USAR vs AMRK vs FCX vs CMC

For growth investors, A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.

(AMRK) is the stronger pick with 13. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 6% for Commercial Metals Company (CMC). Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) offers the better valuation at 39. 9x trailing P/E (22. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate USA Rare Earth Inc (USAR) 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, Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

(FCX) is the cheapest at 39. 9x versus Commercial Metals Company at 95. 3x. On forward P/E, Commercial Metals Company is actually cheaper at 10. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

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

(AMRK) delivered a total return of +165. 3%, compared to +44. 3% for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: FCX returned +507. 7% versus USAR's +141. 8%. 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), A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.

(AMRK) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 07β versus USA Rare Earth Inc's 2. 18β — meaning USAR is approximately 103% more volatile than AMRK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Commercial Metals Company (CMC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 32% versus 129% for A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.

(AMRK) is pulling ahead at 13. 2% versus -1. 6% for Commercial Metals Company (CMC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: USA Rare Earth Inc grew EPS 39. 3% year-over-year, compared to -82. 1% for Commercial Metals Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, FCX leads at 3. 3% 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.

Freeport-McMoRan Inc.

(FCX) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 6% net margin versus -77. 4% for USA Rare Earth Inc — meaning it keeps 8. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: USAR leads at 53. 6% versus 0. 4% for AMRK. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — USAR leads at 80. 9%, 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, Commercial Metals Company (CMC) trades at 10.

8x forward P/E versus 22. 4x for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. — 11. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for USAR: 29. 6% to $34. 20.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

USA Rare Earth Inc (USAR) offers the highest yield at 2. 0%, versus 1. 0% for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX).

For long-horizon retirement investors, A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.

(AMRK) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 07), 1. 6% yield, +397. 5% 10Y return). USA Rare Earth Inc (USAR) carries a higher beta of 2. 18 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AMRK: +397. 5%, USAR: +141. 8%), 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 (USAR (Basic Materials) and AMRK (Financial Services) and FCX (Basic Materials) and CMC (Basic Materials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

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.