Crocs Inc. (NASDAQ:CROX) up 17% since Wednesday and Yamana Gold (NYSE:AUY) is up 5.5%. This market is all about timing these days, I love it when a plan comes together.

We’ve talked these stocks up enough at theStockmasters.com and you could argue they are horrible stocks. At times they are, and at times they are wonderful.

With so much against the stock market, it really comes down to one simple equation:

IF Recession THEN Gold ELSE Cash

If you haven’t read it already, do so, there are some good Gold names in it. Crocs is one of the worst investments we’ve seen this year, and it will continue to be flip flopping like a Presidential candidate.

Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Jeff Mintz said after checking on retail outlets that carry Crocs (nasdaq: CROX), including Dick’s Sporting Goods ( nyse: DKS), Journey’s and Macy’s (nyse: M) stores, it appears sales growth has slowed, but markdowns are below most other brands and consistent with first quarter guidance.

He said business is “substantially” better than the share price suggests. Shares have fallen 53 percent since the beginning of 2008.

However as you know the short interest is out of control in Crocs, playing this stock is all about taking the gains when you get them, should they be short or long positions.

Mintz acknowledged Crocs has high inventory levels – during the fourth quarter, inventory jumped 27 percent sequentially – but said the risk is factored into the share price.

“While we acknowledge investor concern with the company’s high inventory levels, we remain comfortable with them as the company looks to support sales levels going into the seasonally strong Spring and Summer and its rapidly growing international business,” Mintz wrote.

He reiterated his “Strong Buy” and $44 price target on the company.

Moving onto Gold, A-Team Style!! Thanks to NewRatings.com

Today Analysts at UBS upgraded Yamana Gold (AUY) from “neutral” to “buy,” while revising their estimates for the company. The 12-month target price has been reduced from C$19.50 to C$19.00.

In a research note published this morning, the analysts mention that Yamana Gold’s stock has underperformed the gold group in the recent past, following the company’s weaker-than-expected 4Q results. There are market worries regarding Yamana Gold’s additional acquisitions, earnings dilution from the recent takeovers and the company’s ability to cut costs, the analysts say. The EPS estimate for 2008 has been reduced from $0.68 to $0.66. The EPS estimate for 2009 has been raised from $0.92 to $0.99.

AUY is moving today thanks to the upgrade and the price of Gold moving on up.

Gold prices rallied today on the back of a surge in crude oil. Tack on US job losses exceeded expectations last month and unemployment rose for the third month running to a new three-year high of 5.1%. Gold is volatile right now, no sugar coating that, but against the dollar it’s not such a bad hedge for your precious savings.

Have a great weekend Masters, it’s Miller Time!

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