IAUX vs CAT vs DE vs EXK

For growth investors, i-80 Gold Corp.

(IAUX) is the stronger pick with 77. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 2% for Deere & Company (DE). Deere & Company (DE) offers the better valuation at 31. 4x trailing P/E (32. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate i-80 Gold Corp. (IAUX) a "Buy" — based on 3 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, Deere & Company (DE) is the cheapest at 31.

4x versus Caterpillar Inc. at 47. 6x. On forward P/E, Endeavour Silver Corp. is actually cheaper at 14. 3x — 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: Caterpillar Inc. wins at 1. 38x versus Deere & Company's 1. 99x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Caterpillar Inc.

(CAT) delivered a total return of +282. 5%, compared to -27. 1% for i-80 Gold Corp. (IAUX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CAT returned +1228% versus IAUX's -28. 4%. 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), Deere & Company (DE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

56β versus Endeavour Silver Corp. 's 1. 71β — meaning EXK is approximately 204% more volatile than DE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 25% versus 2% for Deere & Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), i-80 Gold Corp.

(IAUX) is pulling ahead at 77. 2% versus -2. 2% for Deere & Company (DE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: i-80 Gold Corp. grew EPS 20. 6% year-over-year, compared to -519. 4% for Endeavour Silver Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, IAUX leads at 34. 1% 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.

Caterpillar Inc.

(CAT) is the more profitable company, earning 13. 1% net margin versus -195. 9% for i-80 Gold Corp. — meaning it keeps 13. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DE leads at 18. 8% versus -98. 7% for IAUX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DE leads at 36. 5%, 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, Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 38x versus Deere & Company's 1. 99x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK) trades at 14. 3x forward P/E versus 38. 8x for Caterpillar Inc. — 24. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EXK: 25. 6% to $12. 75.

In this comparison, DE (1.

1% yield), CAT (0. 7% yield) pay a dividend. IAUX, EXK do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Deere & Company (DE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

56), 1. 1% yield, +671. 0% 10Y return). Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK) carries a higher beta of 1. 71 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (DE: +671. 0%, EXK: +182. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (IAUX (Basic Materials) and CAT (Industrials) and DE (Industrials) and EXK (Basic Materials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: IAUX is a small-cap high-growth stock; CAT is a large-cap quality compounder stock; DE is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; EXK is a small-cap quality compounder stock. CAT, DE pay a dividend while IAUX, EXK 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.