Investing in gold mining stocks that pay dividends offers a compelling blend of income generation and exposure to the precious metals market. Unlike physical gold, which does not yield income, dividend-paying gold miners provide regular cash payouts, making them attractive to income-focused investors. Additionally, these stocks often exhibit leverage to gold prices, potentially amplifying returns during bullish market conditions. These stocks have historically been considered great inflation hedges.
AngloGold Ashanti, a prominent global gold producer, headquartered in the UK offers investors a semi-annual dividend, with a current yield of approximately 2.08% and a projected forward yield of over 5%. The company has demonstrated a commitment to returning value to shareholders, with a payout ratio of 39.06%, indicating a balanced approach between rewarding investors and retaining earnings for growth. AngloGold’s diversified portfolio of mining assets across multiple continents positions it well to capitalize on favorable gold market dynamics.
Earnings per share spiked 126% this year on a 26% rise in revenues over last year. The stock trades at a trailing price to earnings ratio of 19, and a forward P/E of 8.5. The price to earnings growth ratio is a very favorable 0.80.
Centerra Gold Inc (CGAU)
Centerra Gold, a Canadian-based miner, provides a quarterly dividend, yielding around 2.9% with a projected forward yield of 3.1%. The company’s consistent dividend payments reflect its stable operational performance and prudent financial management. With a payout ratio of 56.75%, Centerra balances shareholder returns with reinvestment in its operations. The company’s assets in North America and Asia offer geographical diversification, potentially mitigating region-specific risks.
Earnings per share growth this year were 12.8% on a slight drop in revenues for the year over last year. The stock is selling for 87% of book value and has a reasonable price to sale ratio of 1.25. One factor that the company has going for it is an extremely low amount of debt, with a debt to equity ratio of 0.01.
Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc (CMCL)
Caledonia Mining, another UK headquartered company, stands out with a robust dividend yield of approximately 3.2% , making it an attractive option for income-oriented investors. Operating primarily in Zimbabwe, the company has maintained strong financial performance, supported by its flagship Blanket Mine. Caledonia’s commitment to shareholder returns is evident in its consistent dividend payments, even as it invests in expansion projects like the Bilboes gold project.
The stock has an excellent PEG ratio of 0.88, with strong earning per share growth of 97.8%, on a 29.7% sales growth. Quarterly earnings growth year-over-year was an incredible 318%.
Gold Fields Ltd (GFI)
Gold Fields based in South Africa, one of the world’s largest unhedged gold producers, offers a semi-annual dividend with a yield of approximately 2.4% and a projected future dividend yield of 4.5%. The company’s diversified operations across South Africa, Ghana, and Australia provide a solid foundation for sustained performance. With a dividend payout ratio of 25.96%, Gold Fields demonstrates a conservative approach, ensuring ample reinvestment capacity while delivering shareholder value.
Earnings per share growth this year jumped 84%, on revenues of 13.4% growth year-over-year. This gives the shares an outstanding 0.76 PEG ratio. The trailing PE ratio is 17 with a forward PE of 8.
Conclusion
Dividend-paying gold mining stocks like AU, CGAU, CMCL, and GFI offer investors a unique combination of income and exposure to gold price movements. These companies’ commitment to regular dividend payments reflects their financial stability and operational efficiency. For investors seeking to diversify their portfolios with assets that can potentially hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty, while also providing income, these gold miners present compelling opportunities.
Disclosure: Author didn’t wn any of the above at the time the article was written.
Investing in stocks that are trading below their cash per share can present compelling opportunities, particularly for value-oriented investors. This situation arises when a company’s market capitalization is less than the total cash (or cash equivalents) it holds, divided by the number of shares outstanding. In effect, it means you are buying cash at a discount, potentially gaining access to additional assets — such as property, equipment, or intellectual property — for free.
One of the primary advantages of this type of investment is the built-in margin of safety. This concept, popularized by Benjamin Graham, suggests that when you’re paying less than a company’s net cash value, your downside is limited. Even if the business performs poorly or winds down operations, the liquidation value of its assets — particularly cash — may exceed the stock’s current market price, reducing the risk of a permanent loss.
