10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now

 Let me start today's essay with an admission...

 

I have no idea what the price of gold will be by the end of the year. Of course, neither does anyone else.

 

I've recommended owning gold and silver bullion for many years. My company began recommending it repeatedly in the early 2000s because we saw the government's efforts to weaken the dollar as a bullish sign for gold prices.

 

Then in 2006, I began to see that we were inevitably heading for a currency crisis. These weak-dollar policies had continued for far too long and were joined by huge increases to both public and private debts. That's when I began warning about the ultimate loss of our dollar's world reserve currency status, something I've called the "End of America."

 

 So for nearly seven years, I've been telling people that, whether gold looked expensive or not, it was prudent... or even necessary... to own some as insurance. I still believe that's true. I personally own gold. I've never sold a single ounce.

 

I hold gold because I believe the entire global system of paper money and central banking is in the process of self-destructing. And I believe in a relatively short time – perhaps five or 10 years – the existing monetary system will collapse. During this period of turmoil, I expect gold and silver will maintain their purchasing power, while all forms of paper money will be rendered worthless.

 

I see gold as a form of savings... a universally recognized form of money that is no one else's liability. In that way, it is far superior to any other form of money currently available today.

 

 At the same time... I am fully aware that as the public's awareness of the risks associated with our paper-money system grow, volatility in gold prices will spike. Worse, I knew that as the public began to invest in gold, the likelihood increased for a wicked bear market designed to separate the foolish, the leveraged, and the ignorant from their savings.

 

Just remember... nothing goes up for 12 years in a row. Nothing. When my driver in Baltimore asked me if he should buy some gold in 2011, I figured we had to be near the top. But... gold continued to rise.

 

I've never seen any other company or commodity go up for 12 straight years like gold has done. (That happened, by the way, not because anything about the gold market changed but because of incredibly stupid government policies.)

 

 The Bank of Japan was the last major central bank to resist the inflationary policies embraced by the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. That changed with the election of new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

 

You would have thought that just as the last major central bank in the world (the Bank of Japan) had announced a policy of essentially unlimited money printing, the price of gold would soar. Japan's decision to inflate away its debts – along with the U.S. and Europe – means there's no major form of paper money left with any credibility at all.

 

The world has begun a "race to the bottom" – a race designed to rob creditors and wage earners. And so... why is gold collapsing? And why would the share prices of the highest-quality gold and silver companies – Newmont Mining (NEM), Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX), Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW), and Royal Gold (NASDAQ: RGLD) – be essentially in freefall?

 

 

 When I look at the precious-metals complex – the commodity prices, the production companies, the collectibles, and the royalty companies – I see a huge boom over the past dozen years.

 

When a sector booms, a lot of interesting things happen. People who are suddenly making a lot of money come to believe they're smart. They inevitably start doing foolish things. And so I've watched as people began to sell regular bullion coins as collectibles from China... and took huge commissions to do so. I've seen investors mortgage their homes to buy gold. (Yes, really.)

 

 I've watched well-run, conservative miners lose their footing, too. Many large mining companies have made horrendously expensive (and foolhardy) acquisitions over the past decade.

 

Stillwater Mining, for example, bought a $263 million mine in Argentina... a country not well-known for respecting the rule of law. As you may know, we recommended shares of Stillwater recently in my Investment Advisory. We did so because the stock was so cheap. Even after writing off Argentina completely, it still seemed attractive. But we were early. We stopped out of that position recently. (Likewise, we may still be proven wrong about our valuation of Newmont Mining, which seems incredibly cheap to us.)

 

 And worst of all, in my view, were the many companies in the sector that replaced their conservative leadership and strategies to become far more aggressive. Silver Standard (NASDAQ: SSRI) is perhaps the best example. In 2006, it decided to abandon its carefully constructed strategy of buying and holding silver in the ground – a strategy it had followed successfully for decades. As I explained in my November 2006 issue (where I recommended closing out of the position)...

 

Silver Standard's business to date has been focused on acquiring high-quality silver properties in the ground. However, it recently announced it will put one of its mines into production... This makes me uncomfortable.

