The following consists of edited excerpts from an article* by Jeff Clark (caseyresearch.com) originally entitled The Greatest Opportunity in 30 Years.
[The following article is presented by Lorimer Wilson, editor of www.munKNEE.com and the FREE Market Intelligence Report newsletter (sample here) and may have been edited ([ ]), abridged (…) and/or reformatted (some sub-titles and bold/italics emphases) for the sake of clarity and brevity to ensure a fast and easy read. This paragraph must be included in any article re-posting to avoid copyright infringement.]
Paradoxically, such opportunities aren’t that hard to find—the truth is, they sprout up all the time. What is hard to find is the type of investor who has the guts to take advantage of those opportunities.
Fact is, most people run from assets that are at an all-time low… and happily buy into stocks that are reaching their peak. As legendary resource investor Rick Rule likes to say, “You’re either a contrarian or you’re a victim.”
When you think about it, the strategy for getting rich…is deceptively simple:
- Find an asset at an extreme (low or high) and determine if it’s headed in the other direction anytime soon;
- Take a significant position and hold the fort while market forces play out.
That’s all. The difficult part is to muster the courage to hold on when all your senses are screaming that it’s a huge mistake, that your investment will never pan out, that today’s fool (you) is tomorrow’s loser.
If, on the other hand, you don’t mind going where others fear to tread, opportunities practically jump into your outstretched hands [and] here’s the best one I know of right now: gold stocks…[Frankly,] to say they’re a “good opportunity” is a laughable understatement: Gold stocks are at an extreme low we haven’t seen in over 30 years in this industry. Let me prove it to you.
An effective way to measure the true value of gold stocks is to compare them to the gold price. Other thing being equal, a gold producer selling for $20 per share at a $1,500 gold price is a heck of a lot cheaper than when gold’s at $1,000. (When the price of a product is higher, the stock is more valuable, and vice versa.)
The XAU (Philadelphia Gold and Silver Index) consists of 30 gold and silver stocks and began trading in December 1983. Here are the first 23 years of the Index’s ratio to gold.
Any time the ratio reached 0.20 or below, gold stocks were undervalued in relation to gold, and investors who bought at those inflection points made a profit. Conversely, once the ratio reached 0.34 or above, stocks were overvalued and due for a pullback.
For 23 years, from its inception through 2007, the XAU/gold ratio provided fairly reliable feedback for investors.
Now let’s add the rest of the data.
Today, the XAU/gold ratio is at a historic low of 0.07.
To fully appreciate what this means, look at these former lows for comparison:
- It’s lower than the 2008 gold stock selloff;
- It’s lower than the “nuclear winter” of the mid-’90s;
- It’s lower than the very beginning of the gold bull market in 2001.
Right now, gold stocks are like a rubber band that’s being stretched to an extreme. As all rubber bands do, it will snap back and, based on how extreme the undervaluation has become, they’re bound to be among the most profitable investments of this generation.
…Your chances of…making breathtaking returns have never been higher. Upside is at its greatest when even the cab driver laughs at the thought of buying a gold stock. As conditions return to normal, huge profits will be made… by those who didn’t listen to the investing herd and its mouthpieces in the mainstream financial media.
Conclusion
There is no guarantee gold stocks will rebound and deliver life-changing profits…[as] there are some scenarios that could conceivably prevent gold and silver from rebounding—possibly killing off the miners for a generation, [such as]:
IF
- billions of Chinese, Indians, and other Asians finally realize that unbacked paper currencies are much more desirable to hold than physical gold and silver
- Ben Bernanke vows never to print another bloody greenback again, and neither does his successor
- Congress unanimously agrees to lower, instead of raise, the debt ceiling and drastically cut all but core spending, for the health of the country and its citizens (I know, don’t make me laugh)
- solar panel manufacturers and dozens of other industries find a valid replacement for silver in their products
- the insane amount of $700 trillion in derivatives circling the world like a cloud of toxic particles suddenly evaporates
- Beijing calls a press conference and proclaims they were mistaken and now feel no need to diversify out of the US dollar, that it’s the one and only reserve currency the world will ever need
Then we might see that happen but I’m not holding my breath on any of these. (A phrase about snowballs and hot places comes to mind.)”
[Editor’s Note: The author’s views and conclusions in the above article are unaltered and no personal comments have been included to maintain the integrity of the original post. Furthermore, the views, conclusions and any recommendations offered in this article are not to be construed as an endorsement of such by the editor.]
*http://www.caseyresearch.com/cdd/the-greatest-opportunity-in-30-years (Copyright © 2013 Casey Research, LLC.)