Such companies also tend to attract activist investors who recognize the disparity between intrinsic and market value. These activists may push for actions like special dividends, share buybacks, or even the sale or liquidation of the company, all of which can unlock hidden value for shareholders. Similarly, businesses trading below cash per share can become attractive acquisition targets. A buyer may see an opportunity to extract immediate value by taking control of the cash and monetizing other assets or operations.
A strong cash position also offers optionality. Companies with excess cash can invest in new opportunities, navigate downturns without raising debt, or repurchase shares when they are undervalued. If managed wisely, these actions can significantly enhance long-term shareholder value.
Investors should note, however, that not every company trading below cash per share is a bargain. Sometimes, cash balances may not be as liquid or accessible as they appear — for instance, if they are held in overseas accounts subject to repatriation taxes. Moreover, a high cash position might be misleading if the company is rapidly burning through it due to poor operations or heavy losses. Poor management, regulatory issues, or the risk of delisting can also justify why the market has heavily discounted the stock.
There are several examples of biotechnology stocks that are trading below cash per share, such as Olema Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OLMA), which is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focusing on development and commercialization of targeted therapies for women’s cancers.
The company is debt free, trades at 84% of book value, and 82% of cash per share. The important factor you have to be aware of with biotechs is the burn rate, which in simple terms, relates to how long the company will last assuming losses will continue to eat away at the cash position, assuming no additional funding. In the case of Olema, it has $434 million in cash but losing about $129 million per year. This means that the company can hold out for about three and a third years, assuming all else remains equal.
One company in the industrial sector that trades below cash is NET Power, Inc. (NPWR). The company is a U.S.-based energy technology company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. The company is developing the NET Power Cycle, a proprietary natural gas power generation system that inherently captures carbon dioxide [CO₂] emissions. This technology aims to produce low-cost, clean, and reliable electricity while minimizing environmental impact.
The NET Power Cycle utilizes a highly recuperative oxy-combustion process, combining oxy-combustion and a supercritical CO₂ power cycle. This design enables the system to generate electricity while capturing CO₂ emissions, reducing air pollutants such as sulfur oxides [SOX], nitrogen oxides [NOX], and particulates. The company targets a range of customers, including electric utilities, oil and gas companies, midstream operators, technology firms, and industrial facilities, both domestically and internationally.
NET Power operates a demonstration facility in La Porte, Texas, which serves as a proof of concept for its technology.The company is also working on Project Permian and other development projects to expand its technology’s deployment.
The company has no debt and trades at a 25% discount to cash per share, and an incredible 20% of book value. As of May 16, 2025, NET Power’s market capitalization was approximately $370 million. The company has experienced significant stock price volatility, with a 52-week high of $14.28 and a 52-week low of $1.56.
Financially, NET Power reported a net loss of $157.12 million over the trailing twelve months, with revenue of $250,000. The company had $533 million in cash, cash equivalents, and investments as of the end of 2024, providing a solid financial foundation for ongoing development and deployment efforts.
NET Power’s major shareholders include Occidental Petroleum Corporation, which holds a 45.18% stake, and other investors such as Greenlight Capital.
One other stock trading below cash with a relatively small amount of debt is Green Dot Corp. (GDOT). The company is a financial technology and registered bank holding company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Founded in 1999 by Steve Streit, the company initially focused on providing prepaid debit cards for teenagers to shop online. Over time, Green Dot expanded its services to cater to the “unbanked” and “underbanked” populations, offering a range of financial products and services.
Today, Green Dot operates as a “branchless bank,” delivering banking and payment solutions through a cloud-based technology platform. The company offers various products, including prepaid MasterCard and Visa cards, mobile banking accounts, and secured credit cards. Green Dot’s services are available through a vast network of retail locations, online platforms, and partnerships with companies like Apple, Uber, Intuit, and Walmart.
One of Green Dot’s notable offerings is GO2bank, a digital and mobile bank account designed to provide simple, secure, and useful banking services, particularly for Americans living paycheck to paycheck. Additionally, the company operates the Green Dot Network, which includes over 90,000 retail distribution and cash access locations nationwide, enabling customers to deposit and withdraw funds conveniently.
Green Dot has also ventured into embedded finance through its platform, Arc by Green Dot, which combines the company’s banking and money processing capabilities to support businesses at various stages of growth. Furthermore, the company owns Santa Barbara Tax Products Group, a subsidiary that processes more than 14 million tax refunds annually.
