AMRK vs COIN vs RGLD vs MARA

For growth investors, Royal Gold, Inc.

(RGLD) is the stronger pick with 44. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 9. 4% for Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN). Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) offers the better valuation at 34. 8x trailing P/E (19. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. (AMRK) a "Buy" — based on 4 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, Royal Gold, Inc.

(RGLD) is the cheapest at 34. 8x versus A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. at 65. 8x. On forward P/E, A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. is actually cheaper at 19. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Coinbase Global, Inc. wins at 1. 31x versus Royal Gold, Inc. 's 2. 51x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.

(AMRK) delivered a total return of +165. 3%, compared to -59. 5% for Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (MARA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMRK returned +397. 5% versus MARA's -51. 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), Royal Gold, Inc.

(RGLD) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 63β versus Coinbase Global, Inc. 's 3. 17β — meaning COIN is approximately 405% more volatile than RGLD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 13% versus 129% for A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Royal Gold, Inc.

(RGLD) is pulling ahead at 44. 6% versus 9. 4% for Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Royal Gold, Inc. grew EPS 32. 5% year-over-year, compared to -314. 5% for Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc.. 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.

Royal Gold, Inc.

(RGLD) is the more profitable company, earning 45. 2% net margin versus -144. 6% for Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 45. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RGLD leads at 64. 5% versus -90. 6% for MARA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — COIN leads at 74. 6%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 31x versus Royal Gold, Inc. 's 2. 51x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. (AMRK) trades at 19. 5x forward P/E versus 66. 1x for Coinbase Global, Inc. — 46. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for RGLD: 31. 0% to $304. 80.

In this comparison, AMRK (1.

6% yield), RGLD (0. 7% yield) pay a dividend. COIN, MARA do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Royal Gold, Inc.

(RGLD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 63), 0. 7% yield, +337. 6% 10Y return). Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (MARA) carries a higher beta of 3. 11 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (RGLD: +337. 6%, MARA: -51. 6%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (AMRK (Financial Services) and COIN (Financial Services) and RGLD (Basic Materials) and MARA (Financial Services)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: AMRK is a small-cap quality compounder stock; COIN is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; RGLD is a mid-cap high-growth stock; MARA is a small-cap high-growth stock. AMRK, RGLD pay a dividend while COIN, MARA do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.