Broader US markets are still struggling to find a near-term bottom. It has been a tough couple of days for shareholders in virtually every market sector.
The most recent US consumer price index (CPI) reading of 8.3% year-over-year has made investors increasingly nervous. Despite slight ease from March's 8.5% peak, the annual inflation rate remains close to a 40-year high.
Meanwhile, continued geopolitical uncertainties and lockdowns in China also keep dampening market sentiment. In times like these, precious metals, such as gold, silver, palladium, and platinum, are typically favored by investors as a hedge against inflation and uncertainties on Wall Street.
For instance, the Dow Jones Precious Metals Index has lost 3.8% since January.
On the other hand, as we write on Thursday, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average are down 17.4% and 12.5% over the same period.
Meanwhile, the demand for base metals, primarily copper, has also been enjoying a surge due to global decarbonization efforts. Bank of America expects copper prices to "average $9,813 per tonne through 2022."
Goldman Sachs remains more bullish and expects $12,250 per tonne by the end of the year.
Examples Of Precious Metals Stocks
InvestingPro provides access to precious metals stocks that can appeal to long-term investors. For instance, among the large-capitalization (cap) names, there are several Canadian miners, including Barrick Gold (NYSE:GOLD); Agnico Eagle Mines (NYSE:AEM); and Wheaton Precious Metals (NYSE:WPM). Then come South African Gold Fields (NYSE:GFI); and Colorado-based Royal Gold (NASDAQ:RGLD).
Meanwhile, those looking for undervalued precious metals shares may want to research Eldorado Gold (NYSE:EGO); AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU); Peru-based Compania de Minas Buenaventura (NYSE:BVN).
With regards to the fastest growing miners, we see Canadian Turquoise Hill Resources (NYSE:TRQ); SSR Mining (NASDAQ:SSRM); Royal Gold; Compania de Minas Buenaventura; and another Canadian name Pan American Silver (NASDAQ:PAAS).
Among precious metals stocks, shares of dividend stocks typically command a premium. Several names to focus on would be Barrick Gold; Agnico Eagle Mines; Canada-based Kinross Gold (NYSE:KGC); Gold Fields; Pan American Silver; and AngloGold Ashanti.
Finally, investors who pay attention to analyst price targets might be interested to know that several precious metal stocks could potentially see a significant upside from their current price levels. Examples include Vista Gold (NYSE:VGZ); Kinross Gold; SSR Mining; El Dorado Gold; Wheaton Precious Metals; and AngloGold Ashanti.
Understandably, picking stocks that best serve individual portfolio objectives requires serious due diligence. Retail investors could also consider investing in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that provides broader exposure to companies engaged in the precious metals as well as the mining industry.
Examples of Precious Metals ETFs
There are currently well over three dozen ETFs stateside that focus on precious metals. Several of these funds hold precious metals physically in bank vaults. Others invest using derivatives such as futures contracts or options that still offer some direct exposure to metals prices. Examples include:
- Aberdeen Standard Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF (NYSE:GLTR) - down 3.4% year-to-date (YTD);
- Invesco DB Precious Metals Fund (NYSE:DBP) - down 3.1%;
- iShares Silver Trust (NYSE:SLV) - down 11.1%;
- SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE:GLD) - down 0.4%.
Meanwhile, several ETFs provide diversified access to stocks in the metals and mining segment. Today's article introduces such a fund.
SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF
- Current Price: $48.79
- 52-week range: $38.65 - $66.63
- Dividend yield: 0.59%
- Expense ratio: 0.35% per year
The SPDR S&P Metals and Mining ETF (NYSE:XME) invests in metals and mining companies stateside. It started trading in June 2016.
XME currently has 32 holdings, where the top 10 account for roughly half of $2.57 billion in net assets. Around 45% of the stocks come from the steel industry. Next, we see coal and consumable fuels (15.5%), gold (11.8%), aluminum (11.2%), and diversified metals & mining (9.2%) names.
Among those stocks are Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ:STLD); Arch Resources (NYSE:ARCH); Reliance Steel & Aluminum (NYSE:RS); Allegheny Technologies (NYSE:ATI); Nucor (NYSE:NUE); Royal Gold.
XME has returned more than 8.9% since January and 5% over the past 12 months. It hit a 52-week high on Apr. 18.
Meanwhile, the fund's trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) and price-to-book (P/B) ratios stand at 5.28x and 1.99x. We remain bullish on commodity prices and believe XME deserves further attention.