The stock amazingly trades at only 28% of the cash per share, and 55% of book value per share. Although they lost 12 cents a share for the latest reported year, the estimated earnings for next year is $1.47 per share. Sales have grown by 19% year-over-year and by over 23% for the latest quarter versus the same quarter last year.
As of May 17, 2025, Green Dot’s stock price is $9.44 per share, with a market capitalization of approximately $500 million. The company employs around 1,200 people and continues to focus on expanding its digital banking services and partnerships to reach a broader customer base.
While rare, stocks selling below cash per share with little or no debt can signal a market overreaction or neglect, and these shares may rebound sharply when sentiment changes or fundamentals improve.
Disclosure: Author didn’t own any of the above shares at the time the article was written.
You should be looking at the technology metals, sometimes called minor metals, strategic materials, and critical materials. Don’t confuse them with Rare Earth Metals. These include such elements as Gallium, Germanium, Hafnium, Indium, and Rhenium, and are essential for:
Semiconductors,
Solar panels,
Aerospace components,
Telecommunications,
Batteries and energy storage.
Technology metals are a group of elements critical to modern, high-tech industries. They are essential for manufacturing advanced electronics, semiconductors, telecommunications equipment, renewable energy systems, and aerospace components. Unlike base metals (like copper or iron), technology metals are typically used in small quantities but enable key functions in cutting-edge devices, including smartphones, solar panels, electric vehicles, fiber optics, and jet engines. Their strategic importance stems from limited supply chains, specialized extraction, and the lack of viable substitutes in many applications.
Industrial Uses of Five Key Technology Metals
Gallium Gallium is primarily used in semiconductors, especially in the compound gallium arsenide (GaAs), which is essential for high-speed electronics, solar cells, and LEDs. It also plays a key role in 5G networks, radar systems, and satellite communications. Gallium is not mined directly—it is typically extracted as a byproduct of aluminum or zinc processing. Since Jan 2020 Gallium is up over 235%.
Germanium Germanium is crucial in fiber optics, infrared optics, and semiconductor technology. It’s used in photodetectors, thermal imaging devices, and solar panels (especially in space applications). Germanium is also added to alloys to improve conductivity and corrosion resistance. Like gallium, it’s a byproduct—mainly from zinc refining. Since Jan 2020 Germanium is up over 110%.
Hafnium Hafnium is used in nuclear reactors due to its ability to absorb neutrons without swelling or becoming brittle. It’s also vital in the aerospace industry, where it improves the heat resistance of superalloys used in jet engines and space vehicles. In microelectronics, hafnium oxide is used as a high-k dielectric material in advanced transistors, enabling smaller and faster computer chips. Since Jan 2020 Hafnium is up over 169%.
Indium Indium is best known for forming indium tin oxide (ITO), a transparent conductor used in touchscreens,LCDs, solar panels, and smartphone displays. It’s also used in low-melting solders and thermal interface materials. Indium is rare and primarily obtained as a byproduct of zinc mining, making its supply vulnerable to fluctuations in base metal markets. Since Jan 2020 Indium is up over 135%.
Rhenium Rhenium is a rare and heat-resistant metal used mainly in superalloys for jet engine turbines and rocket components, where it enhances strength at high temperatures. It’s also used in platinum-rhenium catalysts for refining high-octane gasoline. Due to its extremely high melting point and scarcity, rhenium is both strategic and expensive, often recycled from spent catalysts and alloy scrap. Since Jan 2020 Rhenium is up over 69%.
Technology Metals Stocks
There are several publicly traded companies involved in the mining and production of technology metals such as gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, and rhenium. While few companies focus exclusively on these metals, many extract them as byproducts of other mining operations or are expanding into these areas due to increasing demand.
Publicly Traded Companies Involved in Technology Metals
1. Rio Tinto (RIO)
Rio Tinto is a global mining giant that has recently ventured into gallium production. In collaboration with Indium Corporation, they successfully extracted their first primary gallium at Indium Corp’s R&D facility in New York. The project aims to scale up gallium production to pilot levels, with plans to produce up to 40 tonnes annually at their Quebec refinery, potentially contributing 5%-10% of the global supply.
The company has a $97.3 billion market cap, trades at 8.5 times trailing earnings, and a 6.72% forward dividend yield.
