We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Uranium Stocks to Invest in Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) stands against the other uranium stocks.
The global demand for uranium is accelerating, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and the electrification of industries. According to research from Goldman Sachs, data center energy consumption is expected to surge by 160% by 2030. Nuclear power, with its ability to deliver consistent and low-carbon electricity, is emerging as the preferred solution to meet these energy demands. Tech giants have publicly recognized the role of nuclear energy in supporting their operational energy needs.
In November 2024, the Biden administration unveiled a plan to triple U.S. nuclear energy capacity by 2050. This plan includes the deployment of 200 GW of new nuclear capacity through new reactor construction, plant restarts, and facility upgrades. In the short term, the administration aims to bring 35 GW of new capacity online by 2035.
Following the domestic nuclear energy deployment targets by the Biden administration, Russia announced restrictions on the export of enriched uranium to the United States. According to the Russian Government, these temporary restrictions are a response to the U.S. ban on Russian uranium imports, which was signed into law earlier in 2024. However, the U.S. ban includes waivers that allow shipments to continue until 2027 to address supply concerns. According to Reuters, Russia is a major player in the global uranium market and produces about 44% of the world’s uranium enrichment capacity. In 2023, 27% of the enriched uranium used by U.S. commercial nuclear reactors was imported from Russia.
Read Also: 15 Energy Infrastructure Stocks That Are Skyrocketing and 12 Best Middle East and Africa Stocks To Buy Right Now.
In an interview with CNBC on December 12, 2024, John Ciampaglia, CEO at Sprott Asset Management, discussed the current state and future prospects of the uranium market. Ciampaglia acknowledged that despite high demand, there has been no major increase in the production of uranium. He explained that this is a strategic decision rooted in supply discipline, a lesson learned when the industry was struggling to survive for nearly 10 years after the accident in 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan. Ciampaglia noted that producers are now cautious about balancing future production with future demand, ensuring that they have built their contract books with utilities before ramping up production. This approach is aimed at maximizing value and revenue in the current market cycle.
Ciampaglia identified three major drivers: growing electricity consumption in emerging markets such as China and India, the pivot of Western countries toward energy security and decarbonization, and the development of small modular reactors (SMRs). He noted that big tech companies are investing in SMR technology, which is crucial for validating and advancing this technology. This investment is expected to boost the demand for uranium.
Ciampaglia also mentioned the gradual recovery of uranium prices, which had been stagnant in 2019 and 2020. The price is now slowly moving up, both in the spot market and the term market, reflecting the building demand. Higher prices are necessary to incentivize miners to expand production and develop new mines, which is essential for meeting the growing demand for uranium in the coming years.
As the world leans heavily on nuclear energy to power the next phase of technological and industrial advancements, uranium will remain a critical resource.
Our Methodology
For this article, we used Finviz and Yahoo stock screeners to find companies that are involved in the mining, trading, or processing of uranium. We then used Insider Monkey’s Hedge Fund database to rank 10 stocks with 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).
A close up of the reactor core, highlighting the complexity of the uranium power process.
Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 60
Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) is one of the largest uranium producers in the world, with operations spanning mining, refining, and fuel fabrication. The company operates key assets such as the Cigar Lake and McArthur River mines in Canada. Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) supplies uranium fuel to nuclear reactors worldwide and plays a critical role in global clean energy infrastructure.
Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) is focusing on optimizing its Tier 1 assets to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs. The company’s MacArthur River and Key Lake, located in Saskatchewan, are among the world’s lowest-cost and highest-grade uranium mines. Through a series of automation and digitization projects, Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) has significantly improved production at these sites. These investments were made during a period of market downturn and have paid off by bending the cost curve and positioning the company to capitalize on rising uranium prices.
Furthermore, Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) is actively evaluating the potential to expand its MacArthur River and Key Lake operations from 18 million pounds per year to a license capacity of up to 25 million pounds per year. This strategic move is driven by the growing demand for uranium and the need to secure long-term contracts. The company is leveraging its existing infrastructure and expertise to explore cost-effective ways to increase production without significant additional capital expenditure.
Overall CCJ ranks 1st on our list of the best uranium stocks to invest in. While we acknowledge the potential of CCJ as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CCJ 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.