Shocking uranium play that hedge funds kept hidden

→ The biggest energy story ever? (From Porter & Company) (Ad)

Uranium on wooden table isolated on black

Key Points

  • The energy industry is headed down one common path that will boost the need and popularity of renewable sources. 
  • Hedge funds know this, and they have quietly built positions around these uranium mining names, which share another common thread. 
  • Massive upside has earned them the market's love, and analysts say the math checks out for the coming rallies.
  • 5 stocks we like better than Ur-Energy

Just like many investors got around investing in Chinese names, such as Alibaba Group NYSE: BABA, after Ray Dalio got behind it, a wave of money will jump into the industry's favorite play today: uranium

Backing names like Cameco Corporation NYSE: CCJ and Ur-Energy Inc. NYSE: URG have tremendous upside.

Reverse engineering  

Suppose you want to dig into energy stocks and their likely path for the next few decades. In that case, there is only one sensible answer: renewables. Out of all the alternatives, solar is getting all the love and attention today, so you could assume hedge funds aren't looking there.


That leaves another player on the table: nuclear energy. To make nuclear energy available and scalable, an ample supply and processing of uranium can make this happen.

The latest oil swings and geopolitical risks building on top of it have led some to speculate on a $150 price per barrel coming soon. As more minds get behind this idea, they will look for a cheaper alternative.

Because knowing which energy firm will become the leader in nuclear is nothing short of requiring a crystal ball, one constant must shine a light on this hypothetical name: Uranium miners. This is why so much activity has gone into mining stocks around this trend.

Upside grandeur 

Terra Capital, Segra Capital, Argonaut Capital Partners, and Anaconda Invest have one thing in common: They have quietly been building up their momentum and accumulation around the trend described previously, mainly focusing on two winning names.

When you spread out the mining sector, you can easily find it with MarketBeat's stock screener

The industry is trading for an average ratio of 11.0x, with an average expected earnings growth rate of 32.5% for next year. 

Starting with Cameco, the market rewards the stock with a valuation of 20.8x, which is a premium of 89% over the industry. Now, most value investors would be scared away at the prospect of investing in the most expensive name in the industry; they would be wrong to shun Cameco, though.

This company has analysts expecting an EPS boost of 288.7%, massively above the industry's expected average. There is a justifiable reason for the market and hedge funds to be willing to overpay for Cameco stock; its growth potential surrounding an unstoppable industry trend makes it a deal any day of the week.

Now, how is the smaller name of this list, Ur-Energy? It trades at a massively higher 110.1x P/E. Do the math on how much of a premium that is, and follow the thread to the promised land and why it commands such a high valuation.

The math also checks out, with analysts expecting a 150% growth rate for EPS. Considering the much higher P/E multiple, the stock could go much higher despite its growth rate being nearly half Cameco's.

→ The biggest energy story ever? (From Porter & Company) (Ad)

Should you invest $1,000 in Ur-Energy right now?

Before you consider Ur-Energy, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Ur-Energy wasn't on the list.

While Ur-Energy currently has a "Buy" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View The Five Stocks Here

7 Stocks to Own Before the 2024 Election Cover

Looking to avoid the hassle of mudslinging, volatility, and uncertainty? You'd need to be out of the market, which isn’t viable. So where should investors put their money? Find out with this report.

Get This Free Report

Companies Mentioned in This Article

CompanyMarketRank™Current PricePrice ChangeDividend YieldP/E RatioConsensus RatingConsensus Price Target
Alibaba Group (BABA)
4.0285 of 5 stars
$75.50+0.9%1.30%13.93Moderate Buy$112.91
Cameco (CCJ)
2.6074 of 5 stars
$46.92+2.8%0.19%78.20Buy$40.25
Ur-Energy (URG)
2.4742 of 5 stars
$1.75+4.8%N/A-14.58Buy$2.87
Compare These Stocks  Add These Stocks to My Watchlist 

Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli

About Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli

  • gosoriomazzilli@gmail.com

Contributing Author

Value Stocks, Asian Markets, Macro Economics

Experience

Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli has been a contributing writer for MarketBeat since 2023.

Areas of Expertise

Value investing, long/short trading, options, emerging markets

Education

CFA Level I candidate; Goldman Sachs corporate training; independent courses

Past Experience

Analyst at Goldman Sachs, associate at Citigroup, senior financial analyst in real estate


Featured Articles and Offers

Search Headlines: