Skip to main content

Why we expect gold, and one ASX-listed gold miner, to shine in 2023.

 

For over 5,000 years, gold has been the world’s ultimate store of value. Alternative currencies – like cowrie shells, copper, and now paper – have risen and fallen over the ages. But gold has outlasted them all. Gold’s appeal is in its aesthetic qualities, malleability (making it easy to produce coins and jewellery), and scarcity.

To this day, gold is a widely trusted safe haven for investors. When uncertainty is high and risks are elevated, investors typically rush to the safety of gold. With a Russian-Ukrainian war, rising US/China tension and fears of global recession, 2022 should have been a breakout year for gold. However, the gold price finished the year slightly below where it started.

In this insights piece, we examine:

  1. The headwinds that stopped gold from shining in 2022,
  2. Why the headwinds appear to be becoming tailwinds in 2023, and
  3. The fantastic opportunity in ASX-listed gold miner Newcrest Mining.

Gold lacked lustre in 2022

The gold price started 2022 strongly following the outbreak of war between Russia and Ukraine. However, the strength was short-lived. The fastest global interest rate hiking cycle in history began in March 2022 and was the dominant force driving the gold price for the rest of the year.

Source: Factset, Firetrail

Higher interest rates increase the yield investors receive on fixed income securities. Investors were understandably less likely to hold gold when risk-free short-term deposits yielded over 4% per annum by the end of 2022.

Rising US interest rates also led to a strong US dollar which further reduced the attractiveness of gold. The US dollar strengthened considerably against other currencies in 2022. Given gold is priced in US dollars, a stronger US dollar made gold more expensive to buyers around the world.

Source: Firetrail, Factset

On top of weak gold price performance, rising labour and input costs put further pressure on gold miner earnings during 2022.

Headwinds to tailwinds

With inflation starting to fall and cracks appearing in the global economy, we believe we are nearing the end of interest rate hiking cycles. Geopolitical risk remains high with the war in Ukraine ongoing and US-China relations still tense. As a result, 2023 is shaping up to be a favourable environment for gold price outperformance. Gold tends to outperform in periods of heightened geopolitical risk, falling interest rates, a weaker US dollar, and strong gold demand.

With an inverted US yield curve, bond markets are predicting the US Federal Reserve will have to cut interest rates once they have broken the back of inflation. The market is expecting interest rates to peak in the next 6 months followed by rate cuts in late 2023 / early 2024.

When the interest rate hiking cycle eventually comes to an end, the US dollar will lose what was a significant tailwind in 2022. We also see long-term risks to the US dollar’s global pre-eminence due to the significant increase in US money supply since 2020, trillion-dollar fiscal budget deficits and eye-watering national debt levels.

Most importantly, gold is now back on global central banks’ shopping lists. Despite a subdued first half of the year, 2022 central bank gold purchases were the highest on record with net purchases of 1,136 tonnes. 80% of this came in the second half of the year. A recent World Gold Council survey suggests the momentum will continue. A quarter of central banks surveyed indicated that they expect to increase exposure to precious metals.

Source: Metals Focus, Refinitiv GFMS, World Gold Council

The gold price has shown early strength in 2023 in anticipation of these tailwinds. Continued appreciation will be positive for gold equities.

Newcrest Mining – low-cost, long-life miner attracting takeover interest

Newcrest Mining (ASX: NCM) is a high conviction position in the Firetrail Australian High Conviction Fund and Firetrail Absolute Return Fund. With a portfolio of high-quality low-cost, long-life assets, the company is well positioned to benefit from a stronger gold price.

Newcrest is the largest gold producer listed on the ASX. It operates two of the world’s ten largest gold mines – Cadia (Orange, NSW) and Lihir (Papua New Guinea). Cadia and Lihir are highly cash generative, and Newcrest is using this cash to fund high-returning growth projects such as Red Chris (Canada), Bruce Jack (Canada) and Wafi Golpu (PNG). In the next few years, Newcrest’s portfolio will move from three to six tier one mines. To put it into context, there are only fifteen tier one mines in the world.

Newcrest also has a robust balance sheet and is trading at a significant discount to global peers. At today’s gold and copper prices, we believe NCM is worth $29 per share, implying 25% upside to today’s price.

Other global gold mining companies have also recognised the value in Newcrest’s assets. In early February 2023 Newcrest received a takeover offer from Newmont, the world’s largest gold producer, at an implied valuation of around $26.40 per share (a 22% premium to the pre-offer share price). Newcrest knocked back the offer but has kept the door open for a renewed higher bid.

We are pleased to see that the value of Newcrest’s assets is being recognised in the market, and continue to engage with the Newcrest Board and management to pursue the best outcome for shareholders.

Disclaimer

This article is prepared by Firetrail Investments Pty Limited (‘Firetrail’) (ABN 98 622 377 913, AFSL 516821) as the investment manager of the Firetrail Australian High Conviction Fund (ARSN 624 136 045), the Firetrail Absolute Return Fund (ARSN 624 135 879), the Firetrail Australian Small Companies Fund (ARSN 638 792 113) and the Firetrail S3 Global Opportunities Fund (ARSN 653 717 625) (‘the Funds’). Pinnacle Fund Services Limited ('PFSL') (ABN 29 082 494 362, AFSL 238371) is the product issuer of the Fund. PFSL is not licensed to provide financial product advice. PFSL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Pinnacle Investment Management Group Limited (‘Pinnacle’) (ABN 22 100 325 184). The Product Disclosure Statement (‘PDS’) and Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) of the relevant Fund are available via the links below. Any potential investor should consider the PDS and TMD before deciding whether to acquire, or continue to hold units in, the Fund.

Links to the Product Disclosure Statement: WHT3810AU, WHT5134AU, WHT3093AU, WHT7794AU

Links to the Target Market Determination: WHT3810AU, WHT5134AU, WHT3093AU, WHT7794AU

For historic TMD’s please contact Pinnacle client service Phone 1300 010 311 or Email service@pinnacleinvestment.com

This communication is for general information only. It is not intended as a securities recommendation or statement of opinion intended to influence a person or persons in making a decision in relation to investment. It has been prepared without taking account of any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Any persons relying on this information should obtain professional advice before doing so. Past performance is for illustrative purposes only and is not indicative of future performance.

Whilst Firetrail, PFSL and Pinnacle believe the information contained in this communication is reliable, no warranty is given as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness and persons relying on this information do so at their own risk. Subject to any liability which cannot be excluded under the relevant laws, Firetrail, PFSL and Pinnacle disclaim all liability to any person relying on the information contained in this communication in respect of any loss or damage (including consequential loss or damage), however caused, which may be suffered or arise directly or indirectly in respect of such information. This disclaimer extends to any entity that may distribute this communication.

Any opinions and forecasts reflect the judgment and assumptions of Firetrail and its representatives on the basis of information available as at the date of publication and may later change without notice. Any projections contained in this presentation are estimates only and may not be realised in the future.

Unauthorised use, copying, distribution, replication, posting, transmitting, publication, display, or reproduction in whole or in part of the information contained in this communication is prohibited without obtaining prior written permission from Firetrail. Pinnacle and its associates may have interests in financial products and may receive fees from companies referred to during this communication.

This may contain the trade names or trademarks of various third parties, and if so, any such use is solely for illustrative purposes only. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with, endorsement by, or association of any kind between them and Firetrail.