News & Views

News & Views

Calypso's Market (Dec 2020)

With so much anxiety about the current euphoria in the market, we thought it was a good time to send out a little stocking stuffer with some of our thoughts. In a nutshell, we reach back into Greek mythology to explain why we believe that people are buying great companies but at the wrong prices. Of course, some are buying hopes and dreams at ridiculous prices as well, but that is a story for another time. More importantly, in our opinion, the real-money making opportunities lie elsewhere. This gives us hope as 2020 merges into 2021. Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year.

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Making Plans for Nigel (May 2020)

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.

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The Call of the Wild (Mar 2020)

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.

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Once Upon a Time on Wall Street (Oct 2019)

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.

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The Renaissance and the Entropic Arrow of Time (May 2019)

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.

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Kopernik Perspective: Mining (Sep 2020)

In this white paper, Kopernik’s Investment Research team analyzes the potential risks and upsides of investing in the mining space and describes how Kopernik values mining companies.

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Kopernik Perspective: Uranium (Aug 2020 Update)

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.

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Is This An Inflection Point For Passive Management? (Jul 2020)

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.

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Kopernik Perspective: Gold (Jul 2020 Update)

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.

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The Subtle Art...(Sep 2019)

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.

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These Go To Eleven (Feb 2019)

Mark McKinney, CFA, Kopernik Analyst and Portfolio Manager discusses the current macro investing environment in Japan, the EU and the US, by drawing parallels to the classic movie quote "These go to eleven" and how that helps Kopernik and the opportunity set we could provide over time.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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."

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