SSRM vs HL

For growth investors, SSR Mining Inc.

(SSRM) is the stronger pick with 66. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 53. 0% for Hecla Mining Company (HL). SSR Mining Inc. (SSRM) offers the better valuation at 17. 6x trailing P/E (7. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SSR Mining Inc. (SSRM) a "Buy" — based on 11 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, SSR Mining Inc.

(SSRM) is the cheapest at 17. 6x versus Hecla Mining Company at 37. 0x. On forward P/E, SSR Mining Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 8x.

Over the past 5 years, Hecla Mining Company (HL) delivered a total return of +150.

8%, compared to +91. 9% for SSR Mining Inc. (SSRM). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HL returned +327. 7% versus SSRM's +267. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), SSR Mining Inc.

(SSRM) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 10β versus Hecla Mining Company's 1. 26β — meaning HL is approximately 14% more volatile than SSRM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, SSR Mining Inc. (SSRM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 12% for Hecla Mining Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), SSR Mining Inc.

(SSRM) is pulling ahead at 66. 5% versus 53. 0% for Hecla Mining Company (HL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Hecla Mining Company grew EPS 765. 7% year-over-year, compared to 243. 4% for SSR Mining Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, HL leads at 25. 6% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

SSR Mining Inc.

(SSRM) is the more profitable company, earning 24. 3% net margin versus 22. 6% for Hecla Mining Company — meaning it keeps 24. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HL leads at 37. 5% versus 28. 9% for SSRM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HL leads at 41. 1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, SSR Mining Inc.

(SSRM) trades at 7. 8x forward P/E versus 19. 1x for Hecla Mining Company — 11. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HL: 31. 3% to $23. 83.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, SSR Mining Inc.

(SSRM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 10), +267. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SSRM: +267. 6%, HL: +327. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Basic Materials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.