2. MTM Critical Metals (MTMCF)
An Australian company, MTM Critical Metals has achieved a breakthrough in recovering gallium and germanium from semiconductor industry waste. Their proprietary FJH technology has achieved recovery rates of approximately 90% for gallium and 80% for germanium, positioning them as a potential key player in sustainable sourcing of these critical materials.
3. MP Materials (MP)
MP Materials owns and operates the Mountain Pass mine, the only operating rare earth mine and processing facility in the United States. While their primary focus is on neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) used in magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines, their operations also yield other rare earth elements that are critical in various high-tech applications.
The company has a $3.8 billion market cap, and is currently generating negative earnings.
4. Teck Resources Ltd (TECK)
Teck Resources Ltd, traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbols TECK.A and TECK.B, and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol TECK, is a prominent Canadian resource company. The company stands as one of the world’s largest integrated producers of germanium. Teck Resources processes germanium-bearing concentrates at its fully integrated lead/zinc refinery situated in Trail, British Columbia. Through this established refining process, Teck Resources has solidified its position as a significant and primary producer of germanium within the global market.
The company has a $16.7 billion market cap, a very high price to earnings ratio of 675, and a forward dividend yield of 1.03%.
5. Tronox Holdings plc (TROX)
Tronox Holdings plc, traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker TROX, is a leading global producer of high-quality titanium products, which includes titanium dioxide pigment, specialty-grade titanium dioxide products, high-purity titanium chemicals, and notably, zircon. Tronox engages in the mining of titanium-bearing mineral sands and operates upgrading facilities to produce various high-grade materials. The company reports a substantial zircon production capacity of 117,000 metric tons per year from its operations located in Australia. Similar to Iluka Resources, Tronox’s significant production of zircon establishes it as a primary miner of hafnium, given the consistent association of hafnium with zircon within mineral sands deposits. The company has a market cap of $775 million, is generating negative earnings, and has a forward dividend yield of 9.42%.
6. Adex Mining Inc. (ADXDF)
Adex Mining Inc, traded on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V) under the symbol ADE and over the counter [OTC] as ADXDF, is a mining exploration company actively engaged in the development of its Mount Pleasant Mine property located in Canada. The Mount Pleasant deposit is recognized as “North America’s largest tin deposit and the world’s largest reserve of indium”. While Adex Mining’s exploration activities target tin, zinc, molybdenum, and tungsten in addition to indium, the sheer scale of the indium reserves at its flagship project strongly suggests a primary focus on the potential mining of this technology metal, although the project is currently in the exploration and development phase. This is a $4.9 million micro cap, micro penny stock.
7. Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NAK)
Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol NDM and on the NYSE American under the symbol NAK, is a mineral exploration and development company primarily focused on the Pebble Project in Alaska. The Pebble deposit is reported to contain a significant resource of rhenium, in addition to substantial quantities of copper, gold, molybdenum, and silver. In fact, the Pebble Project has been described as hosting the world’s most significant rhenium resource. While the Pebble Project is currently in the development phase and is subject to regulatory processes, the immense rhenium resource it holds positions Northern Dynasty Minerals as a potential primary miner of rhenium in the future, should the project proceed to operation. The company has a $568 million market cap and is currently generating negative earnings.
If you are looking for an ETF, VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF (REMX) is an ETF that provides exposure to companies involved in producing, refining, and recycling rare earth and strategic metals globally.
Technology metals are a high-potential but niche investment category, driven by growing demand from semiconductors, clean energy, and aerospace, yet constrained by limited supply and geopolitical risk. This industry is well worth taking a closer look.
As graduation approaches, many families face one of the biggest decisions of a young person’s life: Should I go to college? For decades, the answer was automatic—college was seen as the surest path to success. But with rising tuition costs, student debt, and alternative career paths gaining traction, students and parents alike are asking a new question: Is a college degree really worth the investment?
Here’s a balanced look at the advantages and disadvantages of getting a college degree, tailored for families weighing both the personal and financial implications.
Advantages of a College Degree
1. Better Job Prospects and Earning Potential College graduates tend to earn more over their lifetimes. Many well-paying professions—like engineering, medicine, law, and finance—require a degree to even get in the door. A degree can also open up more stable, long-term career paths with benefits like healthcare and retirement plans.
