IAUX vs MUX

For growth investors, i-80 Gold Corp.

(IAUX) is the stronger pick with 77. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 13. 2% for McEwen Mining Inc. (MUX). McEwen Mining Inc. (MUX) offers the better valuation at 38. 7x trailing P/E (21. 7x 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.

Over the past 5 years, McEwen Mining Inc.

(MUX) delivered a total return of +82. 6%, compared to -21. 4% for i-80 Gold Corp. (IAUX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MUX returned -9. 0% 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 McEwen Mining Inc. 's 1. 27β — meaning MUX is approximately 51% more volatile than IAUX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, McEwen Mining Inc. (MUX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% 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 13. 2% for McEwen Mining Inc. (MUX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: McEwen Mining Inc. grew EPS 168. 6% year-over-year, compared to 20. 6% for i-80 Gold 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.

McEwen Mining Inc.

(MUX) is the more profitable company, earning 17. 4% net margin versus -195. 9% for i-80 Gold Corp. — meaning it keeps 17. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MUX leads at -6. 5% versus -98. 7% for IAUX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MUX leads at 11. 0%, 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.

In this comparison, MUX (0.

2% yield) pays a dividend. IAUX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for 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)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (IAUX: -24. 0%, MUX: -9. 0%), 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; MUX 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.