Two picks for precious metals gains

Article Excerpt

HECLA MINING COMPANY $6.28 (New York symbol HL; SI Rating: Extra Risk) (208-769-4100; www.hecla-mining.com; Shares outstanding: 236.5 million; Market cap: $1.5 billion) explores for, mines and processes silver and gold in the U.S. and Mexico. In 2008, the company paid Rio Tinto plc $750 million for the 70.3% stake in the Greens Creek mine in Alaska that it didn’t already own. Greens Creek is the fifth-largest silver mine in the world. Hecla expects to produce between 10.5 million and 11 million ounces of silver this year. This will mostly come from the Greens Creek mine and Hecla’s 100%-owned Lucky Friday mine in Idaho. In the three months ended September 30, 2009, Hecla’s revenue rose 39.0%, to $95.2 million from $68.5 million a year earlier. Higher silver production and lower costs were the main reasons for the gain. The company earned $0.10 a share, compared to a loss of $0.05. Analysts were expecting break-even earnings on revenue of $68.7 million. Hecla’s total debt is $43.6…