IAUX vs EXK

For growth investors, i-80 Gold Corp.

(IAUX) is the stronger pick with 77. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 9% for Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK). 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.

Over the past 5 years, Endeavour Silver Corp.

(EXK) delivered a total return of +48. 5%, compared to -21. 4% for i-80 Gold Corp. (IAUX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EXK returned +138. 7% versus IAUX's -24. 0%. 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), i-80 Gold Corp.

(IAUX) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 85β versus Endeavour Silver Corp. 's 1. 71β — meaning EXK is approximately 102% more volatile than IAUX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 25% versus 50% for i-80 Gold Corp. — 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 5. 9% for Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK). 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.

Endeavour Silver Corp.

(EXK) is the more profitable company, earning -14. 5% net margin versus -195. 9% for i-80 Gold Corp. — meaning it keeps -14. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EXK leads at 3. 8% versus -98. 7% for IAUX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EXK leads at 19. 3%, 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.

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, i-80 Gold Corp.

(IAUX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 85)). 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 (IAUX: -24. 0%, EXK: +138. 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.

In terms of investment character: IAUX is a small-cap high-growth stock; EXK is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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.