News & Views

News & Views

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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Waiting for Sebastian (Oct 2018)

We discuss the current investment environment by drawing parallels to the Portuguese myth based on the belief that King Sebastian will return to save Portugal. This seemingly captures the way most people feel about value investing by sneering at unpopular, but value-laden, tangible assets. We believe that what others condescendingly snub as “cigar butts” may turn out to be, figuratively, valuable ‘Cubans’, wrapper intact.

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Master and Servant (Jun 2018)

We discuss the dangers and opportunities created investors allow independent thought and judgment to be subordinated by the dominant theories of the day; to prescriptive economic theories; to formulaic investment models; and especially to price insensitive investment approaches. Why Kopernik prefers independent thought to dependency and judgement to data. We discuss why the future looks bright for active investing, for value investing, and for idiosyncratic investing.

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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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Kopernik Perspective: Uranium (Feb 2017)

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

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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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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.

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Kopernik Global Investors Call: Investment Implications – Russia/Ukraine Conflict

Update on Russia/Ukraine Exposures (as of August 2, 2022)

Thoughts on the Ukrainian Situation (as of February 24, 2022)

David Iben, CIO & Lead Portfolio Manager and Alissa Corcoran, Deputy CIO & Director of Research discuss the investment implications of the Russia/Ukraine conflict. 

Presentation: Investment Implications – Russia/Ukraine Conflict Presentation

Video Replay: Kopernik Global Investors | Investment Implications - Russia/Ukraine Conflict (Vimeo)

Transcript: Edited Transcript of Investment Implications - Russia/Ukraine Conflict

Note, the discussion took place on Friday, February 25, 2022 at 11 am ET. We continue to monitor developments related to the Russia/Ukraine Conflict.

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Institutional Investor Interview with Dave Iben: Opportunities in Eastern Europe - July 1, 2022

Recently, Kopernik CIO Dave Iben spoke with Institutional Investor for a deep dive on the importance of investing in emerging markets—including Ukraine and Russia—and discussed where exactly to find opportunities in Eastern Europe. Read Dave’s full interview here.

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Financial Times Story featuring Dave Iben - Contrarian fund manager cautions against writing off Russia assets - April 10, 2022

Kopernik's CIO Dave Iben spoke to the Financial Times about why Russian assets still hold value, even in the wake of the war with Ukraine. Read the full feature on the Financial Times website here (Requires login)

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BNN TV - Featuring Alissa Corcoran - April 27, 2022

Kopernik Deputy CIO Alissa Corcoran appeared on BNN Bloomberg to provide a rundown of investment opportunities in emerging markets and explain how Kopernik evaluates geopolitical risk. You can watch the interview here.

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The Antidote to Correlation Webinar - Managing Geopolitical Risk in a Global Portfolio - April 7, 2022

On April 7, 2022, Kopernik Global Investors had a discussion on managing geopolitical risk in a global portfolio, apropos current events. It is Kopernik’s belief that today’s world almost requires that a considerable part of portfolios be allocated to emerging markets to provide refuge from the perils of significant overvaluations and protection from the inflation-driven erosion of purchasing power. Yet, there are many challenges when it comes to investing in developing countries. In this webinar, we discussed how Kopernik appraises and manages a portfolio of businesses in the various parts of the world.

Speakers: Alissa Corcoran, Deputy CIO, Director of Research, Analyst and Todd Tosti, Industrials Analyst

Hosted by: David Iben, Chief Investment Officer and Lead Portfolio Manager

Replay: Please use the webinar registration to view a video replay

Presentation: Managing Geopolitical Risk in a Global Portfolio Webinar Presentation

Transcript: Edited Transcript of Managing Geopolitical Risk in a Global Portfolio Webinar

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Bloomberg TV - Featuring Alissa Corcoran - December 7, 2021

Kopernik's Deputy CIO Alissa Corcoran appeared on Bloomberg TV to discuss why Kopernik believes precious metal mining companies present an attractive investment opportunity. Watch the full segment here.

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