The Simple Reason I Won't Buy Wheaton Precious Metals Stock
Gold stocks come in two flavors: traditional mining companies and streaming companies.
The former group includes the likes of Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL) and Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX). They conjure up images you might expect from a mining operation -- buying vast pieces of land, moving many metric tons of earth around with heavy machinery, and extracting precious metals by the ounce. It's expensive, heavily regulated, at the mercy of volatile prices, and risky.
The latter group includes the likes of Royal Gold (NASDAQ: RGLD) and Wheaton Precious Metals (NYSE: WPM). They operate a bit differently from their mining peers because they don't move so much as a bucket of dirt. Instead, they purchase rights to purchase future production from mining companies. It de-risks mining, smooths out capital requirements for large developmental projects, and, if done correctly, can lock in favorable prices for streamers for long periods of time. The business model is inherently less risky and much higher margin than mining.
Source: Fool.com