U.S. Global Investors (NASDAQ:GROW) said it has maintained a strong shareholder yield, more than double the yield on the 10-year US Treasury bond at the end of 2024.
Despite a decrease in assets under management (AUM) to $1.5 billion from $2.1 billion at the same time last year, the company maintained a robust 10% shareholder yield in Q4 2024.
U.S. Global Investors launched its fourth thematic exchange-traded fund (ETF), the U.S. Global Technology and Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE: WAR), at the end of December 2024. The ETF is the company’s first actively managed fund and provides exposure to companies involved in defense manufacturing, electronic warfare, semiconductors, cybersecurity, and data centers.
“WAR is all about defense, protection and security,” said Frank Holmes, the company’s CEO and chief investment officer.
“In today’s technologically advanced world, artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers are as crucial to protecting borders and defending against bad actors across the globe as mechanization was at the turn of the last century.”
Holmes also noted that the company’s U.S. Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF (NYSE: GOAU) performed well in the fourth quarter and full year 2024. “With tariff concerns persisting into the unforeseeable future, we have high hopes that GOAU will continue to spark interest from investors,” he added.
Gold hit 40 record-high prices during 2024 and ended January 2025 at all-time highs in major currencies, including the U.S. dollar, euro, Japanese yen, and British pound sterling.
“It appears that investors are seeking a safe haven to some of the uncertainties in global markets and the economy right now—most notably the potential for a broad-based trade war,” Holmes said. “Tariffs are inflationary, and gold has historically done well when inflation fears were elevated.”
The company reported its Q4 financial results that showed it ending the quarter with $38 million in net working capital and $26 million in cash and cash equivalents.
Although the firm reported a net loss of $86,000, or $0.01 per share, for the quarter ending December 31, 2024, the company’s operating revenues were $2.2 million.
U.S. Global Investors repurchased 807,761 shares in 2024 at a net cost of $2.1 million, marking a 19% increase over the prior year’s buybacks.
The company will host a webcast on February 13 at 7:30AM CT to discuss the key highlights and financial results for the quarter.