Newmont Mining Corporation (NEM) is one of the world's largest unhedged gold producers. Gold prices are skyrocketing due to improved supply/demand and U.S. trade/budget/currency issues with global instability. The company is attempting cost-cutting measures to mitigate higher mine costs due to declining grades. As a result, we rate the shares a Hold, with a target of $47.50 due to high valuation and declining mine quality, despite the improving fundamentals.
On April 24, 2008, Newmont Mining Corporation announced 2008 first quarter results. For the first quarter, net income from continuing operations were $0.80 per diluted share, compared to net income from continuing operations of $0.09 per diluted share in the prior year quarter. Revenues for the quarter increased 59% to $1.9 billion from first quarter 2007. The company reported 1.29 million oz of equity gold sales at an average realized gold price of $933/oz. This was largely in line with management's expectations as higher than anticipated grades at Jundee and inventory reductions at Yanacocha and Batu Hijau offset shortfalls from the timing of production at Twin Creeks and lower grades and unplanned mill maintenance at Ahafo in Ghana.
Currently, the stock is valued at 17.8x our 2008 earnings of $2.51. Gold prices are skyrocketing due to improved supply/demand and U.S. trade/budget/currency issues with global instability. The company is attempting to cut costs to mitigate higher mine costs due to declining grades. As a result, we rate the shares a Hold with a target of $47.50 due to high valuation and declining mine quality, despite the improving fundamentals. This is 18.9x our 2008 estimate.
Read the full analyst report on NEM.
Get real-time market insights and profitable stock recommendations from the team of analysts at Zacks Equity Research. See all todays Analyst Blog entries on Zacks.com.