VGZ vs GORO vs EXK vs MUX vs AG

For growth investors, First Majestic Silver Corp.

(AG) is the stronger pick with 128. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 9% for Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK). McEwen Mining Inc. (MUX) offers the better valuation at 41. 1x trailing P/E (21. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Vista Gold Corp. (VGZ) a "Buy" — based on 2 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, McEwen Mining Inc.

(MUX) is the cheapest at 41. 1x versus First Majestic Silver Corp. at 62. 5x. On forward P/E, Endeavour Silver Corp. is actually cheaper at 14. 2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Vista Gold Corp.

(VGZ) delivered a total return of +104. 5%, compared to -49. 5% for Gold Resource Corporation (GORO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VGZ returned +220. 9% versus GORO's -51. 6%. 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), Gold Resource Corporation (GORO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

43β versus Endeavour Silver Corp. 's 1. 80β — meaning EXK is approximately 320% more volatile than GORO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, McEwen Mining Inc. (MUX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 2% for Gold Resource Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), First Majestic Silver Corp.

(AG) is pulling ahead at 128. 2% versus 5. 9% for Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: First Majestic Silver Corp. grew EPS 202. 9% year-over-year, compared to -519. 4% for Endeavour Silver Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, AG leads at 26. 8% 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 -14. 5% for Endeavour Silver Corp. — meaning it keeps 17. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AG leads at 27. 8% versus -6. 5% for MUX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AG leads at 34. 8%, 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. 2x forward P/E versus 26. 2x for Gold Resource Corporation — 12. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for VGZ: 100. 0% to $4. 50.

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, Gold Resource Corporation (GORO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

43)). Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK) carries a higher beta of 1. 80 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (GORO: -51. 6%, EXK: +179. 5%), 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: VGZ is a small-cap quality compounder stock; GORO is a small-cap high-growth stock; EXK is a small-cap quality compounder stock; MUX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; AG 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.