News & Views

News & Views

A Value Investor's Reflections on a Unique Decade (Jan 2023)

As the firm approaches its 10-year anniversary, CIO Dave Iben reaffirms Kopernik’s unchanging philosophy and process and describes opportunities we are finding as we enter our second decade.

More

JIG'S UP (Sep 2022)

In his new commentary, Kopernik CIO Dave Iben discusses how, after a four-decade long period when central bankers were idolized, someone has pulled back the curtain and revealed that "the jig is up". Stocks and bonds appear to have entered a bear market, and the economy is stagnating. What is an investor to do in this new paradigm?

More

Changes in Latitude (Feb 2022)

Although our CIO’s commentary was planned to be published last week, in light of current world events, we elected to hold it back and to address more pressing matters first. We reiterate that our thoughts and prayers are with the Ukrainian people during this troubling time. Like all of you, we continue to monitor events and hope for peace.

In this letter, we have the audacity to give a non-standard view of “Buffett” stocks. Fortuitously, Mr. Buffett issued his annual letter this weekend, lending credence to our belief that he may share the view that now is more of a time for investing in real assets than in the stocks of over-earning consumer brands. In his summary, Mr. Buffett writes about how Berkshire Hathaway was a struggling ‘value’ stock in 1965, having just cumulatively lost money over a nine-year period. Its stock had more than halved. This quintessential deep value stock was the only holding that Warren kept when he unwound his investment partnership in the late 1960s.

Buffett made a point to emphasize (headed ‘Surprise, surprise”) Berkshire’s “Four Giants”: a railroad (BNSF), an utility franchise (BHE), insurance businesses, and – yes – Apple. Three of the four are ‘value’ businesses, two of which are clearly endowed with significant Real Asset holdings. Interestingly, he starts his summary with the fact that Berkshire is the single largest owner/operator of infrastructure in the U.S. It is on their books for $158 BILLION. It was fun to see him end his summary with a reference to “Cousin Jimmy Buffett” who apparently will be selling “party” boats at the Berkshire annual meeting in late April. Apparently, a Berkshire subsidiary is building the boats that Jimmy designed, and Warren is buying one from him. We’ve read that they are long-time friends. Apparently 23andme recently disproved years of conjecture that the two are related.

We hope you enjoy the read.

More

Sedona (Sep 2021)

In his new commentary, Kopernik CIO Dave Iben summarizes many of his thoughts on the current inflationary environment and gives examples of how this has benefited value investors. They now figuratively have the wind at their backs.

More

29 Palms (Jul 2021)

In his newest commentary, Kopernik’s CIO Dave Iben draws inspiration from Robert Plant and the deserts of Morocco to discuss the Fed’s printing press, the Cantillon effect, and the value Kopernik is finding in scarce, undervalued, useful assets.

More

Pages

Kopernik Perspective: Uranium (Feb 2017)

Stephen Rosenthal, CFA, Kopernik Analyst, discusses Kopernik's view on Uranium.

More

Willful Blindness (Sep 2018)

Mark McKinney, CFA, Kopernik Analyst and Portfolio Manager discusses the biggest threats and dangers that investors don't see, not because they're secret or invisible, but because we are willfully blind. Topics include: the U.S. Stock Market, Non-GAAP Earnings, The Buyback Boom, Growth vs Value, Volatility, Emerging Markets, and Russia

More

Kopernik Perspective: Currency (Aug 2016)

Alissa Corcoran, CFA, Kopernik Analyst, discusses Kopernik's view on currency risk and why the Firm doesn't hedge foreign currency exposure.

More

That Word. I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means. (May 2018)

Mark McKinney, CFA, Kopernik Analyst and Portfolio Manager discusses a wide array of topics including risk, earnings, tech privacy, and Blockchain.

More

Kopernik Perspective: Is Coal Dead? (Feb 2016)

Stephen Rosenthal, CFA, Kopernik Analyst, discusses the global demand for energy and how coal will continue to be a viable option to meet the energy needs of a growing population.

More

Kopernik Perspective: Gold (Apr 2015)

Alissa Corcoran, CFA, Kopernik Analyst, discusses Kopernik's view on gold, its unique history, and the global opportunities Kopernik is finding in the industry.

More

Pages

MarketWatch - April 29, 2020

Kopernik CIO, David Iben, was featured in MarketWatch today discussing how value stocks are offering "opportunities of a generation" and why he thinks investors who believe value is gone for good will be proven wrong.

Read the full story here.

More

TD Ameritrade Network - David Iben On The Case For International Stocks

David Iben, Kopernik’s CIO, appeared on TD Ameritrade Network to discuss current investment opportunities.

March 09, 2020

More

Welling on Wall St. - Listening In: Dave Iben - Embracing Vol, Hated Stocks (Nov 2019)

Dave Iben recently sat down with Kate Welling at Welling on Wall Street to discuss finding values in the market’s most reviled sectors and why active management is more important than ever.

More

Value Invest New York

The inaugural edition of Value Invest New York took place at the Metropolitan Club on December 4 2018. It featured renowned Value Investors from the United States, including David Iben, Kopernik's CIO, as well as being a showcase for other Value Funds to talk about investment ideas from around the world.

See the full story here.

More

The Wall Street Transcript: Waiting for the Market to Have a Vastly Different Opinion - Featuring David Iben

Kopernik's CIO David Iben was recently interviewed by The Wall Street Transcript.

More

Barron's Video: Bargains Off the Beaten Track - Featuring David Iben

Kopernik's CIO David Iben recently spoke at a Barron's conference. In this interview, he discusses "three investments that look cheap in a fairly full-priced market."

More

Pages