IAUX vs MUX vs EXK vs HL

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). Hecla Mining Company (HL) offers the better valuation at 36. 9x trailing P/E (19. 1x 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, Hecla Mining Company (HL) is the cheapest at 36.

9x versus McEwen Mining Inc. at 39. 6x. On forward P/E, Endeavour Silver Corp. is actually cheaper at 14. 3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

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

3%, compared to -27. 1% for i-80 Gold Corp. (IAUX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HL returned +360. 6% 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), 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, 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 5. 9% for Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Hecla Mining Company grew EPS 765. 7% 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.

Hecla Mining Company (HL) is the more profitable company, earning 22.

6% net margin versus -195. 9% for i-80 Gold Corp. — meaning it keeps 22. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HL leads at 37. 5% versus -98. 7% for IAUX. 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, Endeavour Silver Corp.

(EXK) trades at 14. 3x forward P/E versus 22. 2x for McEwen Mining Inc. — 7. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HL: 31. 7% to $23. 83.

In this comparison, MUX (0.

2% yield) pays a dividend. IAUX, EXK, HL do 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)). 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: -28. 4%, 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.

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; EXK is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HL is a mid-cap high-growth 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.