SPDR Gold Shares (GLD.US) Stock Analysis & Winston Score

SPDR Gold Shares is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that lets everyday investors own a piece of physical gold without having to store gold bars themselves. Each share represents a fraction of an ounce of gold held in secure vaults. It is one of the largest gold-backed ETFs in the world, managed by State Street Global Advisors. The fund makes money by charging a small annual fee — called an expense ratio — of 0.40% of assets, deducted from the gold holdings over time. It trades on the New York Stock Exchange and holds gold in vaults primarily in London, with oversight from HSBC. Because it tracks the price of gold directly, its main appeal is as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty, but its biggest risk is simply that gold prices can fall sharply, dragging the fund's value down with them.