10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now: Claude Resources Inc.(CGR)

Claude Resources Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal properties, as well as production and marketing of minerals in Canada. It primarily explores for gold in northern Saskatchewan and northwestern Ontario. The company holds interests in the Seabee gold mine located at Laonil Lake, northern Saskatchewan; and the Madsen property that consists of 6 contiguous claim blocks totaling approximately 10,000 acres, located in the Red Lake Mining District of northwestern Ontario. It also holds interest in the Amisk Gold project, which covers an area of 13,800 hectares in the province of Saskatchewan. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in Saskatoon, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Christopher Barker]

  Hardly a johnny-come-lately, Claude Resources initiated small-scale gold production from its flagship Seabee mine in Saskatchewan in 1991. Just last year, Claude added the Santoy 8 mine to that operation to offer a touch of timely growth. Meanwhile, the operation hosts a number of compelling exploration targets like the recently discovered Neptune zone. After 10 of 15 recent drill holes from Neptune featured visible gold, including a nice high-grade intercept of 84.66 g/t over 3.2 meters, prospects are building for Claude to add some additional years to this time-tested operation.

  While I welcome the existing cash flow from Seabee, my investment thesis for Claude Resources centers around a pair of exciting exploration properties: the Amisk joint venture project southeast of Seabee and the Madsen property at Red Lake, Ontario. At Madsen, historical gold production between 1938 and 1976 yielded 2.4 million ounces at an average grade of 9 g/t. To date, Claude has identified an indicated resource of 928,000 ounces at a comparable grade. At Amisk, drill intercepts of eye-catching thickness suggest strong potential for a profitable open pit operation, including an intercept of 2.16 g/t over 241 meters! The deposit's 921,000 indicated gold-equivalent ounces represent only an early stage hint of the deposit's full potential. The stock is a top-10 holding for Sprott Asset Management, and a core holding for this Fool as well.

10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now: Iamgold Corporation(IAG)

IAMGOLD Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral resource properties worldwide. It primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, copper, niobium, diamonds, and other metals. The company holds interests in eight operating gold mines, a niobium producer, a diamond royalty, and exploration and development projects located in Africa and the Americas. Its advanced exploration and development projects include the Westwood project in Canada; and the Quimsacocha project, which consists of 3 mining concessions covering an aggregate area of approximately 8,030 hectares in Ecuador. The company was formerly known as IAMGOLD International African Mining Gold Corporation and changed its name to IAMGOLD Corporation in June 1997. IAMGOLD Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Christopher Barker]

  Although I have not shed my long-standing contention that Yamana Gold offers one of the more deeply discounted vehicles for long-term gold exposure, lately my outlook for IAMGOLD has turned particularly bullish. With a looming spin-off of a 10% to 20% stake in the company's reliably profitable Niobec niobium mine, and the recent sale of its interest in a pair of high-cost gold operations in Ghana for $667 million, IAMGOLD finds itself in terrific financial shape to execute an aggressive $1.2 billion expansion imitative at existing operations.

  Considering the $1.6 billion net asset value (after tax) that IAMGOLD recently assessed for the Niobec mine alone, and a presumed hoard of more than $1.2 billion (in cash, cash equivalents, and gold bullion held for investment), at a market capitalization of $6.9 billion I find extreme comfort in the market's resulting valuation for IAMGOLD's 15.2 million ounces of attributable gold reserves.

Hot Dividend Stocks For 2014: Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited(AEM)

Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral properties in Canada, Finland, and Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, as well as silver, copper, zinc, and lead. Its flagship property includes the LaRonde mine located in the southern portion of the Abitibi volcanic belt, Canada. The company was founded in 1953 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Vatalyst]

  With headquarters in Canada, Agnico-Eagle is a gold producer that has been around for a while with operations in Canada, Finland and Mexico and the United States that has paid a cash dividend for 29 consecutive years. AEM gained 25% over the year and reported 83.5% growth in quarterly earnings. It has a market capitalization of $11.4 billion and a trailing P/E ratio of 34x with expectations of earning $0.55 per share. AEM, like other operators like it, are likely a better bet than ETF trust options like SPDR Gold Shares (GLD).

10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now: Northgate Minerals Corporation(NXG)

Northgate Minerals Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in exploring, developing, processing, and mining gold and copper deposits in Canada and Australia. Its principal producing assets include 100% interests in the Fosterville and Stawell Gold mines in Victoria, Australia; and the Kemess South mine located in north-central British Columbia, Canada. The company was formerly known as Northgate Exploration Limited and changed its name to Northgate Minerals Corporation in May 2004. Northgate Minerals Corporation was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Christopher Barker]

  I've been reminding Fools to consider positioning for Northgate Minerals' golden explosion for months, and patient gold investors continue to await the day when Northgate's powerful prospects are more fully reflected in the shares. Construction of the critical Young-Davidson mine continues right on schedule, and first production now stands about two quarters away. That means Northgate is reasonably likely to achieve its 2012 production target of 300,000 ounces, followed by 350,000 ounces in 2013. Meanwhile, Northgate recently drilled "one of the best holes ever intersected on the property" -- featuring 4.31 grams of gold per ton over a very wide 79.6-meter segment -- from a new discovery zone outside of the existing 2.8 million-ounce reserve.

