David Iben is the Chief Investment Officer of Kopernik Global Investors and is the sole Portfolio Manager of the Kopernik Global All-Cap strategy, Lead Portfolio Manager of the Kopernik Global Unconstrained strategy, Co-Portfolio Manager of the Kopernik Global Long-Term Opportunities strategy and Co-Portfolio Manager of the Kopernik International strategies. He is the Managing Member, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Governors of Kopernik Global Investors.
Our most recent commentary explores why the "Big Brother" interpretation of the British post-punk band XTC's song "Making Plans for Nigel" reminds us of the inevitable increase in angst that is being felt, in no small part due to a decade of QE monetary policy. One can only imagine what will eventually be felt as a consequence of QE-infinity. We discuss how our current era of palpable angst is similar to that of the late 1970s, which was the cyclical end of a period of high inflation, of big government, and the bull market in commodities while also the beginning of a super cycle in stocks and bonds. While the current era is likely another major inflection point in the markets and the end of all those cycles, the silver lining is that the valuation divide between expensive and attractively-priced stocks has probably never been this wide, making it a great time to be a bottom-up, value-conscious investor.
In our latest commentary, we look back to the great Jack London novel The Call of The Wild as a parallel to the herd mentality dominating the current investment environment. Following a dozen years of post-Global Financial Crisis policy designed to transfer wealth from financial assets to real assets, investors who are operating in panic mode are buying and selling the wrong assets. This has created incredibly cheap buying opportunities and, with that, a favorable environment for value investors.
In our most recent commentary, we pay homage to the 1960’s by contrasting our current environment to that of a mere half-century ago; it was a period when Wall Street saw only good things while Main Street saw turmoil and change. We view 2019 as arguably a supercharged version of the late 1960’s, which can serve as a guide and an excellent source of instruction on how to successfully navigate the current investment environment.
The most recent commentary contrast the renaissance period to the contemporary era. A half-millennium ago, mankind's search for truth began to breakdown the stifling barriers to thought and liberty. In the contemporary world where truth and liberty have conceptually become easy, they are being sacrificed. While this is a gross generalization, excellent opportunities have been opened up for those willing to use common sense, dig for the truth, and act upon their conviction. At Kopernik, we continue conducting in-depth due diligence, thoughtfully appraising value, maintaining patience and self-control, and staying disciplined in our process.
In his latest commentary, Analyst and Portfolio Manager Mark McKinney discusses the rise of a new group of believers in the omnipotent power of the government and central banks, affectionately nicknamed “Fed Bugs,” who believe that printing more money will solve society’s problems. He argues that these Fed Bugs are missing the point: economic logic always wins in the long run.
In this update of our 2017 white paper, analyst Steve Rosenthal discusses Kopernik’s perspective on uranium, its unique properties, and the global opportunities Kopernik is currently seeing in the industry.
In this June 2020 white paper, analyst Taylor McKenna explores the similarities and differences between active and passive management strategies. He argues that passive management strategies, such as ETFs and closet indexers, cannot replicate a more active approach. Using the metaphor of a thoughtful baseball manager, Taylor suggests that active management adds value to an investment strategy.
In this update of our 2015 white paper, analyst and Director of Research Alissa Corcoran, CFA discusses Kopernik’s view on gold, its unique history, and the global opportunities Kopernik is finding in the industry.
Mark McKinney, CFA, Kopernik Analyst and Portfolio Manager discusses the opportunities that volatility can offer and why Kopernik focuses on long-term performance. Mark uses the popular 2016 self-help book by Mark Manson to offer interesting insights and applicability in the investment world.
Stephen Rosenthal, CFA, Kopernik Analyst, discusses Kopernik's view on Uranium.
Kopernik's Director of Research, Alissa Corcoran, joined Oliver Renick on TD Ameritrade Network to discuss the upside for gold mining stocks and how other commodities like uranium are trading well below their incentive price. Watch here.
Kopernik's Director of Research, Alissa Corcoran, joined Bloomberg Radio to discuss where she is finding buying opportunities in today's bifurcated market, including in commodities like uranium and gold. Listen to her full interview here.
Kopernik CIO Dave Iben recently spoke with Value Investor Insight for a feature piece on where he's finding value and why it's one of the best times ever to be an active investor. Read the full interview here to learn more about how he's identifying opportunities in high-quality companies in emerging markets as well as situations where cash flows are latent and reside in real assets.
Kopernik CIO, David Iben, joins Stephanie Pomboy & Grant Williams to discuss the art of value investing, the challenges it faces in today's market environment and why it's a bad idea to write any obituaries for the strategy just yet. Tune in to this podcast to listen as Dave discusses the cycles he's witnessed over his career as he gets ready to enter his fifth decade in the business, the lessons he's learned and offers some thoughts on where value can be found off the beaten path as equity markets scream towards all-time highs.
Kopernik CIO, David Iben, recently discussed with Financial Advisor where Kopernik is finding attractive opportunities within the emerging markets.
Kopernik CIO, David Iben, was recently interviewed by Robert Hunter from Value Invest.
