CGAU's Shares Hit Fresh 52-Week High: What's Driving the Stock?

Centerra Gold, Inc.’s CGAU shares hit a fresh 52-week high of $16.44 yesterday, before retracing slightly to close the session at $15.96.

CGAU has shot up 173.3% over the past year. The company has also outperformed the Zacks Mining-Gold industry’s 157% rise over the same time frame. Its rally has been driven primarily by higher gold prices, which have boosted margins, while steady production and better cost control have strengthened earnings visibility. 

Let’s take a look at the factors that are driving CGAU stock. 

CGAU Boosted by Strong Q3 and Expansion Plans

Centerra Gold delivered a strong third-quarter performance, with revenues of $395.2 million, up 22% year over year, supported by higher prices of $3,178 per ounce for gold and $3.73 per pound for copper. The company produced 81,773 ounces of gold and 13.4 million pounds of copper, with stable operations, improved ore grades at Öksüt and effective plant management at Mount Milligan driving performance.  

The company advanced several strategic growth initiatives. In September 2025, Centerra filed a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for Mount Milligan, confirming a life-of-mine extension to 2045, a significant increase in mineral reserves, and planned throughput enhancements through plant upgrades and permitting activities extending into 2026–2027. In Nevada, the Goldfield project progressed with a technical study in August 2025, demonstrating strong economics and potential as a future production contributor. 

On the development front, Centerra is moving ahead with the restart of the Thompson Creek mine and the Langeloth facility, with a feasibility-driven plan approved and ramp-up activities underway, targeting first production in the second half of 2027. Additionally, the company strengthened its exploration portfolio through a strategic equity investment in Midland Exploration in July 2025, supporting early-stage resource development and long-term growth potential. 

CGAU’s Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks

CGAU currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). 

Other top-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space include Royal Gold Inc. RGLD, DPM Metals Inc. DPMLF and Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited HMY. 

At present, RGLD and DPMLF sport a Zacks Rank #1, while HMY carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RGLD’s current fiscal-year earnings is pinned at $8.04 per share, indicating a 53% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters while missing once, with the average surprise being 4%. Its shares have popped around 83.6% over the past year. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DPMLF’s current-year earnings stands at $2.27 per share, implying a 76% year-over-year increase. Its earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average earnings surprise being 13%. DPMLF’s shares have rallied roughly 127.2% over the past year. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HMY’s current-year earnings is pegged at $2.68 per share, indicating a year-over-year rise of 111.02%. HMY’s shares have gained 129.2% over the past year. 

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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