We recently published a list of 10 Best Gold Royalty and Small-Cap Gold Stocks to Buy. In this article, we are going to look at where Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE:FSM) stands against other best gold royalty and small-cap gold stocks to buy.
The U.S. Federal Reserve now anticipates just two interest rate cuts next year, a reduction from the four previously forecasted in September, due to inflation concerns and the potential economic impact of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed trade tariffs. On November 18, in the immediate aftermath of the Fed’s announcement, the U.S. dollar surged, with the dollar index reaching a two-year high. This rally placed downward pressure on gold prices, which fell 2% to their lowest levels in a month. Traditionally, a stronger dollar and higher U.S. Treasury yields make gold less attractive as an investment. However, analysts suggest that these traditional relationships between gold, the dollar, and interest rates have become less predictable in recent years.
In an interview with CNBC on December 18, Thomas Rupf, Chief Investment Officer and Head of Trading at VP Bank Asia provided detailed insights into the current market conditions and future projections for the U.S. dollar and gold. Rupf acknowledged the resilience of the U.S. dollar and attributed it to the perception of the continued strength of the U.S. economy. However, he also pointed out that the U.S. dollar is currently overvalued and expects the US economy to slow down, which could contribute to a weaker US dollar by the end of next year.
Regarding gold, Rupf is optimistic and noted that the potential slowdown in the US economy and dollar as well as the ongoing trend of de-dollarization are all bullish factors for gold prices. He mentioned that ETF flows, which are still 20% below historical levels, indicate that there is significant room for retail investors to increase their investment in gold ETFs. Rupf concluded by agreeing that gold prices could realistically reach $2,800 to $2,900. He also mentioned the possibility of gold reaching up to $3,000, which he considers the top end of his forecast.
Gold has historically been recognized as a reliable investment, known for its enduring value and resilience against economic uncertainties. This precious metal has been a cornerstone in many diversified investment portfolios, offering a sense of security and stability in times of financial turmoil.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 10 best gold royalty and small-cap gold stocks to buy, we used Finviz and Yahoo stock screeners to find the companies that are involved in the production, extraction, processing, financing, or sale of gold and have a market capitalization between $200 million and $10 billion as of December 23. Then we used Insider Monkey’s Hedge Fund database to rank 10 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).
Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE:FSM)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 18
Market Capitalization as of December 23: $1.35 Billion
Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE:FSM) is a prominent international gold mining company with a diverse portfolio of high-quality assets across multiple regions. The company operates mines in West Africa and Argentina, alongside exploration projects in Senegal.
Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE:FSM) is making significant investments in capital projects to enhance the long-term value of its operations. One major initiative is the leach pad expansion at the Lindero mine in Argentina, with a budget of $42 million. Scheduled for completion by early 2025, this project is expected to substantially increase the mine’s capacity and extend its operational life by an additional decade. The company is also accelerating underground development at the Yaramoko mine in Burkina Faso, allocating an extra $11 million to integrate new mineralized zones into the 2025 mine plan.
In addition, Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE:FSM) is pursuing high-value opportunities at the Seguela mine in Côte d’Ivoire, the Diamba Sud Project in Senegal, and the Lindero mine in Argentina. These exploration efforts are vital for expanding the company’s resource base and uncovering new mining prospects. By consistently exploring and developing new deposits, Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE:FSM) aims to grow its gold reserves and enhance its production capacity.
Overall, FSM ranks 4th on our list of best gold royalty and small-cap gold stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of FSM 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 FSM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.