Related Articles:
1. Here’s How to Choose Gold & Silver Stocks With the GREATEST Chance of Major Returns
Which gold/silver mining companies own quality undeveloped gold and silver deposits in safe stable countries – and are extremely well managed? Such companies offer exceptional value in that they provide the best exposure to a rising precious metals price environment. Below are a number of things to look for when considering an investment in such companies. Read More »
2. Gold Producer Stocks Dramatically Undervalued: Don’t Miss This Blood-in-the-Streets Opportunity
While the waterfall decline in gold stocks is painful for those of us already invested, the reality is that this is a setup we get a shot at only a few times in our investing life. It’s a cruel irony that those who are fully invested are now faced with the buying opportunity of a lifetime; however, it would be a shame for anyone to miss this blood-in-the-streets opportunity. Read More »
3. Huge Rebound in Gold & Silver Stocks Coming Soon – Here’s Why
It’s been a tough road for precious metals but the path ahead has strong potential of being significantly profitable and in a short period of time. The buying opportunity that we’ve spoken of for months could be days away. When precious metals equities rebound, they rebound violently. Read More »
4. Focus on Quality Junior Gold & Silver Companies to Maximize Returns – Here’s Why & How
The outlook for many junior resource companies in 2013 is grim so investors should focus on those who own quality undeveloped gold and silver deposits in safe stable countries. Such companies offer exceptional value in that they provide the best exposure to a rising precious metals price environment – and the assets the world’s mining companies desperately need. [Let me explain.] Words: 1328; Charts: 15 Read More »
The timing of this article may seem incongruous given the current weak performance of gold and gold stocks but that was the identical situation in each of the past manias – both the metal and the equities didn’t excel until the frenzy kicked in. The following documentation (exact returns from specific companies during this era are identified) is actually a fresh reminder of why we think you should hold on to your positions – or start accumulating them, if you haven’t already. (Words: 1987; Tables: 7)
6. Why Invest in Junior Miners?
Leverage is the simple answer. It is not uncommon for junior mining companies to experience huge gains (10x or more) very quickly as news of a discovery is made known to the public. Words: 893
The precious metals complex is arguably at its most bearish sentiment since the start of the bull market 12 years ago. Either the bull market is over or this will prove to be a tremendous buying opportunity. It’s clear that anyone who doesn’t believe in Gold for the long-term has sold and judging from the sentiment indicators, Gold is now in much stronger hands than when it was trading at these prices at the 2012 and 2011 lows. Despite all of the bearish sentiment, the panic and bad-mouthing, Gold (and Silver) has maintained its consolidation. Thus, if Gold is able to hold this support and turn higher, it should approach $1750 to $1800 faster than one would think. This year will go down in history as one of the best buying opportunities for both the metals and the stocks. Words: 675; Charts: 3
8. Gold Miners Have Hit Rock Bottom! Now’s the Ultimate Buying Opportunity
Looking at the recent Gold Miners price action and crash-like conditions, I cannot hide my excitement. As we judge the recent cyclical bear market within the longer term secular uptrend, we can see that Gold Miners are becoming very attractive. Whether it is the technically oversold levels that only occur a handful of times over a generation, the rock bottom valuations on nominal or relative basis, or the extreme sentiment that the overall sector is going through, all of these indicators point to one conclusion: we are fast approaching a major buying opportunity. [I support that contention below with the use of 8 charts and a full explanation of each.] Words: 1133; Charts: 8
9. Country Risk: ALWAYS Discount the Value of Companies Operating in Risky Jurisdictions – Here’s Why
There is enough risk in investing without the added risk of political instability so why does the investment community often use the same metrics to value the shares of exploration and production of resources companies regardless of their location in the world? This is so very wrong, yet it continues. Frankly, when investing in the stock market you should ALWAYS discount the value of the stock that you are considering buying if the jurisdiction is not historically safe, stable, and economically strong. [Let me explain further.] Words: 746
10. Focus on Quality Junior Gold & Silver Companies to Maximize Returns – Here’s Why & How
The outlook for many junior resource companies in 2013 is grim so investors should focus on those who own quality undeveloped gold and silver deposits in safe stable countries. Such companies offer exceptional value in that they provide the best exposure to a rising precious metals price environment – and the assets the world’s mining companies desperately need. [Let me explain.] Words: 1328; Charts: 15 Read More »
11. Gold & Silver Miners: What’s the Best Time to Invest in the Producers – and in the Juniors?
While juniors, mid-tiers and large producers will usually bottom around the same time, they each outperform at different times. In this missive we look at some charts to decipher when its time to buy [each category and when one or the other] should be avoided. Words: 470