Royal Gold Strikes It Rich With Shrewd Bets

Everyone knows the myth about Midas, whose greed for gold became his downfall. Perhaps if he had found a way to make money from gold without owning it, his story would have had a happy ending.

If Midas were a modern-day investor, he would be wise to put his money in Royal Gold (RGLD Quote), which profits from royalties on precious metals.

Royal Gold leaves metal exploration and management to mining companies. The company pays mine operators upfront and collects a percentage of the metal produced. It's shielded from the operational costs, making it a lower-risk investment than mining stocks. ...