Newmont Is Still Our Top Gold Stock

Article Excerpt

NEWMONT MINING CORP. $48 (New York symbol NEM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 453.5 million; Market cap: $21.8 billion; WSSF Rating: Average) is one of the world’s largest gold mining companies, with major operations in the United States, Canada, Peru, Australia, Indonesia and Ghana. It also produces other metals such as copper and zinc. Gold prices nearly tripled in the past five years, to reach a high of $1,003 an ounce in March 2008. Gold now trades at $905. However, Newmont’s shares have lagged the jump in gold prices. That’s mainly due to rising fuel, labor and steel costs. Start-up costs at new mines have also weighed on its earnings. Unwinding hedges will pay off The company recently unwound its remaining gold hedges — amounts of future production sold in advance at fixed prices. A large hedge position adds to profits when gold prices drop, but limits profits when prices rise. Eliminating these hedges puts Newmont in a better position to…