  If Young-Davidson were Northgate's sole asset, these shares would still be undervalued here at about $2.60 per share. With a preliminary assessment looming for the reworked Kemess Underground project, a new drill program at the Awakening Gold project in Nevada, and two operating gold mines in Australia, Northgate figures among the clearest bargains in the gold patch.

10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now: Australian Dollar(AU)

AngloGold Ashanti Limited primarily engages in the exploration and production of gold. It also produces silver, uranium oxide, and sulfuric acid. The company conducts gold-mining operations in South Africa; continental Africa, including Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, and Tanzania; Australia; and the Americas, which include Argentina, Brazil, and the United States. It also has mining or exploration operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, the company had proved and probable gold reserves of 71.2 million ounces. The company has a strategic alliance with Thani Dubai Mining Limited to explore, develop, and operate mines across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. AngloGold Ashanti Limited, formerly known as Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited, was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mel Daris]

  AngloGold Ashanti (AU), a South African company, is trading for $33 and pays a dividend which yields 3.20%. The stock has an astonishing P/E of 1,015. Its net income totaled $112 million last year, but negative cash flows of $620 million. It holds net tangible assets of $4.3 billion and its balance sheet has not grown nearly as quickly as the other companies on this list. AngloGold has two new mines coming online in Congo and Colombia.

10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now: Goldcorp Incorporated(GG)

Goldcorp Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of precious metal properties in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. It produces and sells gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc. The company was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Smith]

  Although its name does little to denote this, Goldcorp is a well-positioned silver play for 2011, according to the analysts we surveyed.

  “The name is one that people tend to think of it as gold, but it's in the top 20 of silver producers globally with about 13 million ounces a year ,” says Peter Sorrentino of Huntington Funds.

  Morningstar analyst Min Tang-Varner recently raised her fair value estimate for Goldcorp by $12 a share to $48 after the company reported a 28 per cent rise in revenue for the third quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with the year before.

  This, despite 4 per cent decline gold production, as revenue received a boost from $1,239/oz realized gold prices and $19.15/oz silver prices.

  Tang-Varner tells investors that the reduction of Goldcorp's cash cost by $100/oz from the prior quarter to $260/oz due to higher silver, copper and zinc production and the run-up in their prices, was “rather extraordinary.”

  Sorrentino says Goldcorp is a stock that investors would be “wise to consider” if they were looking for a name that would be discovered suddenly as a major silver play, without feeling that they were overpaying for it.

  Goldcorp also prices everything that it does in Canadian dollars, which should reduce currency risks for investors in Canada.

• [By Christopher Barker]

  Every ship needs an anchor, and for gold investors looking to navigate the admittedly rough seas of the gold mining industry, I can think of no greater anchor than Goldcorp. With the important caveat that some of the company's substantial challenges faced during 2012 could present further selling pressure in early 2013 as forward production guidance takes a bit of a haircut, I agree with Credit Suisse analyst Anita Soni that any such weakness may present a meaningful buying opportunity. I won't go into great detail here, since investors can access my premium research report on Goldcorp for further discussion of the substantial long-term investment opportunity in the shares of this quality producer.

10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now: NEW GOLD INC.(NGD)

New Gold Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation of mineral properties. The company primarily explore for gold, silver, and copper deposits. Its operating properties include the Mesquite gold mine in the United States; the Cerro San Pedro gold-silver mine in Mexico; and the Peak gold-copper mine in Australia. The company also has development projects, including the New Afton gold, silver, and copper project in Canada; and a 30% interest in the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile. The company was formerly known as DRC Resources Corporation and changed its name to New Gold Inc. in June 2005. New Gold Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Christopher Barker]

  This stock has set the gold standard for share price appreciation among gold miners, advancing more than 140% since I introduced Fools to the new face of New Gold back in January 2010. Looking out over the long-term horizon, New Gold has constructed a gorgeous development pipeline to complement its trio of producing gold mines, featuring: a low-risk 30% stake in Goldcorp's El Morro project in Chile, the New Afton copper and gold project in British Columbia (with production scheduled to begin mid-2012), and the recently acquired Blackwater project north of New Afton.

