the first time since mid-2010. The metal now trades at $1,146. Silver also declined to a five-year low of $14.11 an ounce in August 2015. It now trades at $16.05. In the 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....

IAMGOLD $2.51 (Toronto symbol IMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (1-888-464-9999; www.iamgold.com; Shares outstanding: 391.4 million; Market cap: $1.0 billion; No dividends paid) owns 41% of the Sadiola mine and 40% of the Yatela mine, both located in Mali; 90% of the Essakane gold mine in Burkina Faso; 100% of the Doyon mine in Quebec; and 95% of the Rosebel mine in Suriname, South America.

In the three months ended June 30, 2015, IAMGold’s revenue fell 2.1%, to $226.5 million from $231.4 million a year earlier. Cash flow per share dropped to $0.12 from $0.19. Lower gold prices were the main reason for the declines.

The company’s long-term production outlook is positive. Meantime, its $836.4-million U.S. of cash and gold put it in a strong position to pay down its long-term debt of $636.0 million U.S. It could also expand its existing gold projects, pay dividends, buy back shares or make timely acquisitions from distressed sellers at low prices.

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HECLA MINING COMPANY $2.27 (New York symbol HL; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (208-769- 4100; www.hecla-mining.com; Shares o/s: 377.7 million; Market cap: $910.3 million; Dividend yield: 0.4%) explores for, mines and processes silver and gold in the U.S. and Mexico. Most of the company’s silver output comes from its Greens Creek mine in Alaska and its Lucky Friday project in Idaho. Hecla’s Casa Berardi mine in Quebec supplies the majority of its gold production.

In the three months ended June 30, 2015, Hecla produced 2.48 million ounces of silver, down 1.5% from 2.52 million ounces a year earlier. Gold output rose 2.6%, to 44,692 ounces from 43,554. Cash flow per share fell 33.3%, to $0.06 from $0.09, on the lower silver production and prices.

The company aims to begin production at its San Sebastian project in Mexico early next year. The mine, which last operated between 2001 and 2005, is forecast to produce 8 million ounces of silver equivalent in its first two years from easily mined surface deposits. San Sebastian then has the potential to further expand its reserves.

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Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd., $33.80, symbol AEM on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 217.2 million; Market cap: $7.2 billion; www.agnico-eagle.com), has five mines in Canada (LaRonde, Lapa, Meadowbank, Goldex and Malarctic), one in Finland (Kittila) and two in Mexico (Pinos Altos and La India).

The company produced 1.43 million ounces of gold in 2014 and expects to produce 1.6 million ounces this year.

Its two Nunavut projects, the Meadowbank mine and the development-stage Meliadine property, are riskier than its other operations because of the difficulties of operating in Canada’s Far North. Still, Agnico Eagle offers steady growth prospects and low political risk.

Like most gold firms, the company’s shares will be heavily influenced by the direction of gold prices.

Agnico Eagle is okay for aggressive investors to hold.

With four producing gold mines and a fifth in the works, we view New Gold as a mining stock with appeal for more aggressive investors.

Brokers like theme investing because it gives them an opportunity to recommend new stocks or ETFs to their clients, which may not be beneficial to investors.

NEW GOLD $3.02 (Toronto symbol NGD; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (888-315-9715; www.newgold .com; Shares outstanding: 509.1 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; No dividends paid) has four mines: the Mesquite project in the U.S., Cerro San Pedro in Mexico, the Peak mine in Australia and the New Afton mine in B.C. New Gold also owns 30% of the El Morro copper/ gold project in Chile, 100% of the Blackwater property in B.C. and 100% of the Rainy River project in Ontario. In the three months ended June 30, 2015, New Gold’s cash flow per share fell 8.3%, to $0.11 from $0.12 a year earlier. That’s because the company’s gold and copper production fell, as did prices....

With both the price of gold and its share price declining, our outlook on senior mining stock Goldcorp as it pushes ahead with new projects.

Goldcorp, $16.78, symbol G on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 830.0 million; Market cap: $13.9 billion; www.goldcorp.com), is a senior gold producer that also mines silver and base metals. Goldcorp’s mines (wholly owned and jointly held) include Red Lake and two others in Canada; Penasquito and two more in Mexico; Marlin in Guatemala; Wharf in the U.S.; and Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic. In addition, the company is developing eight other projects in four countries. In 2014, Goldcorp produced 2.78 million ounces of gold and 36.8 million ounces of silver. It expects to produce 3.3 million to 3.6 million ounces of gold this year....

YAMANA GOLD $2.13 (Toronto symbol YRI; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative)(416-815-0220; www.yamana.com; Shares outstanding: 946.5 million; Market cap: $1.9 billion; Dividend yield: 3.7%) owns eight operating gold mines in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. It also holds a 12.5% stake in the Alumbrera copper/gold mine in Argentina and has a number of other properties in advanced stages of development.

In the three months ended June 30, 2015, the company’s gold production rose 7.1%, to 298,818 ounces from 279,118 a year earlier. That was mainly due to its 50% stake in the Canadian Malartic gold mine in Quebec, which it purchased last year; this mine contributed 68,440 ounces to Yamana’s latest quarterly output.

The higher production helped offset a 7.5% decline in gold prices. As a result, Yamana’s cash flow rose slightly, to $149.3 million from $149.0 million. However, cash flow per share fell 15.8%, to $0.16 from $0.19, on more shares outstanding.

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