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While traditional sources of fuel spark environmentalists’ concerns about climate change and the impact on the environment, politicians around the world are focused on investigating alternative sources of energy. One option that’s growing in popularity is uranium, a highly unstable element used to generate energy in nuclear power plants. Investors need to understand the ins and outs of uranium stocks.
Companies that engage in uranium storage, discovery, control and operations have seen steady increases in value throughout 2020 and 2021 as safe nuclear technology continues to develop. Learn more about uranium stocks in this guide.
Quick Look at the Best Uranium Stocks:
- Uranium Energy Corp
- Cameco Corporation
- UR-Energy Incorporated
- Denison Mines Corp
- Energy Fuels Inc.
Contents
- Quick Look at the Best Uranium Stocks:
- Overview
- Best Online Brokers for Uranium Stocks
- Features to Look for in Uranium Stocks
- Investing in the Uranium Sphere
Overview
Uranium is a naturally occurring nonrenewable resource. Unlike other nonrenewable resources (like coal and fossil fuels) the Earth has a significantly larger amount of uranium reserves that have yet to be tapped, which means that uranium can be used as a fuel source for much longer when compared to fossil fuels.
Uranium is used to power the process of nuclear fission. During nuclear fission, an unstable uranium atom is split in half, which releases a large amount of energy. Clean burning and effective, it takes only a small amount of uranium to create a large amount of power. A single kilogram of uranium-235 (the most popular fissile isotope of uranium) can theoretically produce the same amount of power as 1.5 million kilograms of coal.
Nuclear fission also doesn’t produce the same byproducts that harm the ozone layer as the burning of fossil fuels. The “clouds” seen coming out of nuclear power plants are simply water vapor produced as an excess of the fusion process.
When you ask people about their opinion on nuclear energy, you’re likely to hear concerns over disasters like Chernobyl or Three-Mile Island, both of which were major nuclear reactor meltdowns. While these disasters have caused major health and environmental damage, nuclear meltdowns are exceedingly rare. According to research by the World Health Organization, about 7 million people die each year from the polluting effects of fossil fuels when compared to an average of 4,000 total deaths due to radiation poisoning.
As sentiment surrounding nuclear energy begins to shift, uranium mining companies and operations are exploring safer and more effective nuclear power. Publicly traded uranium companies may work on the mining or operations side of the nuclear research field. Some companies also focus on safety protocols and other rare earth metal extractions.
Best Online Brokers for Uranium Stocks
No matter if you’re searching for stocks under $10 suitable for day trading or you’re looking for rare metal stocks under $20 that you hope to hold in your portfolio long-term, the first step to investing in the stock market is opening an account with a broker. A stockbroker is a financial service company authorized to buy and sell stocks on behalf of retail investors.
After opening an account with a stockbroker, your broker will provide you with a trading platform that you can use to place orders to buy and sell assets. There are dozens of brokers operating around the world, and the best broker may vary depending on your trading skill level and needs.
Some of the factors you might want to consider when you select a broker may include:
- Market availability
- Trading fees and commissions
- Local availability
- Platform setup and additional educational tools
Not sure where to begin your search? Consider starting with a few of our favorite brokers below.
Features to Look for in Uranium Stocks
- Location diversification: There are thousands of pockets of uranium scattered across the world. When searching for a uranium company to invest in, you may want to look for a company with a portfolio of diversified mining or processing operations. This helps ensure that a minor accident or shutdown won’t bankrupt the company.
- Earnings per share data: When comparing profits, look for a company’s earnings per share (EPS) data instead of its total overall earnings. EPS is equal to net earnings minus dividends divided by the total number of outstanding shares. A company’s EPS can give you a more in-depth look at its profitability or its progress working toward getting out of debt. Look for companies that increase their average EPS each year — even if this value is consistently in the negative.
- Mining diversification: If you’re interested in adding a layer of diversification to your portfolio, consider investing in companies that expand mining operations beyond uranium. From gold to cobalt, many companies developing technology to mine and process uranium are also involved in additional metal markets.
Investing in the Uranium Sphere
If you do decide to invest in individual uranium stocks, be sure to add these investments to a fully diversified portfolio of ETFs and mutual funds. Though the uranium industry has seen a new surge of interest, it’s important to note that prices may decline at any time. Never invest more money than you can afford to lose in a single company.
Read also: BEST COBALT STOCKS
The post Best Uranium Stocks by Sarah Horvath appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.