2. Professional and Personal Growth College isn’t just about lectures and exams. It helps students develop critical thinking, communication, and time-management skills. Living away from home can also foster independence, resilience, and social maturity.
3. Networking Opportunities College campuses are full of future colleagues, business partners, mentors, and job leads. Professors, alumni networks, and internship programs often become valuable stepping stones into competitive industries.
4. Access to Careers That Require a Degree Some jobs—especially in education, healthcare, and science—legally or practically require a college education. Without a degree, these paths are not accessible.
Disadvantages of a College Degree
1. High Costs and Student Debt Tuition, housing, books, and fees can add up to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many students graduate with significant debt that takes years—or even decades—to repay. For parents, college can mean dipping into retirement savings or taking on loans themselves.
2. Not Always Necessary for Success Tech, trades, arts, and entrepreneurship often reward skills, experience, and creativity more than diplomas. Self-taught developers, digital marketers, electricians, and business founders have all built successful careers without a degree.
3. Delayed Entry into the Workforce Spending four or more years in college means delaying full-time employment and income. Meanwhile, others may start apprenticeships, gain hands-on experience, or launch businesses straight out of high school.
4. Mismatch Between Degree and Job Market A college degree doesn’t guarantee a job. Some graduates find themselves underemployed or working in fields unrelated to their majors. The job market favors candidates with relevant skills and experience—sometimes more than formal education.
Questions Families Should Ask
What is the student passionate about, and does that path require a degree?
Is there a clear return on investment (ROI) for the school and major being considered?
Are there lower-cost options—like community college, state schools, or scholarships?
Could internships, certifications, or trade programs offer a faster, cheaper path?
So can you really become successful without a college degree? Look at Steve Jobs, who dropped out of Reed College and became the co-founder and former CEO of Apple (AAPL). Then there is Bill Gates, who co-ounded Microsoft (MSFT). He dropped out of Harvard. Kevin Murphy started as a front-service clerk at Publix in 1984 and became CEO in 2024. Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, left school at 16 (SPCE).
Here’s a list of notable founders and CEOs of large publicly traded companies who either did not attend or did not complete college. Despite lacking a degree, they went on to lead or found some of the most influential companies in the world:
Tech and Internet
Name
Company
Role
Education Status
Steve Jobs
Apple
Co-founder, former CEO
Dropped out of Reed College
Bill Gates
Microsoft
Co-founder
Dropped out of Harvard
Mark Zuckerberg
Meta (Facebook)
Co-founder, CEO
Dropped out of Harvard
Michael Dell
Dell Technologies
Founder, CEO
Dropped out of University of Texas
Larry Ellison
Oracle
Co-founder, former CEO
Dropped out of University of Illinois and University of Chicago
Evan Williams
Twitter (now X Corp.)
Co-founder, former CEO
Dropped out of University of Nebraska
Daniel Ek
Spotify
Co-founder, CEO
Dropped out of KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden)
Retail and Consumer
Name
Company
Role
Education Status
Richard Schulze
Best Buy
Founder
Dropped out of college
Amancio Ortega
Inditext (Zara)
Founder, former chairman
No formal higher education
Do Won Chang
Forever 21
Co-founder
No college education
Industry and Other Sectors
Name
Company
Role
Education Status
Howard Hughes
Hughes Aircraft, aviation and media mogul
Founder
Dropped out of Rice University
Travis Kalanick
Uber
Co-founder, former CEO
Dropped out of UCLA
Industry Trends
The trend of valuing skills and experience over formal education is gaining traction. Companies like IBM, Google, GM, and Apple have moved away from requiring degrees for certain positions. Initiatives like Peter Thiel’s fellowship program offer $100,000 grants to young entrepreneurs who choose to skip or leave college to pursue business ventures.
Final Thoughts
College can be a powerful investment in a student’s future—but it’s not the only one. It’s essential for students and parents to look beyond tradition and emotion, and weigh the financial and personal implications carefully. Success doesn’t always come with a diploma—it comes with purpose, effort, and choosing the path that fits best.
One thing to keep in mind. Although the above business leaders never received a college degree (excluding honorary degrees), many of them did attend college, and a few of them met their friends there who became co-founders of their company. So another consideration is trying college for a while without being concerned about finishing or getting that degree.
Disclosure: Author may own shares in the above described companies.
