VGZ vs MUX vs EXK vs HL vs PAAS

For growth investors, Hecla Mining Company (HL) is the stronger pick with 53.

0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 9% for Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK). Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS) offers the better valuation at 22. 7x trailing P/E (12. 1x 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, Pan American Silver Corp.

(PAAS) is the cheapest at 22. 7x versus McEwen Mining Inc. at 41. 1x. On forward P/E, Pan American Silver Corp. is actually cheaper at 12. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Hecla Mining Company (HL) delivered a total return of +161.

8%, compared to +67. 0% for Endeavour Silver Corp. (EXK). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HL returned +373. 7% versus MUX's +3. 5%. 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), Pan American Silver Corp.

(PAAS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 88β versus Endeavour Silver Corp. 's 1. 80β — meaning EXK is approximately 103% more volatile than PAAS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, McEwen Mining Inc. (MUX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 25% for Endeavour Silver Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Hecla Mining Company (HL) is pulling ahead at 53.

0% 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, PAAS leads at 35. 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.

Pan American Silver Corp.

(PAAS) is the more profitable company, earning 27. 0% net margin versus -14. 5% for Endeavour Silver Corp. — meaning it keeps 27. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HL leads at 37. 5% versus -6. 5% for MUX. 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, Pan American Silver Corp.

(PAAS) trades at 12. 1x forward P/E versus 21. 0x for McEwen Mining Inc. — 8. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for VGZ: 100. 0% to $4. 50.

In this comparison, PAAS (0.

8% yield) pays a dividend. VGZ, MUX, EXK, HL do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Pan American Silver Corp.

(PAAS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 88), 0. 8% yield, +335. 4% 10Y return). 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 (PAAS: +335. 4%, 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; MUX is a small-cap quality compounder stock; EXK is a small-cap quality compounder stock; HL is a mid-cap high-growth stock; PAAS is a mid-cap high-growth stock. PAAS pays a dividend while VGZ, MUX, EXK, HL do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.