Gold’s price climbed above $2,000 last year. But since, the shiny metal has lost some luster. It’s pulled back a bit in the short-term and this presents some better buying opportunities for the top gold stocks. When gold prices return to climbing higher, it could be good to have a few of them in your portfolio.

That’s why I’ve put together the following list of gold stocks. It includes gold mining companies by market cap. This is a great starting point to find high risk-to-reward investment opportunities. And below the list, I’ll show you how to invest in these companies.

Before we dive into the list of stocks, you might also find this free investment calculator useful. You can use it to forecast how your gold investments might grow. Or you can even use it for your full retirement portfolio.

Top Gold Stocks List to Watch

*Stock data from March 17, 2021

Gold Mining Company Highlights

There are a few standout companies on this list. Here are some company highlights:

Barrick Gold produced more than 5.4 million ounces of gold in 2019. It’s one of the largest gold mining companies in the world. On top of that, it also produced 432 million pounds of copper. Both of these numbers were near the top end of estimates. Barrick is firing on all cylinders and profits should climb with gold prices.

Kirkland Lake produced close to one million ounces of gold in 2019. The gold production came from operations in Canada and Australia. And Kirkland also focuses on producing healthy cash flow and a strong balance sheet. As of September 30, 2019, the company had a cash balance of $615 million and no debt. That’s not common in the mining industry.

Royal Gold has interests located in some of the world’s most prolific gold regions. It has major operations in the Dominican Republic, Chile, Mexico and Canada. This diversification helps mitigate some of the geo-specific and political risk.

Yamana Gold is based in Canada but operates throughout the Americas. It’s getting close to producing one million ounces of gold in a year. And on top of that, it mines for silver and copper. The company projected production of 10 million ounces of silver and over 60 million pounds of copper in 2019. This helps diversify its revenue streams.

How to Invest in Gold Stocks

Investing in gold stocks has never been easier or more cost-effective. You can set up an account with an online broker such as Robinhood or Schwab. It’s an easy process that’s similar to setting up a bank account. Then once you’ve verified your account and put some money into it, you can start investing.

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And if you’re looking for lower-priced stocks, check out our Top Penny Stocks List. There’s generally more risk with these companies, but the potential reward is higher as well.