We recently published a list of 6 Most Profitable Gold Stocks To Buy Now. In this article, we are going to look at where Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD) stands against other most profitable gold stocks to buy now.
Gold futures experienced a significant uptick on December 10, marking the highest close in more than two weeks. This movement was primarily driven by China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), which resumed gold purchases for the first time in six months, alongside the Chinese government’s commitment to implementing a “moderately loose” monetary policy and a more proactive fiscal stance in the coming year. ETFs tracking as gold, such as the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX), VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ), iShares Gold Trust (IAU), and iShares Silver Trust (SLV), among others, have also seen increased activity in response to the market movements.
The PBOC’s acquisition of approximately five metric tons of gold in November, which is modest compared to previous purchases that sometimes reached 30 tons per month, was a critical factor in the recent gold rally. Analysts at Commerzbank noted that the resumption of gold buying by the PBOC could be a strategic response to the election of Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose tariffs on China. Additionally, the recent dip in gold prices after a series of record highs may have sparked renewed interest in the precious metal. For gold prices to maintain and potentially extend their gains, it is essential that central bank purchases continue in the coming months, Commerzbank analysts emphasized. Another factor supporting the rise in gold prices is the growing expectation among traders that the Federal Reserve will cut U.S. interest rates at its upcoming meeting. According to ActivTrades analyst Ricardo Evangelista, a rate cut would enhance the appeal of non-interest-bearing assets such as gold.
Gold’s Bull Market Expected to Continue
In an interview with CNBC on December 10, Max Layton, Global Head of Commodities Research at Citi, discussed the impressive performance of gold in the current year and its potential outlook for 2025. Layton noted that this year has been exceptionally strong for gold, with a significant bull market that can be observed over a 50-year chart. He expressed confidence that this trend is likely to continue, citing several key factors.
Citi’s analysts have introduced a fundamental physical flows-based framework for gold pricing, which provides insight into the underlying drivers of the bull market. These drivers include substantial investment from central banks and wealthy over-the-counter (OTC) investors, as well as broader investor concerns about high interest rates and high debt levels in the United States. Additionally, investors are using gold as a hedge against the potential medium-term impact of a U.S. economic slowdown, which has been ongoing for the past two and a half years. The labor market has also been slowing down during this period, and real interest rates remain at 15-year highs, further fueling these concerns. Layton emphasized that as long as these economic issues persist, there will be continued investment in gold as a hedge.
Gold has been shining as a robust investment, driven by renewed buying from central banks, and growing expectations of a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 6 most profitable gold stocks to buy now, we used Finviz and Yahoo stock screeners to find the companies that are involved in the production, extraction, processing, or sale of gold. We shortlisted companies with a positive 5-year net income compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and a positive net income in the trailing twelve months (TTM) as informed by SeekingAlpha. Then we used Insider Monkey’s Hedge Fund database to rank 6 stocks according to the largest number of hedge fund holders, as of Q3 2024. The list is sorted in ascending order of hedge fund sentiment.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 42
5-Year Net Income CAGR: 3.27%
TTM Net Income: $1,62 Billion
Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD) is a global mining company specializing in gold and copper exploration, development, production, and sales. The company operates a diversified portfolio of high-performing mines in regions such as Argentina, Canada, Africa, and the U.S.
Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD) is actively capitalizing on its high-grade gold assets to enhance production and profitability. The company’s flagship operations, such as Nevada Gold Mines (NGM) in the United States, Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic, and Kibali in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are key drivers of its growth. In Nevada, the company is making significant investments in infrastructure and equipment to recapitalize the Nevada Gold Mines complex for the next decade. This includes the expansion of the Gold Quarry roaster, a device that uses a roasting process to treat gold concentrates, which has now reached full capacity. These initiatives are designed to maintain and increase production while keeping costs under control.
Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD) is also focusing on exploration to replace and grow its gold reserves. The company’s near-mine exploration programs have been successful in identifying and developing new opportunities close to existing infrastructure. Additionally, Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD) is making strategic investments in several growth projects to secure its future as a leading gold producer.
Overall, GOLD ranks 1st on our list of most profitable gold stocks to buy now. While we acknowledge the potential of GOLD to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GOLD but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.