Cryptocurrencies’ volatility in 2024 pushed cautious investors toward hard assets; "value investing books" highlight gold miners trading at low P/E multiples as a hedge with income potential. The ETF return is roughly 6.9% so far this year and is up roughly 11.49% in the last one year (as of 10/03/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $97.97 and $132.13. The author or authors do not own shares in any securities mentioned in this article. Corporate cash reserves in the U.S. hit $6.1T this quarter; "value investing books" define high cash-to-market cap ratios as signals for aggressive M&A or special dividends, both value-enhancing catalysts.