Top Materials Stocks of 2012: Agnico-Eagle Mines (No. 5)

Agnico-Eagle Mines is up nearly 50% year to date after a strong third quarter. While the company does explore for and mine silver, zinc, and copper, gold is really the core of its business. Despite silver, zinc, and copper prices selling below their 2011 levels, gold has seen its price rise over the course of 2012 which has really helped drive AEM's earnings. In this video, Motley Fool materials analyst Taylor Muckerman discusses what projects this company has coming up in the next couple of years, and why it might be a pricey stock to buy into at the moment compared to some of its peers.

One of those peers is Goldcorp, a leading player in the gold mining market. For the last several years, investors have been the beneficiaries of several successful acquisitions and strong organic growth. Goldcorp's low-cost production of one of the most sought-after metals in the world continues to make them an attractive choice for long-term investors. Click here for our detailed report to discover more about this mining specialist.

The article Top Materials Stocks of 2012: Agnico-Eagle Mines (No. 5) originally appeared on Fool.com.

Joel South has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. Taylor Muckerman has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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