Bernstein Says Buy the Dip in Bitcoin Mining Stocks Ahead of BTC Price ‘Inflection’

Bitcoin (BTC) mining stocks have underperformed in recent weeks, but any weakness in the near term represents a potential buying opportunity, broker Bernstein said in a research report on Monday,

The mining stocks are facing two headwinds following the approval of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). First is “lower investor appetite to use them as a proxy,” and second is a weaker BTC price, resulting in further underperformance, the report said.

The Valkyrie Bitcoin Miners ETF (WGMI), which invests in publicly traded bitcoin mining stocks, fell nearly 38% this year, while the bitcoin price and broader equity markets were more or less flat.

However, this underperformance might provide a window for investors looking for an opportunity to buy into mining stocks.

“Just like bitcoin, the next two months offer a dip buying opportunity in bitcoin miners,” as the stocks will offer “higher beta trade” to the next bitcoin price inflection, analysts Gautam Chhugani and Mahika Sapra wrote.

There may be a further temporary weakness in bitcoin, with a potential short-term bottom in the $38,000-$42,000 range for the world’s largest cryptocurrency, the report said. Still, investors should be “structurally long” ahead of the next halving event, expected in April.

In a separate note on Wednesday, Bernstein reiterated its bullish call on the miners.

The broker recommends “achieving bitcoin exposure via bitcoin miners that offer a higher-beta than bitcoin driven by EBITDA expansion and market multiple growth into the bull cycle.”

Bernstein says it prefers outperform rated stocks Riot Platforms (RIOT) and CleanSpark (CLSK).

Read more: Bitcoin Miner CleanSpark Cut to Neutral, Riot Platforms Upgraded to Neutral: JPMorgan