What happened Uranium Energy (NYSEMKT: UEC) describes itself as a U.S.-based uranium mining and exploration company. In a market where uranium prices are soaring, and expected to go up another 67% over the next three years, that sounds like a good business to be in. But Uranium Energy stock is going down today, falling 9.8% through 10:50 a.m. EDT. Why is that? Image source: Getty Images. So what The problem, it seems, is that Uranium Energy's business is supposed to be mining uranium and selling it at the high prices noted above. But lately, Uranium Energy has been doing a whole lot more buying of uranium than mining and selling the stuff. Last month, Uranium Energy announced plans to acquire some 1.2 million pounds of U3O8 "yellowcake" uranium oxide. Today, the company said it has contracted to buy 705,000 more pounds of the stuff. Combined with other contracts recently announced, the company says it's now positioned to acquire more than 2.1 million pounds of U3O8 for an average price of $30 per pound. Now what To help finance these massive purchases of uranium, Uranium Energy also announced today that it is selling another 3.6 million shares of stock for $3.30 apiece. On the one hand, that's a share price 7% below where Uranium Energy stock closed yesterday -- one good reason for the stock to sell off. A second reason though, I suspect, is that investors may be wondering why this uranium "miner" is spending so much of its time and energy buying uranium instead of digging up its own and selling it. That's a good question to ask. 10 stocks we like better than Uranium EnergyWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Uranium Energy wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 24, 2021 Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Source