  Although I expect the Blackwater deposit to expand considerably with further exploration, the project's initial indicated gold resource of 1.8 million ounces already leaves New Gold in command of 14.7 million ounces of measured and indicated gold resource. Tossing in copious supplies of by-product metals -- most notably 83.5 million ounces of silver and 3.5 billion pounds of copper -- New Gold is positioned to enjoy consistently low production costs throughout its sustained growth trajectory.

10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now: CME Group Inc.(CME)

CME Group Inc. operates the CME, CBOT, NYMEX, and COMEX regulatory exchanges worldwide. The company provides a range of products available across various asset classes, including futures and options on interest rates, equity indexes, energy, agricultural commodities, metals, foreign exchange, weather, and real estate. It offers various products that provide a means of hedging, speculation, and asset allocation relating to the risks associated with interest rate sensitive instruments, equity ownership, changes in the value of foreign currency, credit risk, and changes in the prices of commodities. CME Group owns and operates clearing house, CME Clearing, which provides clearing and settlement services for exchange-traded contracts and counter derivatives transactions; and also engages in real estate operations. Its primary trade execution facilities consist of its CME Globex electronic trading platform and open outcry trading floors, as well as privately negotiated transact ions that are cleared and settled through its clearing house. In addition, the company offers market data services comprising live quotes, delayed quotes, market reports, and historical data services, as well as involves in index services business. CME Group?s customer base includes professional traders, financial institutions, institutional and individual investors, corporations, manufacturers, producers, and governments. It has strategic partnerships with BM&FBOVESPA S.A., Bursa Malaysia Derivatives, Singapore Exchange Limited, Green Exchange, Dubai Mercantile Exchange, Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, S.A.B. de C.V., as well as joint venture agreement with Dow Jones & Company. The company was formerly known as Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. and changed its name to CME Group Inc. in July 2007. CME Group was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now: First Majestic Silver Corp.(AG)

First Majestic Silver Corp. engages in the production, development, exploration, and acquisition of mineral properties with a focus on silver in Mexico. The company owns interests in La Encantada Silver Mine comprising 4,076 hectares of mining rights and 1,343 hectares of surface land located in Coahuila; La Parrilla Silver Mine consisting of mining concessions covering an area of 69,867 hectares; and San Martin Silver Mine comprising approximately 7,841 hectares of mineral rights and approximately 1,300 hectares of surface land rights located in Jalisco. It also holds interests in Del Toro Silver Mine consisting of 393 contiguous hectares of mining claims and an additional 129 hectares of surface rights located in Zacatecas; Real de Catorce Silver Project comprising 22 mining concessions covering 6,327 hectares located in San Luis Potosi state; and Jalisco Group of Properties consisting of mining claims totalling 5,240 hectares located in Jalisco. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Goodwin]

  The shares closed at $88.19, down $1.1, or 1.23%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $77.08 billion. About the company: Siemens AG manufactures a wide range of industrial and consumer products. The Company builds locomotives, traffic control systems, automotive electronics, and engineers electrical power plants. Siemens also provides public and private communications networks, computers, building control systems, medical equipment, and electrical components. The Company operates worldwide.

10 Best Gold Stocks To Own Right Now: Golden Star Resources Ltd(GSS)

Golden Star Resources Ltd., a gold mining and exploration company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of gold properties. It owns and operates the Bogoso/Prestea gold mining and processing operation that covers approximately 40 kilometers of strike along the southwest-trending Ashanti gold district in western Ghana; and the Wassa open-pit gold mine located to the east of Bogoso/Prestea in southwest Ghana. The company also has an 81% interest in the Prestea underground gold mine located in Ghana. In addition, it holds interests in various gold exploration projects in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Cote d?Ivoire, as well as holds and manages exploration properties in Brazil in South America. The company was founded in 1984 and is based in Littleton, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Curtis]

  Golden Star Resources, Ltd Com (AMEX:GSS): This equity had 10,766,183 shares sold short as of Aug 31st, as compared to 9,400,663 on Aug 15th, which represents a change of 1,365,520 shares, or 14.5%. Days to cover for this company is 3 and average daily trading volume is 3,419,976. About the equity: Golden Star Resources Ltd. is a mid-tier gold mining company. The Company’s operating mines are situated along the Ashanti Gold Belt in Ghana, West Africa.