Morgan Stanley Releases The Definitive Gold Stocks Report
Everything you always wanted to know about the future of gold stocks and much more is now answered in this 79 page monster of a report just released by Morgan Stanley, which finally joins the crowd and goes megabullish on gold stocks, by estimating that "currently c.$1500/oz of value is accounted for in reserves in the ground – so, at a $1800-1900/oz gold price, this leaves $400-500/oz for stakeholders, of which shareholders come last (after debt servicing and tax/royalties). While this is a blunt tool, we do believe it provides a good illustration how the sector has historically discounted the spot gold price, but currently does not seem to believe that the current $1800/oz gold price will hold. Thus, we believe an opportunity exists to invest in reserves in the ground rather than bullion (ETF)." So for those who do not wish to chase bullion at record prices (although with currency collapse increasingly imminent, that is probably not a lot), here is MS' conclusion: "Broadly, on stock performance we would make the case for: i) primarily, operating delivery; hence, which stocks look to offer value in their reserves through volume growth and cost reduction. ii) secondly, in the extremes of gold price movement, operating gearing can, but generally does not, supersede operating delivery; theoretically, higher operating gearing generally implies lower quality assets associated with difficult cost/volume control, hence our caution in looking at operating gearing in isolation from operating delivery and track record. iii) thirdly, valuation (but need to adjust for regional risk factors, by-product discount to rating, track-record and risk of delivery). Apparent valuation anomalies can rapidly be erased by big movements in the gold price or failure to deliver to operational expectations. Stocks screening favourably on a balanced gold price outcome (and rated OW by Morgan Stanley analysts) include ABG, ABX, BVN, PMTL. While several of the growth stocks (RRS, KGC, GG) screen less well, delivery on the operating expectations would likely be positive stock drivers." Of course, as much as we like gold and its derivatives, Morgan Stanley's outright push is nothing short of an attempt to get investors to move away from physical into a stock certificate deliverable (and hence, "confiscatable") which is ultimately in the hands of the DTC: something, which, with the world on the edge of complete insolvency, we would hardly advocate.
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